My eyes narrow as I study Easton once we’re back in his office at Shadow Security.

    I would like to get this shit show over with so I can get home to my omega. At the same time, her safetyes before all else, and even though we managed to take out the team waiting at her house…

    There are others.

    Valor leans against the wall next to me as several other mercenaries stand with their backs to the wall just inside the doorway. For some reason, Easton didn’t want them lined up on the opposite wall from me and Valor, and I’m interested to see what the purpose of that was.

    “Are we waiting for something in particr?” I ask, trying to keep my tone respectful, considering the room full of his employees.

    “We are.” East nods at Calder, who types away on hisptop.

    “All right, we’re good,” Calder says.

    Easton grabs a remote, and a screen lowers on the wall across from me.

    “Now that I have a license te number to follow, I’ve been backtracking the vehicle that belonged to the team that hit Quincy’s house,” Calder says, putting hisputer on Easton’s desk and typing away. “Well, one of the two teams that have been splitting the surveince of her house since two nights ago. That leads me to believe someone was following Trigg, Knox, and Ridge when they first picked Quincy up. They must know our neighborhood is fortified, and as such, not a desirable location to try to hit.” He clicks the trackpad, and the projector screen lights up. “They knew she would have to return to her house at some point. It became a waiting game.”

    “We have confirmation from the cleanup team from this morning,” Easton says, gesturing at the screen. “The three individuals who attacked are from Costa’s personal team.”

    Photos pop up in two lines on the screen. Most are driver’s license pictures, but a few are candid shots, meaning they must not have been in any government database. Three of the eight men have red Xs over their faces. I’m going to take that to indicate there are five others suspected to be in Burlington, but I’m more bothered by the fact they were never on my radar.

    I never forget a face, and the members of Costa’s personal team that I gged as being in town aren’t on the screen.

    My teeth grind together.

    Either I fucked up, or Costa called in reinforcements.

    “We have a location for the five remaining members, but Costa has not been spotted entering or exiting the rental house.” Easton stands and walks to the screen. “They’ll be handled tonight?—”

    “Are we trying to take at least one alive?” Valor asks from my side, his words rolling together with his Scottish ent.

    “Ideally.” Easton nods and points toward the men near the door. “You two are headed to back up Knox. Dismiss the other team and have theme back to the office. You’ll be with him until Costa is handled or I tell you otherwise. Calder will text you the information.” The men don’t move, and Easton sighs. “Go.”

    They exit, and the other three wait to be given their orders.

    East doesn’t keep them waiting long. “You’re going to take Calder to my home?—”

    “I live there too. That makes it our house,” Calder mutters without looking up.

    Easton’s head tips toward the ceiling as it shakes. “You will safely deliver Calder to our house, and Keir will give you further instructions on where you’re needed.”

    There’s some additional back and forth between the team leader and Easton, but I tune them out, studying the faces on the screen.

    It sets a bad precedent to have that many unknowns on the board.

    Stepping over to stand near Calder, I ask, “The two from the alley yesterday were from the first contract. Is that right?”

    The first listing Costa set up was for three hundred and fifty thousand dors. He more than doubled it with the second. The first would have appealed to any lower-level contract workers—the ones looking to make a name for themselves—or those who were already in the area and considered it easy money.

    Costa failed to mention the listing was for a fully trained mercenary.

    Target information is usually kept minimal in the listing, so perhaps he forwarded extra details once someone epted the job. However, I doubt they had any information about Shadow Security. I can’t imagine anyone wanting to make an enemy of Easton for such a low payday.

    The higher bounty is closer to what I would assume would be necessary to coax out the real threats, but truth be told, even that is a bit on the low end.

    “The ones who went after you and Knox? Yeah, they were who snagged the contract for the lower bounty,” Calder says, nodding. “I’ve been monitoring the listing to see if it bes active again, but either Costa doesn’t know they’re dead, or he doesn’t n to reopen it.”

    Some listings are one-shots while others are free-for-alls. The first bes inactive when someonemits to the job. The second indicates more than one team may be fighting it out to see whopletes the contract first.

    Bothe with benefits andplications. When multiple teamspete to see who can get the target first, there may be arger spectacle. They also might decide to try to take out each other to knock out thepetition.

    “The second listing…” I murmur as I make my decision. “I’m going to take it.”

    “What?” Calder asks, twisting to face me.

    “Get out,” Easton says, but I ignore him. He’s talking to the team that’s waiting to take Calder home. The sounds of them exiting the room fill the air, and the door closes quietly.

    I nod, agreeing with myself. “It will lull Costa into a false sense of security.”

    “And fuck up yourpletion rate when you don’t fulfill the transaction,” Easton says with a hint of amusement lining his tone.

    He’s not wrong about that.

    “Costa’s team already knows who you are,” Calder says. “Even if that first time they passed by the restaurant was a coincidence, they clearly made the connection when they tried to kill you and Knox in the alleyway.”

    Stepping back, I lean against the wall near Valor once more. “They know my face. They also know I’m guarding Ridge. That does not mean they know I’m the King of Hearts.”

    I despise that fucking name.

    It was a parting gift from my mentor, much like the scar Quincy asked about.

    I don’t care who you are—even if you’re born with psychopathic traits and an excellent ability topartmentalize—you don’t get murder right on the first try. No matter how much you study or practice, it’s a honed skill.

    “There are no pictures of me rted to my professional persona. Very few past associates could pick me out of a lineup, and none of them would partner with Costa Maloney.” I shrug. “Tell me if you think I’m misreading the situation, but I believe we should have gone this direction from day one. Granted, if I had taken the first bounty, it would have looked suspicious, but the three quarters of a million offering is something I would normally consider if it was convenient and the target was interesting. Considering my reputation, I believe Costa will gleefully ept my bid.”

    “There’s no way he’ll meet with you unless it’s to receive proof the contract has beenpleted,” Easton says, his tone thoughtful. “But if we try to take him out under the guise Ridge is dead, it will not only tarnish your reputation but also Shadow Security’s.”

    Yes, well, no one would have known about my connection to Shadow Security if I had taken this route from the beginning, but I think it’s still possible as long as we y our cards right.

    If it were anyone other than my half brother who made the call asking to bring me in, I would have declined, but I’ve been a bit aimlesstely. I might not be as old as Ridge or even Hartley, but I turned twenty-seven a few months ago. Perhaps being on the downhill slope to thirty put me into a bit of a rut.

    I’ve been bored.

    My general strategy is to stay hidden behind the curtain, but when Easton called, I thought it might be a nice change of pace to be out in the open. Not that Burlington is the ce for an all-out war, but I thought protecting a client without the need to hide might be something new and exciting when I’m always slinking around, taking out adversaries who don’t realize I’m there until it’s toote.

    After meeting Quincy, I’ve determined what was missing from my life. Her sweet scent and indulgent smiles have changed me on a molecr level.

    After two small failures in my early days, my main goal in life was to get my rating to ny-nine percent. I finally achieved thatst year, putting me in the top one percent of respected assassins in the country. That particr victory no longer holds much appeal.

    It’s a nice de, but I want Quincy more. Our daughter will be here in less than two months, and my priorities have changed.

    My first goal is to take out Costa and his team by any means necessary. Then, I’ll simply kill off my professional persona and slip into a more normal life. My enemies will be none the wiser, and I can focus all my energy on what truly matters.

    “My professional reputation means little to me at this point,” I deadpan. “I believe if we y our cards right, we can pull this off without anyone making the connection between the King of Hearts and me as Ridge’s new guard from Shadow Security.”

    “That might actually be brilliant,” Calder says. “But you don’t just throw away a 99.1% contractpletion rating. Guys work their entire lives and never get higher than ny-seven percent.”

    I roll my eyes. I’ve already made a n of attack. It’s time they get on board. “Now, you said you had a location for the five members of Costa’s personal team? Will Valor be my partner? I’d like to tackle that as soon as it gets dark. I need to get back to Quincy.”

    “I will be joining the two of you,” Easton says with a cutting smile. “From time to time, it bes necessary to remind people why it’s best not to fuck with me. Tonight will serve as a brutal reminder.”hr

    I’m up and over the four-foot metal chain-link fence in a blink. I don’t hesitate, moving toward the house in a crouch.

    Thest thing I wanted to do was be away from Quincy for even longer, but they were right. Doing thister made sense. If we had gone in as soon as the sun set, it would have been loud. Having at least four of them settled into bed for the night increases our odds of pulling this off without any of the neighbors calling the cops.

    Before we exited the SUV, Calder verbally ryed everyone’s locations through ourms. Four upstairs, hopefully asleep, but possibly watching their phones. One remains downstairs, obviously designated to keep watch.

    “West side window is clear, proceeding to the front door,” Valor whispers.

    Easton follows him over thems, saying, “In position.”

    I hit the wall at the rear of the house and tten my back against it, moving toward the door. Once I reach it, I take a knee and begin to work on the locks.

    Luckily for us, this ce is a rental and not set up like Costa’s personal residence would be. These idiots mistakenly think being on the edge of a neighborhood will keep them safe. They must not know how Easton operates.

    Or me, for that matter.

    Calder has the video feeds blocked from the homeowner, and several teams are set up across Burlington, ready to create a diversion if need be. Simple things like a bar fight here, an rm triggered at a pharmacy there. Basically, just enough to spread the police force thin if they do end up tipped off.

    I move through the locks quickly, and once the final pin clicks, I shove the lock-picking kit into the side of my boot.

    “I’m in ce,” I say, keeping my voice low. “The door is clear to breach.”

    “We’re good to go,” Valor says through thems.

    “Calder, count us down,” Easton whispers.

    The low crackling of breathing filters through as background noise while Calder does the countdown. Once he hits one, I fully twist the handle, popping open the door.

    Keeping my gun in my dominant hand, I pull the knife from the holster on my thigh and shove my forearm against the door.

    The long hallway goes all the way down to the front door, and I nod at Valor. We’re all masked as a safety precaution, but his size gives him away.

    My job takes me into the kitchen on the left, and I don’t breathe as the one who’s supposed to be keeping guardes into view. He’s seated at the small table, bent over a bowl of something as he shovels a bite into his mouth. His gaze stays on his phone, which is propped up with a napkin holder.

    Ie up behind him as silently as possible, but my shoes catch on the tile, and a soft brushing sound fills the air.

    He drops his spoon, his head whipping up as he reaches for his gun.

    It’s toote for him.

    My left hand still holds my gun, but I use it on his forehead to pull his head back. The de rips across his throat, and blood sprays across the table, over his phone, and even into his bowl. He gives up on the gun and tries to staunch the bleeding, but I bury the knife in his heart for good measure.

    No one can use me of not being thorough. I swipe his phone out of reach, as well as the gun, and release his forehead. He twitches as he falls face-first into his bowl of marshmallowden cereal.

    I hope he enjoyed hisst meal.

    Spinning around, I exit the kitchen and hit the long corridor. This time, I make my way toward the front door to ess the stairs.

    I’m unused to working with a team, and I frown. Fucking hell. I’ve tuned out everything they’ve said.

    “Trigg?” Easton hisses.

    “One down. I’m headed up to you.”

    “Don’t bother,” Valor growls. “We’reing down. We’ve got one in tow.”

    My lips tip up.

    That is an excellent turn of events.

    For us.

    Not for the poor soul who will now be tortured for information before meeting his demise.

    Easton’s voicees over mym next. “Send in the disposal team.” They’re close but not currently on site, so he can only be speaking to Calder.

    From what I understand, that team wille in, remove the bodies, and light the ce up.

    How they manage the cleanup is of no concern to me. Neither is questioning the one they kept alive.

    I’ll let Easton handle that.

    I have an omega to get back to, and this has already taken way too long.