A Dirty Business (Kings of New York #1)(32)

I felt the distance closing, and then his forehead touched the side of my head, softly, before he whispered, “I’m killing him slowly, for you. Because he’s hurt someone who shares your blood.”

A surge of emotion surged through me, and I really didn’t want to identify what that was. I ripped myself out of his arms and went to the opposite corner.

He went with me.

“Stop,” I grated out.

“You and me, it’s been there since the beginning. You’ve done a search on me by now. I’m not stupid. You know who I am, and you know who my family is.”

“You’re a Wall Street guy.”

“I’m barely there lately.”

God. This was all so bleak. Why did I feel I had a small opening that I could see out, but it was closing on me—and it was closing fast?

I dropped my voice. “What are you doing here? Really?”

He angled his head back, giving me another assessing look.

I met his gaze, steadily. “I need to know.”

His eyebrows dipped down again, and he moved back a step, his head lowering. “We’re here creating a job opening.”

A low and swift curse came out of me.

“I shared. Now it’s your turn.”

I seared him with a look, stepping away from him. “That’s none of your business.” I took a step toward the room for the window when he moved just as quick, his hand grabbing mine. “What are—”

He was pulling me toward him, a whole different and intense look filling his eyes, when suddenly—bang!

We both took off running.

I pulled my gun.

From the stairs, another stampede of steps barreled down. It was Ashton and the other guard; they must’ve gone upstairs.

Tristian cursed, getting to the room first.

The door was open. I went in first, and Tristian ran to my side. He had an arm in front of me as if to guard me. I swore, holstering my gun immediately, and I started forward.

Tristian caught me, holding me back. “Stop—”

Ashton moved around, then stopped, cursing.

I twisted out of Tristian’s hold and moved to the side.

Aunt Sarah looked at me, dropping a gun, and she took an unsteady step my way. The smoke was still coming from the barrel. “You didn’t come back. I was worried, and then . . .” She looked back at her husband, whose head was hanging down. More blood seeping from him, but at this point, he was just one bloody mess. “I knew where he kept his gun.”

Jesus. She shot him.

A cupboard was open behind her, and a section of the wall was opened.

“Get her out of here.” Tristian pointed at her, and his guard swooped in. He bent down and lifted my aunt completely off her feet. He carried her out of the room. She wasn’t struggling, a wide-eyed look on her face.

I started after them, but Tristian took my hand again, holding me in place. “She’s in shock.”

I pulled free. “I have to go with her.”

I followed the guard up. There was another big guy there. He didn’t look surprised to see me, but his eyebrows twitched at the sight of my aunt in his colleague’s arms. “We killing both?”

The one holding my aunt stifled a laugh. “Doubt it. Boss wants in that one’s pants.”

Guard Two swung his gaze my way, giving me a perusal before whistling. “He’s got morbid taste. She’s a copper.” He nodded to my aunt. “What are we doing with her?”

“I have a car around the block. I’ll bring it around.” I pulled out my keys, which were taken just as easily as he’d taken my phone. Tristian moved around me, once again gathering my hand in his as he tossed the keys to the first guard. “Deal with the body, and then drive her car back to the city.”

The guy nodded and was gone in an instant.

“Stop! How many fucking times do I have to say that before you listen?!”

He ignored me, again, and drew me to him, moving me in front of his chest. He spoke over my head. “Take her aunt back to the city—”

“No.” I ripped away, again. “She has kids.” I skimmed over my aunt, but she wasn’t here. Full shock had settled in.

All of the men stilled in the room.

“Where are her kids?”

I looked up, making sure he saw the resolve in me. “I am not telling you that, and you cannot steamroll over me for that. I have to go alone to get those kids and if I don’t show up with my aunt, they will know something’s happened.”

Tristian was gauging whether I was telling the truth.

“I’ll take her alone. I’m not letting those kids come into the vehicle and seeing another strange man inside. They’re already scared. They’re leaving him. That’s why I’m here. I came to grab one of their toys before we headed back to the city.”

Tristian’s jaw clenched. His eyes were blazing. “You were going to sneak in alone? Thinking he was here?”

“You already guessed the reason why.”

His eyes flashed once more before he exhaled loudly.

“Let her get ’em, but she can go back in one of our vehicles. We have her keys for her car. We also have the gun her aunt used to kill him. She’s not going to snitch,” Ashton said.

That’s what he was worried about?