Hard to Get (Killer of Kings Book 4)(39)

“Shadow, you’re scaring me.”

He didn’t stop, knowing that Riley would find this out at some point. Going to the basement, he turned on the computer screens that showed Riley’s house.

“Holy shit, you were watching me all this time?” Riley leaned over his shoulder.

“You got a problem with that?” he asked, checking each angle of her rooms, and seeing nothing out of place. Nothing was ransacked. The house was empty.

Leaning back, he tapped his knuckles on the edge of the desk aware of Riley staring at him.

“Something is really bothering you,” she said.

“You’re not going to give me shit about this?”

“Not right now. I think you need to handle whatever it is you’ve got going on.”

He grabbed his cell phone and dialed Chains’s number.

“Yeah,” Chains said, answering within a couple of rings.

“Has there been any update?” Shadow asked.

“Nothing. Everything’s gone quiet, and there’s no sign of any action either. The bakery is clear.”

Chains had been watching the bakery since they left it.

Shadow stared at the screen. “Something’s not right. I’m calling Boss.” He hung up the phone, and began to dial Boss.

“What makes you think they’d come after me in the first place?” Riley asked.

“You took out their man. It’s logical to go after the person who made the hit.”

Boss wasn’t answering his cell phone.

“That doesn’t necessarily make any sense,” Riley said.

With every passing minute he was getting more and more pissed off. Shadow stared at Riley while scrolling through Maurice’s contact info on his cell phone. “What the hell do you mean?”

“You work for this Boss, right? He’s the one that pulls the strings?”

“Yeah, so?”

“Well, he’s the one that took the contract. What’s to say there’s not one out for him?”

“No one can take down Killer of Kings. Boss is the one that pulls the strings. We bring people down that are no good.” He didn’t add that they’ve been known to also kill innocents as well. Sometimes innocent people had to die in order to protect many more people. His job wasn’t always fair, but everything he did, he had a reason for.

“So you’re known by a lot of people, right? What happens if you’ve pushed too far? People are probably tired of losing against your organization. Why not take matters into their own hands, and rid themselves of your boss?”

Shadow didn’t like that she made sense. Killer of Kings had a fantastic reputation for getting the job done. Boss only ever employed the best men, and he was the deadliest motherfucker alive.

Pressing Maurice’s number, he stared at Riley. “I hope you’re wrong.”

She wasn’t wrong. He knew it in his gut more than he knew anything else. It was the only explanation for why Riley hadn’t been hit.

“Shadow, thank God, I’ve been trying to reach everyone. I had to warn you about Boss. His security codes were accessed, and his main building infiltrated with at least a dozen men, maybe more. He sent me a code black,” Maurice said.

“A code black, you’re sure?” Shadow asked.

“Yes. I’ve told Viper and Bain. I don’t know what to do. Killer of Kings is only worth anything if Boss is alive.”

“Maurice, send me Boss’s current address and the codes I’ll need to access it.”

“That’s not protocol. He said that when a code black is initiated, you’re to get the hell out of Dodge.”

“I’m not going to do that. I’m not a fucking coward, and I sure as hell ain’t going to hide away and let Boss die.” He couldn’t do it. For as big a bastard as Boss was, he was still someone Shadow highly respected. A man who’d helped him up when he was down. “I want all that info within the next few minutes.”

He didn’t waste time talking. Hanging up the phone, he pocketed it, rushing up the stairs toward his weapons room.

“What are you doing?” she asked, chasing behind him.

“I’m going to go and clean up this mess.”

“I’m coming with you.” She went to grab a rocket launcher, but he stopped her, holding her arm.

“Are you fucking kidding me?” He had to stop himself from laughing. “No, you’re not going to be in the line of fire. This isn’t your fight. This is mine, and you don’t need to be involved.” He cupped her cheek. “I won’t be able to focus on helping Boss if I’m worried about you.” He pressed his lips against hers. “Please, just this once, do as I ask, and stay safe.”

He had some hunting to do, and the only way he’d be able to focus was to know she was safe.

She nodded. “Yes.”

Shadow wasn’t convinced. Pulling her toward him, he saw the tranquilizer darts right behind her. Distracting her with his kiss, he grabbed one, plunging it into her arm. She gasped, but before she could do or say anything, she fell asleep in his arms.

“I’m sorry, babe. You’re all I have, and I won’t lose you.”

Shadow placed her on floor, securing her wrist to the radiator before grabbing his guns. If he was lucky, she’d be out for the count while he dealt with business.