A Matter Of Justice (Grey Justice #4)(34)

Even now, she could feel the walls closing in on her, but she pushed them back with disdain. She’d endured too much to allow a few walls to defeat her.

While that time had been torturous, she had learned an enormous amount about how Reed conducted the business of killing. She would utilize that knowledge tonight.

Using a small pen flashlight, Irelyn eyed the labels on the file cabinets. Once again, she was glad that Dark wanted to follow so faithfully in Reed’s footsteps. The labels didn’t look like they’d been changed since she had worked here. She quickly located her personal file and pulled it from the drawer. Just shuffling through a few pages revealed that not only had Reed kept records of the ten years she’d lived here, but also after they’d reconnected years later. She would review and then destroy the pages later. For now, she was looking for a specific piece of intel.

She found the information on the third page. She stared at the words for several moments and was surprised that the lines became blurred. Getting emotional would not do a damn bit of good.

Emotions would have to wait. She had two more tasks to accomplish. The second file was right next to hers. Despite an inner voice telling her to get the hell out of there, she took a moment to flip through the pages. The photograph was expected—all personnel files carried one. What she hadn’t expected was the visceral reaction. How had she not known? Why hadn’t she remembered?

She flipped to another page and caught her breath on a soft gasp.

She had thought she was prepared for anything. Had believed that all the anger and pain had already been dealt with and put away. She had been wrong. Nothing could have prepared her for this new information. Sickness roiled through her stomach. It was a tragedy in the making. No way in hell this wasn’t intentional.

Slamming the folder closed, she took both files and shoved them inside her jacket. She had everything she needed.

The urge to get out of this vile house and away from the decades of death and destruction was becoming imperative. She was across the floor and out of the room in seconds. She carefully closed the door and initiated the lock. No one would know until it was too late that the files were missing.

Her priorities had shifted. She had no choice but to get out of here as soon as possible. She would come back later and fulfill her second mission.

Anxiety that she might be too late mixed with bubbling rage, creating a mishmash of emotions. She had no time to process any of them. She had to get to Dallas and to Grey. She had to prevent this monumental travesty that had been set in motion.

“Find what you were looking for?”

She whirled. Benjamin, one of Dark’s beefy guards, smirked down at her. Everyone, including the house servants, was trained to kill. Benjamin was no exception. His size alone would make most people run the other way. His arrogant expression said that he had every intention of doing what he was trained to do.

“What’s going on?”

Another guard, Lionel, came up behind Benjamin. Though shorter and thinner than his counterpart, Lionel was wiry, without an ounce of excess fat. In her estimation, he was more lethal.

Both of them could kill without the slightest hesitation.

Inappropriate laughter burst from her. That one-on-one fight with a boxing bag would no longer be necessary. The fight she had been looking for had come to her. Now she just had to survive it.

Hoping they had more muscle than brains, she went for bravado first. Her brow arched with an arrogance she’d learned from Grey, she glared at them. “Can I help you?”

“Yes, you can tell us why you’re sneaking around in the records room,” Lionel said.

“Sneaking? Excuse me? I have every right to be here. It’s part of my new job. Did Dark forget to inform you?”

“Oh, he informed us all right. Said to keep an eye on you.”

Though Lionel appeared to be the one in charge, Irelyn kept a wary eye on Benjamin as she said, “Then perhaps he just doesn’t think you’re important enough for updates. I assure you I have every right to be here.”

A hint of doubt clouding his eyes, Benjamin said, “Maybe she’s right, Lionel. I heard she was trained by Reed.”

“Only one way to find out.” Lionel pulled his radio from his belt.

In a flash, Irelyn double-kicked. The radio flew from his hand, and blood spurted from the nose she’d crushed. She took a step toward the door, then jerked to a halt when a hairy, muscular arm wrapped tight around her neck. Irelyn kicked back at her assailant, feeling a moment of triumph when her heel connected with a shinbone and she heard a grunt of pain. That brief flash of triumph disappeared when the arm around her tightened, cutting off her air. Lionel appeared in front of her. Blood poured from his nose, and murder gleamed in his eyes.

Wrapping her hands around Benjamin’s arm and using it as leverage, she swung her legs up and kicked with all her might, focusing solely on Lionel’s groin. His eyes rolled back in his head, and he dropped like a rock in front of her.

One down, one to go.

Still hanging on to the arm around her neck, Irelyn slammed her head back as hard as she could and heard a distinctive crunch. With a howl of agony, Benjamin dropped his arm. She sprinted for the stairway door. Halfway there, she found herself airborne and then slammed into a wall. Her shoulder hit first and then her hip.

Damn, that hurt.

She managed to land on her feet, albeit a bit wobbly. She whirled just in time to see Benjamin’s giant fist barreling toward her face. Irelyn jerked back. Taking advantage of his forward momentum, she grabbed his arm and pulled hard. She barely got to enjoy the sound of the crash before he was whirling around and coming at her again.