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  “Put the gun down,” said the first voice. “If it’s just you and those two doing a terrible ass job of hiding, you might make it out of this.”

  My hands were already sweating on the grip, shoulders aching from keeping it aimed at the door. Putting it down sounded good. Getting out of here alive sounded better. But if I put the gun down, I would be putting our fates in unknown hands. I wasn’t ready to do such a thing. I wasn’t ready to pull this trigger either, and yet I would if I had to.

  I licked dry lips. “How do I know I can trust you?”

  There was silence on the other side. The shadow peeking in disappeared. Time crawled by slowly and I glanced back at my brothers peering around either side of the desk. Maybe they had left?

  Someone struck the door again with the hardest blow so far. The poor dresser never stood a chance.

  It tipped over on its side and I barely scrambled back and out of the way, heart beating wildly as it went flying. The door itself followed close behind, falling with a loud crash. The distraction only lasted for a heartbeat before my focus was back on the wide open doorway, but it was a heartbeat that had cost me. There was no one there, just a black barrel pointed at me.

  “Gotta learn how to use cover, kid.” I cursed myself under my breath. “Now drop the damn thing and slide it out this way before we run out of patience.”

  There was really no reason to be stubborn at this point. If they wanted me dead, I would’ve been dead. They owned my life from the moment I took my eyes off the entrance. It was a lesson worth remembering.

  Once the gun was on the other side of the threshold and far, far away from my hands, someone scooped it up. Then power flooded into the room. And this wasn’t the pretend stuff Dad played at either. Throwing his money around. Screaming at people.

  This was pure.

  Undiluted.

  Terrifying.

  Three men, clad in all black everything, quickly filed into the room and stood side by side. They made it feel incredibly tiny, their presence overwhelming despite the obvious youth on their faces. None of them could’ve been older than their late teens or early twenties, but they carried themselves like they owned everything they looked upon.

  On my left was the single biggest guy I’d ever seen in person. He stood at least a few inches taller than the other two, body unbelievably wide. Scar didn’t have anything on his size. I must’ve somehow missed him turning sideways to get through the door, because there was no way he would’ve fit otherwise. His dark eyes were cold, empty, and they swept the room without missing a thing.

  On the right was a movie star, fresh from his latest blockbuster. At least that’s what he looked like to me. His red hair was piled messily on top of his head and he wore a devil-may-care grin, seemingly unconcerned by everything they had already done. His eyes were gemstone green, the amusement on his face reflected within their depths.

  My attention shifted to the one in the middle, immediately noticing the snarl twisting his face and the way his gray eyes blazed with barely restrained violence. Reflexively, I took a step back. He watched my movement closely, looking at me the same way a wolf would its next meal. I was glad Isaac and Manuel were being silent behind me. They would crumble beneath his attention and we weren’t out of the woods yet.

  “What are you three doin’ in here?” The giant asked, folding huge arms over his chest.

  “Hiding.” I offered no more, no less.

  “I think we got that part,” said Hollywood. “Tell those two behind the desk to come out.”

  I motioned for them to do what he said, and soon enough, my brothers were standing at either side of my back.

  The angry one stepped forward, taking us in with one, chilling look. I could almost feel my brothers wilting and I wasn’t faring much better. Run, my mind screamed. Except there was nowhere to go.

  His eyes finally locked on mine. “Don’t move. Don’t speak. Don’t even fucking breathe.” He stepped to the side and there was suddenly a girl standing in the spot he had just occupied.

  She was maybe a few years older than me, wearing boots, jeans, and a dark hoodie, hands stuffed in the oversized pocket.

  I didn’t know who she was, but she immediately took my breath away. There was suddenly a vice on my chest, squeezing my ribs and my heart along with it. Long, platinum blonde hair spilled out from beneath the baseball hat, framing a sculpted face. An urge hit me to brush those stray strands out of the way for a full view of it. Luckily, my sense of self preservation was stronger than whatever was coming to life inside of me. Because when her head lifted and I caught sight of silver eyes like nothing I had ever seen, my heart got ripped out and stepped on.

  Hate.

  There was nothing else there.

  Nothing at all.

  At least I was worth hunting to the angry asshole throwing off wave after wave of aggression. No matter how bad I wanted to reach out and confirm this girl was real, I was very much aware of what information my brain was supplying.

  Touch her and she’ll crush you under her foot like an ant.

  She walked a short path between my brothers and I, stopping to stare unblinkingly at each of us over several intervals. While she did that, I let my mind wander. I tried and failed to comprehend what could instill that kind of mindless loathing against someone she didn't even know. The only thing I came up with was someone had hurt her, bad. That knowledge didn't sit right with me, but I didn't know what I was going to do with it either.

  “Well?” Hollywood prompted when she completed her circuit, standing in front of me again.

  Her gaze dissected me while my heart thudded. When her head tilted, hair shimmering in the light, I remembered the flash of silver I saw earlier. My gut clenched. I clenched my fists until it hurt, trying to fight the welling panic.

  She was there.

  She saw Dad and I together.

  She killed Scar.

  She’ll give me away. Then it’s all over.

  I took a desperate step forward, begging her with my eyes. If she said anything, we were as good as dead. The men behind her didn’t seem to be the hostage taking type.

  She stopped my advance in its tracks. A sharp blade appeared at my neck, pressing in. With a flick of her wrist, she could cut me open. The three men went noticeably tense and the sweat under my arms slid down my sides. Biting my tongue for clarity, I mouthed one word.

  “Please.”

  Her eyes flashed. For a fraction of a second, there and gone again, something besides hate occupied those unsettling orbs. This was worse.

  Pain. Torment. So much my bones ached with it. She blinked and the spell was broken, leaving me reeling with the need to spare her from those horrors.

  The girl shook her head and turned her back on us, stomping out into the hall without a word. She didn't go far. I could see the sole of her boots where she leaned against splintered door frame, and I found it oddly comforting to have her remain close by.

  Hollywood nodded. “Looks like you three weren’t involved. Consider yourselves lucky.”

  Involved in what?

  “Names,” the monster barked. I forgot myself for a moment, scowling at him. He bared his teeth and I schooled my expression.

  “Luna,” I lied again, this one coming easily. “These are my brothers-”

  “Quiet,” he snapped. “Let them speak.”

  “Diego, sir,” said Isaac.

  “Alejandro,” said Manuel.

  I almost ruined it with my sigh of relief.

  “Hmmm.” He didn’t look convinced. God, what was it going to take?

  The big one pulled a phone from his pocket, making the device look tiny as he read the screen. “Creed. We’ve got him pinned down,” he said, standing at attention.

  “Go, both of you.” said Creed, watching me. What was he, a damn gargoyle? Hollywood and Giant left without protest. The girl’s feet moved out of my line of sight but she was there. I could feel it. “Round up what you need and get the hell out of her
e within the next half hour. I imagine the three of you can find the exit if you put your heads together.”

  An hour ago, I would've complained. He couldn't kick us out of our own house. Now, I was grateful for the chance to walk out alive. Although I was curious… “What happens in a half hour?”

  “I burn this fucking place down until there's nothing but ashes.” He didn’t rub his hands together after his declaration like the villains in movies. It was a statement of fact. I believed he would do what he said he would, one hundred percent. And he wouldn’t wait to make sure we were at a safe distance. “Don’t get in my way again.”

  With that parting shot, he stepped back over the debris in the doorway and marched from the room.

  “Sly. On me.”

  The girl - Sly? - fell into step behind him and I watched her retreating back, silently hoping for her to turn around. Another glimpse of her was worth more than anything. It wasn’t right, that she was suffering. I wanted to do something about it. Needed it like I needed the oxygen in my lungs. Except I knew I wasn’t in a position to do anything for her.

  Not yet.

  But what was one more promise to myself when I’d already made so many today?

  “I’ll save you,” I whispered, feeling the oath settle deep in my soul. My brothers came to stand in front of me, giving me odd looks. I didn’t care. I reached out and curled my fingers in the space she had occupied, as if I could hold her by proxy. “Someday. Somehow. I swear it.”

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