Page 81 of Burn for Me

“I'm sure it will get exciting soon. B promised a huge surprise for the winner of tonight's jackpot.” His voice trails off at the end, quieter than the rest.

The dealer steps back from the table, holding a metal card and pointing it toward me. “Please write your name and tally how many times you win.”

“The information that will shatter this perfect society everyone thinks we live in.” Diego adjusts his mask back into place and tosses his card onto the table as he stands but doesn’t quite walk away. The older man beside him throws his cards onto the table and stands up so abruptly that he almost knocks over a cozy couple behind him.

“That's highly unlikely now. B was supposed to pay me for what I had, but since it’s gone, he’ll have to try to get it from Mr. O’Hanson, which will be difficult.” Rurik shrugs and glances in my direction as he continues, “He doesn’t trust newcomers.”

“How did you get it anyway?” Casey asks with a laugh, taking another drink from a tray, smacking the waitress on the arse.

“He’ll give me anything I want, except—” Rurik starts to say, but he’s quickly interrupted by Diego’s laughter.

“Everything except his daughter.” Diego chimes in.

Rurik stands up, slamming his hands on the table, but not one person flinches. Jasmine begins to wiggle in my lap, so I give her a warning squeeze.

“Just wait,” Rurik says slowly, flicking his suit jacket back as if trying to warn Diego with the knives lining his hip. He then casually buttons the bottom of his coat.

“If he has a vendetta, then I'm sure we can use—”Tide begins to say, but I cut him off.

“So, no one else has this stuff besides you two?” I scoff, as it's an idiotic thought—because it is. With as big as these arseholes egos are, I'm sure at least one has slipped up.

“Walk with me, Mr. Morana? I'd love to give you some insight into how business is handled here.” Rurik rounds the table, Casey stands, and I can’t help but grin. They may not be trying to intimidate, but they certainly come off that way. Little do they know how long I’ve waited to add another life to my list. I pull my hand away from Jasmine's dress and gently pat her hip, encouraging her to stand as I do the same—straightening my shoulders, I easily cast a shadow over the poor guys.

“I need to powder my nose,” Jasmine whispers, and I nearly laugh. Was she fidgeting because she needed to piss? I nod, and she kisses the fabric of my cheek before rushing off. I consider following her, but the team is in her ear. She’ll be okay because if she’s not… I shake my head and start to follow behind the boys.

We slip further back into the red light room and come to a set of large doors, similar to the front, but these have stained gray glass instead of wood. Casey and Rurik are talking among themselves, occasionally trying to include me in the conversation. When Rurik said he would talk about business, I didn't think he meant it. Now I'm stuck wondering about long rows of tall hedges, wishing I had just drunk that damn whiskey.

“That room, Jasmine.”

I nearly stop in my tracks, but I continue walking anyway. They don't have her searching this place alone, do they? They didn’t say anything through the comms, so either this was planned, or she went off alone, and they're just following her lead.

“Nothing.”Jasmine sighs with some shuffling in the background,“If Rurik is telling the truth, then the only other person with the stuff is…”

Her words trail off, causing my stomach to churn. I need to get back to her; my superiors don’t understand how deep this situation goes or what it means. Since Rurik hasn't lied yet, that suggests her father is the last loose end.

“He's there. Find him. If we can isolate him, we’re set.”Caspian says.

As Rurik and Casey move deeper into the hedges, I rush back toward the entrance, knowing every turn and twist by heart.

“Sam?”Jasmine's voice comes through, a pleading, crackling whisper.

“I’m—” I begin, but suddenly, something slams into my side, choking off my words. I glance at the strange-looking respirator as a small body tumbles back. Shaking my head to clear my thoughts, I start toward my destination again. Just then, another person emerges from the door, raising a pistol.

“Fuck. Hold on, Sam, we're coming in.”

“What's happening?”

Caspian and Jasmine’s voices come through. I chuckle and slowly raise my hands in mock surrender as more figures appear from the opposite sides of the building. They both sound worried, but I've been waiting for a moment like this.

“Find the girl!”

My humor fades, and in an instant, my weapon is pulled from my holster as I assess the situation. These idiots just sealed their fate with their choice of words. In a matter of minutes, people are coming from all around, trying to knock me off my feet. I don’t know where one body begins and another ends. All I know is that I’m surrounded by red, and so much of it pools around my feet and clouds my vision.

“I'm coming. Hold on.”Jasmine pants, and I shake my head as if she can see me.

“Keep your arse inside.”

I can handle this, but we are leaving as soon as I’m done. Screw the mission, screw our factions, screw the world. It can rot for all I care as long as I know she's safe and by my side. Various screams surround me, and my muscles ache in protest. Instead of feeling free, I only feel panic. With each body that drops, another appears, and I can't seem to keep them off long enough to catch my breath.

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