Page 120 of Breaking Point

“I suggest you keep quiet. Or your men will be cleaning your blood off the floor.”

“You won’t kill me, Skar,” he says, all too pleased.

“No,” Skar replies, looking toward Charlotte. “She will. And I won’t stop her.”

Rema at least has the sense to look scared, especially when four of his men drop to the floor around him. His eyes go wide before settling on the food. The dinner we interrupted. He stands abruptly, wobbling before the effects hit him and he collapses against the table.

“Papa?” Sofia cries, feeling his neck for a pulse as she shakes him. Then her eyes find Charlotte in horror. “What did you do?!”

“She poisoned the wine,” Charles says, voice blank. “Although I’m sure that’s not all.”

Skar’s nod is all the confirmation I need to stand and snap my zip ties loose. “Go and find Aleks and Harvey,” Skar says as he faces Charles again.

“I know where they’ll keep them,” Liv says. “But there will be more of them,” she says as her eyes dip to the guards. I reach into one of the guard’s pockets, retrieving my pistol.

I grab her hand before motioning toward the door. “Let’s go.”

“Charlotte-“ Charles starts as I follow Liv toward the stairs.

“You’re not in the position to bargain,” she snaps, but once we’re inside, I focus on searching for any other guards.

I motion Liv closer so that she’s standing behind me as we cross the party. “I heard them talking. He’s in the main suite. It’s somewhere on the third or fourth floor.”

Checking my magazine and making sure I still have several rounds in my pocket, I grab Liv’s hand again. “Stay behind me. Quiet as you can.”

Adrenaline courses through me, warm and familiar. The main stairs wind twice before a landing appears with doors on either side. It’s watched by two guards, and I’m willing to bet there will be more between here and the main suite. I push Liv back a step as I rack my brain for a plan to get past them.

“I have a crazy idea,” Liv whispers. She glances towards the sprinkler above our heads before reaching into her skirt, withdrawing a lighter. “Can you lift me?”

She must have the same idea I do. I kneel, allowing her to sit on my shoulder. When I lift her, she reaches up, flicking thelighter. But it doesn’t light. She curses as a door opens down the hall.

“Liv,” I warn quietly as she flicks the spark wheel.

My hand holds her thighs steady, and just as the flame ignites, I see movement over my shoulder. I fire first, think second, and Liv gasps as the movement jolts her. The lighter slips out of her hand, setting the alarms off as I shoot a round at another guard.

Flames explode across the carpet, swallowing space by the second. Sirens blare around us loudly, and I brace for the moment people pour into the hall. I hide my pistol behind my coat, motioning for her to jump down. I shift her weight, carefully catching her and setting her down as doors open.

“Crew-” she says, and my attention finds the fire now eating away at the carpet.

I grab her hand as more and more people flood the hallway. "The stairs are to the left,” I direct everyone as flames swallow the hallway.

There’s no putting it out now. Guests flood the stairwell, trampling over each other to get downstairs. But we go up, still watching for any guards.

A door opens, admitting a guard in search of the fire. I wait for him to appear, and when he does, I knock his feet out from under him. He slams to his knees, and I use the butt of my gun to knock him unconscious.

“Hey!” Another guard yells, followed by two others, and when a shot rings out, I crouch behind the wall.

They’ve spotted me, drawing their weapons and firing. I shoot with deadly precision, taking them down. It’s quiet, and I check before motioning Liv closer. I stop in front of the next landing, pressing her flat against the wall to peer around the corner.

“Crew!” she yells as a shadow moves.

I fire off two shots, and a man’s body tumbles down the flight of stairs.

More guards will have heard that.

Her eyes follow the growing pool of blood at our feet, mind on the brink of panic. “Hey,” I squeeze her hand, forcing her to focus. “Let’s find Aleks and Harvey.”

“Okay.” She meets my eye, nodding furiously. “Okay,” she repeats.

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