Page 47 of Twisted Desire

We’re standing in the clearing, waiting for the go-ahead from the first team. It was up to them to surround the building and disengage the security system and handle any security personnel that could slow us down.

Nikolai and I are wearing earpieces along with the leaders we assigned from the other teams. It takes almost thirty minutes until we hear from team one. Their job is done, meaning it’s time for team two to infiltrate the building. We aren’t able to shift inside courtesy of the iron in the exterior walls, so they’ll have to break in the old fashioned way—with force.

The rest of our group is chatting softly a few feet away while Nik and I stand together, listening to the feed.

“Approaching the building,” the second team’s leader says in a gruff voice. I feel stupid for not remembering his name.

“Be careful, Brandon,” Nik says.At least one of us remembers his name.

Brandon laughs. “Relax, man. I’ve been waiting months for this moment.”

“What do you see?” I ask.

“The building is fairly small, but it looks as if it’s built into the mountain behind it. Half of the exterior walls are made of solar panels, and the rest are reflective metal. No wonder this place is so well hidden. If people could see it, they’d know some shady shit was going down here.”

“Stay focused. We don’t have a lot of time. Now that the security system is disabled, they’re going to quickly deduce the cause.”

“Let’s get this show on the road,” he says, and then the feed is filled with the sound of glass shattering.

Nik and I both cringe at the sound, and he reaches for my hand. I grip his tightly as my stomach rolls. After training and preparing for this fight for so long, it’s finally happening. Everything we are is riding on the success of this takedown. The lives of our people are hanging in the balance, and we’re about to throw them into the most important—and the most dangerous—fight of their lives.

Nik’s lips are at my ear, the one without the com. “Breathe, Sky.”

I force a deep breath, letting it out slowly. Gunfire snaps through the earpiece, and I squeeze Nik’s hand tighter. “Fuck,” I mutter, my pulse spiking.

“Go, go, go,” someone shouts on the other end.

“What’s happening?” I demand.

“Just a little welcome committee,” Brandon says, his breathing labored. “Nothing we can’t handle. You guys better get ready, though. Teams three and four just came in behind us, but these assholes have quite the arsenal of weapons.”

“On our way,” Nik says, turning to the rest of our group. “We’re up.” He lets go of my hand to check himself over, making sure his weapons are in place.

I do the same then walk over and check everyone else. “I’m not good with speeches, so I’m going to keep this short. We don’t have time for anything else. We’ve been working hard for this moment, but right now, we’re going to have to work harder—harder than you’ve ever imagined. These people want us dead. Fuck that. We protect each other in there—we have one another’s backs. Until the end. Got it?”

Allison bites her lip. “That was supposed to be motivational?”

I grumble, “Fuck. Forget it. Let’s just go.”

“No,” Nik says, putting a hand on my arm. “Finish.”

“That’s what he said,” Oliver mutters with a grin.

“Please, I don’t have to tell her,” Nik shoots back with a wicked smirk.

I gape at them. “I’m going kill both of you.”

“Not now, kitten.” He steals a chaste kiss before I can punch him in the face. “We’ve got a battle to win.”

Allison groans. “As inspirational as all of this is... whateverthisis, we need to move.”

I look at her. “That’s the smartest thing you’ve ever said.” When she flips me off, a surprised laugh escapes me. I might not have been able to tell these people how much they mean to me, but this prefight chat fits our group more than heartfelt words ever will. It’s what we need to go in there and kick some ass.

Our group takes off in a dead sprint, stomping across the manicured grass toward the building. The sky is overcast with clouds, so it takes a few minutes before it comes into view. When it does, my eyes widen. This place looks like one of those fancy medical facilities you see on television. It’s only two stories high—likely built further underground away from prying eyes—but it looks sleek as fuck. I continue to stare at it, a twisted desire to see it burn warming my body against the cool breeze.

It’ll look amazing smothered in flames.

Gunshots ring out through the midday air, sending ice through my veins. Clenching my hands into fists at my sides, I run faster, wishing I could tune out the screams of pain playing in my ear from inside the building.

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