Page 68 of Coup De Grâce
Michael came at me hard, swinging for his life, but I was faster, spinning and pinning him to the wall. Breathing hard, he was on the verge of snapping, but I was so much further gone than him at this point.
“You will not go after him.”
“It’s already done,” he spat. “I can’t stop it.”
I shoved away from him, turning my back on him. “Then I will.”
I raced through the woods,jumping over fallen logs and ducking low-hanging limbs. I had just minutes to get in position, to save the life of one of my teammates. It was life or death, and if I was just a second late, it would cost Kavanaugh his life.
Pain thrashed across my cheek as a branch sliced open my skin. I ignored it and pushed on, knowing I didn’t have time to stop and check on it or the trail I was leaving behind.
Whoever came to do the job would take a direct line to Kavanaugh, wanting to make sure there was no possibility of a miss. I couldn’t do that. I needed to stay hidden.
My harsh breaths pumped out of my lungs as I broke through a small clearing and dropped to my knees at another fallen log. This was as close as I was going to get.
I quickly pulled Sally from her housing and set her up, praying I still had enough time to take the shot before whoevermy father sent. In moments, I was set up, looking through the scope into the distance. I needed to calm down and fast. Erratic breathing would make me miss my target for sure.
As I found Kavanaugh, I settled my mind, focusing on slowing my breathing. I could do this. It was my only chance to save his life.
Kavanaugh stood in front of his father’s grave as they lowered the casket into the ground. Everything in me stilled, my focus solely on the job at hand. As usual, my body slid into sniper mode, my eyes lasered in on the target.
I quickly adjusted, hoping I had a decent shot. There hadn’t been enough time to properly gauge anything. I was flying blind. The world around me ceased to exist as all sound moved to the background. I was left with only the steady breathing in my chest.
Cool. Calm. No flinching.
My finger slid across the trigger. My eyes narrowed on my target.
Kavanaugh suddenly looked up, his eyes on the woods, and I knew he knew.
I didn’t think about the consequences. I didn’t think about the fact that he was my teammate. It was now or never. No turning back.
My finger depressed the trigger and the kickback hit my shoulder, making it clear that the job was done.
But he turned at the last second, his finger still pointed in the distance as he shouted. I watched through my scope as he gripped his neck, then stumbled forward into the ground.
Desperation clung to me as I waited for mere seconds. I wished I could stick around and make sure he survived, but that would only make things worse for me. There was already someone out there who would be hunting me.
And I had to find him first.
I packed up Sally and slung her over my shoulder, then moved swiftly through the trees to the primary location. I didn’t need to know who the shooter was to track him. I knew these woods better than anyone, and I knew exactly where he would take the shot.
And how he would get out.
Eliminating him was the only option. It was him or me, and I sure as hell wasn’t going to let this asshole get away. Not when he thought it was his right to eliminate someone without a damn good reason.
I broke into a run and erased everything else from my mind.
I wasn’t in the military anymore, but I was most definitely still at war.
22
CASH
His large formfilled the doorway, still hidden in the shadows. Everything inside me calmed now that I finally had eyes on him again.
Though, I wouldn’t be surprised if he shot me.
I sort of had it coming.
