Page 105 of Pretty Lethal
“Shut up, asshole,” Hawk grunts, before turning on his sister. “Please tell me you brought us more than just stupid t-shirts.”
With a look of mock offense, Hadley retorts, “This isn’t my first Rodeo, Hawk. And unless you want the teeny-tiny pocket gun, then I suggest you be nice to me.”
Hawk rolls his eyes but wisely keeps his mouth shut as he steps up to the trunk and peers inside. His eyes scan the numerous weapons Hadley brought before he chooses two handguns and a sharp-looking blade.
Kai chooses his weapons next before Hadley and the guys divvy up the rest. “I brought this one for you,” Hadley says, approaching me with a small handgun—presumably the pocket one she was teasing Hawk with. “You’ve still got the knife I gave you?”
I nod as I lift my hand to show it to her. Kai explained how they’d found their weapons after escaping from the underground tunnels and gave mine back to me while we waited for Hadley to arrive. I never thought I’d be so happy to see a knife in my life, but I felt awful believing that I’d lost one of Hadley’s gifts.
“What’s the plan?” Beck asks, getting down to business.
“Their hideaway is about a half-mile that way,” Kai responds, pointing further up the road, deeper into the forest. “We don’t know exactly how many people are there, but Carrie is our main target.”
“AKA my fucking mother,” Wilder spits as Kai pulls up a picture of her from the Ridgeway College website and shows it to everyone so they know exactly who they’re looking for.
Since there wasn’t enough time to explain everything over the phone, they all murmur their shock, staring at Wilder with wide eyes.
Beck is the first to recover. “Are we aiming for minimum impact or—”
“Whatever is necessary to get to Carrie,” Hawk interrupts. “These people are all narcissistic assholes who will happily stomp all over everyone else if it means they’ll hold all the money and power in the world.”
“Gotcha.” Beck gives a curt nod, and so do the others, the banter from a moment ago long gone as everyone prepares for what’s to come.
“There are underground tunnels,” Wilder warns. “We need to ensure Carrie doesn’t sneak into them before we get to her. The priority is eliminating her, but if possible, I want to be the one to do it.” His eyes flash with deadly menace. “Bitch set that fucking fire to try and kill me. I want to return the favor… exceptI’llmake sure I don’t fail.”
Chapter33
HAWK
We split into teams of three as we approach the Elite hideout, and I watch in apprehension as Emilia is swallowed up by the night along with Kai and Wilder. I know they’ll keep her safe, but after everything we’ve been through today, I hate not being able to see her with my own two eyes.
The three of them are going to find a way into the tunnels so they can block Carrie off if she tries to escape. Meanwhile, Hadley, Mason, and Beck will storm through the front door while West, Cam, and I sneak around the back to find an alternative way in.
West, the computer genius that he is, has his trusty signal jammer with him—which I’m pretty sure has been sitting in his desk drawer since we stormed the compound for Hadley all those years ago—and while we walk, his face is buried in his tablet as he ascertains whether there are any recording devices or alarms that we need to be concerned about.
“So, dude, how’s harem life?” Cam asks leisurely, as though we’re out for an evening stroll and not about to sneak up on a bunch of elitist assholes who could probably murder us and wipe our very existence from the world.
“I’m not discussing my sex life with you,” I deadpan.
Cam chuckles under his breath as he holds his hands up in front of him. “Did I ask for any kinky details? I hardly need to live vicariously through you when I’ve got my own sex—ouch!”
“I swear to god, I’m going to cut your tongue out one of these days,” I growl, side-eyeing him. Despite the fact I’m about 80% serious, he laughs under his breath as though it’s all fun and games.
…Yeah, untilhegets hurt.
“In all seriousness, things are good between the four of you now?” he asks, actually setting his usual joking demeanor aside.
“Yeah, really fucking good,” I tell him, unable to suppress my grin. We might be neck-deep in shit right now, but if anything, it only makes us stronger as a team. I know I’m all in when it comes to Emilia, and so are Wilder and Kai. Just like I know, Emilia is in when it comes to us too.
Plus, the thought of a little one tottering about… I never thought there’d come a day when I was excited to have children. It’s not like it’s something I ever gave much thought to until recently, but now it’s all I see in our future. The four of us and a handful of rugrats running around.
“Have either of you ever thought about having kids?” I ask, although I know my sister’s situation is more complicated. She was spayed like a goddamn dog when she was held captive in the compound, and although she had surgery last year to reverse it, the doctor warned that there was no guarantee it would be successful. Honestly, thinking about the entire situation has me wanting to tear someone’s fucking head off. Unfortunately, everyone associated with the abuse my sister suffered is long dead. Although I have no issues using the fuel from my anger to kill the assholes currently making our lives a living hell.
Cam wags his eyebrows, and West interjects before some smart remark can come out of his mouth that would require a smack to the back of his head.
“The five of us talked about it a lot before she decided to have the surgery, and we’re in agreement that we want them someday. Although, after everything we went through with the doctors, I think she’s scared to start trying in case it doesn’t work.”
I nod in understanding, my heart going out to my sister and best friends. They’ve all been through so much already. Don’t they deserve to have this work for them if it’s what they all want?
