Page 4 of Softer Than Stone
Glancing back through the hatch, I saw Chris again. He wasn’t just tense anymore. His gold eyes had sharpened, his focus zeroing in on Brax and the tiger shifter. His lips moved rapidly, clearly giving orders to whoever was on the other end of his earpiece.
And then, all at once, he moved.
His chair scraped back violently, and he lunged for the door, his expression a mix of shock and barely leashed fury.
My gut twisted. Something had gone very, very wrong.
Waru, you’ve got this. I nodded to Kira as they sent out another dish, trying to stay focussed.Service is almost done. Keep your head in the kitchen.
But my eyes were already locked on Chris as he burst out of the soundproof room, moving with a predatory grace that sent shivers down my spine. His gaze swept the restaurant floor, and when it landed on me, I froze.
“Get everyone out of the kitchen,” he said, his voice low and sharp as he crossed to the hatch covered by thick glass to ensure what happened in the kitchen stayed in the kitchen.
“What the fuck is going on?” I demanded, my own instincts flaring to life.
“Trouble,” he said. “Big trouble. And it’s coming this way.”
3
CHRIS
Fuck.Fuck. Fuccckkkk.
This was spiralling out of control faster than I could think. My grip tightened on the edge of the hatch lip as Smythe’s voice appeared in my ear.
“Brax’s boss is on her way, Flint. Prue Kole herself. She’s just found out about Brax’s little side hustle with that off-the-books lab in Queensland. Apparently, extorting patients and skimming from her operations was a bad call. Who knew?” Smythe’s usual sardonic tone couldn’t hide the tension beneath it.
I swore under my breath. Prue Kole was infamous for a reason. Ruthless didn’t begin to describe her. If Brax had crossed her, there’d be hell to pay—and not just for him. The fallout could engulf Jenna, Waru, his staff, his patrons, and anyone unlucky enough to be in Kole’s crosshairs when she arrived.
“They’re en route now,” Smythe added, his voice grim. “You’ve got minutes, Chris, if we’re lucky. This is a clusterfuck.”
Clusterfuck didn’t even cover it.
I scanned the dining room again. Jenna sat stiffly, her body language screaming discomfort. Brax leaned back in his chair,looking too smug for a man whose death warrant had likely just been signed.
And then there was Waru.
I glanced back into the kitchen to find him herding his staff towards the back exit. Relief flickered for half a second before my gut clenched. Waru’s sharp gaze locked on me, and I knew with a sinking certainty he wasn’t planning to make a clean getaway.
He had people on the floor, both staff and patrons. I’d seen his type before—stubborn, protective, and unwilling to abandon anyone under his care. I didn’t know whether to admire him or throttle him for it.
“Smythe,” I said through gritted teeth, keeping my voice low as I moved towards the side door, “I need orders. Now.”
“Lucas is coming on,” Smythe replied. A moment later, my boss’s calm, authoritative voice filled my ear.
“Chris, listen up. Shaw, Michaels, and Smythe are already staged a block away. Eclipse Security is inbound with three vehicles. They’ll be there in under five.”
Five minutes. We didn’t have five minutes.
“I’m pulling Brax and Jenna out,” I said quickly, my gaze flicking back to the dining room. “Brax might take the deal. He’s got enough brains to know it’s his only shot at survival. But if Kole gets here before I move them?—”
“She won’t,” Lucas cut in firmly. “Your priority is keeping civilians safe. Get Brax and Jenna out if you can, but don’t risk the restaurant.”
Easy for him to say. He wasn’t here, staring at a dining room full of unsuspecting people about to be caught in the crossfire.
“Understood,” I said tightly, though the words tasted like ash.
And then I caught Waru’s movement again. He was back on the floor, weaving through the tables and speaking in low tonesto his staff. Quietly, efficiently, he was clearing out as many people as he could without raising alarm.
