Page 44 of Rise of the King (Checkmate 5)

9

Kane Bishop Is A Pain In My Ass

Jay

“Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck!” Crushing my phone in my hand the next day, I walk laps through Sophia’s apartment and push past her when she glances up from work. “Impatient motherfucking asshole can’t just sit still. He has to be the fucking hero. Why does healwayshave to be the first through the door? Fuck!”

“Jay?” Slowly rising from her chair, Sophia watches me with a frown and lifted hands as though I might attack her. “You okay?”

“No! I’m fuckin’ not!” Pulling my boots on and leaving my laces untied, I run across her apartment and drop a kiss on her lips. “I’ve gotta go.”

“Jay?”

I sprint to the door and swing it open.

“Jay!”

“I’ll be back later. Maybe. I dunno.” I was running, but now my heart makes me reconsider everything. Pain slashes through my gut. Common sense fights with my heart, and when I meet Soph’s dark eyes and study her slender body in those sleep shorts, I’m ashamed to admit how much of me wants to stay here. “Don’t let anyone in here, okay? Don’t answer your door to anyone. Don’t go out alone at night. I don’t know if I’ll be back tonight, so…” I run a hand over my head and remember my missing beanie. “Fuck. I’ve gotta go. Be a good girl till I can come back.”

“Jay?” She runs forward with a white face, then jumps when I swing the door closed and it slams against the frame. I swear to God, if the last I ever see of her is those sleep shorts and her white face, if I never get to say goodbye, I’m going to fucking rampage.

For the first time in my life, I want to strangle Kane fucking Bishop, because Ace’s email just came through, and it’s exactly what I didn’t want to read.

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From: AcesAndEights

Subject: Kane Bishop quit.

Handed his badge in. Forfeited his weapons. He was hidden and believed dead, but now he’s back. He’s a civilian; he has no protection, and my information says he’s en route back to town. I don’t know what you can do about it – you’re dead, too.

You’ve helped me. You helped me with those girls, so this is me keeping my side of the bargain. But don’t make any rash decisions about this. Use your brain; don’t rush into anything. Tell me your plans, and we’ll work it out together.

Fuck Ace and his “let’s talk it out” bullshit. I need to pack my shit up, get in a car, and drive my ass back home before Kane gets there and gets himself killed.

He doesn’t know they’ve got a contract on his head!

He doesn’t know someone from higher up in Abel’s faction still has Kane in his sights. And I sure as hell ain’t staying here with a pretty girl while my brother walks into an ambush.

Jogging down a single flight of stairs, I push into my apartment and ignore the freezing air. I haven’t slept in my bed in days, though I’ve been down here each day to get fresh clothes. Rushing straight to my bed, I snag a duffel from beneath and drop it to the mattress.

My heart races with thewhat-ifs. What if I don’t get to Kane in time? What if I leave and Sophia needs me? What if I go to Kane, but the guy who signs those contracts is here like we suspect, and going back to town is the wrong move?

I only get to choose one move. One direction.

And whichever I choose might decide who lives and who dies.

If I go to Kane, but our guy is here, then I become a sitting duckwithKane. If I stay here, he’ll be there, and no one will have his six.

And no matter which choice I make, I lose Sophia. Because both worlds are too dangerous for her.

Tugging my clothes out of the drawers, I toss them in my duffel, then, lifting my mattress, I take out a black canvas bag and tear it open.

Guns, cash, cigarettes. It’s funny how not so long ago, I needed cigarettes in my bug-out bag. Now, I toss them across the room and dig bags of gummy worms from my bedside drawer. I toss them on top of the protein bars and a bottle of water. Then I count rolls of cash. A thousand dollars per roll. Ten rolls.Thank you, Ace.I thumb through three passports; they all have my picture, but carry wildly different names and countries of birth. Then I thumb through three more: Kane’s picture, different birth dates and locations.

I doubt either of us will have to leave the country, but if our father taught us anything, it was to be prepared and to have a backup plan.

I toss them into my bag beside the cash, then check my M9. I check the chamber, flip the safety off and back on again, then I drop it into my bag and pick up the next to check.

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