Deke nodded. “Don’t take chances.”
“Get MaeBe out.” In the moonlight Kyle’s eyes seemed darker than usual. He pulled up the bottom of the balaclava he wore, concealing his face, with the exception of his eyes. “I’ll handle the rest. And, Deke, tell her…fuck. Don’t tell her anything at all. Just help her move on.”
“Or you could have a little faith.” Deke knew Kyle wouldn’t listen, but he had to try.
“All my faith died when Julia came back to life. She’s my personal hell, and I have to deal with her,” Kyle said. “Remember your promise, brother. See you on the other side.”
But he wouldn’t. Not if this stupid plan of his worked out, and Deke would be left with a secret he couldn’t share with anyone.
Deke shoved aside all those dark thoughts.
“Byrne’s in the room with the women now,” Boomer said over the connection. “He’s armed, but I would bet he doesn’t know how to use it. I’ve got Kyle’s ex and a guard in the same room.”
“I’m about to come in the main door.” Deke flattened his back against the side of the house, inching toward the front. He would have seconds to take out the guards before they started firing, and then all hell would break loose. He needed hell to stay fully intact for another few minutes. Then chaos would be his friend.
He stepped out as one of the guards turned his back. He fired quickly, taking out the first and getting the second as he turned again, felling the man before he could even pull his gun.
It had been a while since he’d killed a man, but he hadn’t forgotten how to do it.
Deke eased into the house. Kyle would handle the two on the back door and then get his own work done.
The stairs were to his left and would take him to the private office where Maddie was being kept. He took a deep breath. He’d fixed the charges so Kyle would have very little to do beyond place them and then blow everything to shit when the time came, but he needed a minute or two to place them properly.
It would be the longest fucking minute of Deke’s life.
He stood outside the door, his heart pounding in his chest. She was right there. He saw the scene play out in his head.
“Deke, when you come through the door, Byrne will be right in front of you. He’s standing over Maddie, who’s sitting down. You’ll have a clear head shot,” Boomer explained, his calm tone coming over the line. “The guard will be to your right. He’s got a pistol in his hand. Kyle’s ex is standing in front of the window. Her weapon is holstered, but she’ll be able to get it out very quickly. I’m worried about her shooting MaeBe.”
“Take her out first.” He whispered the command.
“Kyle’s done,” Boomer said. “He texted me he’s ready. I’m lining up my shot.”
“John, try to get the other guards on the line.” The shouted command had come from inside the office, almost certainly from the woman formerly known as Julia.
It was go time.
“Take the shot, Boomer.”
He kicked in the door as he heard glass shatter.
Time seemed to slow as he took in the scene before him. Byrne was exactly where Boomer had said he would be, his eyes wide with shock. Maddie sat behind the desk, Byrne standing over her.
Then Byrne wasn’t standing at all because Deke put a bullet between his eyes.
The guard who should have been to his right had obviously moved when Boomer had taken his shot. He’d pulled Julia out from Boomer’s line of sight. Julia was leaning on the man, a bullet wound in her left shoulder. She’d managed to evade a heart shot, but Deke would bet it hurt like fuck.
Unfortunately, they were at an impasse.
The guard had his weapon pointed straight at Deke while Julia had hers pointed at MaeBe’s head. The former CIA agent might have been shot, but she held the gun steady, and there was no doubt in Deke’s mind she could still pull the trigger. She straightened up and stood on her own.
MaeBe was on the floor. Her skin was covered in blood and her arm was obviously broken, but she sat patiently.
“Madeline, I’ll take that computer now,” Julia ordered between gritted teeth. “Or I’ll put a bullet in her head.”
“I’m bringing it.” Maddie was on her feet, pulling the laptop up with her.
“There’s nowhere to go, Julia.” Deke didn’t move an inch as Maddie started to make her way across the office. “My backup will be here any minute. Let MaeBe go and we’ll talk about taking you in.”
He was lying. If Kyle came up here, he would shoot the woman in front of him in a heartbeat. Especially if he saw how fucked up MaeBe was.
“I’ll worry about that,” Julia replied.
“Just kill her, Deke,” MaeBe said. “She’ll do anything to hurt Kyle. Take her out.”
Maddie had made her way across the big office and handed the laptop to Julia.
Any minute Boomer would be up here, and it would be two on two. He liked those odds. The minute he realized Julia and her guard wouldn’t be stupid enough to get in front of the window again, he would come running.
“Maddie, get behind me,” Deke ordered.
“I can’t leave MaeBe,” Maddie said, her voice shaking.
“Deke, Byrne has a panic room. The door is right behind me.” Despite the bullet in her shoulder, Julia’s voice was steady as a rock. “John and I are going to get in it and then you can call anyone you would like.”
If she was right, they would be trapped. They wouldn’t have to go through with Kyle’s insane plan. “Move slowly. I swear I think for a second you’re going to pull that trigger, I’ll take you out myself.”
Julia nodded and started to back up. “MaeBe, you need to think about the fact that you’re willing to give your life for a man who doesn’t even care enough about you to show up. Deke’s here but Kyle is far more concerned with pulling some shady shit to get me than he is about taking care of you. Grow a backbone, sister, because we’re not done yet.”
She put her palm against the wood of the wall and a panel opened, showing him a hint of the panic room inside.
Except it wasn’t a fucking panic room. It was an elevator.
“Stop right there,” he shouted and then pain flared through him because the guard had taken a shot as he’d closed the door behind them.
“Deke!” Maddie ran across the room as it registered what had happened.
He’d taken a bullet and Julia was getting away.
He touched his earpiece. “Kyle, we’re moving out right fucking now. Julia is in an elevator that wasn’t in the schematics Drake sent. It likely goes to a basement. I don’t know. If you’re going to blow this place, give us one minute and then do it.”
Boomer rushed in, checking around the room for threats. “She moved at the last minute. I had her. Where did she go?”
“Byrne had a secret elevator. She and that guard of hers went down it.” His left arm was going blissfully numb. “Kyle’s going to blow the place. We have to get out of here. Carry Mae out.”
“What the hell did she do to you?” Boomer easily lifted MaeBe into his arms. “I’m sorry, honey. This is going to hurt, but we have to move.”