Page 98 of Fallen to Thievery
“I’m aware,” Grayson looked unimpressed. “You should’ve hired smarter people.”
“Let’s cut the bullshit, son. Why are you here?” Charles was trying his best to remain in control of the situation.
“Don’t play coy, old man. You know exactly why I’m here.”
Charles put a hand on my shoulder. “Give me the box, Ava,” he half whispered.
I turned to him again. He reached for the leather box, but I took a few steps back, away from his grasp, towards Grayson. A smile formed on my lips as his face contorted, first with confusion then pure shock.
“Give me the box, Ava,” he said again, clinging to denial, his hand still outstretched towards me, waiting.
I turned to Grayson and opened the box for him to see. His eyes flitted to the diamond, then back to me. He smiled adoringly at me, then grabbed the diamond from the case and slipped it into his pocket.
“You’re on, Hunt,” Grayson said.
Hunter gave one nod, turned and jogged towards the elevators. It was him and his beloved dart gun’s job to silently drop Charles’s men throughout the building. I had watched him train for this, day and night, for weeks. He was an immaculate shot—quick and precise. And with the fast-acting tranquiliser I had whipped up, one shot would leave a man unconscious within two seconds. It would make the next part easier, and more time efficient, as Grayson had put it. The part that Grayson didn’t want any of us to participate in—the killing.
I shuddered.
But I had decided to make the tranquiliser so the men wouldn’t have to feel their death—a small mercy, that I hoped Karma would bestow on me too.
I had questioned and pleaded with Grayson about his exit plan. Why couldn’t we just steal Charles away quietly, and leave the way they came in? But Grayson had been unshakable.“We kill every one of Anderson’s men in the building and we walk out the goddamn front door.”
When I couldn’t look him in the eye, his voice softened.“This is necessary, Ava. I don’t kill for nothing. But Imustleave a clear message.”He had lifted my chin, so gently, so at odds with what he was saying.“You don’t have to participate in it, little witch. I would never make you do something you don’t want to, but you can’t stop me either. You will have to trust me on this. It’s important that I make an example out of Anderson.”
I didn’t question him anymore. I trusted him. I trusted his judgment. This is what I signed up for, wasn’t it? This is what Hunter had talked about. And I wouldn’t let them down.
Charles’s eyes were on me. His face was contorted in fury. “You fucking bitch!” he spat at me.
Grayson stepped forward. “Sit down. Hands on the table.”
Charles complied, not taking his eyes off me. The look in his eyes would have scared me, but Grayson was there. I was safe.
Charles sat at the head of the boardroom table, palms flat on the wooden surface, staring daggers at me. I held his gaze, not letting him scare me.
“So how do you two know each other?” he sneered.
We didn’t deign him a response, but he started laughing.
“He’s the bank robber, isn’t he? He’s the one that kidnapped you.” He laughed again. “Oh, you stupid fucking whore.”
Grayson walked forward. “Hold this for me, will you?” he said as he plunged a knife through Charles’s hand, imbedding it into the table underneath.
Charles’s scream echoed through the room, eerily mixing with Grayson’s laughter. I looked away as the blood started spilling over his hand, my stomach rolling.
When Charles had gone quiet, panting, with his other hand hovering over the knife handle, Grayson leaned onto the table. “And later, I’m going to cut your tongue out for the way you just spoke to her.” He flicked the handle of the knife as he straightened again, smiling in satisfaction as Charles screamed again.
Grayson walked towards me, his eyes softening. “I’m sorry, Princess. I didn’t want you to see something like that. I just lost my…patience.” He lifted my chin and kissed me softly. “No man should ever talk to you like that.”
A while later, Hunter’s out-of-breath voice came from behind us, “All set.” He walked past us towards Charles with a zip-tie in his hands.
Grayson smiled down at his watch. “One minute and seventeen seconds faster than I anticipated.”
“We’re still going through with Plan A?” Hunter asked Grayson, his eyes anxiously flitting between us. Was he okay?
Charles’s scream made me whip my attention to him. He had pulled the knife from his hand and flung it at us. My heart lurched into my throat as I helplessly watched the knife heading straight for Grayson.
With a move so fast, my brain hadn’t registered it, Grayson had the knife in his hand. He had caught it, mid-air. He had fucking caught it, right in front of his face. He chuckled, like it was fun, right as Hunter bashed Charles’s face into the table.
