Page 61 of Ripping the Odds

“Have your men clean it up, Mak. I’m going home.”

“What about him?” Kas pointed at the man slumped in the chair.

“Put him in the holding cell next to his friend. We need them both alive. For now.”

I pulled on my shirt, then left the same way I’d entered. Emil was waiting in the SUV for my return. He gave me a once-over, then sighed before pushing the button to start the engine.

“What is it?” I grumbled.

“You should’ve washed up. There are specks of blood all over your skin.”

There weren’t just specks. It looked like I’d bathed in blood. Dammit. We put the drain in the middle of the room for easy clean up, but never even thought about installing a shower. First thing Monday morning, I’d rectify that mistake.

“Just take me home, Emil.”

“Yes, sir.”

My eyes had been closed for a few minutes when my cell chimed with a text. Pulling it out of my pocket, I saw it was Rurik, who’d gone to the hospital at Mak’s direction.

Rurik: Frank didn’t make it.

Frank was a relatively new addition to our security department. He’d been working for us less than six months, which made no difference in the long run. The death of one of our men was a tragedy. The death of one of our men while they were in the line of duty was a declaration of war. But the war had already begun.

Me: What about Kent?

Rurik: I don’t know much. They took him right into surgery.

Me: Keep me updated.

Rurik: Will do, boss.

The remainder of the drive to Margate City was spent trying to figure out how I was going to keep Pru from wanting to go to the hospital at the ass-crack of dawn. If I had my way, she wouldn’t go at all, but I knew better than to even try. She was as stubborn as she was beautiful. It would take an act of God to keep her away and I’d never been mistaken for a deity.

“Emil, you’ve been married a long time, right?”

“Seventeen years, sir.”

“Then can I ask you a question?”

“Shoot.”

“How do you get her to agree to something she doesn’t want to do?”

“Hmm.” He thought for a minute. “Make her think it was her idea.”

I shook my head. “That’s not going to work.”

“If you don’t mind me asking, what are you trying to get Ms. Turner to do?”

“To stay home. At least until Victor is dealt with. There are too many variables, too many things out of my control to ensure her safety outside of our walls.”

“My advice? Tell her that. She’ll understand.”

“Did you forget? She just took down a man twice her size with a taser.”

“Oh, well, good luck then.”

Chapter 11