Page 11 of Sleeping with the Dark (The Righteous 3)
“Fuck.” Cody pulled open the door, and taking a deep breath to steady himself, he stuck his head inside. Whatever was happening was down the hall, but that didn’t mean a stray bullet couldn’t find him. Having been shot, he could say with certainty that he had no interest in trying that again.
He looked around at the closed doors lining the one side and clued in that all the businesses were attached with a long corridor that didn’t go directly outside. The dim lights showed a number of bodies bleeding out in the hallway—each was dead. The sightless look and lack of breath were all he needed to know. He quickly knelt and picked up a discarded gun off the closest man with a bullet between his eyes.
Cody’s eyes traveled to the next man and the next, and all of them were the same with a direct bullseye. He swallowed hard. He knew what kind of skill this took—he considered himself a good shot, but this was straight-up lethal. He stepped over the splayed limbs, and a tattoo caught his attention. Cody stared at the logo and swore under his breath.
“You’re gonna get yourself killed,” Cody mumbled.
He jogged to the end of the corridor and the now eerily silent T-intersection. The stench of gunpowder, blood, and piss was strong in the air making his nose curl. Cody peeked around the corner, and other than more dead bodies, the only thing to move was an exit sign—the plastic smashed and hanging by a cord flashed and sparked dangerously. He swallowed and stepped out into the hallway, not sure which direction to head.
Cody gingerly stepped over an arm and paused as he heard something dripping. This place was too damn dark. He couldn’t figure out from where the sound was coming. He jerked and turned toward the sound of something dropping on the floor and froze as he came face to face with the barrel of a gun. He didn’t recognize the guy holding it, but the way he was dressed and the tattoo lining the side of his neck told him he was one of Alejandro’s guys.
“Take it easy. I didn’t do this,” he whispered.
“I know you. You’re the Ice Man. Why shouldn’t I fuck you up?”
“Because based on all the men on the floor, you need help. I was out for a jog when I
heard the shooting.”
“So, you ran toward the sound and not away? That’s fucked up shit.” The guy narrowed his eyes. “How did you get out of lock-up so quick? Are you working with the cops?” The hammer clicked, and he didn’t dare even blink. “Are you?” The guy repeated, pressing the cool barrel harder into his forehead. Most would probably shit themselves with a gun pressed to their forehead. Unfortunately, this was not the first time this had happened to him, but it might be his last.
Cody opened his mouth to answer when a muffled pop reached his ears a moment after a hole opened up in the man’s head in front of him.
“What the fuck?” Cody stumbled backward as the body fell unceremoniously at him with a thump. He spun and looked into the shadowed corridor, his heart pounding hard in his chest as a figure slowly stepped out of the darkness.
“Are you following me?” Trev asked, keeping his voice low while very accusatory.
Trev’s tone set Cody on edge. He crossed his arms over his chest and glared at the other man. “I thought you might need my help. I didn’t set out to follow you. It just sort of happened.”
Trev moved like a panther. One moment, he was calm and still. The next, he was diving to his left and opening fire, the bullets sailing past Cody and found the mark of two more men that had appeared from seemingly nowhere. Cody stared at the new arrivals for a moment, his eyes taking in once more how perfect of a shot Trev was. It was almost superhuman.
“Does it look like I need help? You put me at risk by being in here, and you’re slowing me down.” Trev walked past him, not sparing him a glance. “Wipe the gun off and anything else you touched on your way out, and run along home.”
Cody reached out and grabbed Trev by the arm. The muscled bicep flexed in his grip as those normally calm, and calculating eyes bore holes into him. If looks could kill, he would’ve been dead. “I’m not a fucking damsel in distress, don’t treat me like one.”
The small green square that was covering Trev’s left eye glowed softly upclose. He could only assume was some form of night vision, he’d never thought he’d see something like this in person. The illumination gave Cody just enough light that he could make out Trev’s eyebrow rising slightly before his face turned into a neutral mask once more.
“Do you know what happened to the last man that grabbed my arm?” Trev’s voice was no more than a whisper, but the dark edge sent a snaking of fear down Cody’s spine. The corner of Trev’s lip twitched ever so slightly with his apparent amusement. “Unless you want to find out the hard way, I’d suggest you let go of me.” Cody released Trev’s arm like a fucking hot potato. He had no doubt that Trev would and could follow through on his threat. The problem was, if it wasn’t for the dead guys lying around like dominos, he’d welcome it. Then pull him down to roll around on the floor perhaps.
“Fine. Since you’re already here, stay behind me and don’t try to be a hero.” Trev looked him up and down, those icy blue eyes practically glowing in the dark. Cody wished he knew what the guy was thinking. He was impossible to read.
“I wouldn’t dream of being your hero,” he spat out sarcastically.
Trev gave him the signature annoyed look he’d become accustomed to over their time together, but didn’t say anything further. Cody made a face at the back of Trev’s head as he followed a few feet behind.
“I saw that,” Trev said. Cody froze as Trev shot him a look over his shoulder. “I see everything. You should remember that.”
Cody swallowed hard and nodded. As Trev continued to move among the darkened hallway, two things struck Cody. The first was that he was silent. Not even a slight scuff from a boot sound could be heard. The second thing was Trev’s attire up close. Black combat boots and cargo pants that fit the man’s ass like it was a goddam glove. He found himself staring at the firm ass and wide shoulders. The guy didn’t even try, and he was a walking fuck me stick—heat radiated off his body, and the soft minty fresh scent of Trev’s body wash filled his nose. The logical part of his mind bitch slapped him for even thinking about him like that, especially now, but everything below the belt didn’t care where they were or what they were doing. One-track mind that sucker. Didn’t help he hadn’t gotten any since before he went into the slammer.
Trev held up his fist, and he stopped moving. Cody never had anyone do that to him before, and he smirked. Despite the seriousness of the situation it felt very cool, all covert and shit. His eyes searched the darkness. He couldn’t see any further than across the hall clearly, but nothing seemed to move, and the only thing he could hear was the sound of his own blood pumping through his veins.
“Sweet Delilah, how many more heat signatures do you read in the building?” Trev asked, and Cody turned to look around the hallway. He didn’t know Trev had a partner or brought anyone with him.
“Who are you talking to?” he whispered.
“Shhh.” Trev held a finger over his mouth and cocked his head. “Why is my sight not showing that?”
Cody took a better look at the side of Trev’s head, and sure enough, there was a bud in his ear. He had no idea who Trev was talking to, but this was seriously the coolest shit he’d ever been a part of—it was like being plunked into the middle of one of his video games.
