Chapter 12 - PIER 19
Rain fell over the river at midnight.
Briar walked onto Pier 19 alone.
At least, that was what Corbin was supposed to believe.
Damien had men positioned three blocks away.
Victor had snipers on two rooftops.
Caesar waited in the SUV.
Briar carried no weapon.
Corbin had demanded that too.
The warehouse door opened.
“Come in.”
She stepped inside.
Her mother sat tied to a chair.
Marcus Vale stood beside her.
Older now.
Silver hair.
Same eyes as Corbin.
“So,” Marcus said, “Gabriel’s daughter.”
Briar looked at her mother.
“Are you hurt?”
“I’m okay.”
Corbin stepped from the shadows.
“You always cared more about broken things than yourself.”
Briar looked at him.
“That’s why I stayed with you so long.”
His face tightened.
Good.
Marcus held up the notebook.
“You understand what this can do?”
“Put men like you in prison?”
Marcus smiled.
“No. It can start a war.”
“Sounds like your problem.”
“You have Gabriel’s mouth.”
“I hope I have his aim too.”
Corbin laughed.
“You don’t have a gun.”
Briar smiled slightly.
“Who said I was talking about bullets?”
Marcus’s smile vanished.
The warehouse lights flickered.
Then died.
Victor’s work.
Briar dropped to the floor.
Gunfire exploded.
Her mother screamed.
Briar crawled toward her.
Emergency lights flashed.
Corbin grabbed Briar’s hair.
She swung backward.
Her head hit his nose.
He cursed.
Briar kicked his knee.
He fell.
“YOU LITTLE—”
She punched him.
Once.
Twice.
Years of fear came out through her fists.
“You don’t own me!”
Corbin grabbed her throat.
His fingers tightened.
“You always come back.”
Briar clawed at his hands.
Her vision blurred.
Then a dark shape hit Corbin.
Caesar.
The dog knocked him flat.
Damien entered behind him.
“Caesar. Hold.”
The dog pinned Corbin but did not bite.
Damien saw Briar’s throat.
His expression became terrifying.
Briar stood between them.
“No.”
“Move.”
“No.”
“He tried to kill you.”
“And I’m still here.”
Damien’s hands shook.
Not from fear.
Rage.
“I can end him.”
“I know.”
“Then move.”
Briar stepped closer.
“If you kill him because of me, he still controls what I become.”
Damien stared at her.
Slowly, his gun lowered.
Sirens rose in the distance.
Corbin laughed from the floor.
“You think cops will save you?”
Damien looked at him.
“No.”
Victor walked in behind several federal agents.
“But apparently accountants will.”
Corbin’s smile disappeared.
Damien nodded toward the notebook.
“You kept records of federal crimes, Marcus.”
Marcus ran.
Briar’s mother screamed.
“He has a gun!”
Marcus spun.
A shot cracked.
Damien jerked.
Briar screamed.
But the bullet hadn’t hit Damien.
Her mother stood between them.
Blood spread across her chest.
“Mom!”
Briar caught her as she fell.
Marcus lifted the gun again.
May you like
Caesar launched himself.
And this time Damien did not call him back.
