A gun.

And I guess she’s right.

I’m a goddamned killer.

But at least I’m not a goddamned liar.

Because she’s full of shit. I don’t believe he’s been programmed. I know my James is damaged, but he’s not a ridiculous robot programmed to kill.

He kills of his own free will, or not at all.

Chapter Thirty-Two

Sasha

The entire mansion is in an uproar. People are screaming while the Admiral’s voice booms through the downstairs, asking people to remain calm.

Good luck with that. I chuckle as I make my way down the hallway. Several people look at me funny, but I’m not so out of place that they stop to question me. I’m sure there’s no kids allowed at this thing. But I almost look grown up in my fancy dress. I try to walk calmly as I look for Nick, but I’m not used to the fancy shoes, and that makes walking difficult.

I look in each room as I pass, and then finally decide Nick is not on the ground floor. I look up at the second floor, consider it, and then nix that idea. If he’s not around, then he got the files off One while James was busy dealing with the aftermath. So that means he’s outside heading towards the rendezvous point.

I scoot past the lingering crowd as the Admiral assures everyone that Vincent just had a moment of rage over… blah, blah, blah. Lie, lie, lie. He has to know that was James.

So I just tune that shit out. James is a big boy. If any of us can take care of themselves, it’s him. I check my watch to see how long I have.

Three minutes.

Once I get past the people outside, I kick my shoes off and run. I know where Nick’s going and I bet I know who Harper was referring to when she mentioned his little problem. I run my fastest all the way down the path that leads to the marina, my feet pounding on the stone path. I take the steps two at a time, making my stupid dress poof up each time I land. And I’m only halfway there when I see them arguing on the dock.

This place is quiet. It’s just a small marina to begin with, but tonight it’s dead. No one is down here but us.

I creep up as close as I dare, and just barely catch the conversation when she yells.

“You’re not leaving me, Nicholas. There’s no way you’re going to take what you came for and walk away from this promise.”

Oh, boy. I got a live one. I sneak down the stairs one at a time, so they can’t detect me. I’m a good stalker. I’ve hunted wild animals my whole life. I know how to creep up on them. And this Nicola is definitely one of the wild ones. When I reach the sand, I slip under the stairs and crawl towards them.

She’s trying to grab for Nick, but he keeps slapping her hands away. “Stop it,” he growls at her after she tries to slap him. “I’m not anyone’s promise, OK? So stop begging. It’s sad.”

“It’s called loyalty, Nick.” She’s practically foaming at the mouth, that’s how pissed off she is. “You should want to be loyal to me. You promised you’d leave Sasha and marry me.”

“You’re delusional. I never said that shit. You’re insane, just like your brothers. You’re an assassin, Nicola. We don’t get promises.”

“Liar!” she screams. “You’re a liar. I know you were promised to Sasha. And I’m gonna kill that little—”

Nick grabs her by the throat, but she’s already in attack mode. Her body spins, her foot comes up, and she’s about to connect with his face when he grabs her by the ankle and flips her over and throws her down on the hard dock with a crash. She winces, but gets back up to fight again.

I’m done with this shit. Nicola’s taking time with Nick that belongs to me. I hike my skirt up and pull the knife from its sheath, tucked into the waistband of my tights. “He said that’s enough.”

She backs up and whirls to face me. “Ha! Your little child bride is here to save you, Nick? Are you skills really that bad, Eleven?”

“I’m not here to save him, you dumb bitch. I’m here to kill you.”

“Right—”

The knife sticks her right in the throat. She makes a gurgling sound and clutches at the blade. But it’s useless. I hit an artery. She falls to the ground choking on her own blood.

I look at Nick’s face for a clue to how he’s gonna take this. “I usually warn them that I don’t miss, but she never gave me a chance.” And then I offer a small smile.

“What the fuck are you doing here?” He doesn’t reciprocate the smile.

“One had that file, Nick. So I’m here saving the day. I brought him here.”

“Do you have it?” he asks, hope in his voice.

“You have it!”

“I don’t fucking have it! That’s what we were just arguing about. She didn’t believe me. James has it.”

“James.” Jesus Christ. Can this mission get any more complicated? I look down at my watch, but I don’t need the time to know that the slaughter has already started. I can hear the AK’s and screaming from the beach. And now we need to go back up there.

I grab Nick’s arm as he pushes past me, heading for the stairs. “Don’t go.”

“What?” he asks, barely turning to face me. “What the fuck are you talking about, Sash? Harper’s up there!”

“James can take care of Harper, Nick. Just don’t go. This is our chance to get out. To get away. Let the gangs take out the Company. James will get Harper out and meet Merc here in a few minutes. We can get another boat and leave. Let them mess with the files. We don’t need the stupid files.”

But the whole time I’m talking, he’s shaking his head. “We need those files more than you know, Sasha. We can’t leave here without them. I can’t leave here without Harper. You stay here, wait for Merc. I’ll go get Harp and James, and we’ll be right back.”

“No!” I stomp my bare foot. “No. I’m tired of always being put last. Why can’t you put me first for once? You say you love me, that you’d do anything for me. Then choose me, Nick. Choose me and let’s go!”

I push him in the chest and he grabs my wrists and holds them tight. “I did put you first, Sasha. I left you in that hotel and told you to move on. Get a life. Live it. I put you first and you came here looking for me. With this crazy fucking plan that Tet cooked up and you bought like it was on sale for Christmas. What do you think is happening here right now? You can’t plan a job like this and then go half in. You can’t leave your team behind. That’s bullshit.”