Chapter 36

THIRTY-SIX

Ilet her smash anything she wants. It seems to be keeping her occupied. She wanted to find her father, but I wanted to secure the research first, knowing they could hide it or get rid of it at any time. It’s just as important as he is. We cannot let this fall into the wrong hands. She understands that, even though she’s frustrated, hence the smashing.

Whirling, I bring up my gun when I hear a noise, only to relax at the sight of Jonas and Nico standing in the doorway of the lab. “Dimitri and Isaac?” I ask.

“Heading down to the kids.” Nico tosses me an earpiece. “Baby, are you okay?”

Panting, she presses the pipe she was using behind her shoulders, covered in blood. Her gaze goes to Jonas, and then her eyes widen. I follow her gaze, noting the blood. “Jonas, what happened?”

“Oh, it’s not mine.” He grins. “Hey, beautiful. I’ve missed you so fucking much.”

“Me too.” She leaps down, destruction forgotten, and Jonas catches her. He lays her back onto the desk and kisses her hard and fast, while Nico moves over to me.

“Here, help me. We are locking up the research just in case.”

Nodding in understanding, he helps me gather the paperwork and copy the drives, piling everything in the lockbox I found.

Finally, Jonas and Nova come up for air, and I see him swing a bag around. Frowning, I watch in confusion as he hands it to Nova.

He sighs in bliss. “For you, beautiful.”

She opens the bag and then just stares.

“What’s in it?” I ask Nico. Knowing Jonas, it could be anything. Guns, bombs . . . whatever he feels like.

“You don’t want to know,” Nico mutters.

I move closer and peer inside, and my mouth drops open. “Are those . . .”

“Hearts.” Jonas grins at her. “Of every single guard I killed. I made them pay for everything they did to you.”

“Jonas,” I sputter.

“Told you,” Nico says, laughing behind me.

“Jonas,” Nova whispers, and I wince. “That’s so romantic. Thank you, baby. I love you!” She throws her arms around him and yanks him down, peppering his bloody face with kisses as he grins at us.

“Fucking hell, maybe we are the crazy ones and he has it all figured out,” Nico mutters.

Shaking my head, I move back over to help him, wondering how the hell I can beat a bag full of hearts to impress my girl, and it’s clear Nico is thinking the same thing.

Moaning, Jonas climbs up on top of the desk and pins her down, grinding into her as he swallows her moans.

“Should we do something?” Nico asks, jerking his head at the pair.

“No, it’s stopping them from doing something bad.” I grin, adding more to the box and then locking it up before moving to the next.

I check in with Isaac as they kiss, and when he tells me he’s okay, I keep sorting the research with Nico. When we are done, we both just stare at Jonas and Nova who are practically fucking.

Nico looks at me. “Break it up.”

“No, you.” I snort and share a grin with him just as my earpiece crackles.

“Guys, we’ve found the doc.”

“Where?” we all ask, and it even breaks Jonas and Nova apart.

“Here, behind a wall of guards. He’s hiding with the kids. It’s a last fucking stand. Get your asses down here.” Then there’s silence, but I heard the panic in his voice.

They are in the line of fire.

“Time to go, kids,” I order, reloading and grabbing my weapons before heading towards the door, trusting my family to follow.

It is time to end this.

* * *

DIMITRI

“They are on their way,” I whisper to Isaac. “We should wait. We are good, but not good enough to take down all of them, especially without hurting the kids or ourselves.”

Isaac nods just as a shot rings out. “We know you’re there. Step out or we’ll start shooting the kids one by one. Do you really want their blood on your hands?”

I share a look with Isaac and stand. Swearing, he stands too. With another shared look, we step out, unwilling to risk the kids. All weapons are trained on us, but they don’t instantly shoot, which is their first mistake.

“Drop the weapons!” one yells.

I’m not sure why they haven’t killed us on sight. Maybe he wants us alive or plans on using us to flush the others out, but it’s working in our favour. They have a gun pressed against the head of a small girl in a blue outfit in the back. She’s crying but she’s brave, standing tall.

“Okay, stay calm. It’s going to be okay.” I soften my voice for her. She nods but winces when the gun digs in deeper.

“Now!” one roars as I scan them, counting and looking at entrances and exits, noting everything.

I share a look with Isaac.

“Stop looking at him and drop them now.”

With my eyes on the girl once more, I release my gun from my hand.

I hear running footsteps and know the others are coming. They are close. Time slows as I grin at the guards, who are relaxing, thinking they have us. Diving, I catch the falling gun, and before I even hit the floor, I come up shooting, hitting the two holding the kid, who runs, and then hitting three more before grabbing Isaac and diving back around the corner.

“Shit, that was epic.” Isaac grins just as Nico, Louis, Jonas, and Nova skid to a stop before us, all panting.

Standing, I grab Nova and kiss her hard.

“Later,” she murmurs, and I nod.

“Later,” I promise as I look at Louis.

“Report,” he demands. I move over so Isaac can have a moment with Nova.

“At least forty soldiers, now thirty-five. They are holding the kids hostage and know we are here. Two barriers to the left and the right. They have tactical rifles, helmets, and vests. I can’t see her father, but for them all to have been called back here, I’m betting he’s hiding with the kids, looking for a way out. He’s not expecting us to risk the kids’ safety.”

“He’s right though. We can’t,” Nova says, holding Isaac’s hand. Jonas is in the corner with Nico just in case they move around or attack us while we talk.

Louis lowers his voice so they can’t hear him. “I have a plan. It’s crazy, but it just might work.”

“Everything we do is crazy.” I grin.

“True.” He smirks. “So let’s show them that.”