THE TEMPTRESS

||Shattered||

•STEPHANIE•

Fuck!

That was too close. If Steven hadn't sent that coded message, I'd be caught. Thank god we agreed years ago to always text in codes with burner phones.

Even if we hadn't made that agreement, I doubt he'd ever send a regular text.

Steven Gray, the retired consigliere, did everything with precision. He was the kind of dangerous dude James Bond could take lessons from.

After Kaden left, I left the hotel to meet up with Ben and his crew for something important. Not sure what his sudden plans were, but right now, all I want is a nice bubble bath and some sleep.

My body was exhausted, and I desperately needed some shut-eye before diving back into the mission. My energy was rock bottom today.

As I drove home, taking a left turn into my neighborhood where my secret safe house was, a bad feeling hit me. Three black SUVs were parked outside my house.

I slowed down, checking out the cars. My instincts warned me.

I hit the brakes, reversed, and parked down the street. Still broad daylight, so it wasn't likely Steven and his guys visiting today. Plus, they usually gave me a heads-up.

I popped open the glovebox, grabbed my emergency Glock 19 with its silencer, checked the chamber, and tucked it in my back waistband. I got out, jogging away from my house.

I had a feeling my location had been compromised, and those guys inside were probably hunting for me.

I climbed over a neighbor's gate and jumped down into their backyard. A dog barked, but I ignored it, crossing other people's yards until I reached my place.

I tiptoed around and climbed the staircase at the back leading to my bedroom's balcony.

Relief hit me when I found the sliding doors unlocked. I eased it open and slipped inside. Voices drifted up from downstairs, but none of them sounded like Steven's crew. 

These guys were intruders, for sure.

I creaked my bedroom door open for a quick look. Their voices were clearer this time, and a frown crept across my face as I recognized one of them.

Dread twisted in my chest as I slipped outside and pressed against the wall. Peeking around, I finally spotted them.

A panic like I'd never felt before coiled in my spine and surged in my veins.

My heart thumped loudly, almost echoing in my ears when I saw a figure in the middle of my living room downstairs.

Kaden.

I quickly retreated behind the wall. My mind spun, and my heart raced.

He's here. Does that mean he knows who I am?

Voices drifted from below the staircase, and my body froze instinctively. Glancing down, a shaky gasp escaped when I saw one of them gripping Russ by the collar.

Shit!

Red flashed in my vision momentarily before I regained my composure. Russ barked a few times, and a string of curses escaped his captor before the sound of paws echoed on the steps.

"Let the dog go. Just go check that out," Kaden instructed someone, and footsteps quickly followed up the staircase.

I pressed my back firmly against the wall, catching a movement from the corner of my eye. Turning my face to the side, I was met with a friendly lick on the face.

A sigh of relief escaped me as I pulled Russ closer. Our brief reunion was interrupted by approaching footfalls echoing down the hallway, just behind my hiding spot.

Russ whimpered, and I gestured for silence with a finger on my lips. Slowing my breath, I strained to listen as the footsteps drew nearer.

In my peripheral vision, I detected movement. As the man approached within arms reach, I seized his shirt, slamming him against the wall and firing two shots into his chest.

He staggered and crumpled to the floor. Gun still aimed, I stood back, my expression blank. His blood stained his white t-shirt a dark crimson.

No need to check for a pulse; he was gone.

"Marcus!" Kaden's voice called from downstairs, and I froze.

"What did you find up there, Marcus?" Another voice shouted from the bottom of the staircase.

I rose, guiding Russ to hide behind my legs.

"You three, check on Marcus," someone ordered, and loud footsteps approached the staircase.

A trickle of fear crept in as the footsteps approached. When the first person got close, I swiftly disarmed him and planted a bullet in his chest without hesitation.

The other two let out surprised grunts as I used the fallen body as a shield, walking towards them and taking them down while their bullets hit their friend's body in my way.

I shoved the man to the ground, narrowly ducking as a flurry of bullets whizzed by, hitting the wall in front of me. Everything descended into chaos.

It was one against many, but surrendering to Kaden never crossed my mind. I doubted he knew my true identity, given our interactions this morning and last night.

If he recognized me, he would have killed or interrogated me by now; that's his style. Being in my secret safehouse suggested something else was at play, but I couldn't let them discover me.

As Kaden's men ascended the staircase, firing at me, I had limited places to hide. I tried to shake them off, clearing a path to get back to my room with Russ and use the balcony for escape.

Without hesitation, I shot a few of Kaden's men on the staircase, buying myself some time. Sprinting to the bedroom, I whistled for Russ to follow. My heart sank when he barked aggressively and dashed down the staircase, ignoring my frantic shouts.

"Russ, no!"

He dashed down the stairs, launching an assault on Kaden's men heading upstairs.

A stream of curses escaped me as I left the room, ducking behind a wall to take out more of them and get Russ before things got worse.

I squeezed the trigger, dropping two more guys that Russ had sunk his teeth into. Russ shifted his focus, charging at someone else just as a gunshot echoed through the house.

Everything froze as Russ collapsed. I struggled to breathe, a cold knot forming in my chest.

Rage surged through me, tears burning my eyes as I stared at my lifeless dog. His lifeless eyes wide opened, blood pooling around him.

No, no, no, no, no.

Someone entered my line of sight near Russ, and I reluctantly looked up. Red flashed before my eyes, anger flooding me as Kaden stood over my fallen dog.

Him.

He. Killed. Russ.

I'm going to fucking kill him this time.

He nudged Russ's head with his foot, glancing in my direction. I hid behind the wall, clenching my jaw.

"She's still here," he told his men.

By the time their footsteps echoed from the staircase, I had slipped out through my balcony, escaping before they could spot another glimpse of me.