Page 33 of The Awakening
“Nah, I think not. You lower yours and we’ll all have a nice conversation as to why the hell you’re both here.” The moment Van has his full attention on Everett, I make my move. Grabbing his gun with both hands, I twist his wrist to the side, cracking his wrist and forcing him to release his weapon. I don’t hesitate. I whip the gun against Van’s nose, the impact instantly causing blood to shoot from his nostrils. He lets out a pained cry, his body hitting his knees as he cups his face in his hands. I hit him again. The butt of his gun connects with his temple, and he slumps to the ground, instantly falling unconscious.
“Too easy,” I say under my breath before looking back up to Callum, who’s now glaring daggers at me. Holding Van’s gun in my hand, I release the full clip, as well as the bullet in the chamber, and quickly disassemble his gun and toss it to the wood line before retrieving my own. Walking over to my gun that I dropped to the ground when tackling Callum, I wipe off the wet grass and begin twisting on my silencer. Walking over to Callum and Everett, I look between the two.
“You know, if you weren’t such a psychotic piece of fucking shit that doesn’t even deserve to be the mud on my boots, the organization could’ve really used a twin duo.” I raise my gun to Cal’s forehead, pressing the silencer painfully hard against his forehead, when Everett stops me.
“Wait, Dean, I have an idea.” The look on Everett’s face is full of sin. Whatever idea he has swimming in his head has my curiosity spiked. Everett squeezes Callum’s throat harder, his body thrashing beneath his hold until he slowly goes limp and falls to the ground.
“Let’s play them at their own game even further,” he whispers to me; he begins undressing and I catch his hint. I quickly remove Cal’s clothes, tossing Everett his shirt and then his jeans. Dressing as quickly as possible, Everett teases his hair with his fingers, portraying his identical but untidied brother’s hair.
“How do I look?” he asks me with a devious smile pulling at his lips. I chuckle at his question.
“You look like one of the King twins, if I’m being honest. Couldn’t tell you two apart if I hadn’t grown up with you two bastards.” We both let out a laugh as we peer down at Callum’s unconscious body splayed across the wet ground. Everett lifts his gun from his side and fires off two shots, one hitting Callum in the head and one to his chest.
“I’ve been wanting to do that for years. Now there’s only one Everett King.” I clap Everett on his shoulder, a sense of relief washing over his face.
“Let’s finish this,” Everett says. Before we leave, I point my gun at Van, shooting him twice in the head.
“That’s for our girl and the warehouse. See you in hell.” I spit on his body before turning on my heel and making my way around the back of the house.
Time to get our girl and head home.
Callum’s fingers are gentle on my chin. His eyebrows pinch together as his plump lips slowly pull into a smile. I study his face; fuck, he looks just like Everett. Their sharp jawline, the constant five o’clock shadow that’s impeccably maintained, and those eyes. Those deep emerald-green eyes that can see directly through my soul and straight to my heart.
“The way you’re breathing tells me you most certainly missed me.” His thumb brushes my cheek, and I pull my face from his grasp before he can see me blush.
“Oh, don’t be like that, love. You and I both know if we weren’t interrupted that night, we would have had so much fun together.” Fingers grab the edge of the duct tape on my face and rip it free. Wincing at the pain, I lick my dry lips before spitting at Callum’s feet.
“Now, love, is that how a lady should act?” He tisks with his tongue.
“So, Cal, what’ve you been up to these past few years? Haven’t heard from you. Hell, you don’t call, don’t write. I was starting to think you may have died.” Arno pulls Cal’s attention away from me, his body turning slowly to face him.
“You know, just dabbling in this and that, nothing too exciting if I’m being honest. Living my life, the way I should be, not taking orders from others who can’t do their own dirty work.” Cal puts his hands in his pockets, his posture ever so relaxed as he talks to Arno as if he’s a longtime friend.
“For fuck’s sake, this isn’t a school reunion. Cal, say goodbye to ye friend, we have business to ’andle here!” Cara barks to the group. I almost forgot she was here. Cal’s presence is so dominating, he calls all the attention.
“Right, sorry, my dear, you’re right.” Cal turns his attention to Cara, who’s standing tall with her hands on her hips and her once delicate face twisted in anger.
“Well, mate, it was a pleasure to see you. We should catch up some time,” Arno says, taking a step closer to Cara. Grabbing her hand, he lifts it to his mouth, kissing the top sweetly before giving her a wink.
“Remember our deal, love. It was a pleasure doing business with you.” She blushes at his compliment, dropping her hand to her side as he releases her.
“Right, Cara, my love, would you mind fetching Cormick so we can have a little family reunion?” Cal calls to her. Silence falls upon the group. Cara’s eyes narrow into slits as her head tilts to the side at Cal’s request. Clearing her throat, she straightens her posture, adjusting her blouse before smoothing it down with her hands.
Just then, Cara pulls her gun from her holster and points it directly at Cal’s head. Following suit, the guards do the same. Each one pointing their rifles at Cal, who doesn’t flinch in the slightest. Arno shifts on his feet with unease as he looks at me with a hardening expression.
“It’s funny, sweetheart, you want me to go fetch Cormick when ye were the one to end his life almost seven months ago.” Cara’s seething, her once pale skin now bright red with rage. Cal takes a step back towards me, his body now positioned between me and the guards, as if he’s protecting me. He takes a few more steps back, shielding me from anyone’s line of fire.
“Silly me, must have slipped my mind,” Cal says, raising his hands in surrender. Turning his head to the side, he whispers, “Now.” The guards’ bodies hit the ground simultaneously, the sound of each one hitting the stone path making me grin internally. Blood slowly pools around their bodies; each one having been shot. Cara lets out a scream of rage, her gun still pointed at Cal as her gaze roams over her now lifeless guards.
“If you were smart, you’d see you are now painfully outnumbered.” Arno’s voice is cold as death as he now has his gun pointed at the side of Cara’s head. “I suggest lowering your weapon if you don’t want to end up like your boys over there.” She does as he says, slowly lowering her gun to her side before dropping it to the ground with a thud.
“Ye think you’ve won. Ye think Shem isn’t goin’ to be mad when he finds out Sloan is the reason his only grandson is dead.” This psychotic bitch really thinks she’s going to put his death on me. She’s more delusional than I was giving her credit for.
“Turn around, love,” Cal, or rather Everett, says as he pulls his knife from his pocket, freeing my hands. I rub my wrists as I slowly step closer to Cara, Everett following close behind.
“Ye think your dogs can protect ye, foolish little girl?” she says, her gaze darting from Everett and me.
“I’ve got me own twin too, darlin’,” she laughs out.