Chapter 76 Damien
Jack's POV
“Damn it…” I muttered under my breath.
Then—I heard the faint creak of the front door, every instinct in me snapped awake as I pulled my gun out of my waistband.
I stepped silently out of the bathroom, and discovered the front door was slightly open.
Someone was inside.
My grip tightened around the gun.
“Bad idea,” I muttered quietly under my breath.
I moved forward slowly as my back brushed the wall. A figure stepped fully into view.
My gun came up instantly and at the same time, another weapon was already aimed directly at my chest.
A rifle.
Then I saw his face.
It was Marcus Trent.
I scoffed in disbelief.
A sharp, unhinged sound tore out of him.
“Wow,” Marcus said between bursts of manic laughter. “Look at this.”
I didn’t lower my gun, neither did he.
“You’re still alive,” I said flatly.
His grin widened. “Disappointed?”
My eyes narrowed as I took him in—he looked rougher than the last time I’d seen him.
“What the hell are you doing here?” I asked.
Marcus tilted his head slightly, the rifle never wavering. “I could ask you the same thing.”
“You broke into my house.”
“Your house?” He snorted. “Please. This place is barely more than a hideout.”
I ignored the jab as my finger rested lightly against the trigger.
“Where is she?”
Marcus blinked once. “Who?”
“Elena.”
Something flickered behind his eyes.
“You think I have Elena?” he asked, almost amused.
“Cut the act,” I said coldly. “You show up in my house with a rifle right after she disappears and I’m supposed to believe that’s a coincidence?”
Marcus chuckled darkly. “Trust me,” he said slowly, “if I had Elena, things would look a lot different right now.”
“Then explain why you’re here.”
He shifted his weight slightly but kept the rifle trained on me.
“Same reason you are, I imagine.”
“And that is?”
His smile turned sharp. “Looking for her.”
My eyes narrowed at him. “That’s a lie.”
“Oh Is it?”
“Yes.”
Marcus sighed dramatically, like I was being particularly annoying.
“You really think I’d walk in here waving a rifle if I had already grabbed her?”
“I think you’re desperate enough to do anything,” I shot back.
His grin faded slightly. “Careful, Jack,” he said quietly. “You’re not exactly sitting on the moral high ground here.”
I ignored that. “Where is Elena?”
Marcus rolled his eyes. “I’d like to know too.”
The words made something in my chest tighten but I didn't lower my gun, neither did he.
“You expect me to believe you just happened to show up here?” I asked.
Marcus shrugged one shoulder.
“I tracked you.”
My stomach dropped.
“Tracked me?”
“Relax,” he said casually. “Not with a device. Just good old-fashioned surveillance.”
“That doesn’t explain why you’re here.”
“Sure it does,” Marcus replied. “I followed you earlier when you drove out here.”
My grip tightened on the gun.
“You were watching us.”
“Not ‘us’,” he corrected lightly. “You.”
Rage simmered under my skin.
“You’ve got about three seconds before I start shooting,” I warned.
Marcus didn’t look remotely threatened.
Instead he chuckled again. “You won’t.”
“Try me.”
He leaned slightly against the wall like this was all just entertainment.
“Because if you shoot me,” he said calmly, “you’ll lose the only person who might actually know what happened to Elena.”
I stared at him. “Talk.”
Marcus lifted his brows slightly. “See?” he said with a smug smile. “Now we’re having a conversation.”
My jaw clenched. “What do you know?”
His grin faded just a little. “Enough to know that whoever took her… wasn’t me.”
His rifle stayed trained on my chest and my gun stayed trained on his head.
“You expect me to believe that?” I finally said, my voice low and sharp. “You just happened to follow me here and—what—stumbled onto the fact that Elena’s missing?”
Marcus snorted. “You always did have an ego problem, Jack.”
“And you always had a talent for lying.”
He tilted his head slightly, studying me like I was a puzzle piece he couldn’t quite place.
“You really think I’d kidnap Elena?” he asked.
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because Conrad would want leverage.” I said.
Marcus’s mouth twitched. “Conrad already had leverage.”
“I'm guessing it's not enough.”
“You’re giving him too much credit,” Marcus replied.
I scoffed. “That’s rich coming from someone who’s been his lapdog for years.”
His eyes darkened. “Watch your mouth.”
“Or what?” I shot back. “You’ll shoot me? Go ahead. It’d save me the trouble of hunting you down later.”
Marcus’s grip tightened on the rifle.
“Oh, I’ve wanted to do that for a long time.”
“Then do it.” I challenged.
My finger shifted slightly on the trigger and the tension between us snapped like a wire pulled too tight.
Marcus’s lip curled. “You always did think you were the smartest man in the room.”
“And you always proved me right.”
That did it.
His rifle jerked upward a fraction and instinct took over. The first shot exploded through the room like thunder.
I didn’t even register who fired first but I ducked sideways just as a bullet tore into the wall behind me, chunks of drywall spraying across the hallway.
“Damn it!” Marcus shouted.
I fired back and then the living room erupted into chaos.
I dropped behind the kitchen counter as another round punched into the cabinet above my head.
“Still shooting like a rookie, Jack!” Marcus yelled from the other side of the room.
“Still talking too much,” I fired back.
“Where is she?” I shouted suddenly, my voice cutting through the gunfire.
Marcus laughed harshly from across the room. “If I knew, do you think I’d still be standing here?”
I leaned out again and fired and he returned the favor immediately.
A bullet whizzed past my ear so close I felt the air move. “Damn it!” I hissed.
But I knew we were both running low on patience and probably ammo.
Marcus popped up again, firing two quick shots before diving behind the overturned table near the front door.
“Still protecting her, huh?” Marcus called out mockingly.
I didn’t answer.
I fired again and the bullet slammed into the wall inches from his shoulder.
“Shit!” Marcus cursed as I heard the front door slam violently.
I froze before I jumped up and sprinted toward the living room.
Marcus was already halfway down the path outside, sprinting toward his car.
“Marcus!” I shouted, raising my gun.
He glanced back just long enough to flash me a crooked grin. “I advise you find your girl before someone else does!” he yelled.
I fired once and the bullet shattered the rear window but didn’t stop him.
The tires screeched as the car peeled away down the road.
“Damn it!” I shouted.
I dragged a hand down my face, trying to force my thoughts into order.
Marcus worked for Conrad.
If Conrad had wanted Elena…
Marcus would have known and he wouldn’t have shown up here confused and angry.
Which meant—someone else did.
“Of course,” I muttered bitterly.
My hand tightened around the gun again.
“Damien.”