Let’s Take Him Down

Let’s Take Him Down
Damien’s POV

I hit the bottom of the stairs and the whole living room snapped to attention. Matteo was nursing a coffee like it was glued to his hand. Andre was constantly checking his pistol while avoiding eye contact with everyone.

Jaxon was scrolling his phone, jaw tight. Jace was pacing like he’d had six espressos. Ellie and Agnes were on the couch, whispering, both looking up the stairs every few seconds like they expected Isabella to magically appear.

The second my foot hit the floor, the room went dead quiet.

I didn’t bother with small talk. “Ellie, Agnes…go upstairs. Stay with Isabella. She’s finally asleep, so keep it quiet. Just… be there. Silently,” I warned.

Ellie nodded once, grabbed Agnes’s wrist before she could say anything, and they were moving. Agnes shot me a quick suspicious glance anyway, but followed. By the time they hit the halfway mark on the stairs, they were gone.

Jaxon lowered his phone real slow. “Where to, boss?”
“Yeah an errand. A quick one.”

He stepped in front of me, arms folded. Ellie and Agnes were already out of earshot.

“What kind of errand, boss? Tell me what it is, I’ll get it done. You haven’t left her side in days. She needs you. The guys and I can handle whatever it is.”

“I’m handling it myself, Jaxon.” I turned to the rest of the room, voice carrying weight. “Double the perimeter. Every gate, every camera, every blind spot…lock it down. All men on full alert. Nothing gets past security tonight. No unpleasant surprises.”

I said that last part staring straight at Andre. He dropped his eyes to the floor like it had suddenly grown fascinating.

“I don’t want to come back to any slip-ups,” I added. “Stay sharp at all times.”

Then I looked at Matteo. “Keys.”

He tossed them. I caught them mid-air without breaking stride.

I was almost at the front door when Jace grabbed my arm.

“I’m coming with you.”

I stopped. “You don’t even know where I’m going.”
“I don’t care.”

“Stay here. Look after the women.”

He didn’t let go. “Not a chance, Damien Voss. Something tells me you’re up to some serious business, and I won’t have you playing the hero alone.”

I shrugged him off…hard…and pushed through the front door. The evening air hit me, cool and clean. I crossed the driveway to the black G-Wagon, and slid into the driver’s seat.

The door wasn’t even fully closed when both passenger doors opened at the same time.

Jaxon front. Andre and Jace in the back. Then the doors slammed shut.

I gripped the wheel until my knuckles ached. “Get out. All of you.”

Nobody moved.

“This isn’t a group thing,” I said, voice low and frustrated. “It’s personal. I need to settle something alone.”

Jaxon leaned forward. “Jon…one of Vixen’s guys…just texted me. Carlos is confirmed under the Sixth Street Viaduct. So let’s stop pretending that you’re not going off to play a tragic lone hero, boss.”

I stared dead ahead. “Exactly. I’m your boss, Jaxon, not your colleague. All of you…out. Now.”

Jace laughed from the back. “You’re not my boss, asshole. I’m a fucking billionaire, remember?”

Jaxon grinned. “And I’m your future brother-in-law. That’s gotta count for something.”

Andre muttered at the window with a resigned exhale, “I’m just Andre.”

I pinched the bridge of my nose. “You’re wasting my time. Get out of this car.”

Jace fired back, “No, you’re wasting ours trying to go solo when it’s obvious this could be a setup. You need backup. Plus… I want to punch the bastard who kidnapped my girlfriend at least once.”

I exhaled hard. They weren’t wrong, and that pissed me off more. What if Carlos purposely gave off his location, knowing fully well that I might try to come alone.

“Fine.” I shoved my door open, circled around, yanked Andre’s door, hauled him out by the sleeve. “You drive.”

Andre blinked, then slid behind the wheel smooth as silk. I took his place in the passenger's seat next to Jace and slammed the door.

“Yes, sir,” he said quietly, firing up the engine.

Jaxon whooped from the front, a satisfied edge in his voice. “Now this feels like a proper high-class op. So…what’s the plan, boss?”

I stared out as we rolled down the driveway. “I walk in, put a bullet in Carlos’s head, and walk out.”

Dead silence.
Then Jaxon muttered, “Thank God we came.”

Jace barked a laugh. “Seriously, dude? That plan was suicidal.”

Andre just drove faster without saying anything.
We rode downtown, Andre weaving lanes like a pro while nobody talked for a while. The tension was thick, windows fogging from our breathing as we all buried ourselves in our individual thoughts.

Jace broke it first. “So we’re really doing this without a plan? Four of us against Carlos and whoever he’s got?”

“I’m doing it,” I corrected. “You three are unwanted tag-alongs that will wait outside,” I insisted stubbornly.

Jaxon snorted. “No way am I letting you go in alone, boss. Ellie would kill me.”

I almost laughed at that. I never knew a day like this would come when he would boldly say my sister’s name in such a loving manner in front of me.

But I didn’t. I merely looked out through the window, ignoring him.

We were tearing down the freeway, Andre pushing the G-Wagon hard enough that the engine growled like it was pissed off. City lights streaked past in smears of red and white. Nobody said anything for the first couple minutes after Jaxon’s last statement…just the hum of tires and our breathing.

Then Andre cleared his throat from the driver’s seat. “Boss… if we’re really doing this, we shouldn’t just roll up guns blazing. Carlos is paranoid. He’ll have spotters, escape routes, probably a driver idling on the far side.”

I glanced at him. “Go on.”

He kept his eyes on the road but started talking fast, like he’d been thinking about this the whole time. “We kill the lights three blocks out, park in that empty lot under the approach ramp…north side, it’s got full shadow from the pillars. I go first on foot, low crawl along the riverbank. There’s that chain-link fence with the hole the homeless guys use. I slip through, take out any outer sentries quietly…suppressed shots or knife if they’re isolated. Meanwhile, Jaxon sets up on the overpass with the rifle for overwatch. Long shots if anyone tries to flank or run. Jace and you come in from the east service road…slow, casual, like you’re just two idiots out for a night drive. Carlos sees you, gets cocky, focuses on the obvious threat. By then I’m already behind his SUVs, cutting fuel lines or popping tires so nothing rolls out. No escape. He won’t even know we’re surrounding him until it’s too late.”

He finished and risked a quick look at me. “Total box-in. Clean exits for us, none for him.”

I stared at him for a second. “Andre… you’re a goddamn genius.”

Jace leaned forward from his spot next to me, grinning wide. “Hell yes. Way better than your original plan of charging in alone like some clueless James Bond who wandered into an assassinator’s convention.”

Jaxon snorted. “Clueless assasinator. Accurate.”

Even I cracked a smile. “Yeah, yeah. Andre’s plan it is.”

The laughter died down quick, though. The vibe shifted as we got closer to downtown. Jace’s voice dropped, suddenly serious…no jokes, no grin. “Hey, Damien. Real talk. What’s your plan?”

I frowned, watching the skyline grow. “Regarding what?”

“Isabella.”

The name hit me in the chest like a fist. Isabella. Curled up asleep back home, stitches still fresh, trusting me to come back.

“Why are you asking me that, and now of all times?” I said.

“Because I want to know what your plans are for her. Respectfully, of course,” he replied.

I didn’t even hesitate even for a second. “I’m marrying her. Soon as she’s strong enough to stand at an altar without wincing. And then I’m keeping her in that mansion forever. Chained to my side at all times. She’s not leaving my sight again.”

Possessive? Hell yes. I didn’t care.

Jace let out a low snicker. “Good thing. But, I beat you to it already, man. I’m marrying Agnes tomorrow. First thing. City hall, judge, whatever it takes.”

I scoffed. “Quit being childish. You’re not beating me to anything.”

He laughed, but there was an edge to it. “Watch me.”

I reached under the seat, pulled out the small stash I always kept there…two Glock 26s and a Sig P365. Baby nines, easy conceal, reliable as hell. I handed one Glock to Jace casually, like passing a water bottle.
“You handle a gun?”

Jace took it smooth, racked the slide to check the chamber like he’d done it a thousand times, then flicked the safety back on. “Not only do I handle it, I’m a damn good shot. And I fight like Jackie Chan on a bad day. Rich guys like me? We’ve got enemies since kindergarten. Private instructors, combat training, the whole deal. I had to learn early how to defend myself.”

I raised an eyebrow. Impressed despite myself. “Good. Because we’re ten minutes out. Time to put all that fancy training to use.”

Andre nodded, taking the next exit. “Copy that.”

The banter faded. Guns loaded. Plan locked in.
Carlos didn’t stand a chance.

He’s going down tonight.