Chapter 180 Shot Again
Clarence’s POV
The office smelled like whiskey, leather, and Lydia’s perfume. Which, under normal circumstances was a combination I enjoyed far too much.
Lydia was still sitting across my lap in my chair, her legs wrapped around my waist, her fingers tangled loosely in the back of my shirt. Her lips were still warm from the kiss she had just broken when my mindlink snapped open like a damn alarm bell in my skull.
"Clarence" The panic in his voice was immediate.
"Front door" he said as he couldn't breathe.
"What is it. Speak clearly." I said through the link at my warrior. He then continued to tell me everything that happened at the front door when a few warriors tried to go out.
My jaw clenched so hard my teeth ground together.
Lydia felt it immediately. She leaned back slightly, her brow furrowing.
“What?” she asked.
I held up a finger, my eyes glazing over as the mindlink continued. he told me a another tried to go out the door and was met with a bullet straight between the eyes.
Fuck!
My fingers tightened automatically around Lydia’s hip. Hard enough that she hissed.
“Clarence,” she snapped. “You’re bruising me.”
I barely heard her. Because now the third voice screamed through the link.
"They’re dropping us! Someone. Someone is"
The thought cut off violently. Like someone had flipped a switch. Silence followed.
I slowly leaned back in my chair. Lydia studied my face carefully.
“That look usually means someone’s about to die.” She said in a voice barely above a whisper while she rubbed my temples.
I exhaled through my nose slowly.
“Three already did.”
Her eyebrow lifted.
“Already?”
Before I could answer, the fourth voice burst into the link. This one was shaky. Afraid.
"King, there’s bodies outside the door." My warrior was saying as I had to interrupt. These fucking dumbasses.
“Then stop opening the damn door,” I growled through the link. What the hell.
Lydia rolled her eyes slightly.
“Your men really aren’t the sharpest tools in the shed.”
“Quiet,” I muttered as I shook my head. Yeah, she isn't wrong though. By the second shot I definitely wouldn't of opened it up a third time. Let alone a fucking fourth. That right there was suicide.
"They’re shot clean, King. One shot in the."
Then the panic sharpened. The man was literally screaming at me in mindlink.
"Someone’s out there." He kept saying.
No shit Sherlock. Damn. Yeah Lydia was definitely right. Not the brightest crayons in the box.
“Pull back inside,” I ordered coldly. “Now.”
I felt him retreat immediately. Then the link snapped closed. For a moment the room was quiet again.
Lydia tilted her head slightly. "Well?” She asked softly as she rested her forehead on mine. Damn, I'm grateful for her right now. She's the only thing that's keeping me from exploding.
“Someone’s picking off my men outside the front entrance.” I said as I closed my eyes and let her presence ground me.
She blinked once. Then laughed softly.
“Wow.” I lifted my head from her. A small smirk appeared on my face. I narrowed my eyes. “You find that funny?”
“A little,” she admitted with a shrug. “Your boys keep walking outside like it’s a picnic.”
Before I could respond the office door burst open.
Gregory and Stephan stormed in, both looking irritated and tense. Stephan spoke first.
“We’ve got a problem.” He said as he leaned over with both hands placed on his thighs. He must of ran here as he is quite winded.
“No shit,” I muttered.
Gregory crossed his arms. "Four of our men are down outside the front entrance.”
“I’m aware.” I nod my head in there direction.
Gregory’s eyes flicked to Lydia sitting comfortably in my lap. "Are we interrupting something?” He said with an eye roll.
Lydia smirked lazily. "Very much.”
Stephan rolled his eyes once again. “For the love of, Fuck. Can you two focus for five minutes?”
I ignored them both and leaned forward slightly.
“Send someone to the back entrance.”
Stephan nodded immediately. "Already moving."
A moment passed. Then another.
Through the security feed I have pulled up I saw the warrior get to the back entrance. He opened the back door. Fresh air hitting his face.
He stepped outside. Then down he went.
“Well that’s not good.” I slammed my fist against the desk. "Are you fucking kidding me?”
Stephan looked irritated now. “Whoever’s out there has the entire perimeter covered.”
Lydia sighed dramatically.
“Honestly Clarence, if your men are just going to keep volunteering to die, maybe start charging admission.”
Gregory snorted despite himself.
I shot him a glare. He immediately straightened.
“Right. Sorry.”
Stephan rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “There’s still the hidden exit.”
I looked up slowly. "Send someone through it.”
Gregory nodded. "I’ll grab one of the scouts.”
He left the office quickly.
Lydia leaned back against my chest again.
“Let me guess,” she said lazily. “Another brave idiot?” She giggled up against my chest. "Hopefully a smarter one.” She snorted.
A minute later Gregory returned with one of the younger warriors. The guy looked confident. Maybe a little too confident.
Gregory explained quickly.
“Secret exit through the storage tunnel. Check the perimeter and report back.” The man grinned.
“Easy.” The young warrior said as he was convinced we gave him the easiest job ever.
Lydia raised an eyebrow. “Oh this should be good.” She bounced in my lap. Damn. This is not the time for me to get hard.
The warrior disappeared out the office door. We switched the security feed to bring up that area. He moved down the hidden tunnel. Stone walls on both sides of him. Then the metal hatch opened. The man stepped outside. Silence.
Then his voice came through the mindlink with a chuckle. "King it’s fine."
I leaned back slightly. "No one out here," he continued casually. He even laughed.
"Looks like whoever took the others ran"
The sound cut off mid-thought. Then silence. Complete silence. Gregory blinked slowly.
“Well.” Stephan sighed. "Add him to the pile.”
My jaw tightened again.
Lydia turned her head slightly to look up at me.
“So let me get this straight,” she said calmly.
“Your men walk outside, they get shot.They try the back. They get shot. They sneak out a secret exit. They get shot.” She laughed.
Gregory rubbed the back of his neck.
“When you say it like that it sounds bad.”
Lydia smirked. "Oh it is bad.”
Stephan leaned against the wall, crossing his arms. "So what’s the plan, King?”
I stared at the floor for a long moment.
Someone was out there. Waiting. Patient. Picking off my warriors like target practice. And whoever it was Had damn good aim.
Slowly, I leaned back in my chair again, my arms tightening around Lydia as irritation simmered through my chest.
“Fine,” I muttered.
“If they want to sit out there all night” My lips curled slightly. “let them.”
Lydia tilted her head. “Oh?”
I smiled coldly. "They’ll get bored eventually.”
Gregory raised an eyebrow.
“And then?”
My eyes darkened.
“Then we return the favor."