Ignoring the dead, I pushed through the rubble of the crumbling building, the structure still periodically rattling from the violent force of the surrounding gunfire and occasional explosions.The harsh noise almost caused me to miss the sound of a grenade rolling toward my feet.
On instinct, I instantly kicked it away in the opposite direction, the blast destroying the end of the hallway, shattering my eardrums and scattering dust and debris through the air.
Before I could recover, bullets began zipping past my ear, forcing me to duck low and roll behind the corner wall still intact.One bullet managed to graze my shoulder, but it was quickly forgotten when I returned fire through the drywall, staying flat on my back.After a few more shots, I waited in the silence for the sound of any movement, but there was none.
“I sincerely hope you aren’t dead yet, Jason,” I called out as I grabbed a full mag from my belt, discharging the empty one and replacing it.“I’ll be seriously disappointed if my chance to slowly gut you over the next ten years is already gone.”
A deep masculine groan of a laugh bounced off the crumbling walls, the strained sound irritatingly difficult to pinpoint.
“Good thing I’m wearing Kevlar!”a voice croaked out.“Otherwise, you’d be eating your disappointment right now.Though you might want to stop shooting at me if you actually want to reach your little goal.”
An involuntary chuckle slipped up my throat at his response, his sheer boldness a respectable trait for a man I intended to slowly rip apart, piece by piece.At least now I knew his vest was compromised if one of my bullets had managed to hit him.
“Fair enough,” I replied as I slowly rose to a crouching position.“But that would require you to trust me not to shoot you in the first place.”
“Decisions, decisions,” he replied sarcastically.
I could sense his hesitation as he remained still while I revealed my position by standing to my full height to see over what was left of the busted drywall concealing me.
“I think proper introductions are in order by now.Don’t you think?”I called out.
At that, the sound of the wood floor cracking under the weight of slow-moving footsteps had me moving my feet.After swinging my rifle over my shoulder to hang from my back, I stepped out to meet the man my wife had once thought was worthy of her.But as the dust cleared and our eyes finally met for the first time, I could see the illusion that would fool her.
Jason certainly bore the look of a feral man, one built out of violent ambitions and calculated savagery.Like me, Jason too had adapted to his environment, permitting the carnage of the world to mold him into the beast he’d clearly become.Decorated in dust, blood, and grime, he adorned the battle-worn exterior of seasoned militant, the hard lines of his face shadowed with stubble and barely contained rage.
Evolution was truly fascinating to watch when it was under the tutelage of trauma and survival instincts.Jaden’s trauma had morphed her into a beautiful venomous chameleon, able to adapt to any scenario, blending right in until you forgot she had ever been a threat in the first place.
But Jason?He was empty—devoid of anything other than the bloodlust I could see storming in his eyes.This wasn’t a man.This was a wounded animal begging to be put out of its misery.Unfortunately for him, I was not here to deliver such a mercy.I was here to prolong it.
As he stood in the same style of tactical gear as me, Jason’s dark gaze performed the same assessment I had, estimating every threat I presented and formulating as many countermeasures as possible.My eyes landed on the damage caused by my bullet to his vest, the puncture firmly in front of his heart—a damn near perfect shot thwarted by luck.And that luck was about to officially run out.
“I’ve been thinking about this moment a lot,” he suddenly said, his voice rough but firm as he began to take several steps toward me.“The day you and I finally meet face-to-face.”
I cocked a brow at his confession.“As have I,” I replied, thinking of all the ways I was going to make him regret this little meet and greet.“Is it everything you hoped it would be?”
He shook his head once.“Not yet.”
Rolling my shoulders, I stretched my neck to the side.“Given the clear death wish you obviously have, I can’t imagine your expectations are anything but unrealistic.”
Jason tilted his head to the side, the ghost of a smirk curling his lips.“And what exactly areyourunrealistic expectations?That I’ll come quietly?”
“God, I hope not.”Where was the fun in that?
“Well,” he began with a shrug, “given all of my accomplishments lately, I’d like to think I’m anything but disappointing, especially since I’m the one who’s been one step ahead of you all this time.”And then he fucking winked.
I narrowed my eyes at the smug smirk stretching across his face, annoyed with his choice of bait as I closed the distance between us.
Son of a bitch.
Subconsciously, I think I always knew it was Jason.I just didn’t want to give him that much credit so soon.But seeing him standing here now, as he was, denial just wasn’t smart anymore.He’d proven time and time again that I had underestimated him, and that stopped today.
“Yes, it seems you’ve managed to become a bigger pain in the ass than Jaden could ever hope to be.Though I can’t help but wonder how a lowly orphaned military brat with just a couple of bar fights, good aim, and a ballistics degree under his belt managed to take it this far and still remain in one piece.Physically, of course.God only knows what kind of demons you’ve got living upstairs that have kept you gunning for me this whole time.”
He scoffed at the implication.“The same ones that kept you gunning for a ghost you repeatedly failed to catch,” he replied evenly.“Until they were ready to be found.”
I could feel the corner of my lip curving.“If you want to ditch the metaphor and become an actual ghost, I can easily make that happen for you right now.”
Jason took a hard step forward.“I didn’t come here to become a ghost, asshole.I came here to kill a monster.”