Hostile Ground (The Arsenal #7) - Cara Carnes Page 0,9

and shimmied to the driver’s side as Kristof entered behind her. He roped an arm around her shoulder and slid it down her side. The feather-soft contact along her bruised ribs ignited her pulse.

Although he was a vile bastard who bought and sold anything and anyone if the price was right, he was also an astute and tactile son of a bitch. She grasped his thigh and squeezed until her fingers pressed into the sensitive nerves buried beneath muscle.

Amusement glinted within his gaze when it locked with hers. “You challenge me with your beauty, Iriana.”

“You can’t handle me.” She looked away. Iriana never succumbed to Kristof’s seduction. It was one of the only things about the persona Addy admired. The rest? Well, it was tolerable as long as they secured the missiles. “Where are we going?”

“That’s not your business,” Ivan spat. He glared at her through the rearview mirror as he drove them out of the Maryino District. “We don’t need her for this.”

“Drive.” Boredom filled Kristof’s voice, but tension corded his body. “Don’t question my decisions again, Ivan. You’ve forgotten your position too many times recently. I tire of your childishness.”

The man growled but made no comment.

“I can’t wait until this is over so you can kick that bastard’s ass,” Zoey said in the com.

Yeah, Addy owed the bastard a beat down after he’d worked her over the last time their paths crossed. She’d gone undercover as an asset Kristof was selling to the highest bidder in order to rescue a friend of Zoey’s.

Her pulse thundered in her ears as regret and embarrassment rolled through her. Yeah, she’d made a lot of foolish mistakes during that op. Mistakes no one would ever know about.

The Arsenal had pressed for details of what’d happened when she’d shut off coms. They wouldn’t ever find out, though. No one except the man beside her would know what a fool she’d been when she’d…

Don’t go there. Focus on the mission.

She pushed the memories back. No good came from remembering what’d happened during that mission.

“He’d better not take you to another enforcement situation,” Zoey said.

He likely was. Until Yesim’s syndicate held the auction, she was Kristof’s enforcer. She’d done worse during her years at Hive, the organization her brother had started. Peter had kidnapped and tortured one of Addy’s friends. The brilliant back office operative, Mary, and her equally amazing friend had created one kickass security system that he’d wanted.

Addy should’ve known the twisted psychopath was after HERA. After Mary. Vi. He’d wanted to find out who’d helped them design the drugs and weaponry used by the system’s drones.

Mary had survived and been rescued, thanks to The Arsenal. They’d helped the two women take Hive down and keep their friends, Bree and Rhea, safe.

No thanks to Addy.

Sure, she’d helped, but she should’ve realized what he was up to. Hell, she would’ve put a bullet in Peter herself if given the chance.

The bastard was dead. May he rot in hell. They’d all scraped off the past and moved on with a new life at The Arsenal. The private paramilitary organization had become the best around after taking not only Hive down but The Collective as well.

Yeah, they’d been mired in bullshit and trouble since they’d arrived, but Addy wouldn’t have it any other way. She had a lot to make up for.

She wouldn’t fail Mary and Vi ever again.

Ivan pulled into a warehouse about twenty minutes later. The vehicle’s headlights lit the otherwise darkened interior. Unease pricked her skin when she exited. Why were they here?

“Establish a perimeter,” Zoey said. “Beast, get some eyes into that warehouse. I don’t like whatever this is.”

“Roger, we’re a quarter click back. Johnny’s taking overwatch across the street.”

Kristof exited behind her and shut the door. “Ivan, make sure our guest didn’t bring any unwelcome visitors with him.”

“What the hell is this?” She clenched her teeth and glared up at the man beside her.

“There’s a situation we must rectify, a rather sensitive one.” He continued forward into the darkness. “I trust our Hummingbird has nested nearby.”

“I swear I’m going to have Gage kick his ass if he doesn’t stop calling me that,” Zoey said in the com.

Addy didn’t reply. Kristof knew The Arsenal would follow wherever she went. He’d accepted their presence within his world easier than she’d expected—mainly because they hadn’t made any moves to disrupt his illegal enterprises. As long as he abided by their one restriction, he could do whatever he wanted. No human trafficking. None of them