Bloody Mine.

Need Help.

I snickered and rolled my eyes as I saw her coming.

“If it isn't Miss Tyrant.”

I jumped to my feet, a pocket knife dangling dangerously in my hand.

She sighed, then raised her hands, keeping them in view.

“What do you want?”

I asked in a bored tone before taking a few steps forward.

I watched her closely. A flash of emotions passed through her eyes.

Fatigue... Remorse... Regret?

“I need your help.”

She said it in a straight voice, her tone unwavering even as she saw my expression darken.

“You need my help?”

I asked again to be certain, my tone getting sharper and more dangerous.

She winced slightly—almost unnoticeably—but I saw it.

“Yes, Sloane. I need your help.”

I laughed so hard there were tears in my eyes.

“You're kidding, right?”

The look on her face already confirmed what I knew she was saying.

It happened in seconds.

My smile vanished. I swept her legs out from under her, bringing her down, and placed the knife directly against her neck.

“You don't get to leave and waltz back in one day requesting that I help you.”

I spat the words out, anger evident in my voice.

She didn't move. Didn't speak. Just stared straight at me as though she were searching for something.

Those eyes.

I'd drowned in them a hundred times before.

“You missed me, didn't you?”

She said it softly a few minutes later, her cold stare turning into something warm.

Something she would never let others see.

Just me.

I seethed, my knuckles turning white from gripping the knife too tightly.

“The hell are you saying?”

My heart was beating wildly, and I couldn't control it.

“You could have killed me when I entered your house. You could have asked your men to bring me your head on a platter of diamonds.”

She said it gently, her hand wrapping around the hand that held the knife.

“But you didn't. You asked them to bring me here. Told them to leave. And right now, you're holding my life, but you can't seem to end it.”

She slowly took the knife from my hand while I was still in a daze and switched our positions.

She straddled me, the knife now at my neck and her other hand on my chest.

My men burst in immediately, guns pointed directly at her—but she didn't flinch.

“Sloane.”

She whispered gently, her hand sliding downward and holding my waist firmly.

Possessively.

I heard my men all remove the safeties from their guns. Her expression barely even changed.

“Leave!”

I commanded.

My request came as a shock to them.

“Do not make me repeat myself.”

I said, my eyes meeting my first-in-command's.

She nodded, then gave the signal. They all filed out, shutting the door behind them.

“Raven Cross, why exactly do you have a knife at my throat?”

I asked, trying to control the boiling rage inside me.

“Do not test my patience. You have five seconds to get off me before you lose a limb.”

She didn't reply.

She just pressed the knife closer, drawing a clean line of blood.

My blood.

My hands came up quickly, wrapping tightly around her neck before I rolled over to sit on top of her.

She swung the knife, aiming for my stomach, but I was fast enough to dodge.

My leg kicked the weapon out of her hand.

“You actually planning on killing me?”

I smirked, then shook my head lightly.

“Dream on!”

My hands tightened around her neck.

Her eyes narrowed slightly, her hands fisting in my top.

“I wasn't joking, Sloane Vex. I really need your help.”

She said it carefully, then dragged me down by my top and crashed her lips onto mine.

I gasped—giving her enough time to push her tongue into my mouth.

I tried to fight, but before I knew it, our mouths were dancing in a very passionate kiss.

My hands left her neck and roamed her body, landing on her waist.

She pulled me flush against her, her hands around my waist slowly sliding into my top and holding me firmly.

The kiss didn't last too long before I pulled away from her, panting hard, my eyes dark with need.

“Never try that with me again.”

I said coldly, standing up quickly.

My first-in-command walked in, glancing over at Raven—her face flushed, breath coming out in pants.

She nodded at me before walking over and handing me the iPad.

“Ma'am, she brought trouble with her.”

She whispered in my ear.

A sigh left my lips.

“Brief me up, then.”

I replied, walking out of the room with her.

“Apparently, her men turned on her. They handed her over to her nemesis. And since she managed to escape, they're here again.”

My face darkened.

What the hell did they freaking do to her?

“Where are they now?”

I asked as we put on our vests and loaded our guns.

“East gate. Fifteen of your men are already there, fighting against quite a number of them.”

I gritted my teeth, my hands clenching tightly.

“Take Raven and head to the safe room. Do not leave that room unless I ask you to. And if anything happens, protect her with your life.”

I ordered coldly, already sprinting toward the east gate.

No one walks into my house aiming to kill and walks out alive.

---

“I need fifteen more men at the east gate, and I need them now!”

I boomed into my walkie-talkie, the safety already off my gun.

Bullets flew around.

The air smelled of blood and sweat—and yet my adrenaline doubled.

I narrowly dodged a bullet, firing twice into a person's head.

I sprinted forward, jumping high enough to kick a man straight in the head.

He went flying before I shot him down.

“I need all my injured men to be taken back. Anyone we lose here is not worthy to work for me.”

I shouted, spotting a man who looked like the boss.

If there's anything I've learned thus far, it's this:

You kill the boss, and the battle ends.

I pulled out my bomb and threw it directly toward him—making sure to remove the pin first.

It landed perfectly inside the car.

Three seconds passed before the car blew up.

The ringing in my ears did nothing to stop me from shooting those bastards down.

I grinned the moment I saw someone point their gun at me.

Adrenaline pumped through me as I made to dash for it—but at the last second, I felt a sturdy hand on my leg.

Shit.