Chapter Six - Mission Failed

"Marcella...you better have a good explanation for this." Leo starts before Marcus cuts in. "How the fuck do you know him?!"

I remain silent as I move through the crowd trying to escape Judah's sight. I turn my head to find that he's following me and curse lowly. Practically rushing past everyone I eventually lose him and sigh in relief as I lean against a pillar. It's right behind the food table in a dark corner so nobody can see me, not even the guys. Grabbing a drink, I down it before nibbling on some chocolate while I rack my brain to come up with a plan.

"Mar!"

"I don't have a fucking explanation so shut the fuck up and let's finish what we came here for!" I hiss at them before talking strategy. "I need to get him outside."

"The gardens are too risky but there's a rooftop." Leo adds before I hear Marcus grunt. "We just broke the lock so all you need to do is lead him up here. We're going down to bring the car around to exit three."

"The security team have seen us break the lock so I'm going down to take care of them. See you in a few minutes." Leo states before I hear him rush off.

"Got it. I'll keep you both updated."

I finish my drink as I try and think of how I can lead Judah up there without raising suspicion. But I don't end up having to do much because as soon as I take a step Judah blocks my way. The movement startles me and I involuntarily step back against the pillar. He follows and cages me in with a deep chuckle. The blue in his eyes appear darker as they roam over my body with intensity.

My hands splay against his chest as he pushes himself closer to me. A wicked smile plays on his lips before he leans down and kisses behind my ear – the one without the earpiece inside. My eyes flutter shut when he nips my earlobe before peppering kisses from my jawline down to my collarbone. I struggle to remain quiet because I know Leo and Marcus can hear.

"Why are you hiding from me little dove?" He murmurs quietly and I open my eyes to meet his gaze.

"I'm not." I whisper back before I scrunch my nose. "Little dove?"

"Little dove." He murmurs with a nod yet doesn't make a move to elaborate further. "How about we finish what we started that day?"

I know Leo and Marcus are dying to ask what he's talking about. I blush as the memories come rushing back and watch as Judah chuckles while caressing my heated cheeks. I realize that this is probably the best excuse to get him out of the spotlight. He takes my hand once I nod before we leave through the door at the end of the hallway.

We check a few rooms only to figure out that they're all locked. I lean against the wall beside the last room's door on the top floor as Judah sighs in annoyance when that too doesn't open.

"The rooftop's door is open." I state before shrugging indifferently when Judah stares at me.

"So, you don't mind anyone outside hearing you scream my name? Didn't think that'd be your kink Macy." He grins before grabbing my hand again.

I shake my head with a playful roll of my eyes. "I can be quiet."

"I don't believe that. Especially after I had you begging –"

"Okay! Just open the door!" I shove him, or at least I attempt to, but he doesn't move an inch.

He smiles boyishly in response before pecking my cheek and doing as I say. As soon as he takes the first step I trip him but he finds his footing before swinging at my ribs...like he expected this. Shock rushes through me but I have no time to process what's happening. Instead, I pin him to the wall and knee him in the balls. He swears harshly before kicking me back but I get up immediately to land some punches to his face and torso.

I struggle against him when he repeatedly punches my shoulder. Returning the favor, he makes me fall onto the concrete and I groan when my skin scrapes against the ground. He takes out my earpiece and smashes it with his shoe making me want to yell in frustration. Shit! He's not going down easy, I think to myself before quickly pulling out my shuriken and throwing it just as he pounces.

"Fuck!" He yells as it lodges itself into his thigh.

What I didn't expect was for him to pounce on me regardless and pull my dagger out of my holster before stabbing my leg too. I shriek and shove him off me but he doesn't move at all which only makes me panic. Our frenzied movements makes the dagger push down and settle in deeper causing me to cry out in pain as tears brim my eyes.

Kicking his shin with my good leg I manage to make him fall on top of me before I flip us over. He's just about to throw me off when I land a powerful uppercut to his jaw. I watch as he becomes dazed and quickly take out my gun to end this. But just as I pull the trigger I'm grabbed from behind.

"No!" My scream is muffled when duct tape is slapped across my mouth.

I struggle as two men tie my hands and legs while another man and woman check on Judah. Even from my viewpoint the wound clearly missed and isn't at all fatal like I hoped it would be. I watch as he sits up with a pained groan and overwhelming guilt flickers through me at the sight. His eyes meet mine and they soften which makes me think he's lost his goddamn mind.

"I think I'm in love." He states breathlessly as he stares at me with a handsome grin.

Okay yeah, this motherfucker's crazy! I think to myself as I'm hauled up roughly.

"We need to move." One of the men holding my arm tightly speaks before dragging me out.

"Griffin, come on mate don't manhandle her." Judah whines from behind and I look over my shoulder at him with wide eyes full of disbelief.

We slip out of the house unseen and I'm shoved into the back of a van before Judah is helped inside. He sits opposite me as one of the men quickly works on treating his wounds and cuts. I squeeze my eyes shut when Griffin takes out the knife before working on stitching the wound on my leg. The doors slam shut and the lights turn on in the van before I feel us drive off.

"Why the fuck would you stab her leg?! I told you to go for her side!"

"I wanted us to have matching scars." Judah replies with a goofy grin. That makes me chuckle and he perks up at the sound. "Besides...I didn't like hurting her."

"She clearly had no problem hurting you Judah. If we didn't get there in time you would have died. She aimed at your heart and it would've been a clean shot." The guy treating Judah mumbles and remorse wreaks havoc inside me as I avert my gaze.

I feel tears brim my eyes and I close them tiredly. Some traitorous ones race down my cheeks though and I curse myself for being so weak, for not being a cold-hearted killer. Instead, I'm too sensitive and now they'll know. Griffin looks at me when I sniffle quietly and his warm brown eyes turn sympathetic. I clear my throat before looking away but they stray to Judah instead.

"I'm okay love." He rests his head back with a wink. "You good?"

I nod and he smiles handsomely in response before sitting up abruptly with a serious expression. "Parker? Can we stop somewhere for food?"

"Shut up." Parker, the man treating him, grumbles as he bandages the graze on his shoulder.

"You were forced into...this?" Griffin asks me quietly.

My cries of pain are muffled but I manage to nod weakly. Everyone remains quiet after that except for the other man and woman up front talking to each other, who are Reece and Cole from what I overhear. Just as Griffin has finished working on my leg my eyes start getting heavy. I blink slowly as I rest my head back. I want nothing more than to close my eyes and sleep but at the same time I don't trust these people.

In the end the tiredness and pain wins and I end up slipping over the edge.

***

I wake up who knows how long later in a bedroom. My body is bound to a chair by rope and I groan in frustration as the memories of my botched assignment come rushing back. I think about Leo and Marcus and wonder if they're alright but a part of me knows that they're probably dead. These guys aren't stupid enough to leave any witnesses behind.

At least they took the duct tape off me, I think to myself. There's a skylight above me and I tilt my head back to watch the stars glittering in the midnight sky. Either I was asleep for a whole day or it's only been a few hours since the charity ball. I choose the latter.

I look straight at the door when I hear the handle turn before Judah steps in followed by the team. Eyeing them apprehensively I wait for them to speak while every torture technique I've seen my father use flashes in my mind. I watch as Judah takes a seat on one of the armchairs across from me.

"Did you know I was your target before that night?" He asks quietly and I fight the blush threatening to show on my cheeks.

"No." I shake my head with a deep sigh. "I found out the next day."

He's silent for a while and staring at me with a stony expression. It seems like they don't quite know what to do with me. They take a seat around the room and I know their interrogation is about to start.

"Well, what do we do with her?" Cole asks as he runs a hand through his hair.

"We can't let her leave. She's just going to go back to her gang and tell them you're alive." Parker frowns as he glances between me and Judah.

"Look just let me go." I tell them with a half-hearted shrug. "People will come after you once they find out I'm missing. If I don't kill you they certainly will!"

"They won't be a problem. We'll take her to Russia." Judah replies casually which has me perking up in unintentional interest. He notices it immediately and smirks. "Aw, little dove wants a holiday huh?"

"Don't call me that!" I snap with a fierce glare.

"We'll take you on the condition that you tell us why?" He asks as the rest of the team look on in curiosity.

"Just another target who I need to eliminate." I mumble in a bored tone.

"Was this authorized by Quintana?" Reece asks with a thoughtful frown and I nod in response. "Why?"

I shrug again and Griffin's eyes narrow at me suspiciously before he scoffs. "I can't believe it. You don't know do you? You'll just kill anyone Quintana tells you to?"

"Either kill or be killed as my dear father always says." I mutter before wincing when the rope on my legs brushes against my stitches. "The guy's known to be sick in the head anyways...likes to buy children and torture them. I assume that's the reason and besides, I'd be doing the world a favor."

Judah stares at me pensively before turning to the team. "I say we let her...it's a damn good reason in my book."

Parker snorts with an incredulous roll of his eyes. "For someone who doesn't have a background in violence you're pretty keen on it."

"Hey – yes, I do!"

"Being shot once doesn't count." Reece smirks with a shake of her head before looking at me. "Do you even know why your dad is after Judah?"

"No." I grit out as I glare at the floor.

"I'm sure you're aware of Santos who got caught recently?" Parker starts and I nod although with a confused expression. "Judah's sister-in-law and her daughter were kidnapped by one of his men. The police raided Santos' drug cartels and trafficking rings in Mexico but Judah was seen with them –"

"You're the reason why our weapons shipment was caught?!" I blurt with wide eyes and he nods in response. "You're fucked!"

"Well, isn't that just music to my ears!" He replies sarcastically but I see a flicker of nervousness in his eyes.

"Sorry I...it's just...that was my father's largest shipment to date. It took him months in planning everything and the range of weapons he had meant that he was going to be paid millions from Santos." I explain and their expressions become somber.

"We can use her as leverage –" Cole starts before he's interrupted by my humorless chuckle.

"Leverage for what exactly? You've got the wrong heir to the throne here. My father doesn't give a shit about me." I grin albeit painfully as I rest my head back against the chair. "Just take me to Russia with you and let me go. I'll find him myself."

"And then what? You run to daddy and tell him where Judah is? I don't think so." Griffin grunts as he pushes away from the wall before crossing his arms. I match his glare wishing I could shoot lasers with my eyes that would incinerate him. I'm starting to dislike him a lot. "You're not to be trusted and we don't need anyone else shooting Judah."

That makes me blink in surprise and I turn to see Judah as calm as ever. "What do you mean?"

"Nothing for you to worry your pretty little head about love." He replies with a small smirk. "We'll all fly out tomorrow morning. You'll leave all weapons behind, understood?"

I hesitate before nodding. "Yes."

They all stare at me suspiciously for a moment before Griffin speaks. "One of us will search you tomorrow."

Judah raises his hand with a devilish grin. "I volunteer!"

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