Queen of Wild Cards novel Chapter 282

He checked the small room Stella had been held in first. Empty. No sign of Gideon's body either. He figured Gideon had taken her to his own bedroom upstairs and was subsequently silenced there.

Following that logic, he stealthily made his way up to the second floor.

Pushing the door open, he found Gideon lying dead on the bed, just as he suspected. But there was no sign of Stella.

"Stella? Stella?" he called out in a hushed tone.

Only silence answered him. She wasn't here.

Where the hell was she?

He had told her to hide.

But where?

Just as Julius turned to check the other rooms, the blare of sirens echoed loudly outside.

The police had arrived.

Terrified that Stella might get taken hostage in the chaos, he abandoned any thought of regrouping with the cops. He had to stay inside and find her.

He wouldn't breathe until he knew she was safe.

These men were heavily armed. Stella could handle herself in a fight, but martial arts couldn't beat a bullet.

She had told him over the phone that Gideon had been assassinated.

Who wanted him dead so badly?

What exactly had gone down after he left?

The more he thought about it, the tighter his chest constricted. He needed to find his wife, now.

Back in the orchard, two more men approached, grumbling as they walked.

"I don't know what Farr and Sam are doing. How long does it take to grab two women? Now we've got to drag our asses out here."

"Shut up and walk. The cops are swarming the place. We need those hostages fast, or we're all screwed."

"Right, let's move."

Stella remained the picture of absolute calm.

Her mind raced. If these guys were hiding in here, it meant someone else—likely the police—was searching the orchard.

This thicket was the only viable cover in the vicinity.

Without hesitation, she flicked the flashlight on, aiming it to act as a beacon for whoever was out there.

Blinded by the sudden beam, the two thugs threw their hands up. As their eyes adjusted, they stared in shock at the three women illuminated before them.

"Well, I'll be damned," one of them sneered. "No wonder Farr and Sam went MIA. These bitches managed to slip out."

"Weren't there only two in the basement? Where did the third one come from?" the other asked, confused.

"Who cares? The extra one must have escaped Mr. Kaye. If we drag all three back, he'll reward us handsomely."

"Damn right. Grab 'em!"

They lunged forward, completely underestimating the perceived threat of three defenseless women.