Collateral Damage นิยาย & เรื่องราว

The brass key on the ring snapped in two. The Locksmith opened his mouth. Black ink poured out instead of words. The table displayed older costs before it accepted the new one, as if trying to embarrass them into choosing a familiar brutality. Cost: one key assumes inherited pain. Cost: one anchor relinquishes spouse claim. Cost: one witness becomes permanent recorder. Cost: one public class converts to controlled attention. Cost: one collateral villain is consumed to satisfy outrage. Vance laughed weakly at that last option. "I object to being called collateral. I was at least primary in act one."

"I was always your enemy. I just didn't know it until I fell in love with the woman you tried to destroy." Thorne's finger tightened on the trigger. A shot rang out. I flinched. But the bullet didn't hit me. Thorne staggered. Dropped the gun. Blood bloomed across his shoulder—red against his grey coat. Behind him, Celeste stood in the doorway, her hands steady, her eyes cold. The gun in her grip was still smoking. "Collateral damage," Celeste said. "That's what you called the people you killed. My employees. My friends. Nadia Khalil."

I swore passionately. “Are you listening to yourself right now?” Silvie cut me off, her own voice rising in incredulity. “The woman almost sold you out to a human trafficking organization for fucks sake. Before that, she threatened you with a fake gun. Who knows what the hell she's going to do yet?” Her voice broke. “I don't want to lose you, Lucia.” I wrapped my arms around her. “And you won't.” I assured her. “This whole thing will be over soon; I can feel it.”

Gemma sat down, rubbing her now throbbing head as the prosecutor lady passed her a bottle of water. “Can't believe I met the power couple of the century today” The lady chuckled as she drank her water, trying to ease Gemma's mind. “Stop teasing me Nat” Gemma said as she drank the water. “Do you think Kayden would let Damien get a death penalty?” Gemma asked worriedly. “It's not about Kayden, it's about the country and how Damien almost caused a war. It's a war crime and the country would be prosecuting him.” Natalie said as Gemma took deep breaths.

It seemed like he was completely unaware of her being anywhere near him until she touched him; his bereavement even had his mate bond on pause. As I stood and viewed the sorrowful couple together, I could feel the heat from all the nearby fires that had been lit to be a part of Corbin’s questionable torture regime. But even as I could feel the heat on both sides of my face, making the skin there feel tight and itchy, it still could not soothe or warm the chill that had settled deep within my bones.

"Type C? Zane, that’s not a first attack move. That’s like a death sentence. You really want to go that far?" Type A damage was more like a warning attack, we made sure they were no lost lives and we also made sure a message was delivered. Type B damage did not mind inflicting some injuries. Type C was the midpoint. Lives could be lost, properties damaged too. Type D was more like a wiping out of the entire enemy forces from the surface of the earth and the last damage type was causing an individual to self destruct.

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Gemma said. "What? She works in the same office as Eric? She's great" "Great or stupid? Yes of course that's a crazy decision, she could have hurt herself. She worked without a blocker like you, maybe her first day there was the worst" Gemma said. "Are you guys still in touch?" Cara said. "No, after breaking up he really ignored me, I don't know, maybe he has found his mate" Gemma said. "I'm sorry Gemma" Cara said.

The weekend sleepovers at Nina’s continue even after the new baby is born! Almost an entire year after the baby is born, Loyalty agrees to start dating me again. It’s several more months later that she agrees to move back into the colonial with the kids, and I strive to give them a happy life. However, you can tell there are days when she’s still heartbroken over the loss of Jonny in her life. I have forever lost the rights to her whole heart, and I have to live with knowing that it’s my fault she is so broken. It’s my fault that she’ll forever be my beautiful Loyalty, but damaged!

she asked, emotion welling in her voice. “It doesn’t matter any more,” he answered, moving to stand so close that their bodies were almost touching but not moving his hands from his side. As tears welled in her eyes as Collide continued in the background - People losing their way, having doubts but finding the one they love again. Dani reached out a paint splattered hand to his stubbled jaw then ran her thumb across that familiar dimple in his chin. The singularity she had always loved and he had always hated.