Damien and Evan start pointing and we scatter, following orders.
Half go around the back of the terrace buildings while the rest of us head for the front.
Dropping to our hands and knees, we crawl up the street, ensuring we’re hidden by the short walls in front of all the houses before we come to a stop and wait for the signal.
My heart thumps so hard it’s all I can hear as the seconds stretch out. With each one that passes, I know we’re only closer to him losing his patience and flicking that lighter. As much as I want to think he’s not capable of killing the love of his life and his own daughter, I know he is. Just look at what he did to Joker. It might not have been in person like this, but he knew exactly what he was setting him up for by pitting him against us.
Come on, Daemon, I silently beg.
I’m almost at the point of storming the fucking house alone and taking him by surprise when Daemon’s deep voice suddenly booms through the earpiece.
“Go.”
I move on instinct as the window before me shatters.
I dive through it, not giving a single shit about the glass or the potential explosion that could follow that shot. My only thought is Jodie.
I land on the shards of glass, but before I get a chance to feel anything, Jodie’s screams hit my ears and I dive for her.
“Oh my God,” she cries as I spot a discarded lighter on the floor at the feet of the man who’s bleeding out before me.
“It’s over, Jonas. You lose.”
Movement right alongside me is all I need to know that my brothers have Joanne, and I trust my judgement as I climb out of the window, ignite the lighter and throw it back into the house.
With the window now out, I don’t really expect it to do much other than hopefully burn him to ash, so I’m shocked as fuck as I’m swept off my feet and the two of us are thrown across the street.
Despite free-falling, I manage to spin us so that when we collide with a car, I’m the one who takes the impact as I cradle Jodie’s body against mine.
My back hits the car, all air ripping from my lungs as we crumple to the ground.
“I love you, Jodie. I love you so fucking much.”