Turning Payne by Chantel Seabrook

but his omission had been clear. Chase looked at Turner, his expression unreadable, then blew out a long breath.
    "Do you know where he is?" Turner asked.
    Marcus snorted. "Even if I did, you'll never find him. She's got eyes everywhere."
    "She?" It was the second time he'd mentioned the unknown woman.
    Marcus' lips twisted up in a mocking smile. "You don't think Boyd has been working alone all these years? Come on, you're smarter than that. Put the pieces together." He laughed, his eyes raking over Turner in scorn. "Maybe you're not as smart as she thinks you are?"
    Turner's gut twisted.
    "Circe—" The name passed Marcus' lips the same moment a bullet pierced and shattered the living room window, embedding the man's skull.
    "Get down," Chase bellowed, over the roar in Turner's ears.
    A trickle of blood ran down the corner of Marcus' lips, his lifeless body slumped forward.
    Two more shots, this time aimed at the computer, sending bits of plastic and metal flying.
    Chase crouched against the wall and punched in numbers on his cell. "Lora, get Riley out of here. We'll meet you back at home."
    Turner shook his head and hissed, "If Marcus was right and Boyd knows where Kiera is, he may go there."
    Chase cursed and shot him a look that reflected how fucked up the whole situation was. 
    Turner tilted his head back against the wall. "Lora has the code for my apartment. It's secure."
    His chest tightened, knowing what Riley would find there, but the only alternative was taking her to the agency, and that was out of the question.
    Chase nodded and relayed the information to Lora.
    The shots had stopped, but the smell of singed metal and blood made Turner's head spin. He wanted nothing more than to go after Riley, make sure she was safe, and by the look on his brother's face, he knew he felt the same way about his own mate.
    "We need to salvage what we can," Chase said, peeking over his shoulder into the room where Marcus' body was, then looked back at him. "I have to call this in."
    Turner nodded in resignation. There was no hiding this from the Agency now. "Make the call."
    He stood, ran his hands through his hair, and let his gaze rest on the lifeless body. He'd known. Marcus had known they'd come after him. Why hadn't he run? What had been on the computer that he was so desperately trying to hide?
    Circe, Circe, Circe. The damn name rung in his ears like a broken record. Turner's teeth clenched to the point where he was surprised they didn't shatter.
    If Circe wasn't Boyd, then who was he? 
     

Chapter 16
    Riley sat in the passenger seat and glanced at Lora nervously. The woman's mouth was drawn in a tight line, and Riley swore she could hear a faint growl coming from the smaller woman's chest.
    Her chest tightened as Lora accelerated down the back roads, and swerved to miss a stray dog.
    She still had no idea what had happened. She'd heard the gun shots, though faint, and the shattering of glass. But it was the fear that flashed in the other woman's eyes when the shots rang out that made her own stomach clench in dread.
    Lora hadn't spoken since she ordered Riley into the SUV and tore out of the parking lot like the devil himself was following them.
    The tires squealed as Lora made a quick turn. Riley had to brace herself as she slammed into the door.
    "Sorry," Lora muttered, glancing in the rear view mirror. "You might want to put your seatbelt on."
    "What happened back there?" Riley snapped the belt in place.
    Lora glanced at her, and then quickly turned her gaze back to the road. "There was a sniper, most likely in the building across from them. They took out DuPoint. Chase is calling in the agency."
    Riley blanched. She could literally feel the blood drain from her face. Her fingers went cold as the reality of Lora's words hit her. Marcus was dead. Her only hope of saving her sister was gone.
    She rubbed her hands on her pants and tried to get the blood circulating. As if her brain only just registered the implications,