“I need to go,” she whispers before turning to make a run for it.
I start to go after her when the bosses second, and several lieutenants surround me, halting my movements. I watch as her dark hair weaves her way through the crowd, heading in the direction of the doors.
“Boss wants to talk to you. You’ve really fucked up this time,” Stewart says, turning to guide me to wherever the boss is held up.
I make it about four steps when the need to get to the woman swamps me. I can’t think past that, so I turn, pushing my way through the circle of men, and going after the only person that has intrigued me since my mother passed. Shoving my way through the crowd as if the hounds of hell are on my heels. I make it to the front door, shoving through it, and begin to look around frantically for her.
Across the yard I find her shoes tossed in a patch of grass, she’s left them behind as she sprints through the lawn and heading for the gate. I take off, running after her, determined to catch her. As I race down the stairs, taking them two at a time, I spot my second in command standing there watching me.
“Get the car ready and meet me at the gate,” I demand, talking over my shoulder.
“Sorry, my man. There is nothing I can do until the boss gives me the approval,” he tells me with a shrug.
I pause my stride long enough to turn and look at him. I knew he was on the side of the rat bastard, yet never expected him to outright defy me in front of others, showing me utter disrespect.
“You’ve made your choice tonight. There will be no coming back from that decision,” I growl before taking off after my woman.
I catch up with her just as she manages to make it to the guard shack. Having the inside information when it comes to the loyalty of those partying at this place, I know thatheis not going to let her go. She’s seen and knows too much for them to let her get away. Reaching out, I wrap my around her waist, pulling her into my chest. She starts to scream and fight, trying with all of her might to break my hold.
“Don’t fight me. I’m going to get us out of here, but you have to listen to me, and do as I say in order to make that possible,” I whisper in her ear, enjoying the feel of her squirming body nestled against mine.
“I just want to go home,” she sobs, her voice hitching.
“Home isn’t an option for you after all of this, but leaving here alive is,” I growl.
“Just please, let me go, and let me be done with this crazy world I’ve stumbled into,” she begs, crumbling in my arms.
Reaching down, I swoop her small frame up into my arms, holding her bridal style, before turning to locate my SUV. The boss’s men are huddled in a group, their strides are long and full of purpose as they start making their way toward us. Looks like I’ll have to take matters into my own hands and do things my way to get us out of here. I take four large strides to the door of the shack, lifting my arm from behind her back and stiffly knocking. The guard opens the door, looks us over and slams the door in my face without giving me a chance to talk him into letting us go without any further fanfare. Well, it looks like I’ll be getting us out of here by using my fists and adding a few more dead bodies to my tally… that list grows larger with each one of these infractions.
Extending my arm, I knock again, this time with enough force to rattle the door and loosen its hinges. The security guard doesn’t answer. It’s not surprising, but nevertheless, it still pisses me off. Looking down at the shaking, scared woman in my arms, I decide to set her on the ground next to the security booth.
Narrowing my eyes, and pointing my finger at her, I order, “Stay right here and cover your eyes. No matter what you hear or what happens, don’t move or look,” I hiss, my command coming out harsher than I intended for it to.
She looks up at me with those gorgeous, fearful eyes and nods in acceptance. Unable to stop myself, I lean down, taking her mouth with mine. I press my lips to hers in a brutal, long kiss that’s full of a promised retribution if she disobeys me. She only shies away for a mere second before she grabs ahold of my shoulders, pulling me closer to her. I groan, getting lost in the kiss that consumes my soul. The sound of approaching footsteps finally breaks the fog around us and we lean our heads back, both of us panting.
“Okay, now do what I’ve told you,” I remind her, placing her at the edge of the shack. Tucking her between it and some branches. “Stay right here. Do not move or make a sound. Don’t draw attention to yourself unless it’s me you see. Tell me you understand.”
She gives me a quick nod as I set her the rest of the way onto her feet, she slides down to the ground, sitting exactly where I told her to. Once I know she is taken care of and will be safe from detection, I swivel on my heels, facing the group of men so that I can see how much distance there is between us and them. Not liking our odds, or how far they’ve trekked across the lawn, I’m aware I need to act now before they have a chance to close more proximity between us. Taking a large step backward, and bringing my foot up, I plant it dead center on the flimsy door and use my thigh muscles to try and kick it open. The door on the outside of the gate is steel and built to withstand the worst of attacks. This door, however, is no more than a thin panel of wood. It’s not designed to defend against an attack from the inside of the property, nobody would expect anybody to break into it from this side of the gate?
I step back again, and my foot in the same place on the door once more, causing it to fly open. When it bangs open, the guard is standing there, holding a gun that’s aimed at my chest with a shaky hand. I sneer, giving the man about five seconds to make a choice about what he wants to do. I’m hoping he chooses the right one, because if not, today may be the last day he draws breath.
Three, two, one…. I count inside of my head before tugging my pistol out from the holster latched underneath my arm and fire, hitting the man on the bridge of his nose. My aim is true and hits him dead center between the eyes. He drops like a brick, his death is yet another dark mark on my soul, guaranteeing me a place in hell. Not letting that fact shake me up, I place my pistol back into the holster and twist my body so that I’m facing the direction I came from, going back to pluck my newest obsession from her hiding spot and take her away from this cesspool of demented men.
CHAPTERNINE
EVORA
My entire beingis profusely shaking, I don’t know how everyone around me doesn’t hear my bones rattling together from the extreme tremors radiating from me. I do as the man who killed my capture told me to do, still unsure and confused about why I did. Slithering my way between the bush and the wall, I slide onto my ass, hiding my face in my hands. Waiting for what, I don’t know.
I knew that the shit my capture was involved in wasn’t always legitimate and on the right side of the law. Right now, it’s like I’ve fallen into an alternative universe where men simply walk up and kill another and not a single person bats an eye. I run everything that’s ever happened with the man that’s haunted my life, and still, I can’t understand how we ended up here in this place.
Do not get me wrong, I am in no way upset by the fact that he is dead. Good riddance. In fact, when I have time to process the fallout, and the fact that he is no longer in the world to hurt anyone, I’ll be able to breathe easier. For now, I just need to get the hell out of here, and quickly. Movement close to the bush where I’m hunkered down causes me to draw my legs tighter to my chest, praying that I’m hidden enough to keep myself safe.
“Alright, Little one, let's get a move on before they decide to stop chasing, and start shooting,” the monster who sorta rescued me says.
Slowly, I drag my hands down my face, looking up into the dark pools that promise nothing outside of violence and destruction. Cautiously, he reaches his hand out for mine, right this second, I have a profound decision to make, I either take his hand and move toward something that scares the holy hell out of me or stay here and see what the people in that house will do to me.
“I see you’re weighing your options.” He sneers looking bored, then states, “Make the choice. Take my hand and leave this torment, or stay, and see what they have to offer you.”
