| |
––––––––
IT TOOK EVERY OUNCE of control I had not to react or move toward Shade. He lay so lifeless. So many questions were running through my head, but I wouldn’t dare voice them out loud. I couldn’t even think about Shade being gone. It might break me. I wouldn’t give them the satisfaction of thinking they had the upper hand.
A smile lifted the corner of my mouth as my eyes went back to my father.
“You’re right,” I snickered. “This one is much better than the first one. I mean, I’d much rather have a dead body as a gift, then find out I’m doomed to marry this dickhead.” I gestured toward Isaac and his lips rose in a snarl.
My father’s grin dropped. I could see the anger boiling up. He wanted to crush my soul. He must have known more than I had realized. He must have figured out that Shade meant more to me than I thought he knew. He thought this would break me.
But my father forgot one thing. I was the safest person in this room. They wouldn’t be allowed to kill me. No matter what I did, and I planned to use that to my advantage to get myself out.
Shade had said that if it became too risky, then I had to get myself out. He said he loved me and he wanted me safe. So I would honor his last wishes. I would see that I made it out of here in one piece. If I’m lucky, I’ll take my father or Isaac down on my way out.
“You’re saying this man means nothing to you,” my father snarled.
“Whatever gave you the idea that he did?” I asked, outright laughing now.
They all thought I was laughing at the preposterous notion that Shade had meant something to me. In reality, I was laughing because the guard across from me had a red laser dot marking his forehead. When this was all over, I would kiss Niko. I leaned into the guard beside me for support as if I needed help standing from laughing so hard.
As soon as my laughter cut off, glass shattered. The guard dropped to the floor beside Shade. No one moved for a breath then the room exploded in chaos. The guard beside me reached for his gun, but I held it up pointing it straight at him.
“Looking for this?” I asked.
His eyes widened as I pulled the trigger. Before he hit the ground I fired a few more rounds taking down two more guards.
Isaac was inching toward me. I aimed at him, but the gun only clicked. I growled tossing it to the side. There was no way I was letting him drag me out of here. Without thinking first, I charged Isaac. He was a giant, but with enough force he would fall. I prayed that it would be the upper hand I needed.
When my body slammed into his, we tumbled to the ground. We both landed in a heap beside each other. Before he could react, I spurred into action. My hand whipped out, hitting him just where Shade had taught me. Isaac stilled underneath me, out cold.
Jumping to my feet, I rushed toward my father only to find him immobilized on the ground. My heart leapt at the sight of Shade standing over him.
My breath left me at the sight of him. He turned to me, a grin spread across his face.
“Can’t let you have all the fun, darlin’.” He reached a hand out to me.
I took it, letting him pull me into his side.
“Shade,” I breathed.
Our moment of happiness only lasted moments as the door burst open. A dozen armed men swarmed us. Shade and I stood back to back, a gun in each of our outstretched hands.
We were outnumbered and didn’t have a prayer.
My father rose to his feet and straighten his suit before leveling Shade and I with a look. I could feel the tension rolling off Shade in waves. The outlook of us getting out of here was slim, and we both knew it. I had an idea forming, but it was risky. I prayed Niko was still out there being our guardian angel.
Before my father could speak, I stepped forward away from Shade. I looked toward him and gave him a pleading look, hoping to convey everything with a look. It was risky, but it was all I could do. He had to trust me.
“I’ll go with you,” I told my father. “I’ll do whatever you want, just leave Shade out of it. He delivered me. His job here is done. He is free to leave.”
My father quirked an eyebrow at me. “And if I agree to these terms, you’ll come quietly?”
I looked to Shade again. He was still standing with his guns held high. I knew he would take on the entire room if that meant saving me. His eyes were burning into mine, pleading with me not to do this, but this was the only way.
I turned to look back at my father.
“I have your word? No harm is to come to him. He can leave freely.” My father’s word was like gold. It was something he rarely gave because it was something he never went back on.
My father studied me for a moment, then looked around to his men.
“He is not to be harmed,” he called out before looking back to me. “You have my word.”
Turning to Shade, I reached out for his guns, pushing at them until he lowered them.
“Ever, don’t do this.” His voice was hard, but I knew it was only because he was trying to control the emotion. “There has to be another way.”
“Let me save you.” Moving closer, I wrapped my arms around his neck pulling him down to me until my mouth was to his ear. “Once we’re outside, we’ll have a better chance.” Before he could say anything I turned my back on him and glared at my father.
“Have I told you lately how much I hate you?” My father didn’t reply.
Instead, he wrapped a firm grip around my upper arm and led me from the room. Two guards supported an unconscious Isaac as they led us through the foyer and into the courtyard. There were four cars waiting just outside. Before my father could force me into a car, I turned shoving him with everything I had. He sprawled across the ground at my feet.
I snarled down at him.
The guards rushed to assist him like I knew they would and with that distraction I grabbed for one of their guns. Just as I wrapped my fingers around it, the guard whipped around striking me across the jaw. I lost my grip as I stumbled back. The guard went for his gun. He never cleared it from his holster before he dropped to the ground.
My head whipped around to find Shade standing in the doorway. He didn’t spare me a glance as he aimed his gun at his next target. When his guns were empty, he rushed toward me pushing me into the open car door, climbing in after me. He climbed into the driver’s seat and the SUV roared to life. He slammed it into drive and gunned it.
My father’s men fired on us as Shade maneuvered the car through the courtyard and down the long drive. I stayed hunkered down in the back seat until there was no longer a spray of bullets peppering the car.
With a sharp turn, Shade navigated us onto the road. Tires squealed and horns honked as Shade cut people off. When I felt we were a safe distance away, I crawled into the front passenger seat.
Neither of us spoke as Shade put miles between us and my father’s people. I looked around but it didn’t seem as if any of them were following us. I took that as a good sign for now, but I knew it wouldn’t be long before the hunt began again.
If not for my father, then because Isaac was determined to have me no matter what. My father had underestimated Isaac when he had said he’d taken to me. From the way Isaac acted, obsessed was a better word for it.
* * *
TWO HUNDRED MILES AND two car swaps later, I had finally worked up the nerve to speak. Shade still seemed on edge. I wasn’t sure if he was mad at me or if the whole situation still had him keyed up, but I was tired of wondering and was going to get some answers.
“How will we know if Niko made it out safely?” I asked, breaking the silence.
“We’ve set up a location to meet twenty-four hours after everything went down. I’ll scope out the place and ensure we’re not being set up. It’s unlikely he’d give up our location if he’s captured, but I won’t risk it.” He sounded as pissed as he looked.
Something was eating at him. I knew it was only a matter of time before he blew.
“I hope he made it out. I owe him one. I wasn’t sure how I was going to get out of there.” I let out a breath at the memory of seeing Shade laying at my feet.
The feelings I felt when I thought he was dead. There are no words for the pain it had caused. It stirred things in me, feelings that I hadn’t wanted to admit to myself.
I wanted to ask him more questions, but I ended up so lost in my own thoughts, I was unable to voice any of them. I was afraid it would come out with tears or I might say something stupid. Once we catch up with Niko and figure out our plan from there, then Shade and I could talk. It was obvious both of us needed to get something off our chests.
Laying my head against the window, I tried to clear my mind as I watched the scenery fly by in a blur. So many thoughts were rushing around inside my head. I would have given anything to have a few moments of blissful silence, but I knew sleep out of the question. Just sitting in this car, waiting to see if Niko made it or if my father had got to him kept me from shutting my eyes.
Mostly, it was the man at my side that kept me awake. I was just so damn happy that he was there and not back on that floor in my father’s office.
Shade pulled into a sketchy biker bar in the middle of nowhere. Normal people would be terrified to go into a place like this, but it turns out, I am not normal. I’ve seen bad men. I knew what they were capable of. Besides, these snowballs didn’t stand a chance against the hitman at my side.
We sat inside the car off to the side of the bar, waiting. For what, I wasn’t sure. Shade still hadn’t spoken. I didn’t want to bother him with my questions. So, I just sat there watching, waiting until he made the first move.
Luckily, I only had to wait an hour before Shade perked up in his seat. I searched for what he may have been looking at and spotted it right off.
Across the parking lot, Niko was walking toward the bar. I looked to Shade, but he made no move to get out of the car. He still scanned the parking lot long after Niko walked into the bar. Nothing looked suspicious to me, but maybe Shade would sense something I couldn’t. Or maybe he was being cautious. If my father’s men were here, they would be lying in wait for us. They would have men on the inside and outside, but so far no one out of the ordinary entered the bar after Niko.
Twenty minutes passed, then Shade turned to look at me.
“Stay close. We shouldn’t be here long.” He didn’t wait for me to answer before he climbed out of the car leaving me hurrying after him.
We walked side by side into the bar, his hand guiding me by the small of my back. We walked straight to a table in the back where Niko sat. He looked relieved when he spotted us.
As we grew nearer, he stood.
“Z,” he greeted Shade, then nodded toward me. “Ever.”
“Niko.” Shade nodded as I gave a small wave.
I started to take a seat, but Shade pulled me back to him.
“We’re not staying,” he said.
“Oh.” I stared up at him waiting for him to explain, but he said nothing. He looked back to Niko.
“Not much happened when you left. Isaac finally woke up and was pissed that she had gotten away. Her father wasn’t concerned. Said it didn't matter, but Isaac wasn’t having it. He wants her back something bad. He said it didn’t matter what it took, he wouldn’t stop until he had her.” Niko shook his head like he didn’t understand. Shade let out a curse. “You’re gonna have problems with him, Z.”
Shade looked to me, giving me a long, hard stare before looking to Niko.
“Let’s do it,” Shade said.
I gave Shade a confused look.
“You’re sure this is what you want?” Niko looked between the two of us, unsure.
Shade nodded. “I’ll see you soon.”
Niko nodded, taking his seat. “
Without another word, Shade led me out of the bar and back to the car.
“What’s going on, Shade? Where are we going?” I asked as he pulled out of the parking lot.
The look on his face was unreadable. It made me uneasy. When he reached over to take my hand, I was anything but reassured.
“We’ll talk soon. I’ll tell you everything, I promise. Just trust me, okay?” The look in his eyes made me want to scream and demand he talked to me now, but I squished it down.
This time I would trust him. Trust that he was making the right choice and when he was ready, he would tell what’s going on.
“Okay, Shade.”