Page 157 of Scars Run Deep

Muscle that rivaled mine was barely contained in a slick gray pinstripe. His hands were fisted at his sides, rings on every finger like knuckle armor. His shoulder length dark-gray hair was slicked back. That Infidels tattoo on his neck matched mine exactly. At one point in time I’d been proud of it, now it made me sick. He’d aged a lot since I’d last seen him, several more lines etched into his leathery skin.

Reed Keller.

“What’s going on? I need to get Kill, then head into the auction,” I told him coolly.

“You won’t be doing that, Jo.”

I shifted my weight, my muscles locking, adrenaline surging. “Why’s that?”

He lunged forward and shoved me into the fire exit. It gave way and I stumbled out into a back alley.

As I spun around, my father rushed up to me. “We need to go.”

“Where?”

“The Infidels are crumbling. It’s got Carson and Sam making some dangerous moves. All this charity shit tonight is going into setting up some big-time arms dealing project. The fuckers won’t listen to me, their egos taking control. All they can see is power. It trumps their own survival. I’m supposed to leave tonight overseas to meet with some new contacts, weapons manufacturers, while Carson secures some buyers tonight—two birds and all that with the dolls.” He stepped up closer, making me tense. “I am leaving and heading overseas, but not for the reason I’m supposed to. I’m getting out, and I’m taking you with me.”

Jesus Christ.

He was seriously abandoning the other two? They’d been working together for decades.

They really were fucked-up shitheads. They had no loyalty, nothing like what I had with Asher, Kill, and Aurora.

“I can’t come.”

“You have to.” He grabbed my arm in his usual harsh way and jerked me closer as he whispered, “They know, Jo. Carson and Sam know what Asher’s done. They found out a couple of days ago that he’s had a hand in the destruction of the dollhouses.”

My blood ran cold.

“He doesn’t know all the details, but he’s gonna remedy that tonight. He’ll force it out of him, then he’ll destroy him in the brutal way only that sadist can. He wanted to do the same to you as well, but I convinced him that you weren’t responsible, that you were just following orders as you were taught. Even with that, there’s no relying on the sturdiness of Carson’s mercy. He could flip on a dime, because of how personal this whole thing is. So, I’ve gotta get you out until things settle down. Maybe longer. We’ll start anew, all right?”

I yanked my arm from his grip. “I’m not leaving.”

“The fuck you are. Right now.”

I growled low in my throat. “I’m. Not. Leaving. Him.”

His eyes flashed.

He shoved two fingers into his mouth and whistled sharply.

Footsteps sounded and I spun around to see ten big motherfuckers striding out from concealment down the alley toward us.

Well, toward me.

“The hard way it is, son.”

Fuck.

23

~Asher~

My stomach was churning violently.

Adrenaline was ripping through me like white-hot flames.

I stared down at my most recent text exchange.

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