Page 101 of Idaho

"Really, why's that?" I asked.

He gave me a nasty grin, then pointed a manicured finger toward the door. "Because they're working with me."

I heard Lock swear before I even spotted Fremont in the crowd of people near the door. Looking back down at Krier—he was only about five-six—I shrugged my shoulders. "Never said I planned to call the cops," I told him. "I plan to kill you myself for thinking you could harm Eva."

"Y-you can't say that to me," he sputtered, sounding as pompous as he looked. That was the problem when you surround yourself with 'elites'. You forgot how real men settled scores. You thought your money could save you.

A scream interrupted what I was about to tell him, and I spun to find some guy with his hands all over my girl. Smoke was standing there, his hands up, looking both pissed and worried. He was sidestepping, blocking the man's path, and keeping him distracted. Eva had a terrified expression on her face. It wasn't until the guy started pulling her toward the side door that I realized he had a knife.

Everyone was panicking, women were screaming, men were ushering their families away from the scene. They were acting like sheep. Scared and following the crowd though I was sure most didn't know why they were running. I didn't waste any time. The kid's focus was still on Smoke, so I came in from behind, pulled my own knife, and pressed it to his throat. "Let her go," I told him in a low voice.

Lockout was quieting everyone down. "There's nothing to see here, folks!" he called out. "Just a little disagreement. Go back to your drinks and we'll get this settled." He was counting on the fact that most of the people hadn't been close enough to see what had happened. Even Eva's family was in the far corner of the room near their father. Though, as one unit, they were beginning to make their way over.

"Give me the knife," I demanded, holding out my other hand.

Shaking, he released Eva and relinquished his knife to me. I quickly removed mine from his throat and pocketed both. My body had been blocking the view for most of the people, who were now pressed together on the far wall. I needed to handle this before Fremont saw us and tried to intervene.

"Who are you?" I asked.

"His name is Alex," Eva answered. Her lower lip trembled for the briefest moment, then she pressed them together. Once she had control over herself she continued, "I met him during my first week of school." Her eyes flashed with anger now. There was my girl. The one I met on that darkened sidewalk. Who'd thrown her elbow into my gut without a thought of what would happen to her, all she knew was she had to fight. "What the hell, Alex!" she snapped, as her temper finally overrode her fear.

"I'm so sorry," he mumbled. "This guy paid me a ton of money to bring you to him." His pleading eyes landed on Eva. "He said he wasn't going to hurt you. That he just needed to talk to you. I-I wasn't going to hurt you. I swear." He shook his head, his gaze darting between us. "I just needed the money."

"Sorry," Smoke said. "I was watching Fremont, making sure he stayed put and this fucker grabbed her before I realized."

"It's fine," I told him. I searched the room to point out Krier to Alex. "Did he look like…" The little asshole was slipping out the front door, using the commotion as a distraction. "Son of a bitch."

"Go, take Static, Toxic, and Butcher with you," Lock said, his eyes on Fremont as we watched the District Attorney wade his way through people. He was coming this way.

"You sure?" I asked. "I don't want to leave you without backup."

Lockout scoffed at that. "Tell that to Hellfire, Hush, Ricochet, and Smoke." He glanced over at me, a grim look on his face. "I've got plenty of fucking backup. Take them with you. At least there will be less of us to get arrested, 'cause those assholes standing next to Fremont are definitely cops."

I nodded and my gaze searched the room. Static was already by my side, but I needed to find the other two. It didn't take long. Toxic was standing nearby, with his arm around a woman as he pulled her close to his side and pointed our way. He was explaining the upcoming showdown between Lock and Fremont. Telling her a little bit about the players and the stakes. Her tits nearly jiggled out of her dress as she giggled at something he said. She certainly wasn't worried about what had just happened. Her attention was on Toxic.

Pretty much everyone was calming down. Cynic and Torque were speaking to people, encouraging them to go back to enjoying the party. That was thinning out the herd and making it easier for Fremont to make his way toward us.

Butcher was right next to Toxic, leaning away from the woman in front of him, a look of horror and disgust on his face as she walked her fingers up his chest. I wondered if she'd said something to him, or if it was the fact that she was seventy if she was a day. Her hair was completely white, and though she was old, she still looked decent. That was what money did for you. Butcher didn't seem to be flattered by her attention, though.

Catching Toxic's eye, I lifted my hand and motioned for them to make their way toward the side exit. Static and I slipped back, and I dragged Alex with me, letting Hell and Hush go ahead of us, hoping Fremont and his cop buddies wouldn't notice that we were beating a hasty retreat. Krier had a small lead on us and I didn't want to lose him.

I didn't need to worry. Fremont was laser focused on Lockout and Ricochet as he walked up. His eyes were bouncing between the two like a pinball machine. He almost looked manic. This was my first look at the guy. Suit, typical. Fine blond hair that was thinning on top. Fake Rolex watch. You'd think a man who was skimming money off every deal he took could afford the real thing.

There was nothing remarkable about him. Dismissing him from my mind, I walked outside. "What was that about?" I asked Butcher with a grin. The kid in my grasp wriggled like a worm on the line, but I wasn't about to let the little shit go. He tried to take Eva from me. Unlike Eva's father, Alex didn't have the money, power, or clout to keep me from physically showing him why that was a terrible idea.

"Butcher owed me," Toxic said with an answering grin. "It was time for him to pay up."

"Fucking asshole made me hit on that chick's grandmother," Butcher muttered. "I swear to fuck I feel dirty after the shit that old broad said to me."

We howled with laughter as we quickly made our way around the building toward one of the cage rides the guys used to drive here in. "Pop the trunk, will ya?" I asked Static as he grabbed the keys from his pocket.

"Y-you can't do this," Alex gasped as I wrestled him into the small space. His wide terrified eyes stared up at me as I put a hand on the lid.

"Stick a limb out and you're going to fucking lose it when I shut this," I warned him, all humor gone from my voice and expression. By the time this night was done he wouldn't ever consider kidnapping a woman again. He'd be lucky if he'd ever approach one once I was finished with him.

I shut the trunk lid with a bang and grabbed the keys from Static. He moved to the front of the car, leaving the back for Toxic and Butcher.

"Where we going?" Toxic asked.

---