Page 100 of Priest

They killed him.

They killed the only man I’ve ever loved.

I turn as two huge men with balaclavas covering their faces grab me and shove me into a dark, unmarked van. I don’t even have the strength to scream, or shout.

I’m frozen.

My life just ended.

My life just ceased to exist because the only man that ever cared for me is gone.

I close my eyes, unable to take any more. The pain in my shoulder is a distant memory as I start to feel my head swaying. Oh, no. I can’t black out. I can’t. I need to be strong for… For whom?

I scramble back onto the seat as the men climb in alongside me and the van takes off at high speed. I slump against the window as I try to focus my eyes.

Then I hear a voice that chills me to my very core. “Hello, Isabella,” Leo says. His words sound slurry as I try to focus, everything around me is blurring rapidly as I struggle to keep my eyes open. “I’m so glad we get to meet again.”

22

PRIEST

I wince. Someone is pulling me out of my truck as I try to shake off the concussion that fogs my brain. I can hear police sirens and people all around me.

What the fuck happened?

My truck.

We got hit.

Gunfire.

Bella.

Where the fuck is Bella?

I start to struggle when I hear a familiar voice. “Easy, big guy,” Harlem says. “Let’s get you on the sidewalk before you start swingin’ punches.”

“Bella,” I start. “They took Bella.”

“We know.”

“Where?”

“Lookin’ into it.”

“My cats… Jinx… Dex…” I look over his shoulder and see Riot running toward me carrying my babies. “Are they—” Panic rises through me and my heart stops beating for a second.

“They’re goin’ nuts,” Riot says, frowning. “But they do say cats have nine lives and all of that. I guess you just put that theory to the test.”

“Fuck,” I mutter. Thank Christ my babies are okay, but then there’s Bella. I take a few moments as Harlem plonks my ass down on the sidewalk. “Her family… They fuckin’ took her.”

I unzip the first carrier partially, afraid that Jinx and Dexter might get spooked if I let them all the way out. I check them over one by one, thankful that they were protected in the back and somehow survived the roll over. Thank Christ for those sturdy pet carriers and the seat belts. I poke and prod, making sure their legs are still working and nothing appears to be broken. They’re just not happy, which I can sympathize with. Being thrown upside down and rolled ain’t fun.

My heart drums in my chest if either of them were hurt. What made us all survive the impact was the fact that I was slowing down for a red light.

“Got Jett and Rock onto the security footage, they’ll find the van in no time,” he assures me. “I’m expectin’ a call any moment now.”

I start to stand and he shoves me back down, then I hear Nevada. For once in his life he’s not telling a joke or trying to get his face punched in. “Shit, Priest. Anythin’ broken?”

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