Page 51 of Crave

“Um, Alexei?” He stops.

I’m already halfway down the block heading to my motorcycle.

“What? Let’s get going!” I stomp my foot onto the scalding sidewalk.

“Your shoes, man.” He points down.

My red stained socks stand out on the concrete and I have a wet print trail leading from the restaurant.

“Shit.” Running back, I grab my boots and carry them. “I’ll put them on once I get there.”

No I won’t. The spikes on my bike are sharp as fuck.

Jax laughs and jogs to his Ducatti parked just past mine.

I don’t pay any attention to the traffic. We cut in and out of the cars, swerving through the intersections at high speed until Jax waves me to a stop just a couple of blocks from where we’re going.

He holds his arm out. “We can’t just ride through the front doors.”

“Why not?” I growl.

Lara is so close. The last thing I want to do is slow down.

“We need a plan. Do you have your pistols?” Jax narrows his eyes at me. “There’s only two of us. I got kids, remember?”

“I don’t have my guns. Just my knife.” I pull it out of the sheath to show him. “We’ll be fine. I need to get in there.”

Jax grabs my shoulders. “Alexei, if you go in there half-cocked, I’m not going in with you. You might have a death wish, but, well—” He rolls the ball of his tongue piercing between his teeth as he looks away. “—I don’t anymore.”

“Jax. You don’t understand. I can’t live without her.” I pull away from his grasp and run towards the entrance.

I don’t hear him behind me.

Fuck it.

Blowing through the double doors, I sprint through the large room to the only hall in the back.

When I skid around the corner, there’s noises coming from the end.

That could be her.

When I peek in, I can see her on a small bed, and there’s a man leaning over her.

What is he doing to her?

Her legs spasm, and her hands jerk.

She’scuffed?

As loud as I can, I bray like a donkey, holding my own blade up to my own throat.

“Let her go, or the ass gets it!” I scream at the top of my lungs.

Startled, the man turns around and takes a step back, fear, then confusion warping his expression.

I don’t wait, but throw my knife in one motion.

The man stands frozen watching it impale into his chest.

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