Page 9 of Ruthless Angel

It took several shots before I finally hit the damn zombie in the head. I didn’t expect to feel so proud of my accomplishment. Although I didn’t think I would ever get used to having the weight and power of the gun in my hand.

When Cash finally agreed that we could take a break, we left the shooting range and swung by Starbucks for iced coffee. The last thing I needed was something else to make me jittery. Still, I sucked back the coffee like it was the only thing that would keep me going.

Before we got to the gym to pick up Daire, I gathered the courage to ask Cash the question that had been brewing in the back of my mind all day.

“Do you think we’re going to get Blaze back?”

Cash glanced over at me. His chest rose and fell in a heavy sigh. “The truth? I don’t know. Part of me is starting to think we might not see him alive again. I don’t want to believe that, but this kind of thing doesn’t usually end well.”

A small noise of shock and dismay left my lips. A sharp pain slashed through my chest. Hearing Cash confirm my worst fears hurt.

“I know that’s not what you want to hear,” Cash continued. “I’m sorry, Sunshine. Hopefully I’m wrong. We won’t give up on finding him. I promise.”

“Where do you think they would have taken him?” I winced as I sucked back enough iced coffee to give myself a brain freeze.

Cash tilted his head to one side, watching the traffic ahead while considering my question. “Not far. They want to make a trade. He’s close. I can guarantee that he’s still in the city.”

“Maybe if we can find Brady or one of his guys, we can follow them back to where they’re keeping Blaze. Do you guys have any leads on where they live or hang out?” It was a long shot. I did my best to be helpful.

“Yeah, we know a few places to look. Unfortunately, they’ll be expecting that. As much as I want to find Blaze, I don’t want to make a mistake and walk into a trap.” Cash hit the brakes and swore as a middle-aged man in a convertible cut us off.

Cash honked and flipped the guy a middle finger out the window. The man glared at Cash in his rearview mirror, deciding against making trouble. Too bad. I kind of wanted to see the jerk get his ass handed to him.

“Yeah, that makes sense.” Slumping in my seat, I slurped my drink and stared out the window.

When Daire got into the car, he was as irritable as he’d been when we dropped him off. “You couldn’t wait to goto Starbucks? Didn’t think I might want something too? You dicks.”

“Sounds like you worked off some of that attitude,” Cash remarked. “There’s another Starbucks on the next block. Do you want me to stop?”

I didn’t blame Daire for being in such a shitty mood. His best friend was being held hostage and tortured. Although it did make me wary. Daire was unpredictable on a good day. I really didn’t want to see him at his worst.

We stopped to grab Daire a Frappuccino and a cookie. He grudgingly accepted the items as Cash passed them into the back seat.

“How did Clover do at the shooting range?” Daire eyed me with skepticism.

“I sucked,” I said.

“She did okay for a first timer,” Cash added. “Needs to work on her confidence with a weapon though.”

I shrugged. “Sorry. I don’t like guns.”

“Will you like having strange men treat you like an object? Pass you around and sell you at a price to some sick fuck who will turn you into a slave?” Daire leaned forward in the back seat.

Frowning, I faced him and blurted, “Doesn’t sound all that different from my current reality.”

As soon as I spoke, I knew I’d gone too far. Daire’s face darkened with fury.

“Is that fucking so?” he snarled. “I can promise you that none of those twisted bastards will give a shit if you come or not. They’ll shoot you up with drugs to keep you compliant and use every hole you have until there’s nothing left of you. If you think we’re the same, then maybe we’ve been going too easy on you.”

Uh oh. Now I’d done it.

“That’s not what I meant, Daire. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that.” I held his gaze, hoping he accepted my apology as genuine.

The tense moment was interrupted by Daire’s text alert. All three of us stiffened.

Daire pulled out his phone and checked the message. He sighed and said, “We have forty-eight hours to trade Clover for Blaze. If we don’t come through, they’ll kill him.”

CHAPTER FIVE

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