Page 2 of Ruthless Angel

“Of course you do,” Daire tossed back over his shoulder as he strode away. “We can’t take any chances by leaving you alone. They could be watching the house and waiting for an opportunity like that.”

Okay, he had a good point. Dammit. Without further protest, I went down to the basement to gather my clothes. They were still on the floor where they’d been abandoned when the guys had stripped me. Since Blaze had ruined my underwear, I slipped on my tank top and leggings without it. I really needed to get my things from Raina’s house.

Pulling my tight leggings over the tracking device locked around my ankle was difficult but not impossible. I studied the chunky black device. Maybe being trackable wasn’t such a bad thing.

I joined Daire and Cash upstairs, nervously following them out to Cash’s SUV. At Daire’s insistence that it would be safer, I got into the backseat. The windows were heavily tinted, making it almost impossible for anyone on the outside to see me. It didn’t make me feel any safer.

The drive across the city was quiet and tense. I fidgeted with my seatbelt, wondering what they were doing to Blaze. The photo they’d sent had been horrible. Would they torture him the whole time? Did they plan to kill him if Daire and Cash didn’t hand me over? Maybe they would kill him anyway.

This kind of thing was new for me. Unlike Raina, I had no experience with those involved in the crime world. I was terrified that someone would die. Blaze had started to grow on me. He had a soft side that he’d shared with me in bits and pieces. Nomatter what he’d done, he didn’t deserve the hell he was going through right now.

“Is that it?” Cash pointed to a building on the corner up ahead.

A tall brick structure that stood three stories high, its windows were dark. Aside from a man wandering down the street smoking a cigarette, nobody was around. This part of the city felt like it had been forgotten. The neighboring businesses were boarded up, windows broken. Like everyone had left one day and never looked back.

“Yeah, that’s it,” Daire confirmed, leaning forward to get a good look. “No broken windows. The front door seems secure. They’ve been using this building. I’m willing to bet they’ve got every entrance manned.”

“It looks like nobody is here,” I remarked.

“It’s supposed to look that way. They’ve probably moved Blaze by now, but he was here.” Daire glanced at Cash. “Call Devon. Tell him we’re on our way.”

“Who’s Devon?” I studied the building as we passed, wondering if Blaze was still inside.

“You’ll see.”

Twenty minutes later I stood inside a small warehouse with Cash and Daire while they perused a massive table loaded with weapons. There were more guns than I could count. Machetes, knives, throwing stars, and even grenades. I gaped at the table in shock.

A large tattooed man with a bald head and a gold tooth discussed a particular gun with the guys. I stood off to the side, waiting patiently. Apparently, we’d come here to stockpile weaponry.

Daire picked out a handgun that looked like something I’d seen in the movies. Black and heavy. Something that would make anyone nervous. Cash chose a similar gun as well as aset of brass knuckles and a knife that looked like it could cut through steel.

“Come here, Clover. Let’s find something for you.” Daire surprised me by waving me over. He held out a small handgun. “How does this feel? Is it too heavy?”

Was he for real? I’d never held a gun before. I didn’t want to start now.

Daire pressed the weapon into my hand. I gripped it tight, staring at it with uncertainty. It had some weight to it, but it wasn’t unreasonably heavy.

“Um, it’s okay, I guess.”

“Good. You’re going to learn how to use it.” Daire turned to Devon. “We’ll need ammo too.”

When we were back in the SUV on our way home, I dared to ask, “Is it really necessary for me to carry a gun? That’s not really my jam. I’ve never used one before.”

“That’s why you’re going to learn.” Daire eyed me through the rearview mirror. “This is no time to take chances. Brady and his guys will be packing. You should be too.”

My mouth went dry at the thought of using such a weapon. I was a lover not a fighter. Definitely not a killer.

Going back to the house knowing that Blaze wouldn’t be there didn’t feel right. The bad guys had more people. More weapons. How were we supposed to get Blaze back? I hated that Daire wouldn’t let me go to Raina. It would solve this problem. Why did he have to be so difficult?

As soon as we walked in the front door, Daire’s phone went off with a text alert. I stiffened, my pulse pounding. What now?

“Unknown number this time,” Daire said. “It’s a video.”

He turned the phone so all three of us could watch. The video showed Blaze in a dark room that looked like an unfinished basement. He knelt on a hard concrete floor. His eyeswere bruised and swollen, dried blood staining his face. A man’s hand reached over to grab his hair, jerking his hanging head up.

“Don’t do it,” Blaze said, his voice pained, his breaths coming in a wheeze. “Don’t give them Clover.”

The man holding his head punched him in the face, knocking him to the floor. Then he bent down to look into the camera. He had short brown hair that was buzzed close to the scalp. His dark eyes shone with pure evil.

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