Page 104 of A Twisted Arrangement

“I mean she’s fucking gone.” It’s more of a plea than a statement, but I don’t care. All that matters is I get her back safely.

“Alright, calm down. Are you sure she didn’t just go home?” He tries to sound reasonable, but I can hear him make his way through the crowd, Xander and Bash’s voices mumbling through the receiver behind him.

“I found her necklace in the alley. She’s gone.”

“You should’ve been watching her.”

A fissure forms in my chest, cracking open my ribs one at a time. “Don’t you think I know that? Don’t you think I hate myself for this?”

“I’ve got to bring Misty up to our room. I’m sending Xander and Bash your way. Don’t worry. We will find her.” He hangs up, and the line goes dead.

I fill my lungs and slowly empty them. Being out of my mind isn’t going to help Scarlet right now. I’ll leave that to when I have my hands on whoever dared to touch what’s mine.

My phone rings, and Xander asks, “What’s the plan?”

Bash’s voice comes through next. “What the fuck happened?” His tone is vicious, none of his usual playfulness present.

“Xander, go to my house and stock up on weapons, gear, anything you can think of. I’m already on my way to her. Bash, I want you to meet me there. I will gladly kill anyone within a ten-mile radius of her. These boys have no idea just how badly they fucked up.”

“I’ve got you, brother,” Xander and Bash answer in unison.

“Thank you,” I say, trying to hide the way my voice trembles.

“She saved our lives, Matthias. We’d save her even if you asked us to or not.”

“Don’t worry about me. I’ll be ready. Concentrate on tracking her down,” Xander says.

“Where am I heading?” Bash asks, panic clear in his tone.

“Her tracker says she’s at North Street. I’ll pin you the location.” The sound of his engine fills the line.

“We’re going hunting,” I say and end the call.

Chapter 49

Scarlet

The trunk opens,streetlights flowing in, and I don’t wait a second to kick out. My feet catch a guy in the jaw, sending him backward with a groan. I smile when I spot the glint of steel in his hand and slam my fist into his wrist, loosening his grip enough to take his knife. A quick slice through his wrist has him falling back, gripping his open wound.

While he’s indisposed, I fling myself at the other guy and grab his neck while simultaneously slamming the knife into his ribs. It’s hard, sending a shock reverberating through my arm as it strikes bone.

He coughs up blood in my face before he lets go of me.

I use him as leverage to pull myself out of the car, then rip the knife from his chest, unwilling to leave myself defenseless.

A man in a ski mask approaches me from inside the building, a gun pointed at my chest. “Give me the knife.”

I flip the knife in my hand, securing it in my grip on the handle. “Why don’t you come and get it.”

He cocks the gun, bullets loaded in the chamber, and I fight against my instincts to run, knowing I won’t get far. If their goal was to kill me, they’ve had plenty of chances by now.

“Oh, you’re feisty,” he practically purrs, and I shudder in response. “Fortunately for you, I already have a buyer lined up.”

A buyer?

His head tilts to the side. “I’m curious though. What’s so special about you that fetches such a high price?”

If he only knew he had Matthias Everette’s wife within his reach. Would he go back on his deal? If he does, maybe whoever the other guy is will kill him.

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