Page 53 of Savage Hero

I need answers.

Which means I have to suck it up and be brave.

I gently grasp Savage’s wrist and ease his hand an inch away from my body. Holding it there, I wriggle to the side before carefully setting it down again.

He doesn’t stir.

Fucking liar. He told me he can’t sleep? Look at him!

I creep over the floor on bare feet, my entire body aching with stiff muscles. Not just my muscles…my fucking ass hurts too. But that’s a different kinda hurt. Almost…pleasant. The bathroom door creaks when I push it open, and every hair on my body stands on end as I wait to hear Savage wake up.

But nothing happens, so I go inside, push the door closed, and change into my clothes as quickly—and quietly—as I can.

When I slip out, Savage is still sleeping. My shoes are dangling from my hand and my phone is a weight in my pocket. I’m itching to take it out and call my sisters, but I’ll wait until I’m far away from here.

Whereverhereis.

I stop by the door.

My eyes shift back to the bed before dropping to the floor.

I don’t remember him picking up the gun. Which means it’s still lying on the floor. I hesitate for only a second before rushing over the floor, silent but fast, and dropping to my knees.

Savage murmurs something in his sleep and then turns over, putting his face inches from mine.

My body locks up in terror, my breath catching in the back of my throat. He wrinkles his nose, rubs it with a limp hand, and lets out a sigh as he falls back asleep. My heart pounding, I duck down and slide under the bed. It’s too dark to see anything, but after several long seconds of hunting, I realize the gun’s not here anymore.

“You’re up early.”

I bang my head on the bottom of the bed when Savage speaks, and then slump down onto my arms.

Fuck.

I half expect him to drag me out, but instead he just caresses my ankle with a rough, calloused hand. Slowly I crawl out from under the bed. I start backing away as he watches me with black eyes, his tall, muscular frame a terrifying silhouette in the gloom of the apartment, even though he’s only perching on the side of the bed.

My back hits the front door.

“No.” He stands, shaking his head.

I knew he’d try to stop me. My body tenses, my hands balling into fists. I won’t let him stop me. Not again. This time, I’ll fight him until I can’t anymore. Until I’m bruised and bloody and—

“Go down the fire escape.” He cocks his head to the window by the living area. “Unless you want Bogota’s men following you.”

“They don’t know we’re here...do they?”

He shrugs. “Rather safe than sorry, Angel.”

I shift to the side, stalking slowly through the living area while I keep my eyes fixed on him. Still expecting him to rush over and trap me again. But maybe he’s realized our time here is over. That we’ll always be enemies. That this was just a fluke.Two predators forced to take shelter in the same cave during a thunderstorm.

My body is shaking by the time I reach the street below. The only movement is a car in the distance and a man huddled in his hoodie, walking in the opposite direction across the street.

Lost, I jog through the streets until I find a bus stop, and then I keep walking down that road. I tried calling Athena, but she didn’t pick up. Either she’s fast asleep, or her phone is on silent.

Eventually, I spot a cab. I still have everything on me that I did the day of the failed assassination—a few bills, my phone, a crumpled receipt. I give the cab driver the address to the motel and slump back in my seat.

I try Athena again, but there’s still no answer. Phoebe doesn’t have a cell phone—they’re too easy to track. I have to toss this one as soon as I’m home and pick up a new one with a different number so no one can—

My thumb pauses. I narrow my eyes in case the dim light in the back of the cab is messing with my vision. But no, there it is…

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