Page 7 of Judgment Day

Whenever he tried to imagine what this must feel like for Nik, his head began to ache, and he had to push the thought away. After years of avoiding commitment and relationships, Nik had finally opened himself up to love again, only to have it ripped from him before he could fully grasp it.

Now, he was forced to relive a nightmare he still hadn’t overcome. More than once, he’d heard Nik muttering to himself, saying,“I must be cursed.”Scar wished he knew what to say or do in a situation like this. Other than killing Zian and rescuing Letisha as soon as possible, Scar was at a loss when it came to consoling Nik.

Rescuing Letisha was damn near impossible at the moment. Zian had given them seventy-two hours to exchange a life for a life. In the video he’d sent to Dean’s PI firm, his lying ass had said he’d return Letisha and her son to them if one of them turned themselves over to him.

Without hesitation, Nik had offered up his life only to have Zian change the rules. Changing the rules once hadn’t been enough. With each demand he issued, someone in their crew stepped forward to meet it. When they did, he’d spend a day or two thinking it over. Then he’d respond via a video message saying the payment wasn’t enough to appease his anger.

That led to him issuing more demands, which they were prepared to meet, only to go around in circles with him again and again. Then suddenly, he stopped with the demands and sent a video telling them he’d contact them when he finally decided what he wanted from them. He said it would be something that would appease his anger and quell any future animosity between their crew and the Triad.

Until then, he promised to keep Letisha and her son safe and comfortable. What Zian didn’t know was that there would be no calming the animosity between them. There would be no peace, no type of alliance at all. As soon as they had Letisha back, they planned to kill him. For now, they had to play by his rules to keep the kidnapped mother and son alive.

To say everyone in the safe house was feeling frustrated and murderous would be an understatement. Even the Timeless Agency was worried for Letisha and her son. Exa had told her superior, Nova, about the situation. Nova had placed Exa’s team on the case. Their job was to ensure mother and son made it out alive while also attempting to find out who was producing the drug, Vertigo, for the Triad.

It was official. Scar and his chocolate were now working together. Exa turned in his arms to face him. With the spray of the water falling over her back, she stared up at him with a sweet smile on her face. Scar tightened his arms around her. He’d thought working with her would be great.Wrong!It was the most nerve-wracking shit ever.

However, he hadn’t told her that yet. He hadn’t told her that it was hard for him to focus on what he needed to do when he was concerned for her safety. He’d seen her in action on more than one occasion. She could handle her own. She was a trained assassin. This was what she did for a living.

That didn’t mean he didn’t worry about her and want to keep her safe. He blinked when she reached up and adjusted her shower cap. That done, she rubbed her thumbs over his eyebrows.

“Stop frowning,” she told him as she stepped back.

“Where are you going?” Scar reached for her.

“I’m not going far.” She flattened her palms against his abs. Her hands gently roamed over his abdomen.

“Are you aiming for round two?” Scar asked as her hands drifted lower.

“You wish.”

“I do.”

“Stop being nasty. I’m checking your wounds. The guild cream is a miracle worker. Most of your old wounds have faded. They’ll disappear completely if you continue using it for a few more weeks.”

Scar swallowed. He hadn’t wanted to use the cream at all. The only reason he’d known about it was because Arson had offered some to Oni. Apparently, the ladies had been talking about childbirth, and Oni told them her stomach had changed a lot since giving birth to the twins. That was when Arson offered her the guild cream.

For days, the entire house smelled like that damn cream as Rain, Oni, and Miriam used it. Even Novak had applied some to his back. So impressed with the result, Novak was now trying to create his own version of the cream. Scar had waited for Exa to ask him if he wanted to use it. To his surprise, it wasn’t her who asked. It was Novak.

Novak had wanted to know if any of the guys wanted to use it. But he’d cornered Scar alone and asked if he wanted to try it on his cheek. Part of him wanted to. Part of him thought Exa wanted him to. But when he’d finally asked her if he should use the cream on his cheek, she’d told him it was up to him.

Her exact words had been, “That’s a call only you can make. If you’re trying to be a pretty boy, go ahead. But, I’m perfectly happy with my savage the way he is.”

No more words had been needed. He’d chosen not to use the cream on his face. The scar on his cheek was a reminder of what he’d been through. A painful reminder, but a reminder all the same. He’d lost so many people he loved. The scar motivated him to always be diligent in protecting those he cared for.

“You’re still frowning,” Exa pointed out. “Are you in pain? Should I get your meds?”

Scar shook his head. “I’m okay.”

“Why the frown then?”

“Just thinking about all the shit that’s going on.”

“We’re going to save Nik’s woman. From the time-stamped videos we’ve received, we know that her and her son are still alive. As long as they’re alive, there’s hope.”

“I know they’re alive. But I don’t like waiting on Zian to decide what he wants from us in exchange for them. I want to go in hot and get them out. But my rational side knows that wouldn’t be the best route to take.”

“No, it wouldn’t. It could get them killed.”

“I know. That’s why all of us are holding back.”

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