Page 85 of The Carver

Did he hear what I said? Would he call Bastien?

“Bastien…”

I tried to steady my breathing, knowing I only had so much air trapped down here. The rain was slowly dripping into the coffin and filling it. I would either run out of air from breathing it all, or I would run out of air because it was replaced by water.

“Bastien…”

I didn’t know if the camera could hear me, but I suspected it was video only.

He promised he would protect me.

He promised he would keep me safe.

“He’s coming for me…I know he’s coming for me.” I closed my eyes and pushed the tears away. I forced myself to stay calm to conserve my air supply. “Bastien, I know you’re coming for me.”

I just hoped he came in time.

Chapter 17

Bastien

I called Oscar several times, but he ignored every one of my calls.

I sat in the back seat with Adrien, who continued to sniffle, and didn’t say a fucking word. We didn’t drive aimlessly through the streets, just sat in the driveway of Adrien’s property. I waited for Luca’s call like a fucking prayer.

Then he called—and I picked up before it finished the first ring.

He spat out the address, time of the essence. “Go to 3 Rue Quentin Bauchart.”

I gave the address to the driver. “Do not stop.”

The driver exploded out of the driveway and raced through the streets with the intention of running every fucking red light.

“I already dispatched a team.”

“Good.” I hung up.

Adrien gripped the handle attached to the ceiling so his head wouldn’t slam into the window.

I reached under the seats and pulled out the guns and the ammunition. I handed him a loaded shotgun and shoved the magazine clip into my automatic rifle. I didn’t check the video on the phone that Oscar had left for Adrien. There was nothing I could do for her right now, and watching her suffer would just make this harder. I didn’t want to know if I was too late. I didn’t want to know if I didn’t have enough time to save her. I wanted to haul ass like I had the chance to get her back.

The driver slammed on the brakes when he reached the villa.

My guys were already there, armed and ready to blow the building.

I jumped out, and Adrien did too.

“Blow it.”

The guys put the bombs on the gates and blew it the second I gave my command.

In a horizontal line, we marched onto Oscar’s property and blew away all the security men who worked for him. We lined the doorway with more explosives and blew the doors right off the hinges, charring the walls with soot.

“Come on!” I ran in first without a vest, ready to kill every motherfucker in that house. There were men waiting for me, and I shot them dead without giving them a chance to say a fucking word. “Oscar!”

I moved through the house and made it to the main sitting room. I’d never been to his home before. We always met out in the open to protect our locations and privacy. There was smoke throughout the house from the gunfire. It continued behind me, my guys moving to other parts of the house.

Oscar stepped out, arms raised in the air. “You said you wouldn’t interfere, Butcher.”

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