Page 72 of The Gentleness of Rage

Slowly, I inched off the bed. Thanks to Doc Paul, I didn’t feel a thing; he’d given me some good painkillers. Quickly, I slipped into my clothes as Artemis continued her conversation.

When she returned, I was ready.

“Doc Paul said I could go,” I stated, and Artemis narrowed her eyes.

“Come on. I’m to take you to the clubhouse,” she replied.

As we were leaving, I stopped. “Damn, I forgot my purse, give me a few moments,” I asked.

Artemis looked at me and then down at her phone as it beeped.

I took advantage of her distraction and slipped away. With Artemis distracted, I headed towards another exit and left quietly. Hailing a taxi, I jumped in and gave my home address. Slate needed me.

Artemis

“You didn’t tell me she was a fucking escape artist. I thought I was dealing with an average woman,” I snarled.

“Jaelynn has been running for months and managed to stay free until now. Of course she’s not fuckin’ normal,” Ace snapped.

“Drop your attitude, husband,” I warned.

Ace sighed. “Fuck, wife, we’ve just gone from one missing person to two. If anything happens to Jaelynn, Slate will kill us all,” Ace stated.

“Slate can try,” I replied. “The Juno Group has mobilised, and we’re out hunting. We’ll find them.”

Magic

“What the hell is that?” Magic demanded.

“What?” Inglorious asked.

“That. Don’t recall that being there,” Magic pointed to a barn.

“Yeah, it’s always been there, although it was derelict.” Inglorious narrowed his gaze.

“Ain’t now,” Magic retorted and turned his bike in the barn’s direction.

Inglorious rolled his eyes. “We’re meant to be looking for Slate and a woman,” he yelled after Magic.

Magic flipped him the finger and kept going. He knew Inglorious would follow. The asshole was as curious as him.

Why restore a barn so isolated? That was damn suspicious. Magic’s eyes narrowed on a thick chain and padlock. Something was wrong here.

He parked his bike and swung off. He spotted a camera, waved, and headed for the doors.

“There’re cameras,” Inglorious stated.

“Yeah, I gave them a wave. Pick this lock,” Magic ordered.

“Pick your own fuckin’ lock,” Inglorious retorted.

Magic rolled his eyes and gripped the handle the chain was threaded through. He puffed out his chest and yanked hard.

“He huffed and puffed and pulled the lock off,” Inglorious taunted.

“It’s huffed and puffed and blew the house down, you ignoramus,” Magic snapped.

“I know that… Jesus… do I have to explain humour to you?”

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