Page 15 of Hot for Hostage

But it didn’t matter, because Davian walked toward the front of the shelter and studied the graffiti.

He pointed at a section of brick by the window. “Is this the new stuff?”

“Yeah. The green paint is the freshest, and the black was from about a week ago.”

Davian crossed his arms as he took in the broken glass on the windowsill, and his lips thinned. I averted my gaze. He looked even scarier when he wasn’t standing in a cheerful ice cream parlor.

I studied the front of the building, too, trying to spot anything that might help us. When nothing popped out at me aside from a bunch of graffiti penises I did my best to ignore, I let out a breath. “I’m not sure there’s any helpful clues for you here. Should we go inside and watch the security footage?”

He shook his head. “I know who did it.”

“Really?” I asked hopefully. That was easier than I’d thought. “How can you tell?”

“The little shits signed their tag a dozen times.”

I squinted at the green and black spray paint on brick. “Where?”

He pointed at a mess of curly letters and numbers I couldn’t make out. “It’s the Skulls. They’re a newer group with small numbers, so this should be easy.”

I perked up. “Do you know where we can find them?”

Davian’s brow rose. “Wewon’t be finding anyone. I’ll take care of it.”

“But you said I could come.” I frowned. “I need to bring Bear back. He’s probably so scared, and I promised Mr. Sanders?—”

“I’ll bring Bear back to you.” Davian spoke with finality—like he expected that to be the end of the discussion—and I gaped at him.

The door to the shelter swung open before I could argue, making me freeze in place. But it was just Gladys who stepped out onto the sidewalk, with a cigarette in hand, and I let out another breath.

She smiled when she saw me, but then her gaze slid to Davian, and she went pale as a ghost. “What’s going on out here?”

Davian scanned Gladys before easily dismissing her and looking at me.

I held a hand up to calm her like we did when the dogs got nervous. “It’s okay, Gladys. Davian is here to help us.”

Gladys’s eyes widened. “Sadie, come inside right now. I’m sorry, Mr. Reed?—”

“You should go back inside, Miss Gladys,” Davian said, but it didn’t really sound like a suggestion, and I winced. Gladys wasnoteasily bossed around.

And in true Gladys form, her timidness vanished and she scoffed in his face. “I’m not leaving Sadie out here with you. Whatever you’re here for, she has nothing to do with it. You better watch?—”

“It’s okay, Gladys!I’mthe one in control here. Look.” I pulled the gun partway out of my overalls to show her. Her jaw dropped, and I tried to smile reassuringly. “I used your idea, and now Davian has to do what I say. He’ll fix this for us. Don’t worry.”

“Lord above, Sadie Marie! Where in the world did you get a gun?” she cried.

“Shh.” I glanced around to make sure no one had heard her, but the nearest passerby was across the street. “Not so loud. We don’t want someone calling the cops. But I used your advice, and now Davian is going to help me find Bear. See?”

Gladys made a quick sign of the cross and mumbled under her breath before fixing me with a hard look that would normally shake me to my core. “You’ve just signed all our death certificates, girl. You know that, right?”

“Sadie will be fine,” Davian said before I could think of something comforting to say. “And I don’t like to repeat myself. You should go back inside now.”

I shivered at the steel in Davian’s voice. Was that new, or had he always sounded like that?

Gladys jerked back at his cold tone before looking at me helplessly.

I waved off her concern and nodded toward the door. “I promise we’re okay out here. And I’ll get Bear back safe and sound, all right? Please tell Mr. Sanders not to worry.”

“Oh, he’ll be worried, all right. We all will.” Gladys shook her head. She hesitated just a moment longer before turning back to the door and disappearing inside.

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