Page 37 of Vicious Hearts

I refer to the sneakers covering what used to be human feet. It’s sad that someone had to die to carry out this farce, but I’m glad that Ariadne is still alive. I don’t know how long that will remain the case, but I’ll do whatever I need to do to get her back.

“Ariadne wasn’t wearing sneakers – she was wearing flip flops,” I explain. “Plus, those looked like a size 7, Ariadne is a size 5. No way they’d fit on that giant’s feet, even if she tried.”

“Why would someone go to all that trouble?” Attila asks me.

“Someone wants the world to think she’d dead.”

* * *

Attila tellsme that the Hondurans are on board. They have just one stipulation; The Jekyll is not to be harmed, no matter who gets to him first.

“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me!” I fume. I feel like I could stomp my feet and get away with it for all the rage surging through me right now.

“Caleph… think logically,” Attila says, trying to get me to see reason. “They can guarantee us a safe return if The Jekyll still has her and she’s alive. There’ll be time for revenge later.”

“How can they even get her without invading his space and hurting him?”

“Not my fucking problem. We have to promise them we won’t hurt him, Caleph. For whatever reason.”

“He must be backed by some pretty powerful people.”

Attila nods. I know he’s just a curious as I am, but he just wants to move on this before we lose Ariadne forever. The bounty stated she was to be brought in alive. But it didn’t ask that she not be damaged beyond repair. I don’t want to think about what she’s endured in the time since she was been dragged from that car after the accident. I can’t even consider the possibility that she is dead, even though I know in all likelihood, her kidnapper would not have stopped to administer the care that she so obviously needed.

She’s in this situation because of me. They took her from me because I brought her here. I didn’t insist on security, believing she’d be safe with me. No one who knows of me woulddareto make such a brazen move. I guess The Jekyll really was on a suicide mission, because he’s signed his own death warrant. One way or another, I will make sure that he pays for what he’s done to Ariadne.

“Do it,” I tell him, and he’s on his phone before I even shut my mouth again, my jaw locked so tight that my teeth start snapping against each other.

* * *

I’min a fresh pair of fatigues, my boots heavy as they stomp through the apartment. I strap a knife to one ankle and a gun to another, before I put the nine millimeter in the back of my waistband, tucking it in firmly. I strap my holster over a black t-shirt and put a gun on either side, then cover that with an oversized shirt I leave unbuttoned.

I need to be prepared for anything. I need to be prepared for anything. Especially the possibility that things may go sideways. The Hondurans could prove traitors. Or maybe not. Ariadne may already be on her way out of the country, although I doubt it, since we have eyes everywhere.

“Any news?” I ask, as Attila walks into the room.

“Dante was on his way; I told him not to come. This should all be over in a matter of hours.”

I smile at the thought of Dante coming. It’s good to have people in your corner who always have your back. Even though I know he now hates leaving home because he doesn’t want to leave his wife.

“What about the Hondurans?”

“They’ll message as soon as they have a location. Stick to the script, Caleph.”

I know that Attila’s biggest concern now is that I won’t uphold my end of the bargain. Even though he knows I’m a man of my word, and there’s never been an occasion where I’ve reneged on a deal, this went way beyond a deal. This was personal. The Jekyll had made things personal between us when he’d targeted Ariadne. For whatever reason he did it, that didn’t make it any less personal. I would’ve liked nothing more than to blow his brains out at an angle and watch him die a slow and painful death. But I had to bide my time. If I were to make any headway with the Hondurans, I had to stay in my lane.

My thoughts are interrupted by the chirp of Attila’s phone. I watch him carefully as he looks down at it, then turns to tell me that we’re ready to rock and roll. His words exactly.

Attila lives for these sorts of confrontations. I know that sitting in a car waiting for something to happen would cause most people extreme levels of anxiety. For Attila, the waiting is just building the anticipation until he’s ready to do what needs to be done. And his adrenaline is brimming with other voices that need to be heard.

“Have you given much thought to what you’ll do once you have her back and this is over?” Attila asks me.

“Take to the high seas,” I tell him. “We’re going to take a long trip while this blows over.”

“You know they won’t stop looking for her.”

My eyes are hard as I shift them in his direction. Regardless of who or what may come afterward, I’ll make sure that Ariadne is safe. And the only way I can do that is to put her somewhere any threats can be contained. It would be hard for anyone to reach us on the sea, especially with all the added security we’ll have.

“You and I both know there’ll be no one left once I’m done with them.”

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