Page 131 of Avenging Devil: Part 2

And so are we, now we’re past the car with its hood up. We’re moving, but too far away.

I dial a number on my phone. “Swift?”

“What you got?” Her voice is calm.

“They used two vehicles. Grit’s being handled. Duke’s heading your way. We’ve got no eyes on him.”

“I’ve got this,” she confirms, with no sign of panic.

I hope she has. Saffie, I promised I’d keep you safe. I end the call as a voice comes over the car speaker again.

“Kink? Swing by and pick Grit up, will you? Can’t keep him here for long. Someone’s going to investigate the accident.”

“Don’t you fuckin’ dare,” I warn him. “I’ve got to get to Saffie.”

“Dart’s on his way,” Kink answers in a reasonable tone. “And we’ve got to get the brothers out of trouble. If we want to question Grit, we’ve got to get to them before the cops turn up.”

All fair points, but logic holds no sway at this point. My hand twitches and inches toward my gun, but at the last moment, I come to my senses.

Instead of threatening my brother, I call Swift back. “Swift, you’ve got my fuckin’ life in your hands. If anything happens to Saffie—”

“I won’t let her out of my sight,” the Englishwoman promises.

Damn it, Saffie.Why couldn’t you have still been afraid? Why didn’t you let us dress up a sweet butt in a wig as a decoy? Though maybe that wouldn’t have fooled a man who’d intimately known her for five years. But it might have bought us some time.

Kink makes a final turn, and we pull up beside a crashed car, and a group of onlookers. An unconscious Grit is lying on the sidewalk.

Salem walks up and leans in the window Kink has just lowered. “Had to punch the fucker unconscious when this lot turned up.” He jerks his head back toward the crowd.

“Well, let’s get him loaded.”

Kink signals for me to stay put and gets out. The back doors are opened, and I hear the sounds of a body being put inside, and a voice protesting, “Shouldn’t you wait for the ambulance?” That’s followed by the snick of handcuffs being applied, and a tearing of duct tape.

Then a welcome sight appears in front of my eyes—Curtis and Ross with the tow truck. Hopefully by the time the cops arrive, all signs of an accident will have disappeared, except for the slightly crooked streetlight.

Come on.I drum my fingers against my leg. This is taking too much time. I’m so anxious to get to Saffie, my worry is eating me alive, bile churning in my stomach.

I can’t lose her now. Not when we’re so close to starting our future together. I try to imagine us buying a house, starting our own family, but it’s impossible. My brain keeps summoning up images of her dead by Duke’s hand, or stolen away by him, and me never being able to find her.

At fucking last, Kink gets back into the driver’s seat, and we leave our brothers hoisting up the damaged car.

Jerking his head toward the back he tells me, “I’ve restrained him. Hopefully he won’t cause too much trouble. I would prefer to return to the compound and drop him off, but if we get lucky, he’ll soon have company.”

Then, finally, we’re heading in the right direction again—to the mall.

Dart’s voice tells us that with Utah’s help he’s found the truck Duke had been driving in the parking lot and gives the location details to Kink.

After navigating the traffic, trying to get in and park, we get to the lot and pull up beside Duke’s truck. When Kink helps me out then hands me the crutches, I hear a whistle.

Turning, I spy the VP.

“If we head inside, we risk Duke getting wind that we’re around,” he tells me. “Thought it best to wait here and be the last line of defence.”

On one hand the plan’s sound, on the other… “What if he’s got another vehicle stashed nearby?” Dart’s expression is all I need. “Shit, we’re fucked.” I bang a crutch against the side of Duke’s truck, hard enough to dent it.

There’s a banging from the rear of our vehicle, and Kink’s mouth turns up at the same time as Bolt’s does.

“I think there are ways we can find that out.” Bolt’s eyes light.

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