Page 44 of Anders and the Girl Worth Fighting For
“The room is a mess,” Tink said after the phone connected to the Bluetooth in my car. “There’s clearly been a fight.”
I gripped the wheel tight as I peeled out of the lot. At least that sound matched my mood. I ignored the laws as I sped through the streets, getting back home as fast as possible. Rationally, I knew that Tink wasn’t lying. I wasn’t being very rational right now, though. I needed to see for myself. He had to be wrong. The cameras were wrong. Something was wrong.
“I’m playing it all back now, looking for anything useful. I’ll stay on the line with you, but I may be quiet while I get you whatever I can.”
I appreciated his thoroughness. I knew he was telling me all that just to soothe me.
I wasn’t soothed.
I couldn’t respond.
My knuckles were white where I gripped the wheel. The essence of the god my buddies named me after surging through my veins. Ares, not for the God of War, but for the God of Brutality and Bloodlust. I could be ruthless to those that stood in my way. I was going to burn the whole fucking city to the ground to get her back.
“Ease up on the wheel, Ares. I can hear the pleather creaking from here,” Tink said. I had forgotten he was on the line.
“Shut the hell up.” I did what he said, anyway.
“She’ll be ok. We’ll get her back.”
I didn’t respond. How could I? What was I supposed to say?You’re right.They set me up. Lured me from Grace’s side. Broke into my safe haven. Stole Grace. Stole the woman I loved out from under me. My foot pushed down, and the car struggled to match the frantic pace I pushed it to. I always hated Duke’s flashy cars, but I wished now more than ever that I had one.
“We’ve run into a bit of luck,” Tink said. “Duke’s in town at his grandpa’s place in Hilton Head. He’s headed to the safehouse now. Sometimes, I swear we need our own town. Where we can be the mayor, chief of police, town counsel, and own half the businesses. I’m sure we could make it work. Sure would help with getting everyone’s asses out of trouble.”
“Tink.”
“Yeah?”
“Shut up.”
“Oh, did I say all that out loud?” He sounded a little too innocent. I knew what he was trying to do, and it wasn’t working.
This damn car wouldn’t go faster. I should have yanked out the governor the second I got it home from the lot. I tried to be reasonable. I didn’t feel much like being reasonable anymore.
“Don’t die before you to her, you ass.”
I eased up off the gas through the next turn. He had a point.
“Stop tracking me.”
“No. That’s counterproductive. Besides, how else am I supposed to make sure you don’t run into any cops while you drive like a bat out of hell?”
“Why doesn’t it surprise me that you can track cops’ locations?” I almost laughed. Almost.
“They shouldn’t make it so easy,” he said, sounding flippant, but I know it was only easy because he’s smart. It’s why I know I can count on him.
I made a sudden sharp turn and started going in a different direction. I was right. I could trust that Tink would do everything he could to get information from the security feeds at the safe house. We weren’t likely going to find anything immediately useful by going there in person. There were still questions and hopefully, the answers to them would lead to Grace.
“Tink. Have Duke meet me at Grace’s place. I’m thinking it’s time to find some of the answers we have been looking for.” I sped down the little street leading to Grace’s apartment. Hopefully, the information that would lead to where she mightbe was in there and she just didn’t know about it.
Duke was already parked when I got there. His little Porsche stood out like a sore thumb in a neighborhood not yet hit by gentrification. Some god out there was listening in and granted my wish for one of his faster cars.
“What’s the plan?” He asked as soon as I reached his car. He loaded up on weapons and I was never so grateful for the fact that, despite how much he fucked around, he knew when it was time for business.
“She’s got a box of stuff from her grandmother. I’m hoping we can find some information in there. Then we need to head over to her ex’s place and figure out where the hell he is and what he’s gotten himself into. If that doesn’t pan out, I’ll hang her stepdad by his ankles and shake him to see what comes out.” I felt feral by the end. I hoped one stop would be enough to get what we needed, but I doubted it.
We cleared the building as we went up. Scared the hell out of one of the neighbors in the process, but we weren’t taking any chances. I’d already underestimated these guys once. I didn’t need to do it again.
As soon as we were through the door, we ransacked the place looking for anything from her grandmother. Given everything we know, Bill or George wanted to get their hands on her inheritance. One she didn’t even know she had.
