Page 3 of Ignite
Dumping the wine-soaked towels in the trash, I nervously walked toward the front door. Like the door would burn me, I hesitantly leaned forward, keeping my hands behind my back. As I looked through the peephole, I saw it wasn’t River at all. It was Peter Saxton, and he was wearing a suit. I found this odd, since it was Saturday and the law office was closed and so were the courts. Pulling the door open, he raised his brow and lowered his head to my feet and then up my body.
“Don’t ask,” I said, knowing he was looking at my wine-stained shoes and clothes. “What are you doing here?”
“Burt contacted me and said you moved into the building. I thought you might need some help.” Peter looked past my head to get a view of the inside. “I thought we could also grab a bite, since you’re probably too tired to cook.”
It was very thoughtful of Peter to invite me to dinner, but considering my current situation, I couldn’t afford to be seen by River or any of his men. It was better if I stayed put. “I’m not really in the mood to go out, but thank you for offering.”
I was just about to close the door when Peter made his way past me and inside the apartment. “How about we order in, then? My treat.”
~2~
Axe
The minute I got the okay from my parole officer, I was on my way to Chicago to bring Kenzi home. I knew with Kenzi’s smarts it was only a matter of time before she found out who River Stevenson was. The little hints I gave her were all she needed to figure things out. I hated that I had to plant the seed, but the only way she would believe who he really was, was by finding out the information herself.
Dropping the rest of my clothes into my duffel bag, I was ready to zip it closed when my cell vibrated on the bed. I loved Reyna about as much as I loved Kenzi, but her timing couldn’t have been any more inconvenient. As much as I wanted to let it go to voicemail, knowing Kenzi’s situation tore at my gut and told me to answer it.
“Reyna, I didn’t expect to see your name pop up,” I answered calmly.
“I know it has been a while since we last spoke, but Kenzi called and she wanted to make sure you had her new number. She dumped the phone River got her. She was afraid he would track it and come after her.” Reyna’s voice was precise, yet strained. “I think she’s in trouble, Axe.”
“I’m on my way to her. I won’t let anything bad happen to her, Reyna. What is her new number?”
After reassuring Reyna that I wouldn’t let anything happen to Kenzi, I ended the call and texted the number she gave me. If Kenzi was afraid that River would come after her, I needed to reassure her that I was texting her and it was safe for her to pick up when I called.
A quick text later, her voice came over the airwaves. “Axe.”
Hearing my name roll off her lips made my heart ache. “Are you okay, baby? Reyna was worried that you might be in trouble.”
“I’m okay. Just a little paranoid.”
“Hang tight, baby girl. I’m on my way.”
“Axe?”
“Yeah.”
“Thank you.”
If I could have pulled her through the line and kissed her sweet lips, I would have. More than anything, I just wanted her back here, with me, safe and away from River Stevenson and his two misfit brothers.
~
My Tundra had a full tank, and nothing was in the way of me saving my girl. I threw my bag in the backseat and backed out of my parking spot with my focus on getting to Kenzi. Everything Kenzi and I had been through over the past weeks haunted my thoughts. Because of me, she was in this situation. I was an ass for not telling her the truth from the beginning—before Margot lost her bookstore, but mostly before Kenzi’s kidnapping.
I was six hours into my drive and I could have kicked myself in the ass for not flying and renting a car once I got to Chicago. Twelve hours on the road was 12 hours too long—time that I didn’t have.
The afternoon sun streamed through the windshield and by my calculations, I should arrive in Chicago by 10:00 p.m. I had a pretty good idea where the Richmond building was, where Kenzi was staying. Nonetheless, once I got closer, I would give her a call and let her know I was close.
The white lines on the road were beginning to blur. I had been driving for eight hours, stopping only once to refuel and to take a piss. Maybe it was time to take a quick break and grab a bite to eat. Taking the next exit to Taylorsville, I prayed the little town had a decent diner or gas station where I could grab a bite to eat.
To my surprise, the little town had a diner, and the food wasn’t half bad. As I filled my stomach, Kenzi entered my thoughts. My thoughts weren’t just on her. Thoughts of River Stevenson and disgust I had for him entered.He was my fucking brother. Kenzi basically gave me a second chance, but how could I tell her the truth? No more secrets. No way in hell was I going to screw this up again with her. I had to tell her the truth.
Downing the rest of my Coke, I threw $30 on the table to cover my meal and still leave a healthy tip. When I opened the door, the sunlight filtered down through the tall trees and the warm air blew over the shingles of the roofs. I took a moment to observe my surroundings, contemplating that life in this little town seemed laid-back. I saw no sense of urgency as the residents of Taylorsville stopped to give a quick ‘hello’ to their fellow neighbors, probably catching up on the newest gossip the town offered. Nodding and smiling were the only undertakings of the day. This small town had an aura of self-satisfaction about it, like its residents took pride in the area in which they lived. It was as if life moved slower here. If only my life could be so simple.
I drove away from the small town with the sun behind me. In four hours, I would be with Kenzi. That was what I needed to focus on. Using the tip of my index finger, I pressed browse on the XM Radio screen to switch it to a more upbeat station. Before I could change the station, the sound of my cell came over the truck's speaker. The call came across the screen as unknown. I knew it couldn’t be Kenzi since I added her new number to my contacts.
Taking a chance that it could be important; I accepted the call. “Hello,” I said hesitantly.
