Page 14 of Razor
“What’s it going to be?” the second guy asked. From what Razor could remember, his name was Vance, and all he wanted to do to go old Vance was beat the shit out of him.
“You two can go fuck yourselves. I’ll never tell you where they are. You’ll have to kill me first,” Razor slurred. His voice was hoarse, and his words trickled out like the blood that dripped down his face from his busted eye.
Eddie pulled back his fist to hit Razor in the face again, and he squeezed his eyes shut, not wanting to watch it happen. He knew that there were only so many more blows to the head that he’d be able to take before passing out again, or worse. But the hit never came. Instead, another guy came running into the dark room, shouting that they had found the safehouse. Razor’s heart felt as though it might pound out of his fucking chest as his eyes flew open. The three men were staring at him, and he knew that they were telling the truth. The triumphant looks on their faces told him as much.
“I want to talk to your boss,” he demanded. He had never met the head of the Devils’ organization. No one had. It was how he had been able to stay in business for so long. “I want to make a deal.” He was ready to offer his life for the safety of his daughter and Ella’s, but Razor worried that wouldn’t be enough for them. They wanted blood—from all of them in retribution for getting involved in saving Ella, and they wouldn’t stop until they had it.
“Too late for deals,” Vance spat. The three of them started for the door, and all the begging, pleading, and cursing that Razor was doing wasn’t going to stop them. They had gotten what they wanted from him, and now, he was going to have to sit there and watch the three of them walk out of that warehouse and possibly take the rest of his world away from him.
Ella
Ella paced the floor, waiting for any news from Razor. When he left, she could tell that something was wrong, but getting anything out of him was nearly impossible. He was protecting her, but keeping the truth from her wasn’t going to keep her safe. She had already lived through hell and back, and the sooner he realized how strong she was, the more she would feel like she was a part of his life.
“When will Daddy be home?” Violet asked. She hated the fear that she saw in the little girl’s eyes. She had Razor’s eyes, and every time she looked at her that way, Ella wanted to wrap her in her arms and shield her away from the rest of the world. Maybe that was how Razor felt about her, but she didn’t need to be shielded from the evil that was in the world—she had already experienced it firsthand.
“I’m sure that he’ll be home soon, Violet,” Ella lied. “How about if I order a pizza and we can watch another one of your favorite movies? I’ll even let you stay up past your bedtime.” Distracting her might be the only way to keep her mind off her father not being home with them. Hell, Ella could usea distraction herself, and pizza and another princess movie sounded pretty good to her.
The knock on the door startled her. The only person besides Razor to know where they were staying was Spade, and if he was at the door, it meant that something was wrong—something horrible.
“Go get washed up, Violet, and I’ll see who that is.” The four-year-old looked at her suspiciously, as though she could tell that Ella was scared out of her mind. But if something had happened to Razor, she didn’t want his daughter to have to hear it firsthand. Violet finally gave up staring Ella down and skipped off to her room. A part of her wished that she could do the same, but the banging on the other side of the door told her that wasn’t going to be allowed.
She pulled the front door open to find Spade standing on the other side. “Oh, God,” she breathed. “What’s happened to Razor?”
He quickly walked into the house and shut the door behind him. “What do you mean? Has something happened? I thought that he’d be here with you.”
“With me?” she asked, “He said that he had to run into town to pick up a few groceries.”
“Shit,” Spade spat, “that fucker has gone rogue, and now, I’m going to have to go and drag his ass back here. About how long ago did he leave?”
Ella felt as though her head was spinning from just trying to keep up with his train of thought. “Can you please slow down and tell me what’s going on here? You didn’t know that he was running to the store?” she asked.
“No,” he breathed, “and if we slow down, it will only prolong the danger that he’s in. How long ago did he leave?” he asked again.
“Um, about two hours ago,” Ella said, trying to remember the exact time he left. He promised that he wouldn’t be long, and even when she protested his leaving her and Violet at the safehouse, he assured her that they’d be safe. She just never imagined that Razor would be the one in danger this time.
“You’re sure?” he asked.
She nodded her head, “Yes,” she said. “He said that you okayed him running to town for a few groceries. You two were texting each other just this afternoon about it.”
“I lost my phone and that’s why I stopped here tonight. I wanted to let you guys know that my old number has been suspended, and I have a new one. Are you sure that the text came from my old number?” he asked. She wasn’t sure of anything anymore. She wanted to think that Razor wouldn’t lie to her, but she had only known him for a short time now. Could anyone really know someone in just six short months? She thought that she knew Razor, but what if she was wrong? What if he were capable of lying to her and making her promises that he knew he wouldn’t be able to keep? God, she was a fool.
“I can see your wheels turning, Ella. I don’t think that Razor would do anything that would put himself or you and Violet in danger,” he assured.
“But you just said that he went rogue,” she reminded.
“I did, but that was before I started putting the pieces of the puzzle together. I’m betting that the Devils somehow got their hands on my cellphone, and they sent Razor the message that he thought was from me. You know that he’d jump at the chance to close this case and be able to get you three back home, right?” She really didn’t know if that was what Razor wanted. He and Violet had a home and life to go back to. But once the Devils shoved her into a cage and started selling her to the highest bidders, her life ended. Her things were sold, her apartment was leased to someone new, and her job was given to anotheremployee. She had no life to go back to, and that scared the hell out of her. Sure, Razor had hinted at wanting a future with her, but did he really hope that once this mess was over, she’d end up at his place with him and Violet? How would she even fit into their lives? At the safehouse, they all had put their lives on hold, but once the Devils decided to leave her alone, what would her life even look like? None of that mattered now. Right now, she needed to help Spade find Razor, and then, she’d have to figure out her own problems.
“I’m not sure what I know anymore, Spade—except that I need you to find him and bring him back. Violet needs her father,” she said. She thought about adding the truth that she needed Razor back, too, but she didn’t need to get all sentimental now. Spade had to find Razor, and the less he had to deal with her hysterics, the faster he’d be able to track him down.
“You know that he’s crazy about you, right?” Spade asked as though trying to comfort her in some way.
She shrugged, “I know that he wants to help me, and I know that he’d do anything to keep the Devils from doing to me what they did to his wife.” Spade grimaced, and she instantly regretted her words.
“He told you about that?” he asked.
“Yes, and I know how hard that was for him and Violet. I just hope that we’re both wrong and that the Devils don’t have him, because they won’t give him up very easily. They want me back. I’m their property, and the sooner that happens, the sooner Razor and Violet can get back to their lives.”
“Now, don’t go and do something stupid, Ella. I need you to stay here with Violet, and I’ll find Razor,” Spade insisted.
