Page 282 of Vicious Saint
“Alright, alright.” She holds up her hands, still working the playfulness on her way to the door. “I’ll take the hint and go.”
“No offense.”
“None taken.” Leerie hikes another Louie over her shoulder, winking as she says, “I was born with thick skin.”
In that, we do share something.
“Pretty clear skin too…I’m jealous,” I tell her, trying to ease the tension only I seem to be privy of.
“Ice baths, girl. You should totally try it.”
Water. Ice. Frostbite.
Yeah…hard pass.
“Maybe I will,” I lie, just needing her to get the fuck out so I can get the fuck out to find my guys.
With another wink thrown my way, Leerie pulls open the door, halfway into the emptying hall when she says, “See you around, Hendrix Montgomery.”
Thanks to my busted lip leaking again, I spend about five more minutes stowed away in the bathroom with a paper towel pressed against it, hoping the pressure will eventually do its job and stop it from bleeding. It works, kind of, but I no longer have the patience to argue with my blood and its inability to clot.
Pulling the door open, I take a quick peek into the hall, not willing to enter until I’m convinced the stampede has come to an end. It has, with only a couple stragglers rushing to the exit and others still on the dance floor. Since apparently…a fight doesn’t call for shutting off the music.
“Carlo! Saint!” I yell, in hopes one of them will pop out of thin air.
They don’t, but what does? The worry of cops showing up.
I was contemplating returning to the dance floor to find my guys, but with Five-O potentially on their way? The last thing I need is to get locked up when I don’t actually deserve to.
So, like my ass is on fire, I make my way to the exit and am barely five steps away when someone whips the door open.
My blood runs ice cold when I realize who’s darkening the doorway.
The creepy guy watching me earlier.
But his features are a lot more readable now, none of which are helping the crippling dread.
A mountain of a man, with dark, menacing eyes and a scruffy jaw. He’s got a black bomber jacket zipped tight over his front, black jeans, one hand in his pocket hiding fuck knows what.
On instinct I reach for my bag to pull out my stun gun, but curse my damn laziness when I remember Carlo has it.
The guy’s smile is nothing short of sinister as he peers down at me, stepping closer to allow the door to click closed behind him.
For a long moment, shock holds me completely immobile, the only part of my body working being my throat as I swallow hard.
“Who are you, and what do you want?” I demand, fingers curling into fists just in case.
Yes, I’m aware I wouldn’t stand a chance against this guy, but that doesn’t mean I won’t go down fighting regardless.
No answer.
At least not in the form of words.
The guy reaches out abruptly and snatches my arm, dragging me out the door and into a dark alleyway as I scream for help. Of course with my luck nobody is out here, probably because most were on drugs and had the same suspicions as me about the cops.
The one damn time Carlo isn’t stuck at my hip.
He keeps pulling me, but this time toward a black van he’s got waiting for us in the shadows.
