Page 3 of Tossed into the Mob
How do you know that?
Because he knows about me and the family.
But maybe like me, he was on the periphery, because for a mafia guy, wielding a gun should be as instinctive as breathing, and he acted as if he wasn’t sure which end of the gun would fire.
You don’t have great aim either.
Trust my wolf to bring up my lack of gun expertise.
A door slammed, and terror masked his face. He waved the weapon, and I begged the universe to make sure the bullets stayed in the chamber. I squatted beside my car, and he groaned, making it halfway to the floor before awkwardly balancing on the door. We were in shadow, and the person walking from his vehicle toward the elevator didn’t look in our direction.
“Change of plan. You drive,” he hissed.
The guy leaned on the passenger side of the car, his labored breathing harsh and rattly. He slid onto the concrete, leaving bloody handprints on the car. I hauled him up before getting him into the passenger seat. I had to ask myself why I was putting myself in this position. He could shoot me and no one would know why.
I had a first-aid kit in the trunk, but I doubted he’d let me get it.
"When's the last time you ate anything?"
"Why do you care?"
“Because you’re losing a lot of blood, and you’re scared and in pain.” But he was right. Why did I care? My wolf was tearing at my insides, telling me not to let this guy out of our sight. And when I got behind the wheel and closed the door, I understood. I white-knuckled the steering wheel and inhaled my kidnapper’s scent. It stung my eyes as it delivered a message.
My cousins had kidnapped people and those incidents had worked out well. But now I’d been kidnapped by a gun-wielding human who’d been shot, and I was letting him. Me, a shifter, allowing myself to be overpowered by this injured man.
And now I understood why I hadn’t unleashed my beast on him.
He was my mate.
TWO
BROCK
I’d told Treyton Durand to head out of town, as I figured we’d be safer in the middle of nowhere. But perhaps being surrounded by crowds, noise, and traffic in the city was better. Damn, what did I know about kidnapping?
But we needed to get far away from the maniac that almost killed me, and I’d think about what to do next when we got there.
Despite this being the first time I’d held a gun and kidnapped anyone, Treyton’s knuckles were white as they gripped the steering wheel. He was scared of me, probably because I had a weapon and he didn't, so my fake bravado must have worked because he’d done as I said and he was as meek as a tiny kitten.
When I’d said his name in the parking garage, there was a sense of finality in his gaze. I would explain what I needed from his family, though now that I’d threatened him, I was the bad guy. But I was thegoodguy who’d never even had an overdue library book, and now I could go to prison.
I couldn’t think straight with a bullet wound in my arm and blood gushing out of me. The stench of blood alone was making me woozy. The bandage I’d fashioned out of an old T-shirt was soaked through, and blood was trickling onto my palm.
But in spite of the pain and fear, the man in the driver’s seat intrigued me. I couldn’t help but notice his chiseled jaw and his long dark lashes that curled at the tip. Something deep inside me stirred, and for a moment, I was pleased I’d been given this man’s name rather than another family member. That annoying voice in my head that always had an opinion told me Treyton was a good guy. But I pushed that feeling away as I faced my grim reality.
"Take the highway north.” I had a vague idea after studying a map earlier of a bunch of small towns dotted along a river. There had to be a motel where we’d hole up. Never in my life had I needed to hide from a killer, and my belly churned.
Treyton glanced in the rearview mirror. Perhaps he was hoping someone was on our tail. But the gunman hadn’t followed me to the hospital, ‘cause if he had, I’d have another bullet in me and would probably be dead. When Treyton was eventually declared missing, the police would look at CCTV and come after me. But by then, I’d have explained my predicament and this mess should be sorted.
But just in case, I twisted around and groaned at the pain in my arm. But we were outside the city and were the only car on the road.
The car smelled of hospital, but Treyton didn’t. He didn’t smell of anything. No sweat, cologne, or disinfectant. Maybe he’d showered and used an unscented body wash. He glanced at me, and my heart tightened. That should have been scary, but it was the opposite.
Not wanting to think about the weird actions my heart was performing, I slumped into the corner, but when a sign appeared for a truck stop, Treyton asked if he could go to a drive-through and order food for both of us.
“If you signal for help, I’ll invoke the wrath of La Luna Noir.” I wasn’t sure how to do that, but it sounded scary. “I’m part of the group too.”
His eyes bulged, and he shivered. “La Luna Noir.”
