Page 57 of Queen of Anarchy (Dirty Broken Savages 2)

20

River

Another few days go by,and we’re still working our way through the guest list from the gala, although we’re still coming up empty most of the time.

Well, the guys are coming up empty, and I’m… still tailing Julian.

It’s become a habit, and not a healthy one. I can admit that to myself. It’s something like a crutch to ease my inner turmoil and keep me from feeling so damn lost. Like if I don’t have someone to track and hunt down, I’ll have no purpose. No reason for going on.

I realize during all of this that I never really planned for what would happen after I crossed the last name off my list. That goal was all that was driving me, pushing me forward, and I never really took the time to think about life afterward. If I’m completely honest, I can also admit that maybe I just didn’t think there wouldbemuch of a life afterward.

I was totally okay with burning myself out to make sure it got done, even if that meant there wasn’t anything left of me in the aftermath. Even if I died in the attempt, as long as I took the last fucker standing with me.

But it’s done, and thereissomething left, and when I think about stopping what I’m doing, I get that jangly anxious feeling in my chest that not even cutting can fix.

So I’m still tailing Julian, watching his comings and goings, his routines becoming my own.

I’m ashamed of how stupid it makes me, though. This inability to let go and move on. I haven’t told any of the guys what I’m doing. Not even Knox and Gage, who might understand, although for different reasons. Things between us have been weirdly good lately, which is strange but feels comfortable in its own way. Going back to the house when I’m done following Julian around feels right, and I don’t want to ruin that.

Today, I’m in my car behind him, following him to wherever it is he’s going. Usually he’s doing business, going to various locations and staying for a while before heading off. His sister is often there too, and I swear to god, that woman is like a mannequin come to life. I think I’ve only seen her make two facial expressions in the entire time I’ve been following her brother.

This time she’s not with him, though, and he’s going someplace I’ve never seen him go before. That catches my interest. Maybe this isn’t about his legit business, but something having to do with his illegal dealings. I’m not sure exactly what those are, and none of my digging has unearthed answers yet.

Most days, I hang back, watching him from a distance, but I follow a bit more aggressively now, not wanting to let him slip out of my sight.

I hang back enough to not be seen, but I don’t let him get too far away either.

His car heads down a winding side street in a dilapidated part of town and then stops in front of a building I don’t recognize. The place looks deserted, but I’m on alert. There are plenty of shadows where things could be happening. It’s one of those pockets of Detroit that’s run-down from old businesses moving out and nothing coming into replace them yet.

A perfect place for covert deals and trades to be made without anyone being the wiser.

Hunkering down in my seat, I watch Julian emerge from his car. He walks to the end of the road and stops, glancing both ways before turning the corner and striding down the cross street.

Fuck.

I briefly debate starting my car back up and following him that way, but now that he’s out of his vehicle, it would be harder to stay inconspicuous in my own.

I wonder if he’s meeting someone here or picking something up. Or maybe scoping the place out to see if it’ll work for some purpose he has that I don’t know about. It could be anything, and curiosity tugs at me like a magnetic pull. Slipping out of my car and closing the door quietly, I cross the street to put a bit more distance between us and then start slowly following the route Julian took.

When I reach the corner he turned at, I glance down the street surreptitiously. Julian is up ahead, his back to me and far enough away that I don’t think he’ll sense my presence. Sticking close to the buildings on one side of the street, I start tailing him.

But before I make it more than five steps, a body slams into mine.

Fuck.

Adrenaline surges through me, and I realize immediately that this isn’t some unrelated attack. Julian must have figured out I was following him. Smarter than his dad then, because Lorenzo never knew up until the point when I was killing him.

The man who attacked me has me wrapped in a bear hug, and as I fight against his hold, another man joins him, both of them trying to drag me away from the street. It’s pure instinct to fight back. I thrash in their hold, kicking and clawing at their hands until they let me go. I manage to scramble away, but they’re on me again a second later.

“No,” I snarl, the sound wild and furious, like a trapped animal. “No!”

I’m not going down without a fight. I never fucking do.

My limbs strain even harder against the hold my captors have on me, and I manage to headbutt one guy in the face. He curses thickly, but his friend punches me hard in the kidney in retaliation, forcing a pained grunt from my lips.

“Get her under control.”

A cool voice cuts through the grunts and muffled curses as I try to fight off my attackers, and I realize Julian is standing close by.

He knew he was being followed. I’m sure of it now. He lured me into a trap, leading me to a desolate part of town so his goons could jump me. My chest heaves with my heavy breathing, and my heart feels like it’s about to explode out of my chest. I give it everything I have, trying to force my way free of their hold, but they have the advantage of surprise, and there are too many of them.

A sharp needle stings at my neck, and although I have no idea what the fuck they’re injecting me with, I feel the effects of it immediately. The world wavers around me, shimmering like a mirage.

“Take her to the house,” Julian orders.

It’s the last thing I hear.

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