Page 14 of Regret

Reaching the end of his patience, Hunter kneed him in the gut, causing the guy to spit up more blood. “Listen, Blow Me, stop with this wholeriddle me this,riddle me thatbullshit and start talking straight.”

“My name is Jeff.”

“I prefer Blow Me. Now, unless you would like to get reacquainted with the fucking gravel, you’d better tell me exactly what the fuck is going on.”

“Look, man, all I know is that this girl is special to Wolfe somehow. I don’t know why or what the story is with this woman, but I know he’s been searching for her for years and not a day goes by that he doesn’t stare at this one picture he has of her. It’s fucking creepy.”

“Why is she running from him?”

“I don’t know, man. All I know is that he has a fuck load of people looking for her, and our orders are to bring her to him alive.”

Hunter let go of Jeff’s collar and rubbed his chin, his brain rushing in a million different directions. Suddenly nothing about this job made any sense. Now he was convinced that the suspicion he felt when he talked to Scarlet back at the bar wasn’t just a case of him being paranoid. Something was up, and he needed to figure out what the hell was going on.

Determined to get some answers, Hunter took an intimidating step forward, towering over the asshole whose nose wouldn’t stop bleeding. “He let you follow me, hoping I would lead you to her?”

Jeff nodded his head as he cracked his jaw from side to side.

“Where were you supposed to take her?”

“No way, man. I’m not talking anymore.”

With narrowed eyes, Hunter stared at him speculatively. “You’re scared of this Wolfe guy, aren’t you?”

Jeff looked up with a big oldduhexpression on his face. “Uh, yeah. Do you even know who the fuck this guy is? Dude, you don’t fuck with a man like Wolfe.”

Sure, Hunter had done a little background check on this guy before he accepted the job, but there was nothing that had him thinking this guy was trouble. His background was squeaky clean. No record. No warrants of arrest. Not even a fucking unpaid parking ticket. Nada.

“I don’t get it.” Hunter pulled his hand through his hair. “Wolfe is nothing but an ex-Marine.”

Jeff gave a step back and glanced at his two partners who were still unconscious on the ground. “Listen, man, I’m done.” He held up his hands. “You can fucking smash my face any way you’d like, but I ain’t talking anymore.”

Hunter could see that he wouldn’t get any more information out of Jeff. There was no mistaking the distinct look of fear on the guy’s face—which was no longer because of Hunter’s threats, but because of Wolfe.

“Fine.” Hunter let out a breath. “Get the fuck out of here before I change my mind and let you join your friends over there.”

Jeff backed up slowly, never taking his eyes off Hunter.Smart man.

Just as it seemed like Blow Me was about to bolt in the other direction, he stopped and turned back around. “Wolfe is hell-bent on finding this girl. If you ask me, she needs some serious protection. Tonight.”

And with that, the guy sprinted off into the dark, leaving Hunter with a head full of unanswered questions.

Hunter had no idea what the fuck he had just gotten himself into. But this guy had just left him with one big-ass red, flashing warning sign saying that Scarlet was in serious danger…and that he had to find her.Now.