Page 6 of Torqued Off

“Hades!” I shake my wrist but his hand holds firm. “Let me fucking go. Now!”

He stops and when he turns, I know what he sees. I’ve seen it in the mirror before.

“Fuck.” His hand releases me.

I stumble back. My arms wrap my mid-section and I shake. My brain shuts down like dominos falling. Click, click, done. My heart ramps to a feverish pitch. My eyes dart to every corner of the alleyway. I want to run. I want to lash out.

But I won’t.

He slowly approaches. “Bree, I’m so…”

As I inhale my next shaky breath, his pupils dilate, and before I realize what’s happening, he throws me over his shoulder and I’m even more confused and scared than ever. My chest ricochets against his shoulder as he darts between two buildings. He slips me down his body and shields me with his. Bullets ping through the air and motorcycle tires scream toward us.

“Do you trust me, Bree?” he asks.

“I don’t know…”

His lips press softly to mine. “Baby, I don’t have time to explain, but need you to trust me. Please, Bree.”

The way his voice softens when he gets close makes me want to give him anything he wants.

I nod.

He slips his hand into mine and gives a squeeze. “If I say hit the ground, just do it.”

I quickly bob my head.

His lips hit my forehead. “And I’m sorry for earlier. I forgot…”

Forgot? Forgot what?

I keep up with him even when he picks up the pace. He swings open the backdoor of a place I’m familiar with, Graffiti Street Tattoo. Artists in the breakroom look up from their phones and magazines.

“Hey, what the…” I don’t recognize the guy, but as soon as he sees Hades he shuts up.

“Cray, hey, man, I need a place to hide for a few.”

What the hell has he gotten me into?

My phone buzzes in my pocket.

Gia: Just got a call from Beck, he says you left Quinn with him and headed off with Hades. What’s going on?

Gia: And now he says there’s gunfire outside… you okay?

I really don’t know…

4HADES

Cray nods to the right.“Empty apartment upstairs.” I pull Bree along to a door. Inside, there’s a set of stairs and I start taking them two at a time.

“Jesus, Hades, slow down. Your stride is about six of mine.”

I slow marginally. I have to get her away from that…I have to make her safe.

She needs to be away from the danger.

But the danger is all around us.

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