Page 114 of Fury

“I need to find her.”

“I don’t know any Ashley.”

“I know a Ciara,” I said and his jaw tightened ever so slightly. “Shouldn’t you be at The Vine right now listening to her sing her cabaret songs? Don’t worry, one of my men is there, hanging on every note that comes out of that mouth.”

His eyes hardened and went to my patches. “Why should I talk to you? Are you after Ashley to kill her?”

“Did you force her to rat for you?

“I never forced her to do anything.”

My pulse ratcheted up a hundred notches. “I’m sure you laid all sorts of pretty words on her. Threatened her. She isn’t stupid, but she’s vulnerable.”

“She’s made of steel,” he said, his voice clear, sharp. Did he think he was telling me something new? Something I didn’t already know?

I took in a deep breath against the idea of this douche knowing my woman. Knowing her in any way at all.

My hand snaked around his throat and tightened there. “She’s disappeared, and I think you helped her get new ID and take off.”

Turo’s forehead wrinkled, his eyes sheets of tinted glass. “Who the fuck are you?” His tone was cold, it was hard, but it wasn’t defensive. It was protective. He was protecting Serena.

I got in his face. “I’m the one who got her out of that shithole. I’m the one who got her to Chicago.”

His eyes flared. “You’re the one?”

Had I answered a mystery he’d been wanting to solve?

My hand fell from his throat. “I’m the one.”

“I’ve been wondering who was crazy enough to go in there and get her out.”

“Someone with nothing left to lose.”

He smiled at me, his eyebrows lifting, his features relaxing for the first time. “I don’t know where she is. She didn’t tell me where she was going.”

“Her new name. That’s what I want from you. I want her name. You put her in danger by having her rat. If I figured it out, I’m sure her old club isn’t too far behind. Were you going to protect her once they came gunning for her? I doubt it. Would’ve gotten your suit messy. I figure you would’ve left her hanging in the wind. She took a risk, and it paid off for you big, didn’t it? For her? Not so sure.”

He gestured at me with his chin. “They did that to you? You were there with her, and they—”

“Yes.”

“Hmm.” He studied me.

“Believe me, I’m glad you’ve been making Medicine Man tap dance to your beat. Like it a lot. That sick fuck deserves that and much, much more.”

“It’s been a long, joy-filled ride. I wanted him to suffer first, have him watch his little paper kingdom rip and burn around him. Now his time is up.”

“I need to make sure she isn’t your collateral damage,” I said.

“I’ve had eyes and ears on Med’s crew for a while. There’s been no chatter about Rena. None. She’s good. Wherever she is.”

“I’m supposed to believe you give a shit.”

“I give way more than a shit. Where were you when she needed help?”

My vision went red, and I roared, “I’ve been in jail the past three years!”

His brow wrinkled again. “They came after her. That’s why she came to me, to clean it up. Her wanting new ID came later.”

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