Page 81 of Bossy Trouble

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Why the hell would I tell you anything?” I scoffed. “In case you didn’t notice, we haven’t been friends for a long time.”

“Yes, but I helped you build this company, and I think I have a right to know—”

“You don’t have the right to know dick. And it’s not my fault that my father fucked up.”

“Your father?” But before we could expound on the idea, my phone rang. It was Cole. I let out a curse. I’d completely forgotten. Today, I was supposed to meet with the men who were supposed to be protecting Georgia. That was probably what he was calling about.

“Now’s not a good time,” I said when I answered the phone.

“Well, you should know something. One of my guys just saw somebody take off with someone who I think was your girl.”

My entire body went cold as his words slammed into me. “What do you fucking mean?”

The world got smaller and smaller as Cole relayed the story of what his men reported. They’d been in the parking lot when they saw it—a man dressed as a janitor coming out with a suspicious sack over his shoulder. The guy looked really shifty, and instead of taking it to the trash, he brought it out to his car. It looked like a human body, and Cole’s men said that it looked like a woman. One of them went in to check the security cameras. Georgia was knocked out and taken.

“Ellen!” I barked, and she appeared at the door, shocked.

“Call the police right now! Have them put out a search party and block the highways. I don’t care if you have to call the fucking mayor to do it. Get it done.”

“Wait, Donovan…” Cole said on the phone as Ellen blinked in confusion. “Don't do that. If they think we’ve caught on, they might kill her and stash her body to hide their tracks.”

I paled. Jesus, I was going to be sick just thinking about it. What had I done? What the fuck did I get Georgia involved in?

“Besides, I think I know where she is,” Cole added.

Hope and urgency speared through me. “Well, are you going to keep me in fucking suspense, or are you going to just spit it out already?”

“I’m getting into it, man. Calm down. Dean, one of my men, is following them as we speak. They’re headed toward World’s End.”

That was a secluded spot with no cameras. They might be trying to take her to another location from there. I couldn’t afford to lose her.

Shit. It might be too late at that point. I knew what I had to do because there was no way I was letting anything happen to Georgia. If anything happened to her, I just might die.

“Tell your guy to keep at it.” I hung up abruptly and punched in another number.

“What are you doing?” Lupin asked in a quiet tone, but I didn’t even look at him. Everything was focused on saving Georgia, even if it meant I had to bargain my life for hers.

Don Carlo, the enforcer of the Sicario Mafia, picked up on the sixth ring, probably enjoying the idea of me sweating it out. “Your call came a little earlier than expected.”

I wasn’t in the mood to joke with him. “You want to deal. Let’s deal.”

* * *

The meeting spotwas at World’s End, as predicted.

When we got there, Georgia was unconscious, her body in a sack at their feet.

I nearly saw red at the sight of it, but I told myself to keep calm. At least she was still breathing. I couldn’t afford to lose it at this point. Georgia’s life hung in the balance.

Lupin insisted on coming with me. The man had watched far too many cop movies to stay out of this, and he threatened to call the police if I didn’t let him come. I didn’t want police interference now. I knew how the Sicarios operated. If Don Carlo got wind that we’d called the police, he might hurt Georgia.

And then I would end him and myself.

Don Carlo stood with two of his men at the edge of the forest. He was an average-looking non-descript middle-aged man, someone who looked just as civilian as anyone else.

Until you looked into his eyes. Because his gaze was significantly reptilian.

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