Page 22 of Collide

“Riley, baby. We can do this the easy way or the hard way, either way,youwillbe leaving here with me.”

I took a step closer to her and her scent invaded my nostrils. A mix ofstrawberries and sunscreen, unfortunately, mingled with the smell of garbage and stale beer. She tipped her head back to look up at me, her chin jutting out in defiance.

“I’ll say it again,Kai. I’m not going with you,” she hissed.

This time, I couldn’t stop the smirk from gracing my lips. I was soused to people addressing me as ‘Boss’ or ‘Mr. Wolfe’ that it took me by surprise when she called me by my name. I was not one to back away from a challenge and if Riley wanted to take the hard way, then so be it.

I moved quickly, not giving her a chance to react.

Lunging forward and bending down, I grabbed her around her slenderthighs, lifted her up, and threw her whole body over one shoulder.

“The hard way it is then.”

The girl weighed next to nothing, her shock at being manhandledquickly turned to anger as she pounded on my back and screeched demands to be put down.

She didn’t have much strength in her punches, I barely acknowledgedher fists thumping against my back and all her efforts did was make me chuckle.

Frank, who had stayed by the entrance of the alley this whole timedutifully popped the trunk of the car. Hell, I’d intended on putting her in the back with me so we could have a civilized conversation, but this would certainly show her that I wasn’t taking any shit.

The sound of the trunk popping attracted Riley’s attention.

“Put me down, you bastard!” she squealed and pounded harderon my back.

I accepted that putting her in the trunk was going to get us off on thewrong foot but I had to show her who was in charge here.

It wasn’t her.

Lowering her gently into the trunk, I had a brief glimpse of herbeautiful face which was now contorted to a look of pure rage.

Even so, she was still possibly the most stunning woman I had everlaid eyes on.

“Don’t you dare shut me in here!” she cried, somewhat pointlessly.

I gave her a wicked smile before closing the lid on her, her cursesaimed at me faded away as the lid locked back into place.

Chapter 7

Riley

Howthefuckhadthis happened?

I mean, seriously!

How the fuck had my night gone from being covered in beer to beinglocked in the trunk of the car of the man who owned the goddamn city?

How can a man even own the city anyway?

Urgh.

I tried to move in the confined space of the trunk but there was hardlyany room. At least he hadn’t tied my hands and legs together, I guess that was some small relief.

The trunk was pitch black so I could barely make out my hands infront of my face. I managed to turn on my side and feel around, trying to find a release button or something.

Weren’t cars supposed to be equipped with releases so it wasn’tpossible for someone to be kept in the trunk?

I couldn’t find anything of the sort but that was no surprise, this wasn’tan ordinary man we were talking about here, of course his car was going to be well prepared to keep a prisoner in the trunk.

Prisoner.

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