Page 73 of Collide

The first thing I saw when I stepped into the rear car park was a darkvan parked up.

The second thing I saw was a dead man walking holding Riley by thethroat.

Time seemed to stand still as the man holding her snapped hisattention to me, recognition dawning on his face.

And then the cunt ran.

Riley’s limp body fell to the floor and for a split second, I was tornbetween going after him or going to help her. But when she gasped for air, I knew I had to get to her.

“Get him!” I roared at the three men behind me as I started to runtoward her. They too had been in some kind of stupor until I yelled and then they burst into action. “Do not fucking let him get away!”

Hendrix and Danny took off after the retreating figure of the man whohad made it to a fence and had started to climb it like he was fuckingSpiderman, they didn’t hesitate to follow, and the last I saw of them as I reached Riley, was them disappearing over the other side.

“Riley!”I fell to the floor next to her and pulled her into my arms, the delicate skin of her neck was mottled from where the bastard had throttled her. I could make out the outline of his fucking fingers and I silently vowed that I would break every single bone in his hands for daring to lay a finger on her.

Her head lolled like she had no control of it and her eyes were onlyopen just a fraction, but she was alive and that was all that mattered.

“I’ve got you, baby, take deep breaths,” I coaxed.

Her breath was shallow so I sat her up, leaning her back against mychest and opening up her lungs to get oxygen into her. She gasped for air in between panicked sobs and I whispered in her ear trying to calm her down so she could control her breathing.Her perfect face was smeared with streaks of black where tears hadspilled down her face, and all I wanted to do was kiss away her pain.

Miles hovered over us, gun in hand and phone in the other which hewas intently staring at, but I couldn’t look at him for long because I wanted to ring his neck. He was supposed to be keeping an eye on her.

“Kai….” she whimpered. Hearing the pain in her voice felt like I hadjust been stabbed through the heart.

“It’s okay, Riley, you’re safe now, I’ve got you,” I reassured her.

As she took in more air, her tiny hands gripped my arms that wereholding her to me.

“That…was….Anderson,” she managed to get out between sobs.

I froze.

Motherfucker.

“Fuck!” Miles suddenly shouted, echoing my thoughts exactly.

He started tapping at his phone again before walking away from us, shouting down the phone to either Hendrix or Danny to make sure they had caught up with the bastard.

I turned my attention back to Riley, as much as I wanted to go afterAnderson myself, I trusted my men to do their job. Besides, Riley needed me.She had managed to get her breath back and her sobs had calmed tobarely a whimper. I moved her, just enough so I could look at her face. Her eyes were red and filled with tears, and that’s when I saw the start of a bruise on her cheek, making me see red all over again.

I would kill the cunt for hurting her, and I would make sure it was anextremelyslow andverypainful death.

I held her against me, rocking her gently and stroking her back toconsole her. It was the first time I had been gentle with someone in my entire fucking life, but my Star needed it. Big fat tears rolled down her cheeks and I wanted nothing more thanto be able to erase the last ten minutes, to go back to when I kissed her on the dance floor. I should have told Johnson to fuck off and taken her home, I should have followed her to the fucking bathroom, I should have insisted she wasn’t left alone.

It was a mistake I wouldn’t be making again.Riley would have a permanent shadow attached to her ass from nowon,nothingwould ever happen to my girl again.

Time ticked passed as I sat there holding Riley, she clung to me likeshe was worried I was going to disappear despite my constant reassurance I wasn’t going to leave her.Eventually, Miles walked back to us.

“Frank is bringing the car around and Doctor Harris is on his way tothe apartment, he’ll meet you there.”

My only response was to give him a curd nod, I was grateful he hadarranged that but there would be consequences for Miles’ ineptitude tonight.

“Did they catch him?” I finally asked, disdain heavy in my voice.

Miles shook his head, guilt flashing across his face before heanswered. “He got into a car, Boss, they couldn’t get to him in time.”

It was only the fact Riley held on to me so tightly that I didn’t launchmyself at Miles and throttle him untilhehad no air left in his lungs.

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