Page 250 of Rival Hero

I cut a glance in her direction and try to infuse calmness into my tone. “I’ll be back soon. Sit tight and wait on the couch. Okay? There’s no need to panic.”

The word triggers a memory, and my eyes flit to the small gray panic button by the door. I should be able to hit it on my way out, and Klein or whoever at HQ he has monitoring it will know something is wrong. They’ll send someone to care for his mother.

She’s going to be fine.

I’ve done everything I can to guard her. Just like I told Cal I would.

If I don’t make it, I hope he knows I kept my promise to protect her. I hope he forgives me again.

On the way out, I look at Charlotte once more, hoping to draw Lisa’s gaze away from me for the split second I need to tap the panic button.

“Bye, Charlotte. You relax now, okay?”

It works.

I successfully reach under the umbrella rack by the door and tap the hidden button without drawing any attention.

Cunty McWhorebitch, or whatever her name is, shoves me into the back seat of her car at gunpoint. She couldn’t care less who sees her with the damn gun at this point.

This woman has the biggest balls in the sack.

I’m attempting to sit up straight to take a crack at her when something pricks me in the back of my neck.

Warmth spreads from the spot, coating my veins and soothing my muscles in a delicious high. It feels too good for me to be scared.

My chest grows heavy, and then it’s nothing.

Nothing but darkness.

Chapter49

I like it when you're rough with me

MIA

Splash.

The first thing I notice other than the gush of water pouring over me is the pain. Skull-splintering pain. Did I get cranked on a triple-layer wedding cake with meth frosting last night?

Why is my head spinning?

And is there a hippo sitting on my chest?

Splash.

Another wave of frigid water slaps me in the face and drips down my chest. I try to wipe it away, but my hands won’t move.

“Jesus! Fuck!” I sputter as my eyelids flicker open. Immediately, I blink to shy away from the two-hundred-megawatt light bulbs they must have hung in this place.

“There she is. Time to wake up.”

Right when I spot the source of that wretched voice, yet another bucket of cold water socks me in the mouth.

I cough and turn away, attempting to inhale air instead of liquid. Once the oxygen returns to my lungs, I curse her out. “What the fuck is your problem? Enough with the water. I’m not a freaking sea animal, you twat!”

“Just making sure you’re nice and alert for our talk. We don’t have much time before they get here.”

Not a fan of how she said that. Who is coming?

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