Page 59 of Crimson Wrath

“Please.” Her breath is coming fast. “I’ve got kids. Please…”

“I don’t see why that should bother me.” I’m not backing down. “Where is she?”

Lena shakes her head, her mouth opening and closing.

“Where! Is! She?” I roar, shooting forward and grabbing the front of her shirt. She screams as I haul her over the bar counter.

“I don’t… I can’t… He’ll kill me!” she chokes past the grip of my fist.

“Woman,Iwill kill you!” I’m not making idle threats.

Next to her, Luka is toying with the tip of his blade. Lena is shaking like a leaf in my grasp, further wetting her jeans.

“Lady, you’d better spit it out. I can’t control these guys,” Carl tells her.

“He… he’s got her at a place just outside town. An old abandoned homestead where Hector and his boys used to hang. Hector told him about it. Please, I had nothing to do with it.” The words almost run into each other she’s speaking so fast. “That’s all I know, I swear that’s all I know. Please…oh God, please! My babies. I’ve got babies!” she babbles.

I drop her like a stinking stone and wipe my hand down my shirt to scrape off the feeling of filth she’s left there.

“Tell Luka how to get there,” I say mildly, as if I hadn’t just had her windpipe clasped in my fist. I need to get my anger back under control.

“Yes, yes,” she nods vigorously, tendrils of her pale hair clinging to her tear-streaked face. “Here. It’s here.” She’s pulled out a battered old map book and is pointing out a spot on a page.

What the fuck.

Do people even use maps anymore?

“Got it, boss.” Luka nods.

“Good girl.” A satisfied smile tugs at my lips, though there’s no warmth behind it. Turning away from Lena, I glance at Carl and Luka before looking back at her. “If you get on the line to Cartwright as soon as we leave here, I will come back for you. And I will kill you.”

Relief mingled with fear flickers across her face.

“Thank you, sir. Thank you!” She’s nodding eagerly from Carl to me and then to Luka. “I won’t call. I promise.”

“It’s your lucky day,suka,” Luka sneers. “I would have gutted you.”

She swallows hard and then looks down at the floor, keeping her eyes averted as we turn away.

“Jesus. Do people like that actually exist in real life?” Carl is shaking his head as we head to the door.

“Welcome to my world.” My lip curls. Then I slant a side eye at him. “You realize you’re a fucking jewel thief?”

“What? You never heard of honor among thieves?”

Behind us, Luka gives a dry chuckle.

As we exit the bar, the chill of the air outside bites at my skin, but I hardly notice. My mind races with thoughts of Scarlett, trapped and helpless, her torment fueling my wrath.

Cartwright will pay for what he’s done.

The car’s engine roars to life, a beast unleashed upon the world.

We speed down the highway, tires screeching against the asphalt, my heart pounding in tandem with the thrum of the engine.

Time is running out for Scarlett, and we must reach her before Cartwright has a chance to do whatever he’s planning to do with her.

I don’t want to think about what that might be.

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