Page 42 of His Deadly Lies

Behind me, Bash flips out a knife and, without further ado, jams it into the top of the man’s thigh. The driver howls.

“They have my wife!” he screeches out. “Please. Stop.”

I hold up a hand to still Bash from driving the knife further into the man’s flesh.

“They have my wife and said they’d kill her if I didn’t stop. I swear it.” Tears leak down the driver’s face. “Please. Please, you have to believe me. They have her.”

“Who?” I demand sharply, vaguely aware of Carter moving closer behind me for backup.

“I don’t know. It was all through burner phones.” The driver shakes his head, the hat toppling off to the floor. For some reason, that bothers me. The hat, how clean it looks.

My hands are claws at my sides. “Where was the stop? I’m not going to be able to help you get your wife back if you won’t tell me.”

His wife is a goner.

A pit opens in my stomach, and something cold settles there, but it’s true. Sadly…she’s collateral damage.

“The mount pleasant rest stop off of Highway 60,” the man eventually says. “We were told to pull off and head to the restroom. The call came through saying they were going to kill her if we did nothing.”

I straighten, knowing the hard part has just arrived. The driver, and everyone else who was around when the call came through the burner phone, are dead men walking. They cannot be allowed to continue working for us because they’ve been compromised, and having it happen once means he may be exploited in the future.

Even if a miracle happens and we get his wife back. Although I’m willing to bet…she’s already gone. Everything inside of me goes cold. This is part of the job, yes, part of the life. It’s the fact that I don’t have a problem ordering the death of so many men. One magazine, that’s all it will take to clean up this mess.

When did I become so heartless?

When did the cost of business stop bothering me?

The driver turns his pleading and tear-stained face up to mine.

I glance at Bash, and he knows what’s happening too. “Bash, can you get him cleaned up?” I whisper.

He nods, knowing exactly what I need from him. I stare at the other men who reach for their guns with a nod of acknowledgment.

“Text me to debrief once you and the boys are done.” I pat Bash on the arm and breeze past Carter.

Fully expecting him to fall in line behind me.

We’re out of sight of the men and back in the main hallway before he grabs me by the elbow and yanks me into one of the linen closets lining the hallway. I don’t even have a chance to scream before his hand slaps across my mouth.

12

CARTER

Even in the dim light of the closet, I note Mia’s glare, feel the way her lips peel back from her teeth like she’s a second away from trying to gnash against my palm.

The way she stiffens in my grasp like she doesn’t enjoy being manhandled…I fight back a smirk.

Trust me, sweetheart, if I’m the one touching you, you’ll enjoy it.

I shove the thought aside. “Are you out of your mind?” I growl at her.

She blinks those giant brown eyes at me, innocent and adorable and a fucking liar, and I slowly draw my hand away from her mouth. “What do you mean?” she snaps back.

“That was arrogant of you,” I continue. “And stupid.”

She arches a brow. “Which part?”

A challenge, then. “Your man could have had a weapon. I notice you’re not packing any heat tonight. What would have happened if he chose to shoot you when you got close?”

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