by K. C. Lynn
“Okay.”
Just as he removes his foot for mine the SUV lurches forward from a hard impact. A scream escapes me as I try to keep the wheel steady.
“Motherfuckers.” Nick awkwardly finds a way to slide out from under me. When he’s only halfway over the console he points out the open back window and fires. In the rearview mirror I watch the SUV behind us swerve, they’re off our bumper now but are speeding up to come beside us.
“Don’t slow down, keep your foot heavy,” Nick orders before hitting the button to lower the passenger window.
With my heart in my throat I press down harder but it’s not hard enough because they manage to sideswipe us the same time Nick’s maneuvering out of the window. I jerk the wheel to keep us on the road and it almost sends him flying.
“Son of a bitch!”
A new fear sweeps over me. “Nick, are you okay?”
“I’m fine. Just worry about keeping us steady.”
I glance over to see him sitting in the open window, his top half out of the car. When a few more shots go off I scoot lower in the seat but then realize it’s from Nick’s gun. In the side mirror I watch the SUV spin out of control and flip over several times, landing in the ditch.
“Yes!” I cheer. “Take that, suckers.”
My foot eases off the gas, relief swamping me, but it’s short-lived when Nick falls back in. “Don’t slow down. I don’t know who else may be coming our way.”
I step back on the gas, not liking the sound of that. “Where am I going?”
“Just drive. I’ll tell you in a minute.” He pulls his phone from his pocket, putting it to his ear while looking behind us. “It’s me. I need your help.” He turns and hits the GPS on the dashboard, relaying our location. “Find me the closest car rental place and have a vehicle waiting for me. Preferably a truck, not SUV. Set it up under the department. This needs to be kept quiet and done fast. I don’t have time for paperwork.” A long pause. “Yeah, we’re coming your way. I should get there by morning. Be ready because I have one hell of a mind-fuck on my hands.”
By morning? Where are we going?
“Thanks.”
“Who was that?” I ask when he hangs up.
“My partner. He’ll call back in a few minutes with the address to the car rental.”
“Then what?”
He looks over at me. “Then we go to Florida.”
I tense. “Florida? Why the hell are we going there?”
“Because there we won’t have people looking for you and trying to kill you. There I’ll have access to information I can’t get anywhere else.”
“But I have work. My salon. I can’t—”
“Are you fucking crazy? Do you understand what just went down?” I tense, irritated with his tone. “You’re not going back until we figure out what the hell is going on.”
“What about Kolan?” I ask through clenched teeth, my throat clogged with emotion.
“I’ll have a better chance of finding him back home where I have more resources.”
If he’s anywhere to be found.
After what just went down, that’s my biggest fear. What if Kolan didn’t run away?
What if he’s dead?
CHAPTER TWELVE
Nick
I speed down the interstate as the early morning sun starts to rise. We passed the Florida border over an hour ago and only have about another forty minutes until we hit Ryder and Emily’s place. I’d say I’m exhausted from being up for over twenty-four hours but I’m not. I’m wired and plagued with a ton of questions that I have zero answers to.
I don’t fucking like it.
I glance over at Katelyn who’s passed out with her head against the window, her smooth olive skin pale with fear and exhaustion. Since leaving the rental place she’s barely said two words to me and has been out for most of the drive. Seeing her like this has rage heating my blood.
Today went from bad to worse. After leaving the salon, I went back to Annihilation to ask questions. Ricky Spencer was less than happy to see me again, but it’s interesting how compliant someone will be when you have the power to bring down their thriving business. However, I still didn’t end up with much more than I already knew. He told me Kolan was one of their best customers and owned a private room. It’s where he met Nikki, the chick claiming he raped and beat her. When I asked Spencer about their relationship his demeanor changed, he seemed…skittish. He told me at one point that Nikki was Kolan’s submissive but wanted out and he didn’t take it well. He barely looked me in the eye as he spewed the bullshit. It was easy to tell he was lying.
After I left there I went to the gym where Kolan trained. I hardly had a chance to question the fighters before the owner of the gym, who also ranks high on the board of the EFC, Bruce Warren, came down to greet me. He was more than eager to answer any questions I had and even quicker to speak about the supposed changes he saw in Kolan over the last few weeks. Said he became aggressive, even when out of the ring, and apparently they had suspicions about whether he was on something. According to Warren they wanted him to take a drug test in addition to their already standard testing but Kolan had refused.
Considering how our friendship ended, I’d be lying if I didn’t question the possibility that this was the truth. However, I don’t think he touched that bitch let alone raped her. I never did, not even when I first heard about it on the news, days before Katelyn called me. I might not know him anymore but I used to know him better than anyone else. The bastard may be into some kinky shit but nothing could drive him to rape a chick.
Nothing.
I didn’t like Warren. There was something about him that seemed off and it became more apparent when I asked to speak to Victor, Kolan’s trainer. No one else would have noticed the shift in him, but I did. It was subtle but there. When he said he hadn’t heard from Victor since Kolan disappeared I got the guy’s address and went to his place.
That’s when shit went from bad to worse.
I walked in to find him dead, his place ripped apart. After calling the cops I got the hell out of there, and went to Kolan’s where I saw his apartment the same way, minus the body.
Thank fuck for that!
After what went down I have no doubt Slade is being set up. I have no idea who’s behind all of it, but I’m going to find out because they just went and fucked with the wrong girl.
Another half hour passes when Katelyn finally stirs awake. She lifts the jacket I put over her, blinking at it in confusion before glancing over at me. “Hey.” Her soft sleepy voice does all sorts of shit to me.
Shit I don’t want to feel.
“Hey.” I lift the coffee I bought for her when I stopped for gas. “It’s probably cold now.”
“Thanks.” She takes it, tilting the cup to her lips.
“I got you a burger too but it was a while ago and I ate it because I got hungry,” I admit, feeling bad about it now.
“That’s okay,” she replies with a smile before looking at the clock on the dashboard. “Holy shit. Is that what time it is?”
“Yeah.”
She looks outside, finally taking notice of the rising sun. “Where are we?”
“We passed the Florida border around two hours ago. We’re almost at my partner’s house.”
“Sorry I slept so long. I don’t even remember crashing.”
I shrug. “It’s fine. You’ve been through a lot.”
“Yeah, must be all those people shooting at me. It’s exhausting.” She jokes, trying to make light of the situation, but there’s nothing funny about it.
“What the hell were you doing there, Katelyn? I told you to stay away.” My tone comes out harder than I intended, but I’m pissed off at the thought of what could have happened to her if I had not been there.
“I was checking on his place, trying to keep myself busy because you never called like you promised,” she snaps.
“I was a little fucking busy, you didn’t even give me a full twenty-fou
r hours.”
“Well you could have at least kept me updated. How the hell was I supposed to know what I was walking in on?”
“Because I warned you.”
“Lay off, Nick, I’ve put up with enough bullshit for one night. I don’t need any more.” Crossing her arms she turns away from me, staring out her window but not before I see hurt flicker in her eyes.
It makes me feel like shit.
“Look, I’m sorry. I don’t mean to be an asshole. I just hate that you’re caught up in this shit.”
“I don’t understand why I am,” she says quietly. “What the hell do they want with me? Or Kolan for that matter?”
“Did you recognize any of them?”
She shakes her head, her gaze remaining out her window. “Just Vince.”
I’m assuming this is the asshole who’s dead on Kolan’s floor right now.
“And who was he to you?”
The question has been plaguing me as much as all the others, especially after hearing what the bastard said about her. I know it’s ridiculous but I hate knowing she’s been with anyone else.
“He was a mistake I made a long time ago.” Her voice is soft yet thick with pain, reminding me of the accusation about the asshole putting his hands on her.
The thought makes me fucking violent.
“God, I can’t believe he’s dead. I can’t believe any of this.” She turns to me. “You believe me now, right? You believe Kolan is innocent after all this?”
I glance over, making eye contact. “I never doubted it, and I never once doubted you, but something is going on, Kate.”
“I know. None of it makes sense though.”
No, it doesn’t but it’s clear Kolan’s caught up in something and he’s pissed off the wrong people.
Things are silent as I pull up in front of Ryder and Emily’s two-story house that’s located in a quiet, safe neighborhood, mostly with young families like themselves.
“Maybe we should wait. I don’t want to wake him,” she says quietly.
“Believe me, they’re awake. They have a one-year-old.”
“They?”
“Yeah, he and his wife, Emily. Their daughter’s name is Rosa.”
She looks up at the house, seeming nervous. “Is it safe for us to be here when they have a child?”
“No one followed us, believe me, I would know.” She still doesn’t seem convinced. “They’re nice people, you’ll like them. Come on.”
I get out first, not giving her any other choice but to follow. She wraps her arms around herself as she steps into the brisk morning air, trying to keep warm. She’s still in the same outfit from the salon. Skin tight jeans that show every perfect curve, black tank top and those fuck me boots that drive me mad. Even after the clusterfuck we managed to escape from she still looks like every guys’s wet dream.
I walk back to her side of the truck, grabbing the sweater from the front seat and hand it to her.
“It’s okay.” She waves me away.
“Put it on, Katelyn.”
With a roll of her eyes she finally takes it. “Happy?”
I grunt as I turn to walk up to the door. No, I’m not happy. Not when I have a trail of dead bodies, assholes trying to shoot the only girl I’ve ever cared about, and a missing ex-best friend who is the only person who knows what the fuck is going on.
“I see you’re still so charming,” she mumbles, following close behind me.
That comment has a smirk tugging at my mouth. “And you’re still a smartass,” I murmur as I knock on the door, unable to help myself.
Ryder answers a moment later, still getting dressed.
Shit, maybe they were still in bed.
“Hey, come in,” he greets, stepping aside.
I guide Katelyn in with a hand to her back before stepping in behind her. “What, were you still in bed, sleeping beauty?”
He glares at me unimpressed. “In bed, yes. Sleeping, no. Thanks for that.”
I chuckle, completely unapologetic. It wouldn’t be the first and I’m sure it won’t be the last. I swear it’s all the asshole does every chance he gets. Before I can throw something back, Emily walks down the stairs. Summer, their yellow lab, is right next to her and Rosa’s in her arms, looking like she just woke up.
Shit, okay, maybe I feel bad now.
“Hi, Nick,” she greets with a soft smile, thankfully not pissed off at me for waking her kid up. She puts her free arm around my waist for a hug while holding Rosa in the other.
“Hey, Emily.” I return her hug then rub Rosa’s back. “Hey, kid.” Ryder is in serious trouble when this girl gets older. “This is Katelyn,” I introduce, placing my hand on the small of her back. “Katelyn, this is Emily; my partner, Ryder; and their daughter, Rosa.”
Ryder gives her a polite nod while Emily greets her warmly. “Hey, Katelyn.” Her smile turns knowing as she looks back at me. I quickly realize she recognizes her from the picture I have on my desk.
Fucking great.
She’s been asking questions about her for almost two years, questions I’ve been able to avoid. Until now.
“Hi,” Katelyn responds softly. “So sorry we woke you guys up.”
Emily waves her away. “You didn’t. She usually gets up around this time. Can I get you something to drink or eat?”
Katelyn starts shaking her head but I cut in. “Maybe something to eat for her.”
“I’m not hungry,” she says, glaring at me.
“You haven’t had anything since last night. You need to eat whether you like it or not.”
“Quit the demands, Nick,” she snaps. “I can speak for myself, thank you very much.”
We glare at one another and I’m just about to tell her to stop testing me when I realize an awkward silence has fallen. I look over to see Emily smiling in amusement and Ryder looking smug as hell. The poor kid stares back at us, not knowing what to think.
“He’s a bossy fucker, isn’t he?” Ryder muses with a shit-eating grin.
Katelyn graces him with a sassy smile. “Ah, I see you know him well.”
Ryder chuckles. “I like you. Come on,” he says with a lift of his chin. “You can eat breakfast with me, I’m having pizza from last night.”
Emily snickers but I find nothing funny about the fucker. “You don’t need to eat pizza. I could make pancakes?”
Ryder kisses her and takes Rosa in his arms. “It’s all right, baby, we’ll have pizza.”
“Pizza’s good with me,” Katelyn agrees, tossing a smirk in my direction. It makes me want to do all sorts of things to that mouth of hers.
I glare at them as they make their way into the kitchen.
“Don’t you dare feed any to Rosa,” Emily calls to his back.
I swing my gaze to her, seeing that knowing smile again. “Don’t say it,” I warn, but of course it makes no difference.
“I knew I’d meet her one day.”
“You know nothing. It’s not what you think.”
“Whatever you say,” she tosses back before turning and heading into the kitchen, too.
I have a feeling this is going to be a long fucking day.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Katelyn
After eating a slice of cold, leftover pizza that was actually quite good, I called Chantal before she could make it to the salon and asked her to reschedule appointments, telling her we were closing for a few days. Nick doesn’t feel like it’s safe at the moment and I agree. He also wouldn’t let me tell her why or where I was which made me feel even more guilty, but I promised to pay both her and Shawna for the time missed and I would keep them up-to-date. I feel sick about it and hope my clients understand. The last thing I could handle right now would be losing the only success I’ve ever had.
Nick begins relaying everything to Ryder while we all sit at the kitchen table.
“Whoa, wait a second.” Ryder holds up his hand and looks over at me. “You’re Kolan Slade’s sister? The heavyweight champion in the
EFC, Kolan Slade?” At my nod he looks back to Nick. “You used to be best friends with him?”
“What the hell do you know about EFC?”
He shrugs. “Enough that I know he’s not just any fighter. He’s the heavyweight champion. You’d think you would have mentioned it, for fuck’s sake.”
“Why the hell would I mention it?”
“Why wouldn’t you?” Ryder shoots back.
Emily looks over at me with an amused smile as Rosa excitedly bounces up and down on her lap while eating cheerios. “Don’t mind them, they do this often.”
I can’t help but smile back. I understand why Ryder and Nick get along so well, they’re a lot alike. But seeing how close they are also hurts because it makes me remember how close Kolan and he used to be.
Emily and Ryder seem like very nice people though. Their daughter is adorable and will grow up to be a heartbreaker, but that’s a given considering how attractive both Emily and Ryder are. Like Nick, Ryder doesn’t seem like the typical FBI agent. With brown, rumpled hair, unshaven jaw, dark green eyes and tattoos inking up both arms, he seems more like a bad boy. Emily’s unique ice blue eyes, heart-shaped face, regal features, and kind smile scream the opposite, but together they fit. The way he’s been looking at her, touching her any chance she’s near him, reminds me of how all my friends’s husbands are with them. It reminds me of what I hope to have one day.
“Whatever. Can we just get back to the task at hand please?” Nick asks, pulling me from my thoughts. My smile vanishes as he finishes relaying the rest of the night.
“Oh my god, you guys were shot at?” Emily gasps, looking horrified.
I nod, still not believing any of this myself.
“What do you think they were looking for?” Ryder asks Nick.
“I have no fucking clue but it’s clear they’re looking for something.”
“What about this guy they shot? What does he have to do with it?”
I take the opportunity to speak now. “Probably because he gave me the location of the club where this Nikki girl works. That would be my only guess because my brother has never had anything to do with him.”