Wanted: An Outlaw Anthology

by Lane Hart

  She hesitated before stammering, “The girl. He says to bring the girl.”

  The insanity of my emotional turmoil faded.

  Kira wasn’t here, but Sasha didn’t have her yet, either. What did that mean? I gathered all my logic, as I struggled to put the pieces together.

  Tess was lying, that much was obvious, but I’d thought I’d had everything else figured out. I’d thought Kira’s wild nature had made sense. Her story about her sister and her niece had pulled me in, given me purpose, and made me feel like a protector. But maybe I wasn’t as good at this shit as I thought.

  Maybe my days of playing hero really were in my past.

  Grabbing my bag from its spot on the floor, I dug past my change of clothes for the weapon I had buried—the gun I was never caught without. I sighed with relief when my fingers grazed the barrel.

  “Where?” I grunted to Tess as I continued searching through the rest of my things.

  “I don’t know where we are. It’s a warehouse. He says he’ll text the location.”

  My eyes landed on the dresser where, instead of the fob for a Lamborghini, sat a knife in a leather sheath.

  I threw the bag back to the floor, anger and frustration getting the better of me.

  I was screwed. A barrage of clamoring emotions had taken over and I was struggling to maintain my composure.

  “Tell him he’s going to have to wait.”

  “What?” Tess screeched.

  “He’s not the only one missing something. Someone stole my fucking car.”

  And my goddamned mind.

  Kira

  My cheek exploded with pain as Sasha’s heavy fist landed another blow. It wasn’t the first time he’d hit me in our lifetime together, but I’d hoped I’d already felt the last of his wrath.

  I’d wanted out from under him. Away from his manipulation and lies.

  I’d thought it was possible. Thought I could get away.

  Fuck, for a hot minute, I thought I had.

  But Bodhi was right. God, fuck him, why did the cocky bastard have to be right all the time? But he was, and because he was, I couldn’t stay with him and hope things turned out all right.

  Nik could find Anna—he likely would—and then Bodhi and I would both end up dead, Anna would be taken, and she and Nori would never see daylight again. I couldn’t even think about what might happen to Gigi. It was never hard for men like Nik and Sasha to get the things they wanted. They didn’t care what the price was, they were always willing to pay with someone else’s blood.

  Sasha stared at me, a drop of spit sticking to the corner of his lip as he seethed. His features that I’d once thought handsome were now a mask of hatred. The scowl he wore seemed permanently etched to his face. Color had risen to his neck and his cheeks, red splotches against his fair skin, showcasing his anger.

  I was prepared for another strike, ready to absorb his fury, but his attention was stolen when the bimbo with the fake tits and bottled blond hair sauntered into the room.

  “I thought you’d be done with her by now,” she whined.

  Tess the fucking traitor spoke as though she were safe. She thought her body and her connections gave her the upper hand. Like opening her legs for Sasha guaranteed her security in this fucked up scheme.

  God, she was so stupid.

  Sasha’s smile was disturbingly polite, ridiculously charming. “Yes, you’re right,” he agreed. “I shouldn’t get carried away.”

  He was completely out of character around her. Or at least, putting on his usual good show. It made me sick. He’d always been good at faking his way out of trouble, but over the years, I’d come to realize it was more than boyish pranks or childish fibs. He was the dirtiest and deadliest kind of criminal. One without a conscience, who believed his own lies.

  He was psychotic.

  Worse. He was a psychopath with ambition.

  Sasha Belkin was no longer happy as second in command, carrying out Nikolai’s orders. He was tired of being a lacky for a man he thought had grown too soft. Sasha had gone rogue, and Nik had no idea.

  Fuck, no one even knew where Nik was.

  No one but Sasha.

  Movement on one of the security cameras caught Tess and Sasha’s attention. A bank of monitors was set up along the wall, and a dark figure moved stealthily from one picture to the next.

  “Finally,” Tess sighed. “I didn’t think he was going to show.”

  My stomach sank when I recognized Bodhi in the grainy image. His long stride slowed as he moved toward his rented Lamborghini, still parked where I’d left it, outside of the warehouse Sasha was calling home-base.

  Even on the small black and white monitor, Bodhi looked larger than life. Like a savior on a mission. A man out for blood.

  The picture suddenly flashed bright, followed by a booming explosion that rattled the overhead windows, knocked out the cameras, and shook me to my very core.

  I stared in disbelief at the static on the screens, hoping, praying that they’d come back on line and set my mind ease. But they only flickered, mocking me with their black and white snow and the reflection of Sasha’s smug smile.

  “What did you do?” I choked.

  “What did I do?” he sneered, turning to me with virulent eyes and ready fists. “What about you, Kira? After everything I’ve done for you—keeping your niece and your grandmother hidden and keeping you out of harm’s way. Letting you live your life. Without me. I’ve loved you, Kira. Loved you my whole life, even though you’ve run away. Even though you’ve failed me, time and time again.

  “This…” he seethed, his breath heavy as he waived his hand toward the blinking bank of screens. “This is what happens when you fuck with my head. The question isn’t what I did, Kira. The question is, what did you do?”

  God, he truly was a madman. A death wielder.

  My husband.

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I denied. “I tried to get the location of Bowen’s drug lab. I did it for you. But those stupid fuckers you had tailing me shot at me. They shot Stasevich, too. They killed him before I could get your information, yet, I still went to Alexander’s place, putting myself at risk for you—to get you what you wanted.”

  “No, Kira. I’m not stupid enough to believe you did any of it for me. You put yourself at risk to keep your precious family safe. And then you fucked Decker.”

  My quick comeback caught in my throat, my heart was already lodged there.

  Sasha laughed. Fuck, it was an evil sound.

  If I’d had any remaining doubts, they’d all been wiped clean. There was nothing good left in him. The decent, caring boy I’d known and loved was long gone. All that was left was a monster. A thing that had no room for compassion or love. The only things he cared for were blood and money. Power.

  “That’s what I thought,” he quipped when I didn’t answer. “But that’s okay, Kira, because now, I’ve fucked him to. Fucked him straight to hell.”

  “You killed him?”

  “No, Kira, you did.”

  Tears streamed down my face. I didn’t know if Bodhi was dead, but I realized Sasha was right. If anyone died it would be my fault.

  I’d be a murderer, too.

  Bodhi

  It was a trap. I’d known it was, and yet, I’d walked into it anyway.

  The car fire was still raging strong for now, but without fuel it would eventually burn out.

  I forced myself to my feet, staggering when the movement splintered my skull with a pain so bright it made the fire seem like nothing more than a glowing ember. My stomach rolled, but I held back the urge to vomit, not willing to give into the effects of the concussion.

  I didn’t know where I was going. Didn’t know up from down. Didn’t know how I was still alive.

  It didn’t matter. I needed to get to Kira. No matter how reckless, foolish, or out of control. I still needed to prove her wrong.

  I was better than Sasha fucking Belkin, and I was going to prove it wh
ether she wanted me to or not. I just hoped it wasn’t too late.

  “Bodhi!”

  Kira’s voice was clear and perfect. It cut past the roar of the flames, the ringing in my ears, and straight through the pained haze that was clouding my head.

  “Bodhi, watch out!”

  Sasha had her by her throat and was dragging her back inside the warehouse, but two other men were headed my way, guns in hand.

  I staggered again before dropping to one knee, pulling my weapon and taking aim.

  My vision was still doubled, and my head was still swimming, but my hands were steady and my finger fast on the trigger. I let out a slow breath as I took both guns out of commission, each with a single shot.

  The men hollered in pain—one shot in the shoulder, the other straight through his hand.

  “Fuck you, Decker!” one of the men cursed, his Russian accent thick and slurred.

  I recognized the voice. It was the same one from the night I’d killed Stasevich. The man who’d gotten away. The one who’d sworn me dead.

  He reached for his gun with his non-injured hand.

  Without a word, I shot him in the chest.

  He clutched at the hole in his sternum, his face a mask of disbelief as he crumpled to the ground.

  The other man raised his shaking hands in surrender as a blood stain bloomed across his shirt.

  Back on my feet, I fought for balance. I breathed deep and steady, focusing on the sound of Kira’s voice from inside the open doorway, still calling my name, warning me to run. I forced myself forward, holding my aim on the surrendered man.

  He flinched as I kicked their guns out of reach.

  “He’s not dead,” I offered, motioning to the man who was slowly bleeding out on the ground, beside him. “And neither are you. If you’re smart, you’ll want to keep it that way.”

  I didn’t wait for his response. My objective was set. With my weapon firm in my grasp, I stormed passed him, into the warehouse.

  Sasha was no fool. He was waiting for me with Tess at his side and Kira on her knees in front of him, his gun pointed at her head.

  Kira’s eyes were huge, her cheeks stained with tears.

  “That’s far enough,” Sasha called. “Drop the gun.”

  “Why?” I challenged, nodding to Tess. “Your gun’s pointed at the wrong head.”

  Sasha laughed. “I know you’re not as stupid as you look, Decker.”

  I shrugged. “Maybe I am. I mean, I showed up here, even though I knew Tess was full of shit.”

  She squawked, her mouth falling open in indignation.

  “Shut your mouth, Tess,” I mocked. “No one’s paying to get their dick sucked right now.”

  Sasha’s smile spread wider. “A funny thing happened,” he mused, ignoring my insult, his eyes gleaming. “Right after you made the deal with Tess, Kira walked through my door.”

  She hissed as Sasha fisted her hair in his hand and pulled, yanking her head higher, the gun in his other still aimed at her skull.

  “She came crawling back to me with a sad story of how you’d kidnapped her. She expected me to believe that you’d held her against her will. That she’d stolen your car and gotten away. The bitch thought I’d believe her lies again. She thought I wouldn’t know what a cheating little whore she is.”

  My gun felt heavy in my hand, but I kept my focus lasered on Sasha as I worked to maintain my calm.

  “Looks like you fell for her shit, too, eh Decker?” He laughed again, arrogant and vile. “I guess she forgot to tell you that she’s mine.”

  I pretended not to notice the fear in Kira’s eyes or the bruises forming on the side of her face.

  “I own her, Decker. She’s my wife. Bought and fucking paid for.”

  I ignored the way my heart raced, and the way my stomach turned.

  I was in fucking control.

  “You want her? She’s yours.” I tossed my gun to the ground, letting it slide toward them, where it stopped just out of Kira’s reach. “I don’t care if she fucks you. I just want you to back off from me. I don’t want a war with you, Belkin.”

  “Back off?” he roared. “Why would I back off a double-crosser? You already started the war!”

  I shook my head, the motion making me dizzy. “I don’t know what the hell you’re talking about.”

  “No? You’ve got a short fucking memory.”

  I glanced to Tess who seemed just as confused as me, and Kira whose tears were still flowing, before moving my gaze back to Sasha’s crazy expression. The look in his eye told me he wasn’t bluffing. This wasn’t something born of his delusion. He was telling the truth. But fuck, I had no idea what the hell was going on.

  “You were supposed to kill Nik,” he raged. “I gave you his location over a week ago, but instead you’re taking out my men, killing my connections to Alexander’s empire, and fucking my wife. Did you think that shit was going to wash?”

  Kira gasped, her eyes flashing to me with disbelieving bitterness.

  “Shut the fuck up,” Sasha bellowed, back-handing her with his gun.

  Her body flailed to the side as she cried out in pain, before Sasha jerked her back upright by her hair again. When her eyes reopened, they were full of fire, her tears not holding her back.

  My body ached. Anger, fear, guilt and betrayal battled for control as my mind spun in circles.

  Finn.

  It had to be him.

  My own twin was making deals behind my back.

  I’d been worried about gaining Kira’s trust, on acting the fucking hero, but all along I’d been unworthy, and I hadn’t even known.

  “You were right,” I told her, my voice giving way to my regret. “I can’t save the damsel in distress. I’m not that type of man, after all.”

  Raising my hands, I moved toward them. “You want me, Belkin, here I am. I’ve got no gun in my hand.”

  He opened his mouth, but hesitated, his hand dropping from Kira’s hair.

  “I didn’t intend to cross you,” I admitted, taking another step forward. “I don’t have Nikolai’s location, but I promise, I plan to kill him anyway. He’s on my list. But it really is very a long list.” I smirked, letting my eyes fall to Kira as I continued inching toward them, hoping she could see the truth.

  “Why should I trust you,” Sasha questioned, finally taking his aim off Kira, pointing the gun at me instead.

  The sound of sirens suddenly overtook the noise of the crackling fire as flashing lights spilled into the space.

  “What the fuck?” His eyes darted to the open doorway.

  Tess clutched at him in panic.

  Smiling, I lowered my arms, allowing Kira’s blade to slip from my sleeve, into my hand. “You can trust me,” I rumbled. “Because I always keep my promises.”

  I lunged forward, dropping to the ground as I flung the knife at him.

  Shots fired.

  Tess scrambled backward with a panicked screech as Sasha careened into her, blood dripping from his leg, where the hilt of the knife stuck out. Even more blood spread across his abdomen where a bullet had ripped through him.

  Kira and I collided as I landed on the ground beside her, my arms wrapping around her waist.

  Sasha collapsed, taking Tess down with him, her hands pressing over the gunshot wound in his stomach.

  Kira’s shaking hands lowered my gun.

  Our eyes met. “I promised I wasn’t like him,” I sputtered, pain ripping through my chest and arm. “I promised I’d prove it.”

  “You did,” she cried brokenly, new tears coursing down her face as she scrambled closer to me, dropping my gun and pressing hard on my chest. “But I already believed in you. I knew you’d save me.”

  “No, Kira. You were never the damsel. You were already saving yourself.”

  Her eyes sparkled, the most beautiful, stunning shade of gold I’d ever seen. “Fall down seven times, stand up eight,” she murmured.

  The world went black.

  Bodhi


  1 Week Later

  The bed dipped beside me and I held back a grunt of pain.

  My chest still felt like it was on fire. Every time I moved, the shooting pain reminded me what a lucky son-of-a-bitch I was. Three inches down and to the right and Sasha’s bullet would’ve torn a hole through my heart instead of the soft tissue between my chest and shoulder.

  The room was bright but warm, lulling me back to sleep, until I was roused again by another dip of the bed, followed by a giggle.

  Inquisitive brown eyes peered at me from beneath a halo of fuzzy blond curls.

  “Good morning,” I slurred.

  Her head tilted to the side, studying me, a shy smile gracing her pretty face. The soft streams of light filtering through the curtains made her look deceptively angelic.

  I closed my eyes on a tired sigh.

  “You seepin’?” Anna chirped, her redundant question making me smile.

  “Not anymore.” I cracked my eyes again, turning to look at her chubby cheeks. “A little devil woke me up.”

  She giggled at the nickname I’d given her, crawling closer to me on her hands and knees, her intense scrutiny making me squirm.

  “What?” I asked when she continued staring.

  With a mischievous smile plastered on her sweet face she reached out, her little hand landing squarely on my chin, brushing back and forth over the short beard I was growing.

  “Anna,” Kira sighed from the doorway. “What are you doing in here, little dove?”

  “Him’s face is furry…” Her little fingers patted my jaw.

  When I laughed, a wave of pain seized me, causing the sound to catch in my lungs.

  Immediately, Kira moved to the bed and lifted Anna away. “You need to let Bodhi rest,” she scolded. “He needs to get better.”

  “I’m better,” I argued, catching my breath.

  Kira raised a skeptical brow at me before placing Anna on her feet and shooing her out of the room. “Go ask Gigi if she’s hungry,” she instructed. “Sunshine’s making us lunch.”