Chapter 15
Swearing, we dive into the SUV, our guards piling in after us. “Follow her!” I order as I’m thrown back into my seat. We speed after her as I hurry to put my seat belt on, her already ahead as we pull out onto the street, weaving through traffic like a mad woman.
“I swear she’s trying to kill us,” I mutter, and then I glance at my bleeding brother. “I mean, she definitely tried to kill you.”
His eyes narrow as he pulls the rag from his nose. “She let me win. It didn’t look like it, but she did.” His gaze goes to the window. “I want to know why.”
“Someone like her? She doesn’t let people win,” I scoff. Even I know that.
“Exactly, and she said she had an interest. There’s more to this than we know, and I don’t like being in the dark,” Neo responds, and I nod. “Follow her closely. Don’t lose her or you’re dead.”
The guards know we are serious, and they speed up, racing through red lights to keep up as she effortlessly moves through the streets like she owns them, which I guess she technically does.
We found her, but it was fucking hard. No one wanted to betray her trust. The only reason someone told us in the end was because, I think, they wanted to see us get our asses kicked by her, and Neo did, but desperate times call for desperate measures.
We lapse into silence after that, focused on following her.
We seem to be going in circles, and on the next road, we lose her.
Swearing, I lean forward. “Go back and search for her bike.” It takes us five minutes until we see it parked outside of a restaurant.
“There.” We stop behind it. Neo and I get out, our guards falling into step behind us as we open the door to find the restaurant’s empty bar.
Karma sits in a booth at the back with a menu in front of her.
Heading her way, I slide onto the opposite bench, Neo squeezing in beside me as he drops his bloodstained cloth on the table.
“I thought we were finding my brother,” he snarls.
“Well, I’m hungry,” she says as she drops her menu. “Besides, you have questions, and so do I, so we’ll talk as we eat. Did you think I was going to somehow magically find him in the city in one second? Please tell me you’re smarter than that, boys, or is Kane the only smart one?”
“Bexley,” I warn, “we are a little impatient right now, as I’m sure you can understand. Don’t fuck with us.”
“It’s my favorite game.” She shrugs idly as a waiter appears. “Ah, I’ll have the burger. Well done, please, I’ve seen enough blood for today.”
“Just water for me,” I order.
Neo says nothing, and the waiter disappears. I look between Neo and Bexley, who are having a silent staring contest. “You look a lot better a little messed up,” she blurts without blinking, and Neo jerks his head back, confused, making her smile because she wins.
“Sir.” A guard kneels at Neo’s side, sparing Bexley a worried glance. “Do you need me to call the doctor?”
I bite down on my smile as Bexley grins. Neo looks at her worriedly. “Do you need a doctor?”
She rubs at the slight bruise on her jaw with her middle finger. “No, you hit like a wimp, but you definitely need one. You look like you just survived a zombie apocalypse.”
Neo’s eyes narrow, and he dismisses the guard, not taking him up on his offer, which only makes me fight my smile harder despite the situation.
“Why do you have an interest?” Neo asks, and it’s like cold water is thrown over me, reminding me that Kane is probably being tortured.
We need to find him, and if she can help us, then we’ll do what it takes, but Neo is right.
She wants this . . . . Why? If Bexley didn’t want to help, she wouldn’t.
She flat-out turned us down before, so why the change of heart?
If she truly did lose on purpose, then it means there’s definitely a reason.
“You are ruining my appetite,” Bexley says as she leans back, eyeing us. Neither of us speaks, and she sighs. “Fine, I need to confirm something before I speak, but if the person behind your brother’s kidnapping is who I think it is, let’s just say we both want to find him.”
“And if it is that person and you find him?” I ask.
“Then I’ll kill him.” Her expression is cold, her eyes dead as she stares at me. Her countenance changed so quickly, it makes me hesitate. She blinks, and some life returns to her eyes, but not much. “Tell me everything you know about your brother’s disappearance.”
Neo nods, and a guard passes her a tablet, cueing up the video.
She watches it repeatedly. “They were waiting for him, which means you suspect someone on the inside. I’m betting they are the only people who had his schedule.
He was taken alive, so he’s most likely still alive now.
They probably need him for something. Those men who attacked are trained, but not professionals. ”
“And what does that tell us?”
“They are from the streets, not military or militia. It’s most likely who I think it is.” She zooms in, and we let her take her time with the video before she hands it back. “Any luck IDing them?”
“We traced the plates, but it was a dead end. They were false,” I admit.
“There’s only one place they would go for that kind of job here.
” Food is placed before her, and she smiles at the waiter before digging in.
We watch her eat in confusion and silence.
She devours the burger and fries before downing her drink and standing, wiping her mouth.
“Meal’s on these guys,” she announces before walking away.
Neo and I share a look before I shove him from the booth. “Hurry up and pay.”
Grumbling, he does as he’s told, and when we get outside, she’s waiting on her bike. “This time, I’ll go alone. They won’t speak to suits like you. I’ll call you when I know something.”
“You don’t even have our numbers,” I scoff.
“Want to bet?” She grins as she shoves her helmet on. “Oh, and don’t try following me. It won’t end well for you.”
With no other choice, we watch her leave. “Do you think we can trust her?”
“No, but we have no choice. We’ll keep digging into it ourselves from different angles as well. Let’s get back. Dodge might have found something on the cameras.”