Chapter 4
Chapter four
Jericho
Irace through New Vernon’s bumpy back roads as if the speed alone will help me outrun my problems. Unfortunately, there’s no escaping the angry man I have zip-tied up in the backseat of my car.
Fuck. What the fuck was I thinking, taking him?
My hands clench around the steering wheel, twisting hard enough for the leather to groan under my grip.
I peer into the review mirror. His dark gaze is laser-focused on mine.
Vicious and slightly hooded. How the hell is he awake right now?
The sedative that I gave him wasn’t the usual amount I give some of my hits, but it should have been enough to knock him out for a few minutes, at the very least.
“Where are you taking me?” he demands when we approach a traffic light. That’s a damn good question, and one I don’t think I have an answer for. This is all new territory for me. I’ve never fucked up a job like this before, and I sure as hell never let a target escape.
I make a mental note to text Alessandro. Damn it, he’s going to be pissed. Thank fuck Sienna is safe, at least. I might not get paid, but at least Alessandro is a friend, so I shouldn’t need to look over my shoulder, waiting for retribution.
Fuck, Alessandro…
His words replay in my head. ‘It doesn’t matter who is in the way...’
I don’t want to kill Skylar King.
It’s not even the fact that he’s my favorite porn star. He’s young. And beautiful. He’s all smiles and so full of life. I follow him on social media for fuck’s sake. Stopping at the red light, I study my beautiful captive.
High cheekbones and large, familiar brown eyes.
A five o’clock shadow that looks really fucking good on him.
He’s wearing a black dress shirt that oozes wealth and looks like it was tailored to fit his toned frame perfectly.
Too bad it ripped open at the top. His signature-styled brown hair is messy from our scuffle in the alley.
He looks well-fucked, and apparently, my dick is on board with it.
Images of Skylar struggling against me as I pinned him helplessly against the wall have my cock twitching in my pants. I can’t be entirely sure, but it looked like I wasn’t the only one affected by our little tussle before I threw him over my shoulder.
No, it isn’t just because he’s Skylar King, or even the fact that he’s innocent. I want to keep Skylar alive because he reminds me of… him. Aaron.
Suddenly, different images come flooding in.
Painful memories of the boy I lost twenty years ago.
Sorrow and rage are a chaotic swirling vortex inside me.
Emotions that should be fucking buried and forgotten.
I gasp for air. How the hell have I never noticed all the similarities before?
Skylar looks like the adult version of Aaron.
That realization makes it really hard to breathe.
“Are you listening to me?” he snaps. “I asked a question, you big, stupid brute.”
The light ahead turns green, and I continue driving.
At the last second, I turn left toward my place.
It’s probably my dumbest mistake yet, but I have no idea what the hell I’m doing, and before I make any rash decisions, I need time to think.
Thank god I already briefly searched the man for his cell phone and wallet.
I tossed them into a special bag that has a metallic lining.
It works like a signal jammer and won’t allow for any incoming or outgoing signals.
No one should be able to trace Skylar while his items are in there.
He huffs in frustration when I don’t answer him right away.
“Is this your first fucking job or something?” he taunts.
“Because, news flash, buddy. You missed. You made a real hot mess of things, and to top it off, kidnapping a high-profile person like me isn’t going to bode well for you.
Fucking amateur,” he whispers the last two words.
I cock an eyebrow. How the hell does he know how an amateur would act?
“What? Am I wrong?” His words slur a bit, but I can still hear the sass.
My lips twitch. I never imagined Skylar to have a tempting, bratty side.
A plan begins to form in my head. Maybe if he thinks I’m new to this whole hitman thing, I can let him go.
Assuming I can persuade Skylar that I took the job purely because I’m some newbie desperate for money.
Or maybe I can tell him I’m a brand-new bounty hunter.
A legal one who never intended to kill Franko.
Or maybe I can convince him that his life is in danger since he tried to flee.
Hell, it might even be true; it’s not like Skylar took cover with Franko.
For all we know, Franko might assume Skylar was in on it with me.
That protective urge overcomes me again, but I bat the emotion away. This pretty porn star is going to get me killed if I don’t get my head on straight.
Clearing my throat, I let a mask fall over my face. Let him think I’m some novice who sucks at being a bounty hunter. It’s a pretty little lie that should keep Skylar from suspecting I’m a trained killer.
His brown eyes turn guarded in the mirror, before drooping again. The sedative looks like it’s finally taking effect. Skylar curses again before his eyes drift closed. Good. At least this way, the minx can’t memorize how to get to my place.
I smirk. Sleep well, sweetheart.