Chapter 4 #2
The two strangers lay on the floor. Blood pooled around the scarred man’s head, leaking from a hole in the back of his skull.
The second man had been shot multiple times—once in the leg, and another in his temple.
I had never seen a corpse, and the sight made me queasy and lightheaded.
Dizziness washed over me, and I nearly fell forward, but War caught me.
I didn’t have the strength to fight as he threw me over his shoulder, my arms hanging loose and my head lolling against his back.
“Don’t vomit,” he growled furiously. “We don’t want DNA evidence left here.”
I heaved, pressing my face into the rough fabric of his jacket.
The smell of gunpowder and something metallic—blood—filled my senses.
It hit me then, a realization so sharp it felt like another blow.
His name—War—wasn’t just a name. He was a weapon.
A killer who didn’t just see battle, but embodied it. And he spilled blood for my father.
He carried me down the street, and I let him. I lacked the energy to resist. When we reached a silver Lexus, he opened the passenger door and effortlessly dumped me inside. I flopped against the seat.
“My phone,” I grunted, surprised I could speak. “It was on the bed.”
“Stay here. I’ll be back.”
My head lolled against the headrest as I focused on breathing, trying to keep from being sick.
If War hadn’t shown up, I’d be dead. Fuck!
My anonymous “friend” was just as dangerous as my father.
Going back with War meant accepting that world—the one where he wasn’t just a bodyguard, but a killer. The life I’d had before was gone.
I grabbed the handle and opened the door, but I didn’t get far. War was back, and he shoved it closed again. I glared, but he pointed a warning finger at me before walking around to the driver’s side. He tossed my phone onto my lap.
“Buckle up.” He narrowed his eyes at me, and I met his gaze.
He grunted, leaned over, and dragged the seat belt across my body, buckling it in one swift motion.
Then, his massive hand grasped my chin. “Your father is out of his mind with worry. And you? You were seconds away from being in a body bag.”
I gritted my teeth. “Dad lied to me.”
“To protect you.” His grip tightened, and a spike of pleasure shot through me, heading south to my cock.
An image of what else he could do with his strength flashed through my mind. Like him throwing me on the bed before taking me the way I wanted him to, leaving bruises on my hips after holding me too tight as he fucked me. I shuddered.
“Your dad’s life isn’t black and white, but he does the best he can for you.” War’s tone softened, but his gaze remained narrowed.
“He kills people.” I grabbed War’s wrist, attempting to yank his hand away, but he held firm, his grip on my chin tightening. “He’s a killer.”
“Maybe.” His nostrils flared. “But I’ve killed more.”
I froze, the reality of his words sinking in.
He’d murdered people. War was a criminal, too.
That should’ve terrified me, made me as angry as the thought of Dad being one, but it didn’t.
My stomach stirred, and a peculiar sensation tingled inside me.
He finally pulled away, clearly finished making his point, and started the Lexus.
My gaze slid to him, unable to look away from the strong features of his face and jaw.
He took up a lot of space in the small, sporty car, and his hands were huge around the steering wheel.
It took all my willpower to drag my attention away from him.
I stared at the bright road in front of us instead. “Wouldn’t the gunshots have alerted someone?” I whispered, unsure what to say. What did someone talk about in a situation like this? I wasn’t like War or Dad. This was all new to me. Fucking fuck. How did I not see it?
“Possibly.” His hands locked around the wheel, fingers pressing hard into the worn leather. “But by the time the cops get there, we’ll be long gone.”
“No.” I raised my chin. “I don’t want to leave. I’m not going back to Dad.”
He shot me a glare that was sexy as hell.
My stomach did something embarrassing, though I wasn’t quite sure what to even call it.
“You are returning to New Gothenburg. Hasn’t today taught you anything?
” He bared his teeth like a wild beast, and my cock perked up.
I shielded my lap with my hands. “You were nearly killed.”
“Because of Dad,” I argued fiercely. “If I’d known the truth—”
“What?” he interrupted. “What would you have done, Kit? You’re studying criminal justice, and he let you. He could’ve stopped you at any time, but he didn’t because he wanted you to be happy. Sky’s off traveling the country, and he’s let him do that, too. He gives you freedom and supports you.”
“By murdering people,” I hissed, my hands curling into fists in my lap. “He’s able to give us money because he murders people.”
“No.” He breathed hard through his nose, not looking at me. “Your dad doesn’t force anyone to do anything. They enter his domain of their own accord. Did your new friend tell you he’s a criminal and what he does?”
I contemplated War’s words. The texter hadn’t told me much, just that Dad ran an underground casino and was a murderer. The pictures they’d sent flashed in my mind—Dad holding a gun to that man’s head. Was that it? Some kind of sick game?
War grumbled. “They didn’t tell you much, did they? But you jumped on a plane and flew across the country because a stranger told you to. Do you really trust a stranger over your dad? You don’t even know who sent you those messages.”
“There were photos. It was fucking enough for me.” I glared and crossed my arms. “They weren’t lying about Leland.”
“No, they weren’t, but Leland didn’t have to be your friend. He only had to keep an eye on you.” His voice softened. “I’ve seen the way he looks out for you. He likes being your friend.”
“And he spies on me.”
“He tells your dad any important details about your safety. That’s all.” He heaved a sigh and rubbed his forehead. “Your time with Leland is between the two of you. He only reports to Derek when he notices something off, like those damned text messages.”
My shoulders slumped. I turned to stare out the window at the world passing by.
Pleasant Beach was a beautiful place with high-rises that glittered in the California sun, though we were driving out of the city and not toward it.
The sky was blue and the clouds were fluffy and cheerful, and if I rolled down the windows, I could still smell the beach even as we drove farther away from it.
“Fuck.”
I shot a look at War after the rough curse and followed his gaze to the front of the car as he slowed the vehicle.
In the middle of the road were five motorcycles parked across the asphalt.
While four men in black riding jackets and jeans sat on their bikes, the man in the middle stood in front of his, arms crossed, his helmet resting on the motorcycle’s seat.
The guy had gray hair and big sunglasses that hid his eyes, and he wore a serious expression that might’ve sent chills down my spine if I hadn’t already nearly died today.
“Who are they?” I whispered.
War finally brought the Lexus to a complete stop. A few houses spread out around us, but there was a lot more farmland. The road was lined by timber post-and-rail fences, and a cow was staring directly at us from our left, watching like a spectator about to see the show of her life.
“Stay he—” The window beside War shattered.
I screamed and ducked as my window exploded, glass showering my head, and arched back. Two thuds landed on the outside of the door. By the time I dared to peek, I saw more men in leather had appeared behind us, pummeling the car with baseball bats. One stood farther back, a handgun pointed at us.
Was I going to die today? After all this, was this how it ended?
The thought was so absurd it was almost funny.
I’d barely lived. A sudden, fierce wave of defiance washed over me.
Fuck this. If I got out of this, I was done being scared.
I was done waiting. I squeezed my eyes shut and held my breath, bracing for the inevitable.
“Enough, Odin!” War roared, making me wince as fear seized my gut. Glass shards dug into my back and neck. I could feel more in my hair. I was afraid I’d cut myself if I moved.
I peered over the edge of the dashboard to see the man in the middle raise his hand. All attacks on the car stopped. I sucked in a breath of relief but remained still.
“War?” I whispered, my breath shuddering. My gaze darted to him.
He sat bolt upright, his chest rising and falling rapidly. His jaw tightened, lips pulling back to expose his teeth, his face a rigid mask of fury.