Chapter 25
Hollis
My thoughts race as Madelene drives toward Angel’s office. She seems no less scared even after being told Nash isn’t part of Alessio’s crew. I can’t tell if she thinks I’m lying or if she believes I’m part of whatever the hell is going on right now.
I want to explain, but I don’t have any fucking answers either.
I never should’ve lied to Angel, but honestly, I don’t owe him a damn thing. It doesn’t mean the man won’t be pissed, and fuck if Lauren is there. Then things can really get bad.
Tears streak down her face as she drives, and I fucking hate Nash for scaring her. Her hands are trembling on the steering wheel, and I can see the shake in her leg as she presses the gas pedal.
“Mads,” I say, but she keeps her eyes locked on the road in front of her.
I don’t know if she believes me about not being in danger.
Nash doesn’t seem like the type to hurt women, but I can’t shove down the idea that maybe he was somehow turned by Alessio Severino.
There’s always a chance that the guy is just as evil.
I don’t know him well enough. Anyone working with Angel isn’t exactly doing things above board.
We all have a price, and Nash is not excluded from that.
I twist in the passenger seat, looking at Nash. His gun is still out although lowered in his lap. He seems more curious about Madelene than concerned about me, and I hate the attention he’s giving her.
“Stop fucking looking at her,” I hiss, hating the smile it draws to his face.
“I’m so fucking confused right now,” he says, his eyes slow to pull from the back of her head to look at me. “Left up here.”
Mads obeys the man, her tears still flowing as she sniffles.
“You’re fucking scaring her. Tell her she’s safe,” I demand.
As if I’m an exhibit at a circus, Nash looks at me like he just can’t figure me out. He doesn’t say another word until we’re less than a block from Angel and Lauren’s office.
“Park in the front.”
She obeys, her hand shaking wildly as she grabs the gear shift and places the truck in park.
“Get out and walk around to open our doors,” Nash says, pointing his gun at her.
“I’ll fucking kill you,” I threaten. “Don’t point that fucking thing at her.”
Nash chuckles as if my words have proven something to him.
Madelene climbs out of the truck and for a second, I wish she would just take off.
I doubt Nash or Angel will actually fucking hurt me, but Angel’s client, her father, may be calling the shots.
I doubt he has his daughter’s best interest at heart because the man practically bargained his life for hers with the Severino family. His intentions can’t be trusted.
As if she’s been forced to do shit in a situation like this, Madelene opens Nash’s door first without being instructed, helping to maintain his control over the situation.
As much as I’d like to be the fucking hero, I’m extremely limited in what I can do.
The look in her eyes tells me that she won’t run, even if I knock him over and give her the chance.
I feel a little calmer when I climb out of the truck and notice that Nash has put his gun away. We don’t draw too much attention as Nash ushers me toward the front door of the office.
I imagine people think Mission Mercenaries, which is on the front door along with the skull logo, is some type of bounty hunting agency.
It wouldn’t be that big of a shock to see people in handcuffs being escorted inside.
I’ve only been here twice before and the jobs I’ve worked through the agency have all ended with people’s deaths.
We don’t exactly drag people back to the office in order to seek justice.
We send them to their maker where we find them.
As expected, Nash has to knock on the door.
It constantly stays locked because the business is actually just a front for what we really do.
I never understood why they have a fucking office anyway, but I imagine it has to do with taxes and laundering money.
Who the fuck am I to judge how people get their money?
I have an issue with people hurting other people.
I don’t give two shits about anyone fucking over a government agency.
I’d wrap my arms around her if I could, but I have to settle for her sticking close to my side as we wait for someone inside to open the door.
The click of the lock on the door being opened doesn’t bring any sort of relief.
Lauren narrows her eyes at me when she pulls the damn thing open.
It takes her a long moment to step aside so we can enter, and I wonder if she’s really debating leaving us standing out on the sidewalk, drawing attention from the other businesses.
“I found the girl,” Nash says after we all walk inside. “Under Hollis in McAllen.”
I’m simmering with rage, waiting for Madelene to speak up and tell everyone that’s not exactly what was happening, but at least Nash didn’t use the word rape.
“Seems he was trying to take liberties not offered to him.”
“Motherfucker,” I rumble.
Angel and some other guy I’ve never seen before glare at me. I scowl but don’t argue. I’m not having this fucking conversation in front of a man I don’t know. Honestly, I don’t owe any of these fucking people an explanation.
“He wasn’t,” Mads says, and I feel the brush of her body on my side as she steps forward. “I thought he was one of Alessio’s men.”
Relief washes over me. I was afraid for a long moment, not that she was accusing me of it but that she really felt like I would do that to her.
In the moment, I wasn’t so sure that I wouldn’t, regardless of how her body was responding to mine.
I was out of my head with lust and need.
I honestly didn’t know if I could have stopped myself if she begged me to.
“Why is he in fucking cuffs?” Angel hisses. “Take them off. You’re not a fucking cop.”
Nash shrugs, seeming less affected by Angel’s anger than a smart man would be.
“Just doing my job,” Nash grumbles.
“Not going to stop you from getting your ass beat,” I remind him as he pulls the metal from my wrists.
I turn to face the man, my hands wringing the sore spots the cuffs caused.
Nash looks thrilled at the prospect of going head-to-head with me and it makes me wonder why he used a gun in the first place if that’s the case.
We could’ve easily had it out in the living room of my safe house if he wanted to challenge me.
“Can’t wait,” he says, winking at me.
Angel turns his attention to Madelene, and instinct tells me to step in front of her, to protect her no matter the cost. It leaves me frozen because it’s been a lifetime, it seems, since I’ve felt that way.
The way he scans her makes me wonder if he’s looking at her like a paycheck. I don’t know the man’s reasoning for doing what he does, but more often than not, money is what motivates people. He could very possibly not give a shit about what happens to Madelene so long as the motherfucker gets paid.
“Tell me what the fuck is going on,” Angel demands, drawing a warning growl from my throat.
Lauren steps forward. At first, I think she’s going to go all momma bear for her man, but there’s a knowing grin on her face.
Mads opens her mouth to speak, but she squeaks instead, a weird sound I’ve never heard, when she looks over Angel’s shoulder.
She steps around the guy most would consider my boss, and I move to step in front of her. I have no real way to protect her other than my hands, but I don’t have time to evaluate why I’m so fucking willing to take a bullet for this woman.
I haven’t kissed her lips.
I haven’t sunk inside her hot cunt.
There’s absolutely no reason for me to feel so protective of her.
The man behind Angel growls, a possessiveness to the sound that makes my hackles go up. It’s very possible Angel is double-crossing all of us. Alessio could’ve easily offered more money than her father did for her safe return.
“Step away from my fucking sister,” the man demands.
Confusion stops me in my tracks. A million considerations hit me all at the same time.
It’s not the first time I argued with myself that she was playing me the entire time, that she was the one in control.
What other reason would she have to stay?
Her freedom was hers to take the second I untied her hands.
She was so damn tearful when she told me about her brother’s death. Coldness I’ve only ever felt once before settles back inside of me. Even her next words don’t have the ability to change how I feel.
“How?” she whispers. “You’re dead.”