What a fool I'd been. To think the funding would fall into my lap like a wish granted by a magical fairy godmother. God! I'd been so stupid.
I punched the chair. What was I going to do? Where would I go now? I could just take the money, a dark voice whispered. We'd all get what we wanted. But I'd seen those blueprints. I'd found the hidden room. It was clear what those new additions would be used for. I couldn't sign off on that. I'd be signing off on the loss of life and innocence and who knew what else. Doors that locked from the outside? My stomach roiled as I thought of all of it.
Suzie would never let me be a part of that. There was no way she knew what that man was building in there. I believed her when she said she didn’t know Buffount was the investor. And yet she offered to dance more, to strip, to save me from signing. She’d give up everything for me. Like I would ever let her do that. I didn’t deserve her.
I needed to talk to her. I needed to see what she thought we should do. I know she wouldn’t let me take the blood money but maybe she would take me to Occum so we could talk…
I looked up and around the room remembering she wasn’t with me. I had walked away in a rage. I had walked away. My heart raced harder in my chest.
Where was Suzie? What was the last thing I said to her?
“Time is up.” Was that what I said? I wasn’t thinking clearly.
No… Belatedly, I recalled in my mind her face as she registered my words—the crumble of her beautiful features, the color draining from her face. But I’d been too self-absorbed to see the hurt. She’d been defending me and I left her. Again. I left rather than stay and fight.
I raced back into the party. Searched the crowd for a white gown and dark hair. But she was gone. I was too late.
Chapter 27
Suzie
Ihad made it about twenty steps down the gravel driveway when rough hands grabbed me from behind.
“Ford, thank God.” I gasped as I turned to find a man that was not Ford.
“Think again, Short Fuse.”
Rooster shoved me roughly into a car before I had time to think or even scream. Cueball sat in the driver's seat.
Razor had finally caught me, was my first thought. Quickly followed byfight! I didn't have time to scream or fight this time. A second later a hand at my throat pressed until darkness took over.
I awoke as I was dropped roughly into a chair. My heart raced in my burning throat. I didn’t move a muscle. Instinct told me to play dead.
From a distance, Occum said, “Leave her there.”
I remained perfectly still except for the shaking caused by my racing heart.
“Now get the fuck out of here before anybody sees you.”
“What about her?” Rooster asked.
“Just lock her in. I gotta go take care of some shit. Now fucking go.”
I didn’t move, my head slouched over like I was still passed out. A million thoughts raced. Rooster and Cueball. But…they were Iron Wraiths. They worked for Razor. My head throbbed. I pricked my ears to see if anybody else was in the room. A door slammed shut and as far as I could tell, I was alone inside.
After another minute of trying to calm my breathing, I slowly squinted open an eyelid to ensure I was alone. My head lifted next, causing the muscles in my neck to burn with pain. Occum’s office was abandoned. What the fuck was going on? I rolled my head around to relieve some of the tension in the muscles of my neck. Fear flooded me. First Buffount and now this. Did I have any understanding of who controlled my life?
I wanted to curl into a ball and cry. But now wasn't the time. I ran to his desk looking for a phone, fully knowing nobody had landlines here. Papers fell to the floor as I roughly shoved things around looking for a weapon or anything.
“What are you doing?”
I shot up. “Nothing.”
“Find anything interesting?” Occum came into the room and locked the door behind him.
“I was just—”
“Oh, Short Fuse.” Occum’s face was pale green and shone with sweat. His hands shook as he ran them down his yellow beard. “You screwed up. You had one job. Now Razor’s coming to collect—”
