“Been a little busy, as you know,” I say quietly.
“I know. I thought you would want to know Charlie has been circling the block.”
I freeze at the top of the stairs. “What?”
“He started the morning by driving by. An hour later, he began going around the block numerous times. Right now, he’s sitting in his car, his head on a swivel.”
“Motherfucker,” I hiss.
“I would have called sooner, but I had a rough night. I wish I had checked before I did.”
“Send me a picture of the vehicle,” I demand.
“What are you going to do?”
“Kill him.”
I hang up and grip the balcony. Exhaling roughly, I attempt to control my emotions. I need to take care of him. Telling Rylee will only upset her. I debate going back in to explain or make an excuse. My mark will alert her of my rage if I’m not careful.
Instead, I pace down the hall and wait for the elevator. Shade sends a picture. Charlie is sitting on the right side of the building. My car is in front of the left. At his angle, I should be able to get my supplies without his notice. I move quickly as the doors open. I scroll to Rylee’s name and send her a message.
“Had to go out. Be back soon.”
There is no response, so hopefully she won’t worry. In case she does, I text Heath.
“I had to take care of something. Don’t let Rylee worry.”
He replies instantly.
“Should she worry?”
“Probably not. I shouldn’t be long.”
I reach the lobby and put my phone away. Stopping at the doors, I change my image. He may have moved his car, and I’m depending on the element of surprise. Moving toward my vehicle, I enter the code on the door since I didn’t get my keys, and grab the bag in the back. Pulling it in front of me, I get my gloves and slide my hands inside. I select two knives, zip ties, and tape, and put on a baseball cap. I secure the car, ensure my power is in place, and scan the parking lot. Moving slowly, I walk toward the other side of the lot. He’s not in front of the building, so I make my way to the side where he was seen. I hug the wall, searching as I progress. Once I reach the corner, I pause and look around it. Asshole is still there. Charlie is looking my way, so I ease back for a second before looking again. I wait until he is facing away, and sprint toward the back of his SUV. He doesn’t notice me until I’m beside the open window, and before he can utter a word, I grab the back of his head. Slamming his face against the steering wheel, I reveal my true face and open his door.
“What the—”
“Damn, Charlie.” I heave him to the passenger seat and get in. “That’s a lot of blood. You shouldn’t talk.” I start the car, put the tape on the armrest, and grab my phone.
“You’re crazy,” he squeals.
“Now, that’s debatable.” I hit Shade’s name as I start to drive.
“You can’t—”
“Can and will,” I interrupt.
“What’s going on?” Shade asks.
“Send me Charlie’s address,” I say, pulling out of the parking lot.
“What the hell? You’re kidnapping me?” Charlie grabs my arm, and I elbow him in the face. He slumps over, out cold.
“Fuck, he got blood on my shirt,” I grumble. Placing the phone in the cup holder, I pick up the tape and rip a piece off with my teeth. “Now I have to throw it away.” I lean slightly and slap the tape over his mouth.
“Uh…Ezra,” Shade says. “What are you doing?”
“What I said I would.” I put the phone on speaker and enter the address into the dash. “I’m in his car. Taking him to his house. I’ll have to do the cleanup later. I need to get back to Rylee.”
