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“I don’t see you any worse for wear.” His face splits with a macabre grin.
I force myself to keep my fists at my side and not buried in his face. I doubt it would do much damage to his already battered appearance. “What about my sister? And Ellie. She’s dead because of you. But what the hell do you care, right? You sold your own flesh and blood.”
“Virgins get more. They’ll keep your sweet little Polaris alive until they find a buyer for such a young virgin piece of pussy. She paid back the debt I had with the Volkovs. What I got for you and that whore friend of yours was icing. I’m here to stay. And this city is ripe for the picking. Your pussy ass boyfriend won’t do shit about it either.”
A muzzle flash and a sharp pop. I turn to see Ares, the Glock in his hand smoking.
Thirteen
Ares
When I woke to find Nova gone, I knew where she was headed. She did exactly what I would have done. The entire time I raced to her I couldn’t help but second guess myself. What if Jacob killed her on the spot? What if she found what she was looking for and Jacob killed her before I got there?
I broke at least five traffic laws getting to her. The next time I try to play the hero someone should shoot me. The fear of her getting hurt shredded me. Worst fucked up feeling to have eating at you.
I knew Nova would do anything to find her sister. Letting her take off to find her own answers went against my gut instinct but she and I are a lot alike. Hearing from Devil she was looking for a way off the property I had two choices—cuff her or let her find what she was looking for. I figured she deserved to know just how much of a piece of shit Jacob really was. Putting a bullet in his brain was the least I could do for her. I don’t feel an ounce of remorse for ending him. Same for the Volkovs when the time comes. If that makes me an unholy bastard in her eyes… well, I’ve certainly been called worse and that’s something I can live with as long as she doesn’t get the stain on her soul.
That saying about giving someone enough rope to hang themselves isn’t far off base. Nova needed to see for herself, hear the words from her supposed friend’s mouth. By me telling her he was the reason she was at that auction wouldn’t have been enough. She’s a hands-on kind of girl and I respect that about her. But the truth acts as a noose; once you hear it, it can choke the life from you. She’ll have to learn the truth of this like the rest of us—the hard way.
I twist the throttle and open my baby up. Midnight has come and gone and in a handful of hours more we’ll be seeing the sun touch the horizon. City lights fade until it’s nothing but back roads and open fields. I don’t know how long we’ve been riding but I don’t hear her complaining of the cold wind so I keep us pointed north.
Standing back to let her do what she needed tore my fucking nerves to pieces. When I busted out of the house and aimed for my Hummer, I didn’t expect the slashed tires awaiting me. In hindsight, I probably should have kept the knife off the nightstand.
I spot a familiar dirt road that leads to a riverbank I visit once in a while when I go for a ride this far north. Summer nights work wonders with easing past nightmares. A little something between me and the road. A secret cove I’ve never taken another soul lies ahead a few miles. At this hour it will be deserted by anyone else who might have found it, too.
I throttle down and ease the bike over the smooth dirt. Instead of killing the motor, I let the rumble of my girl work her magic a little longer. We sit there, and little by little I feel the tension sitting between my shoulder blades loosen.
Something about Nova is different. Being caught between bullets and dead bodies has stolen her light. She’s too quiet. A clawing feeling in my chest tells me she’s all fight and bravado when she has to be. But it’s not a life choice. And not one I would pick for her either. She deserves light and sunshine. Not grit, blood, and filth. Meeting me was probably the worst day of her life. I’m not sure how that makes me feel, but I guess it doesn’t matter much since we are both in this shit pool like it or not.
I cut the engine. The moon over the water is a calming view. The bitter cold has edged off a bit. Another week and this place will be blooming with wildflowers and fireflies. But not yet.
Silence falls over us and I give Nova the time she needs to gather her rattled senses. And I know she will. The shit she witnessed and heard tonight would shake anyone but she’s strong. She just needs a little time. I can give her that.
“What will happen to Jacob’s body?”
To my surprise, Nova nuzzles into me as if seeking comfort or support. I swear viciously under my breath at the circumstances we’re in. The last thing I want to do is talk about him.
She’s riding bitch, thighs wrapped around me and those hands of hers haven’t left my front belt loops since we peeled out of Jacob’s parking lot.
I debate lying. Discussing any angles of business outside the crew isn’t something I’m comfortable with, but if I start telling her lies when would they stop? It is bad enough I can’t tell her who I really am. Not without her freaking out and using the knife she still has tucked in her back pocket on me. Or worse. Lose her trust forever.
The more I chew on that the more I realize I’d rather she try to kill me than break the small amount of trust she’s bestowed upon me.
“His body will be taken care of like everyone else. I knew the Volkovs had men on their payroll. Tonight we got to see just how many and that was probably not all of them.” I say flatly, ready to leave it at that. I’m more interested in talking about what I need her to do. But she’s not dropping it.
“Like the nightly trash?” Her tone turns bitter.
I don’t say anything to that because she’s not far off the mark.
I reach around and draw her from the back to sit over my lap. Sitting like that I can see her eyes and gauge her emotions. See how far too far is. Determined blue eyes meet mine.
“There’s my Nova.”
A crackle of energy pops and hisses between us.
“I am notyour Nova.”
“I paid for you, didn’t I?”
