AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Alice hums against his lips, still pressed to my side, and I release the grip on her throat I didn’t realize I still had. My thumb drags over her pulse as she sits up a little straighter, and then I see her eyes narrow when she looks out at the shopping center parking lot.
“We’re still seriously doing this?”
“We’re still doing this,” Kane growls.
My stomach sinks. Forgiveness from her for this will require a lot of groveling. It’ll be interesting to see Kane on his knees for that instead of as an offering, but a small part of me is looking forward to it.
The plan goesoff without a hitch. Phoenix and Ari are standing outside the car, waiting for the signal. I’m posted up outside of the front doors, and Kane and Alice are inside browsing. I hear the rumble of motorcycle engines not too far off, and I brace myself. We have one agreement, and it’s that no civilians are harmed. Kane wouldn’t promise that their club would walk away clean from this, but they know the risk, and they know the reward.
My spine goes stiff as the bikes get closer, and I hold my breath.
They roll into the parking lot and brush past me in a line, looking dangerous and furious. They don’t spare me a second glance, though they know exactly who I am, but they play their part well. I lean against the wall and pull my pack of cigarettes from my pocket, clenching one between my teeth as I reach for my lighter.
The smoke is acrid and bitter, and it soothes me in that dangerous way that seems to sum up my entire life. Like Kane’s kisses and Phoenix’s hands and Ari’s devotion.
And now Alice and the way she consumes me.
My love for her is different than it is for the other men. Not stronger, just…not the same. It makes me wonder if this is how Kane feels every time he looks at Phoenix. If that’s the case, it’s no wonder he’s done everything he’s done to protect him. It’s no wonder I still bear scars on my back.
There’s no chance in hell I wouldn’t do the same for her if it was between keeping her and losing her to her own demons.
I suck in another deep lungful of smoke when I feel my phone start to buzz, and I know it’s the signal. We’re notwearing any communication devices apart from these burners that Phoenix had kept on deck and off the network, so it’s all we’ve got to go on.
I count a beat, then two.
The gunshots ring out, and I drop the cigarette and run. The building’s massive, and it takes me a while to find the path to the back, but eventually, I dart through the delivery tunnel just as Kane comes barreling out the back door with Alice on his shoulder.
She’s flailing and yelling, but he ignores her as he throws her into the waiting SUV, Ari behind the wheel, Phoenix in the passenger seat with his fingers flying over his laptop. I jump in a second later, and Ari pulls out just as Kane slams the door.
The SUV burns rubber—literally. The smell is disgusting, and Alice starts gagging as Ari races through a closing automatic gate, and I don’t breathe properly again until Phoenix’s head flops back against the headrest and he lets out a heavy sigh.
“We’ve lost them.”
I’m too afraid to hope he’s right, but he’s also too good not to trust. He might not be able to trace the source of our leak, but he’s been aware of every thread since we found it.
I lean to the side, rolling down the window for a second to let some of the burned rubber smell out, and I don’t dare look at Alice, who’s breathing heavily. I can feel rage coming off her in waves, and it takes a good five minutes before anyone speaks.
“What the actual fuck?” is all she says.
I glance over her head to Kane, who’s rubbing his fingers around his mouth absently. His brows are furrowed, and I know that means he’s in pain because carrying her was no small feat. His stump has been bothering him for days now, and there’s a chance he’s going to need more surgery for abusing his body instead of keeping his weight off it.
But in our life, there is no rest for the wicked.
“Someone better answer me right fucking now,” Alice says.
Ari lifts a hand to sign, ‘Someone better say something.’
Kane huffs, then drops his hands to his lap. “We were being tracked.”
“I knew that,” Alice snaps.
Kane’s eyes narrow on her, and he looks furious, though she doesn’t cow the way she used to. “Every single plan I put into action was intercepted by some fuck from the Romanos, and I know it’s Leo.”
Alice’s jaw shuts with a hard click. It’s her move when I know she wants to argue, but she doesn’t have the facts to back her up. “So you found him?”
“We haven’t found anything because they’re in our network,” Phoenix says gruffly. “This was the only way.”
“Kidnapping?”
