AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Cursing myself for not tying Zaq’s ankle to mine. Hell, I should’ve chained his goddamned arms and legs together.
The front door was nailed shut. I pulled open the back door and leapt over the cinderblock to the ground.
In the yard next door, a middle-aged man in a Yankees shirt was barbecuing ribs. I waved an arm. “Hey!”
He regarded me from under lowered brows. “You talkin’ to me?”
“Sorry, sir.” I dredged up an apologetic smile. “Can I ask you something?”
He shrugged a beefy shoulder. “You can ask. Don’t mean I’ll answer.”
“Have you seen a man wearing a blue cap? He’s about this tall”—I held my hand above my head at approximately six feet—“and he has a dark beard.”
“Yeah, I seen him. He went that way.” He pointed toward the street.
“Thanks.”
“About thirty minutes ago,” my informant added. “Maybe more. No way you’ll catch him now.”
Thirty minutes? He could be in Manhattan by now. Or on his way to Maryland.
Damn damn damn.
He could be anywhere.
I jogged around to the front of the brownstone. The light from the setting sun slanted down across the street, warming the buildings’ weathered chocolate-colored stones. People sat on stoops, staring at their phones or talking with friends. A group of kids kicked a soccer ball around, their happy cries filling the air.
It seemed like everyone in the neighborhood was outside taking in the cooler evening air. Everyone, that is, but Zaq.
My blood pounded in my ears. I’d fucked up—bad. I wiped my sweaty palms on my pants.
I returned to the house and questioned Dex, who confirmed that Zaq had left about a half an hour ago.
“He didn’t say when he’d be back?” Who was I kidding? He wasn’t coming back.
“No.” My friend’s broad face creased with concern. “Why? Is there a problem?”
“No.”
I passed a shaky hand over my eyes. He was gone. He could be anywhere by now. He knew this city as well or better than I did.
Damn damn damn. I’d have to contact Crow, let her know.
Despite the heat, the thought of my alpha’s anger sent a chill down my spine.
I returned to my room and rummaged through my backpack. He’d taken one of my blades but left the other two. I undid the hidden inner pocket. The syringe was still there but the vials were gone.
I grabbed my wallet and looked inside.
Great. He not only had a weapon, he had cash and a MetroCard.
A heavy stone of disappointment lodged in my chest. I sank into a crouch, my arms wrapped around my knees.
I’d trusted Zaq. Maybe I shouldn’t have, but I had. We’d made a deal and I’d expected him to keep his side of it.
He’s a syndicate prince. What did you expect?
Hell, he’d warned me himself not to trust him, said he only lied “about the important things.”
