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“Yeah? Same protection that kept you from being kidnapped, huh?” He cackled, giving me a wicked grin. “You were too easy to grab, princess. But you know, maybe you should just try fucking Victor if he gets you? I bet that would really tickle his fancy… But then again, last I checked, it takes a little moreviolenceto get him off.”
My stomach knotted up at the thought of letting anyone touch me who wasn’t…him. And that was much more terrifying to me than Victor Sanchez. Lucas was there on my side. We would figure something out—ifVictor got off his leash—which Chaz had always kept tight.
“That’s what I thought,” he mumbled, grabbing my attention.
I looked up at him, meeting his gaze. And for a split second, I saw hurt in his gray irises, but it only lasted a split second before disappearing into the darkness.
“You two lovebirds ready?” A face appeared from the stairwell, a smirk on his face as he took in the two of us.
“Shut the fuck up, Gunner,” Trevor growled. “She’s dead to me after this.”
Chapter 24
Axle
I was so fucking pissed… Pissed because Rachel was lying to my face about what happened between us and pissed because I had to let her go once she got out of the van. I’d changed my mind about keeping an eye on her after everything—that wouldn’t be conducive to moving on. Instead of watching her, I’d just watch Victor Sanchez. Whether Rachel was in my life or not, that stupid fucker needed to be stopped.
And I’d make sure he never touched another woman.
“Almost there,” Viper said with a sigh as he pulled down a dark road. “I don’t know why we couldn’t have done this somewhere closer to civilization.”
“Maybe they’re just going to massacre us once we get there,” I joked, leaning back in the front passenger seat. I had opted to ride up front, leaving Gunner and Will with Rachel in the back. I had been given weird looks from everyone… Clearly, they hadn’t been listening to Rachel and I’s conversation before we left.
“You’re a real fucking ray of sunshine,” Viper shot back at me from the front seat. “I know you’re sad about seeing her leave, but you know, might be a little less toxic to not be keeping her in your basement.”
I heard Rachel laugh from the back of the van, and it only grinded my nerves more. She had turned cold, and I had a good feeling it was her way of dealing with her inner conflict over us. The last time we’d had sex, it was something else… For me, at least. Maybe shewasbeing truthful. Maybe she used me to stay safe. I knew it was a possibility, and I let things happen anyway.
“So, you gonna let this all go, right?” I heard Will ask her from the back of the van.
“I know how this shit works,” she answered him. “I grew up mixed up in the cartel. I know better than to go to the police. I don’t think they’d find me very credible, anyway. A little bit of digging into my past, and they’d toss me out. Rather not die.”
“You’re a smart woman,” Will chuckled. “No wonder Linley liked you so much. I think she was hoping you’d either escape or stick around.”
“I have a life to get back to,” Rachel’s voice was quiet. “I have pending cases that need to be closed. I don’t like leaving my clients wondering.”
“You know, we could use those services,” Gunner mused, his tone full of amusement. “It would save me hours of boring stakeouts.”
“Yeah, well, you can make an appointment like everyone else,” she laughed, her voice sending a burst of heartbreak through my chest. I hadn’t ever been torn up over a woman. To me, they were nothing but trouble—and I saw the pain my mother had gone through when it came to relationships. She had fallen for the wrong guy…
And that’s why I would let Rachel go.
If my dad would’ve left my mom alone, instead of continuing to chase her, she never would’ve ended up dead. I leaned my head back against the seat, pushing the painful memories from my mind. Being around Rachel made me feel utterly human, instead of cold blooded. She had brought my past to my door in more ways than one.
And maybe it would be better once she was gone.
“Looks like they’re already here waiting for us,” Viper said, killing the headlights as we approached. There weretwovehicles, one dark SUV and then a dark colored new Bronco. “You recognize any of these?” Viper turned to Rachel, and she peered through the windshield.
And I swear to God there was a smile in her eyes.
“Yeah, I recognize them both.”
And that was the truth, because so did I. The SUV belonged to Chaz, and the Bronco? Yeah, that was Lucas’s—and that’s why she was smiling. However, her eyes drained of all relief within seconds, and I whipped my head back around to seethreemen getting out…
One of them being Victor Sanchez.
“What the fuck is he doing here?” Murderous rage exploded in my chest, my hand flying to my pistol tucked away in my belt.
Viper stopped me, his hand on my arm. “He’s here to fuck with your head, Axle. It’s not about her. Chaz is doing this toyou.”
