AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I hate you. My father isn’t like that!” Zoe insisted, becoming almost hysterical.
“Shut up. Shut the fuck up, you little tramp!”
“Leave. Her. Alone. She’s an innocent girl. You want me. Isn’t that the real reason? You’re pissed because I fell in love with a real man who can actually take care of me.” My insult was risky as hell, but I had no doubt given the crazed look in his eye and the way he was sweating profusely that he’d pull the trigger without warning.
“You threatened my family!” Zoe screamed.
Carter took several ragged breaths, his face turning bright red. The second he reared back, I tackled Zoe, pulling us both to the floor just seconds before he fired off several shots.
“Oh. Oh. Oh. Oh,” Zoe moaned and I covered her with my body, praying to God that she hadn’t been hit.
When I heard nothing, I lifted my head. Carter was swaying back and forth. He lowered his head, glaring at me before stomping to the door. “Killing you would be too easy. Knowing you lost your life in a horrific fire like my brother will leave me with delicious thoughts for years to come. Goodbye, Raven. Take it from me. There is no such thing as innocence in this fucked-up world.”
With that, he slammed and locked the door.
“Jesus Christ. Zoe. Are you okay?”
When she moaned, I eased off her, still praying.
“He’s going to… kill us,” she gulped, finally lifting her head. Tears were streaming down her face.
“Not if I can help it and as you told me, don’t you dare lose faith or underestimate your father. He will walk through the fires of hell to get to us. Thank God the freak was a bad shot.”
She nodded, offering a smile. We both noticed a stronger stench, her face scrunching up. “What the hell is that smell?”
“Are you okay? Can you stand?”
“I’m fine. Just shaken. This is crazy. What is wrong with him?”
“Greed and revenge.”
I helped Zoe to her, immediately realizing the son of a bitch wasn’t a bad shot. He’d purposely driven holes into several of the chemicals. Glugs of liquid were pooling on the floor. Only seconds later, I knew exactly what the asshole had done.
We were in some kind of warehouse. If what he’d told me was remotely true, then he was re-enacting the situation with his brother. He really was killing two birds with one stone.
“We’re going to die,” she insisted. “We’re going to die!”
I pulled away, turning and grabbing her arms as she started to sob even harder. “Listen to me. We are not going to die. I will get us out of here. I need to find something to pick the lock. Okay. Something sharp. Long. Can you help me?”
She took several gulping breaths and I thought she wouldn’t manage to find the strength or courage, but she was her father’s daughter. Within seconds, she shored up her shoulders and gave me a solid nod. “Yes, I can.”
“Excellent. Let’s get the fuck out of here and go home.” I moved closer to the chemicals, trying not to react. What I wouldn’t mention was how combustible they were. Whatever happened, if the fire found its way into the room, there would be no chance we’d survive.
* * *
Arman
Wham!
I issued the fourth brutal punch to Ramsey’s face. He grunted and started to slide down the brick wall. “Talk to me. Tell me where your fucking son has gone.”
“I don’t know!” The words were the same thing he’d said for the last ten minutes. Time was wasting.
I jerked him nearly off his feet, slamming him against the wall. I’d forced Maddox to stop in a location where we wouldn’t be bothered, but this was getting ridiculous. “You have one last chance. The fucker took Raven and my daughter for a reason.”
“Let me have a few minutes with him,” Francois said.
I snapped my head in my brother’s direction, backing away a few seconds later. Maybe I did need to cool off so I could think clearly.
