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There was a pause, then Maddox spoke through what sounded like clenched teeth. “You really fucked up, motherfucker. You’ve just signed your death warrant. If you lay a finger on that woman, I’ll kill you slowly. Let her go, get the fuck out of my city, and I’ll consider letting you live.”
Charlie laughed, having no idea that he was a dead man walking. “You’re not calling the shots, Hale. Half a million for both of them. I think that’s pretty reasonable considering the bitch killed one of my men and severely wounded another.”
Next to me Ruthless stiffened at the insult. It meant nothing to me when some jerkass like Charlie talked crap. But it set Ruthless off, pouring gasoline on the flames of his temper. I caught his eye, willing him to stay calm.
“Pretty sure they had it coming,” Maddox replied, his tone growing more menacing with each word. “Just like you. Do you have any idea how long a man can live while he’s being disemboweled? I do.”
Charlie’s lip twitched, the only sign that Mads had scared him a little. “She worked our city without permission. She’s got your ink, so that means you owe us.”
He was grasping now. He’d made a huge mistake, and now it was too late.
“That’s right. She’s got my ink. That makes her mine, and I don’t take kindly to pieces of shit touching what’s mine.” Now Maddox sounded absolutely venomous. So deadly and alluring that I didn’t even mind being claimed as his. “And I don’t owe you jack shit.”
Because Charlie was in over his head and he knew it, he had no choice but to stick to his guns. His voice rose, wavering slightly. “Listen,asshole. You’ve got one hour to get your hands on half a million or I’ll kill this bitch and your buddy too. Got it?”
Nostrils flaring, Charlie glared at me. I stared back impassively, wary but not nearly as shaken up as he was.
There was a pause before Maddox laughed, low and wicked. “Oh yeah. I’ve got it.”
The call ended as a new set of headlights lit up the trees. Maddox’s car glided to a stop behind the Escalade. The doors opened and he stepped out, accompanied by Wolfe and Ace. My heart raced as I braced for the impending violence.
“You’re not the only one with a tracker,” Ruthless said, perking up at the sight of the others.
Driven by panic, Charlie grabbed my arm and jerked me out of the SUV so hard I fell to my knees on the ground. The barrel of his gun jammed against the back of my skull as he stood behind me execution style.
A trickle of fear skated through me, leaving an icy trail behind. I may have been a bad bitch, but I wasn’t the type to laugh with a gun to my head. Unlike Ruthless who cackled maniacally when they shoved him down on his knees next to me. All five Thorns stood behind us, using us as a barrier.
“Drop your weapons,” Charlie commanded. “Or watch me paint the trees with her brains.”
“Does that kind of talk make you feel better about your micro dick?” Ruthless taunted with a grin. “You’re so fucked.”
My eyes widened, and I shot Ruthless a what the fuck glare. Pete didn’t find him very funny. He slammed his piece into the side of Ruthless’s head, causing a gush of blood from his temple. It did little to subdue him.
“This is your last chance to turn this around,” Maddox said, a semi-automatic hanging loose in one hand. “You should’ve let her go and forgotten all about her. You’d be doing yourself a favor. But I get it. She’s not easy to forget.”
My gaze shifted to Maddox and our eyes momentarily locked. He winked before returning his focus to Charlie. My chest warmed with fuzzy feelings. Despite the confusion and pain that lingered from everything that had gone down between us, I couldn’t deny that I was still head over heels for him.
“She owes us, and we’re here to collect. Her life or half a million, like I told you. Those are the options.” To his credit, Charlie delivered his demand without wavering. “Let’s include your buddy too since he thinks this is so funny.”
Wolfe and Ace stood on either side of Maddox, a united front against a common enemy. Would their union last beyond tonight? I hoped so.
“We’ll give you a hundred grand to disappear right now,” Wolfe offered. He held no visible weapon, but I knew he’d come prepared. “That’s more than enough for her working your turf. You won’t see her in Castle Grove again.”
That was fine with me. I had no intention of stepping foot in that city again. Who’d have thought pulling off a basic theft to pay some bills would lead me here?
Charlie was aghast. “A hundred grand? That’s a fucking insult. The only way to walk out of here with your girl and your pal is to give us what we want. Half a million. I’m not budging.”
The silence that fell was broken only by the rustle of leaves in the trees. Maddox and Wolfe exchanged a look, brief but powerful. It may not have been much, but I latched onto the small shred of evidence proving they could still work together after all this time.
I knew that look. It meant shit was about to go down.
“Well,” Maddox said, his gaze traveling over each of the Thorns. “Then I guess we have a problem.”
I braced myself, knowing that Ruthless and I would have to make the first move to end this. The other guys wouldn’t be able to do a damn thing while we both had guns to our heads.
With the toe of my boot, I nudged Ruthless, the barest tap as I pretended to shift my weight on my sore knees. This had to happen fast. If I failed, we were dead.
Dropping down low to the ground, I pulled the blade from my hair and whirled toward Charlie. With one hand I knocked his gun arm aside while plunging the blade into his groin with the other. His scream at such close range was near deafening.
