Page 37 of Saving Scarlett

I clenched my jaw. There was no time for pretenses. “Scarlett’s been taken. I think it was Ivy’s gang, but it could be a rival. I need everything you can dig up on them. Location, members, plans. And I needed it yesterday.”

Phantom whistled low through the phone. “Can’t say I’m surprised after the broadcast last night, but I’m shocked they found you.” Keys clacked rapidly on his end. “I’m on it, Boss. I’ll tap into the traffic cams around where she was taken, see if I can track where they went.” For a moment, Phantom went silent, but when he came back, his voice was hesitant. “You planning on going in after them by yourself?”

For as long as Phantom had been taking my calls, he already knew the answer to that question. “Aside from you, I work alone.”

Phantom chuckled. “Somehow I knew you’d say that. Alright, gimme a few hours to work my magic here. I’ll call you when I get something.”

I tossed it back onto the seat, burying the gas pedal below my boot. Given the silence, Scarlett’s absence pressed down on me like an enveloping dark cloud. I tightened my grip on the steering wheel. Every mile that brought me closer to the city also brought me closer to the danger she faced, and the thought of her in danger burned the back of my throat with dread. My thoughts spun as I drove. As the winding roads of the north Alabama mountains gave way to the flat expanse of Louisiana, all I pictured was my Little Red in danger. This was a race against time, and I could not afford to make any mistakes, nor could I afford to lose my head.

When I finally parked my car in the garage at my building in New Orleans, the familiar sights and sounds of the city did not help to ease my anxiety. Unlike the fresh, cool air of the mountains, the air in the city was thick with humidity. The heat was oppressive even in mid-October. The smell of donuts wafted through the open windows from the bakery around the block, making my stomach grumble, but I ignored it. My safe haven, normally a place of solace, now felt like a temporary stop on my mission to rescue Scarlett, and I didn’t have time to get comfortable. I would not take comfort until I had her back with me.

Unlocking my door, I scanned the area around my entrance, holding my breath as I placed my ear against the door. I’d made the decision to return to my own apartment at that moment, but I knew it would only be temporary until I found Scarlett. When I had her back, the Mob would know I was alive, so I would have to take her to a safe house elsewhere. Although I was not sure if they knew my true identity, I couldn’t take any chances with her life. But when it was just me, I dared them to find me at home. If they did, it would only make it easier for me to find their hideout, and that’s where I would find my Little Red.

Taking a deep breath, I stepped into my apartment, shutting and locking the door behind me. I was unable to sit still and unable to sleep, so I ate, drank, and then immediately began to gather the tools I would need to face the men who took her. My living room table was laden with guns, ammunition, and a bulletproof vest, but as I prepared for battle, my thoughts continued to plague me. I was haunted by her warm smile and gentle touch, reminding me of what lay ahead and what was at stake.

Shaking my head, I tried to clear my thoughts, needing to focus, but it was useless. In life, I was a patient man, but not at that moment. At that moment, knowing my girl was somewhere afraid and alone, I could have breathed fire.

I glanced at my phone, which was still silent, as I yanked my shirt off and tossed it to the ground, wincing as my injuries ached. Although I wanted to feel the pain—I deserved the pain—I knew I couldn’t continue to fight if I wasn’t at my best. So, although I deserved to suffer, I went into my bathroom and took a shower, cleaning the blood and grime from my body, watching the crimson water swirl down the drain. When I was out, I cleaned and bandaged my wounds before returning to my office. My shoulder hurt like hell, but I took medication that wouldn’t dull my senses, and let the pain that remained fuel the fight that was ahead.

In the hours since I had given Phantom his orders, I had not spoken with him. The only updates he had sent me were through messages, and they had not been enough to tell me where to begin. Without more information, I was dead in the water.

As I sat down in front of my computer, I booted up the secure communication software on the device. The screen flickered to life, casting a soft blue glow over the dimly lit room. My fingers pounded across the keyboard, inputting the necessary codes and passwords I needed as I placed the earbud in my ear and called him.

“Hey, Boss. I’m still cracking away at this,” Phantom said, his voice crackled through the speakers. Despite the slight distortion from our secure line, I could still make out the familiar sound of him munching on his favorite snack—popcorn, probably cheesy. “But I’m working on back doors into a few things.”

“First, we need to locate her. Have you hacked into the roadside cameras and security cameras along the route to see if there’s any footage of her being taken?”

“Already on it,” Phantom replied, the tapping of his keys echoing through the line. “In the meantime, we should strategize on a plan to get her back.”

My mind raced as I considered the best strategy when I had no idea what I was up against. Just realizing how out-manned I was had me gripping the edge of the table until my knuckles turned white. “If they know I’m still alive—which I’m hoping they don’t—they’ll be expecting us to come at them with brute force, but we need to catch them off guard. We need something they won’t see coming.”

A hush fell over the tapping and chewing. “Like what?”

“Maybe... a diversion.” My thoughts were scattered, but a vague idea formed. “We could create a false threat somewhere far from where they’re keeping Scarlett. While their forces are focused on that, I could slip in and get her out.”

“Interesting idea,” his tapping started up again, “although they may be expecting something like that.”

I clenched my teeth as he repeated my own doubts to me. I already knew they would probably expect a diversion, but with me going in after her without a gang of my own, I needed one.

“I can create some digital chaos, make it seem like a rival gang is attacking them,” Phantom said, easing some tension in my body. “Or I could even create a blackout.”

Though I knew he couldn’t see it, I nodded, my chest tightening against the weight of our reality. “But we need to act fast. The longer she stays with them, the more at risk she becomes.”

“Understood. I’ve gotten access to the security cameras now. It may take a while to comb through everything, but I’ll find her, Boss. I swear.”

Chapter 33

The Survivor

Athrobbing pain pulsed behind my eyes as I slowly regained consciousness. The cold, icy ground pressed against my back served as an unwelcome reminder that I was no longer in the warmth and comfort of the cabin. I blinked several times, trying to clear the fog from my vision. As my eyes adjusted to the dim lighting, I realized I was in some kind of warehouse. Stacked crates and rusty shelves lined the perimeter, while a single dangling light bulb illuminated the vast empty space in the center. I was in a small room, lying on a concrete floor with my hands tied behind my back, the rough rope biting into my wrists.

Trying to sit up, I winced as sharp pains radiated through my ribs and shoulder. The pain only worsened my racing heart. Fear coursed through me as the memories came rushing back—the SUV, the chloroform-soaked rag over my mouth. They’d kidnapped me.

My thoughts drifted back to the chaos of that night—the armed men storming into the cabin, Bane yelling at me to run before they descended on him. I never even had a chance to get away. He tried to protect me, but we were outnumbered.

The thought of him caused an ache in my chest that threatened to break me. Being alone and at the mercy of my abductors, I did not know whether he was alive or dead. There was no way of knowing if he would come for me, or if I would ever see him again.

I took a deep breath, trying to slow down my racing heart, needing to keep calm so I could think. Wriggling my hands, I felt along the knotted ropes, searching for weakness. The fibers were tight but slightly frayed. If I could find something sharp...

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