Page 75 of August

They reached the end of the hall and he shoved open a door. A single mattress with a tattered blanket was pushed against the wall. Dirty clothes covered the floor along with more garbage.

A dog barked from behind the closed bedroom door across the hallway then scratched at the wood.

“Micha, no!” he hollered. He refocused on Gigi, his expression hard but also calculating. “Sit,” he commanded. Dried blood coated the skin between his nose and top lip. A bruise turning an ugly hue of purple swelled beneath his eye.

She curled her lip at the bed. There was no way in hell she was sitting on that thing. She lowered herself to the floor against the wall on the one bare spot near the mattress. Drawing her knees close to her chest, she waited for him to say or do something.

She heard Alec speaking in the kitchen. There was no response, indicating he was on the phone. Bandana Guy opened and closed his fists at his sides. “Don’t piss him off and he’ll ignore you.”

She swallowed. His advice lowered her guard a little. “He shot my friend.”

The man shrugged. “I don’t give a shit about your friend. We have orders to follow.”

“Orders to kill me.”

His throat moved as if in involuntary resistance to the idea. “Don’t move.” He left the room and she blinked.

Was he coming back? The dog’s scratches intensified and for a second, she feared it’d break through the cheap wood and come charging at her. Maybe she should run. At least attempt to escape. The only thing that kept her in place was knowing she’d run right into Alec if she did.

Bandana Guy reappeared with duct tape. He knelt next to her, and the stench of marijuana flooded the air. “Hands behind your back.”

Keeping her gaze locked on his face, she held her wrists out in front of her. “Please,” she whispered.

His dark eyes sparked with something that looked like compassion before evil chased it away. “Behind your back,” he spat.

She swallowed, turned, and joined her wrists at her spine. The duct tape screeched as he stretched the material over her skin. But he wound the tape only once. Huh. He’s giving me a shot. He gave her a hard nudge and she turned back around.

“If you shut up and listen maybe you’ll live.” He glanced over his shoulder. “Whatever you do, don’t say anything to him. If he wants to rough you up, I can’t help.” He stood.

Gigi nodded, taking whatever kindness she could get. This man wasn’t a good guy, but he probably wouldn’t be her executioner either.

“I’m going to let the dog out. She’s nice but will want to smell you. Don’t startle or you’ll freak her out.”

Gigi’s eyes bugged out. “No, I—”

But he was already in the hallway, pushing open the second door. A pit bull trotted out. Spotting Gigi, it raced forward. Gigi stifled a squeak as the dog ran up and snuffled around her, getting close to her face and ears.

Then Bandana Guy whistled and the dog followed him out of the room. The door clicked shut and a lock sounded.

Gigi leapt to her feet. Whether Bandana Guy was a killer or not, she had to get the hell out of here.

CHAPTER 23

The wind whipped around the boat as August rode in silence with his team and the fucking dumb sonofabitch who’d done nothing but poison Gigi’s life.

August pressed his closed fists to his thighs. His hands itched to rearrange Todd’s face, but roughing him up right now wouldn’t do anyone any good. He needed Todd coherent so the prick could help find Gigi. As soon as they reached Anacortes, they’d call Alvarez.

Glancing at Toth’s puckered brow and Rami’s barely masked fury, August knew his friends weren’t just pissed about Gigi but worried about Taschen. But he didn’t have the capacity to think beyond Gigi right now. Not yet. He couldn’t do a damn thing but focus all his attention on getting her back.

Gigi’s laugh rang inside his head. He heard her sweet voice and felt the warmth and steadiness of her arms. He craved her like a suffocating man craved air.

But more than that, he craved justice. He’d end the motherfuckers who’d gotten their hands on her. And if they were hurting her now... August’s brain flickered.

He couldn’t go there. Couldn’t handle the thought of her being scared. Surely Alvarez wasn’t stupid. If he knew they’d gone to the Radcliffes, he’d know August could end their operation by reporting the senator and his charitable foundation. He had to keep his head in the game and remind himself that Alvarez cared about only two things: money and revenge. If August played his cards right, he’d have Alvarez right where he wanted him.

The boat bounced over the surf, making August lift his head. Anacortes came into view. A few minutes later they were on the dock.

Todd muttered something to Rami, who then shoved Todd out of the boat. He stumbled onto the wooden planks and nearly fell in the water.

---