Page 100 of August

Toth held out his hand.

She took it and slid out of the back of the vehicle. “How about that water?”

CHAPTER 30

The screech of sirens lit a fire under August’s feet as he ran down the alleyway away from the house.

Goddamn had it felt good to remove the threat to Gigi’s life once and for all. He would’ve preferred more time with Alvarez. If the idea weren’t so revolting, cutting out the sonofabitch’s tongue would’ve been a great start. August shuddered at the thought of how many people had suffered that fate at Alvarez’s hands.

Not anymore.

The lunatic’s brains were all over the bedroom. Of course, August had beaten the shit out of him first. He’d shattered his femur and some other important bones and organs with bullets before putting him out of his misery. All details he’d spare Gigi. All she needed to know was that Alvarez was currently burning in hell. And right now, getting to the SUV before the cops reached the house was paramount.

Rami and Ghost hopped in Ghost’s vehicle with the dog in tow. August hadn’t wanted to adopt the animal, but he also hadn’t wanted to leave her with Marko only for her to end up back in the cartel. Thankfully, Rami had offered to foster her. The pit bull had protected Gigi, so the pup deserved a second chance and a loving home.

August leapt into the back seat of Toth’s Tahoe. Gigi opened her arms, and he slid close to her, wrapping her against his side. “Go, go, go.”

Toth took off. The SUV bumped over the uneven road and the headlights sliced through the darkness.

Gigi gripped his shirt in one hand and his wrist in the other. She was silent, and so was he. All he wanted—no, needed—was to get her somewhere safe. See for himself that she wasn’t hurt. “Take us to my place,” he said.

“Got it,” Toth said. He took backstreets, avoiding the main road, where they’d pass police and emergency vehicles, and within a few minutes they were on the highway and August’s muscles relaxed a fraction. But he wouldn’t truly be at ease until he could look Gigi in the face and tell her everything he needed to say.

She wiggled even closer. “How did you find me?”

He gave her a half smile. “Senator Radcliffe gave me the address.”

She widened her eyes. “I’m surprised he was helpful.”

Toth chortled. “Not without a little nudge.”

Gigi’s head tilted. “Did you do something to the senator?”

“No, just made some threats. Although I got the call from Dana that you were missing when we first met with Radcliffe, to get Todd. I might have punched him then.”

She gasped. “Oh my god. Taschen.” Her eyes shimmered, and he quickly shook his head.

“Don’t worry. I think he’s going to be okay. His sister Dana is at the hospital now, and the last we heard he’d made it out of surgery.”

Her mouth opened and closed. “He was shot in the head and chest.”

August smirked. “It’ll take more than that to bring down a guy like Taschen. Besides, by the sounds of it the bullet only grazed his skull.”

She winced, and her much smaller hand found his and squeezed. “I’m so sorry. It’s all my fault.”

He gripped her fingers. “This is not your fault. It was Todd’s and Alvarez’s. And I should have left more men with you.”

She grew quiet, and he wished he could see into her pretty head. The thought that she could be pulling away from him, or scared of him, made worry crawl up the back of his neck.

“And Alvarez? Is he...?”

He brought his lips to her forehead. “It’s done.” He wouldn’t say more than that. Not right now anyway.

She relaxed a little against his side. Fifteen minutes later, Toth rolled up in front of August’s apartment building. August thanked his friend and got out, pulling Gigi close.

He ushered her into the building, and the trip through the lobby and up the elevator barely registered in his consciousness. She said nothing, but shivers racked her body. He probably should’ve taken her to the hospital. She didn’t have any visible wounds, but what if they’d done something she hadn’t told him about?

The elevator dinged, and he led her down the navy-blue checkered carpet. Reaching his unit, he pushed open the door and swept her inside. After clicking on the lights, he turned off his alarm system and removed his shoes as she did the same. The lemony scent of floor cleaner hung in the air from whenever the house cleaner had last stopped by.

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