Page 92 of Pretty Threats

That’s valid, so I don’t know what to say other than, “Yeah, well, he’s lucky I did.” I lift her out of the box. “No shoes?”

She shakes her head.

“Stand still. Don’t walk. You might step on something sharp.” I hold her against me and rub her back, trying to warm her up. “We agree he’s a bad guy, right?”

If she says no, I’m gonna have to ignore or convince her. The guys won’t like that. But I’ll try because I want things to go back to the way they were before she overheard me.

She presses her lips between her teeth and looks away. “He’s awful. Worse than you know.”

That causes me to become still. She’s dressed. I don’t see any wounds. Did he hurt her in ways I can’t see? That makes me want to tell War and Jamie we should take our time.

But then she would overhear the blows and the screams. No. No matter what happened, that wouldn’t be good for her.

I lean closer, taking hold of her again as I whisper against her scalp, “You’ll be all right, Raine. I promise.” I sweep her up in my arms and carry her through the woods.

Zenker can wait. Everything can wait until she’s in a spot where she feels safe and warm.

I walk through the brush to the SUV, open the back door and set her inside on the seat. “I know you’re cold. Rest. I’ll put the heat on for you.”

She nods, chewing on the side of her lower lip.

After I’ve got the heat blasting, I return to her. “You know what? Today, I learned what fear feels like.” I look her over. “Glad I didn’t have to learn grief as well.”

Her chocolate brown eyes study me, full of emotions I can’t even name.

“Watch your feet, baby,” I say softly.

Raine moves her feet farther into the truck, and I close the door to keep the wind from blowing on her. I need to head back to finish Zenker.

Instead, I stare at her through the glass.

Alive. Safe. And back in my sight. That’s all that matters.

Whatever happened to her, we’ll deal with it. Even if she has to talk to someone like her dad. I’ll drive her back and forth. I’ll watch over her every second until I’m sure she’s okay again… I’ve done it before.

I turn and jog back to the site. I’ll end things quickly because I want to get Raine away from here as fast as possible.

War and Jamie have dragged Zenker into the water and have his head submerged. It’s like a pair of cats playing with a mouse.

He led us on a chase fifty miles north of campus. When we lost his phone’s signal, we thought we might find him too late.

That was not a good moment.

It took an unsettling amount of time to get his car’s VIN and locate it using its nav system. A lot of hacking, not all of it elegant or stealthy. That couldn’t be helped, though. We’ll worry about covering our tracks now that Raine is safe.

I pull the tactical folding knife from my utility belt and stalk out onto the rocky sand. As I open the blade I say, “Turn him.”

War and Jamie haul Zenker around so he’s facing me. He sputters and coughs while gasping for breath as sea water runs from his nose and mouth.

They each have an arm, so he can’t raise his hands to protect himself. He does try to get his feet under him to stand and break free, but he’s too late.

I grab his hair with my left hand and drag the blade across his throat with the other. Blood spills in a waterfall down his neck as his eyes bulge.

“Drop him.”

War and Jamie let him go, and Zenker falls face first onto the rocks and cracks at least one bone from the sound of it.

He tries to push himself up as blood pours from his neck. He turns halfway over before he collapses onto his side. I kick him the rest of the way and press my boot down on his chest so he can’t take another breath. He’s partially submerged, but his face is above water and the panicked look in his eyes is satisfying.

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