Page 15 of Razor
“And how will you track him down?” she questioned.
“You forget that I’m a Detective?” Spade asked. She couldn’t forget that either he or Razor were detectives. They lived dangerous lives, and their sense of protecting innocent peoplewas what was going to get them both hurt or worse. She couldn’t let that happen.
“No, I haven’t forgotten,” she grumbled.
“Good,” Spade said, “I’ll ping his cellphone and will hopefully get his location. In the meantime, you stay here with Violet and keep your ringer turned up. I’m betting that he’ll be back here with the two of you in no time.” He smiled, but Ella noticed that it didn’t reach his eyes. She wondered if that was due to the worry about his partner or the fact that he didn’t believe his own promises that he had made her.
“You’ll let me know when you find out where he is?” she asked.
He nodded, and again, she worried that he wasn’t being completely truthful with her. “You might think that I’m weak, but I’m not, Spade. I can handle the truth.”
“Got it,” he said. “I’ll be in touch soon.” She thanked him and walked him back to the front door. “Lock up behind me, and don’t answer the door for anyone. I’ll use Razor’s key when I get back.”
“Please, be careful,” she breathed.
He turned back to her and winked, “It’s the only way I know how to be.” Ella rolled her eyes as he stepped outside. “Talk soon.” He left, and she quickly shut the door, locking it as instructed. Ella said a little prayer that the pretty promises that Spade had just made her weren’t just that. She needed Razor to come home safely, and then, they were going to have to sit down and figure out what they were going to do once this nightmare was over—if that time ever came.
“When will the pizza get here?” Violet asked. Spade showing up at the safehouse had delayed their plans for a girls’ night of pizza and a princess movie. Violet was as impatient as Razor and reminded Ella of him in so many ways. Every time she looked into Violet’s green eyes, she saw Razor’s, and God, she was worried about him. She just hoped like hell that Spade would be able to keep his promise and find Razor and bring him back to her and Violet.
“Any time now,” Ella promised. “I’m sure that they are just busy tonight. Pizza places are always busy on Friday nights.” The kid looked her over again, as though she was trying to decide if she believed her or not, and Ella couldn’t help her giggle.
“Why are you laughing?” Violet asked. Sometimes, when the kid asked her a million questions, she wondered if she was really just four years old. She seemed so mature for her age, and she was probably smarter than Ella already.
“Because you remind me of your dad when you look at me like that,” Ella admitted.
“Will Daddy be home soon?” Violet asked again. Shit—she needed to try harder to avoid bringing up Razor in front of Violet. Ella had almost gotten her to quit asking her every five minutes about when Razor would be home, and yet, they seemed to be back to square one now. The kid was definitely smarter than she was, and if she didn’t stay on her game, Violet would always outsmart her.
“He’s working, honey,” Ella lied. “I’m not sure when he’ll be home, but I bet that as soon as he can get away, he will. You know that he loves pizza and princess movies, so I’m sure that he’ll hurry.” She felt bad about lying to Violet, but it was her only option. What else could she do? She couldn’t tell her that her father might be in danger and was possibly being held by the Devils. Ella knew firsthand what being held by those assholes was like, and she was away for months. She just hopedthat Razor wasn’t with them and that she’d be able to keep her promise to Violet and that he'd come home soon. The man did seriously love his pizza, and even though he protested every time Violet asked to watch a princess movie, Ella could tell that he loved being a girl dad.
“Did you get his favorite pizza?” Violet asked as though that might bring him home faster.
“Yep,” Ella said, “Pepperoni and olives.” She made a face, and Violet giggled. It was Violet’s favorite, too, and Ella was fine with it as long as they didn’t mind her picking the olives off the top.
“I picked out the movie,” Violet said, pointing to the television. Ella couldn’t help but smile at the picture of Wonder Woman on the screen. She thought that it was pretty damn cute that the kid thought of the superhero as a princess. She and Razor had debated about Wonder Woman being a princess every time Violet asked to watch the movie. As far as Ella was concerned, Wonder Woman could be whoever she wanted to be, and if Violet wanted her to be a princess, then she was one.
“Well, she’s my favorite princess,” Ella said. Violet smiled at her as she took her hand and led her to the sofa. She sat down, and Violet snuggled into her side. It was strange how that simple act always brought her so much joy. She had never thought of herself as maternal. Heck, she couldn’t ever see herself having kids, even someday. After her time with the Devils, she had given up hope of anything like meeting a man and starting a family ever happening for her, but Razor had changed all of that for her. He and Violet gave her hope that all the horrible things she had suffered at the hands of the Devils could eventually be forgotten, and she’d be able to move on and have a future that she never thought possible.
The knock at the door had Violet jumping up from the couch. “The pizza is here,” she shouted. She started to run for the door, and Ella stood and reached for her, but the little girl was toofast. She had pulled the door open before Ella could stop her and gasped when she found two men covered in tattoos standing on the porch.
“Hey, little girl, is your Mommy home?” the taller man asked. Violet looked back at Ella as she pulled her into her body and held her close. The Devils had found her, and she worried that meant that Razor was in more trouble than Spade had let her believe. If he gave up their location, Razor would have to be in a lot of pain or dead, because she couldn’t see him ever giving that information to the Devils willingly.
“You’re not the pizza guy,” Violet said, sounding as though she were accusing him of some wrongdoing.
“No, I’m not,” the stocky guy said, taking a menacing step towards Ella and Violet. “I’ll lock the little one up in her room, and you get our property ready to move. You know what to do if she gives you any trouble.” The bile rose to her mouth just thinking about what the Devils used to do to her if she gave them any trouble. She still had the scars to show for the trouble that she gave them.
The stocky guy grabbed Violet by the arm, and she screamed. “Please, don’t hurt her,” Ella shouted at him as he pulled Violet down the hallway to the bedrooms.
“Whether or not Lefty hurts her is up to you,” the tall guy said. Ella remembered him from her captivity at the Devil’s warehouse. He had taunted her most nights when he told her to stop her crying or he’d make her regret it. She knew that he meant it, too. Ella still wore the scar from the knife that he used to slice her right arm open.
She rubbed the scar, and he chuckled. “I see that you remember me, honey,” he said. “So, you know that I’m not just blowing smoke. Let’s go,” he ordered, holding the front door open wide.
“What about Violet?” she stuttered.
“She’ll be just fine,” the guy promised, shoving a few strands of his long, greasy hair behind his ear. “Lefty is gonna stay right here with her to make sure of that. And if you give me any trouble, I’ll call him, and he’ll take really good care of the little brat.” His smile was mean, and she didn’t need to ask him what he had meant by his comment. She knew that the Devils not only trafficked women, but they also trafficked little girls, too. They’d have no problem putting little Violet into the system to be sold off, and she couldn’t let that happen—ever. She wouldn’t give the greaseball any cause to have to call Lefty. Violet’s life depended on her cooperation—even if that meant she’d have to spend eternity in a fucking cage.
Razor
Razor wasn’t sure how many times he had lost consciousness over the past few hours. He had lost count. He was a bloody, battered mess, and he just hoped like hell that the last guy who ran into the room to announce that he had found Ella and Violet was wrong—but he knew in his gut that he wasn’t. If the Devils got a hold of either of his girls, he’d find a way to get out of his bindings and kill every last one of them. That was what he should have done when they went after Tori, but he had Violet to think about then. Hell, she and Ella were the only two people giving him the will to live.
