Page 190 of Hexed
Venesa’s hotel room.
Her duffel bag on the ground near the door.
A broken decoration next to it.
A bit of blood spatter on the marble entryway.
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
Find Bastien. Now.
He’s not in his room, but I’ve got his number. I’ve been trying to call him.
Send it to me
Gio’s watching me with dazed eyes, and I shoot to a stand, walking over to him. Even fucked up, he can tell something’s off. “What’s up, E?”
I smile at him, not wanting to add anything to his plate when he should be focused on healing.
My phone vibrates with Bastien’s contact information coming through. “I think Venesa might be in trouble.”
His brow quirks. “And you care?”
My heart pounds in my chest, because even though I’m still pissed off at her, even though I’m so fucking angry, I still love her.
I nod.
Gio blows out a relieved breath. “Good for you, man. I just…you deserve love, you know? I love love. Love is…it’s good. It’s great even. Wish I had it. I mean, besides you loving me…which I know you do.”
Laughing, I pat his good shoulder. “Enjoy the high, buddy. I’ll be back soon. You need anything, you call Scotty.”
“You trust him enough?”
I nod. “He’s about to be a made man when I open the books.”
I’m dialing Bastien’s number before I walk out the door.
I really hate South Carolina now, and it’s not because of the actual place itself. It’s because every time I come here, it’s for things I’d much rather not be happening.
I finally got ahold of Bastien, although he never answered my call. Instead, he texted me.
Can’t answer. Aria’s off the deep end. Venesa’s in trouble at the Lair. Basement.
And then another one.
Don’t trust Fisher.
My heart is in my throat, and I lean forward, tapping the back of the cab driver’s seat, because although I got my private plane fueled up, arranging a driver to fetch me at the airport on such short notice was a no go, so here I am in a fucking cab.
“Hey, can you go faster?”
“I’m already going twenty over, guy. Calm down.”
Irritated, I reach into my pocket, pull out my money clip, and throw a few hundreds in the passenger seat. “Drive faster. Now.”
The driver glances over at the seat, and his brows shoot up. “Bro, I can’t just break laws because of money.”
Sighing, I pinch the bridge of my nose and then pull my gun from my holster, pressing it to the side of his head. “How about now? You feel like breaking a few laws yet, sweetheart?”
