Page 20 of Make Me Hunt
Who does he think he is? This isn’t a fucking movie.
I hurry outside, but there’s no sign of 404, and I know he’s long gone by now, especially since he’s a hacker and probably really skilled at covering his trail.
Fuck, I can’t believe I lost him.
I return to the bar for another Brynn. Most chances are it’s the last drink of my life, might as well enjoy it.
“Hey, you okay?” Josh asks, noticing the desperation etched on my face right now.
“Not sure,” I say, my gaze now lost, unfriendly. I managed to fuck things up once again. It seems to be the story of my life lately. I’ve lost 404 and all chances of getting more information along with him.Anddumb me texted Ares that I had 404.
Can’t say I’m impatient to know how that shit show’s going to play out.
This was my last chance, so I probably lost that lead too.
Josh offers to take me home once his shift ends, and as much as I could use his company—or his body—I’m already fucked right now.
I go outside to my car, not even sure where I’d drive, when my phone starts ringing—Ares.
The air gets sucked out of my lungs, maybe I’ll just drop dead and not have to deal with all this shit.
“Where the fuck are you? Why aren’t you here already?” he grunts, his voice so raw it’s almost unearthly.
“I,” I tried to summon the strength to say the words out loud. “I lost him,” I breathe fast, like ripping out a band-aid.
“You fucking what?” he shouts, leaving behind an echo in my ears. “I knew I shouldn’t have sent you there.”
“I’ll get him, just give me another day,” I say, with no real idea how to track him down.
“Elysium. Now!” he orders, hanging up on me.
I guess there’s no extra day or third chances. For a second, I contemplate whether I should bolt just as 404 did. But if there’s even the slightest chance I can avenge Elias, then it’s worth risking my life for.
nine
-Brynn-
My head leans back in the driver's seat.
How the fuck am I supposed to get out of this?
There’s no telling what Ares will do to me. He doesn’t tolerate any mistakes, and for some dumb reason, I keep fucking things up.
I drive through the city, almost crashing at the first intersection. The last thing I need is a cop on my ass because I’ve had more than enough to drink, and I’m a fugitive. My papers will check out if they run them through the system. I had a guy handling that, but it’s not that easy to change your fingerprints. So getting hauled to the station for an ID check isn’t exactly top of my priority list.
I park in the alley behind the club. The place is still crawling with Ares’s men even though it’s almost four a.m. It’s Saturday, so that explains it. I just hope they won’t all get to witness a live execution.
Ray and Rocco, two of Ares’s henchmen, are posted at the entrance, and by the looks in their eyes, they knew I fucked something up.
“Wanted to join the big leagues, eh?” Ray leans in as I walk past him, his damn lips nearly touching my neck.
I stop, as if daring him to provoke me. I’ll take whatever Ares throws at me, but not from the lowlifes like him.
But the idiot doesn’t get the message, his body presses against my back. “Maybe I could ask the Boss to go easy on you… if you’re nice to me.” The jerk whispers in my ear, his filthy hands sliding over my ass.
Fuck no!
I grab two of his fingers from the hand that just touched me, and with a sharp twist, snap them both. The sound of bones cracking along with his screams, soothe part of my anger. “How about you take those two and shove ‘em up your ass.”
