“I didn’t have a choice. I couldn’t get to her. She was in the infirmary.”
“Is she sick? For everything in this world and out of it, South. You’re not writing a fucking suspense thriller, quit giving me short answers. I feel like my heart is going to explode over here.”
“There was an incident last night. The guard who I caught sleeping was scant on the details, but he believes she had a seizure. Dunno if that is actually what really happened or not, but she’s ok. Maybe a little banged up, but she is alive, and we’re going to get her back.”
Even though he cannot see me I nod in agreement and my mind starts working on a plan to free her. I don’t tell him any of it, we have already said too much over the phone. In the off chance that the Feds are watching us, I hold my tongue. There’s no way I am about to tip them off that we’re about to break someone out of prison. “What’s your ETA?”
“I’ll be there in twenty minutes.”
“Ok. Talk to you then.” I end the call, staring blankly at the screen of my phone. I need to move, and go inside, and fill our brothers in with everything, but I can’t find the strength to move. I don’t even know how to feel right now, much less how to get my muscles to do what I want them to do.
This is the longest Delayni and I have been apart. Is what South said possible? Had my subconscious found her and neglected to let my conscious in on the details? I guess it is a possibility, but why? That’s so ridiculous. I am ridiculous. I have the ability to read minds but can’t even dig out important information from my own head. I sigh, stretching my legs to drop my phone into the front pocket of my jeans. Sitting around in a self-loathing pity party for one is not going to do any favors for anyone. Right now we need action, so that’s what I’m going to do.
CHAPTER 8
North
PAST
“The name’s Mike.” His hand pops out in front of him.
“Okay.” I shrug. South glares at me from the other side of the pool table. I don’t do people. I do not like them. He knows this and yet still insists I accompany him on these excursions to get closer. He could have agreed to me waiting in the car and I couldn’t have gotten all the info we needed. I don’t have to be standing right beside of a person to read their mind, I just need to know who I am looking into, but he wanted me in here. So, whatever goes down is on him.
The fucker’s trail we have been on for months went cold two weeks ago and it was right here in this damn hole-in-the-wall joint according to South. The guy passed out in his car and didn’t drive as he was predicted to do so. Lucky for him because he was supposed to die in that crash. Unlucky for South, because now the guy is still South’s to watch. South and I are a two-man team on the hard cases. Since I can’t do the same things, he does and he can’t do what I do, we make a damn good combination together.
“Mike?” a familiar voice asks the confusion is clear. I know that voice. I have heard it recently, but where? I listen intently, focusing on the thoughts swimming in the heads around us to find the person it belongs to.
He jerks his hand behind his back and turns so fast as if the owner of the voice pulled a chain around his body, making him move at her will. Anyone with that much power instantly has my curiosity piqued, but I know the voice. I realized who it is before finding her thoughts. It’s her voice. My little violent fox. A sadistic smile broadens across my face, and I turn to face her right along with Mike.
“Delayni? Uh. What are you doing here?”
“This is where I usually am. What are you doing here?” She is not talking to him anymore. Her eyes shoot completely past him and practically jabs daggers of hate into mine.
Mike opens his mouth to answer, and I step around him, flattening my palm against his chest. “I got this one, bubby.”
“No, you don’t. She was talking to me, right, Del? You don’t know this joker. Tell him to mind his own damned business.”
My tongue slides along my teeth and makes a sucking noise as I release them. “Don’t be a stupid shit, Mike,” I whisper in a controlled tone. South groans, standing up from his barstool, and makes his way through the crowd in our direction.
She doesn’t answer him. Good little fox. Her mouth falls open and my smile widens. This could not have worked out better in my favor. I’m thrilled she recognized me, but if she hadn’t I would have reminded her who I was. I stole the crayons she left behind and knew exactly what I was doing when I jabbed the safety pins through them to make them into charms for the chain around my neck. My sole purpose was to piss her off when I saw her again. I hadn’t questioned if that would happen, because if we had not met tonight by chance, I would have eventually showed up at her house.
“Those belong to me,” she snarls poking her finger in my chest.
“Doesn’t look like it, little fox.”
“Little fox?” Mike stutters, his attention flickering between my fox and me. Who is he to her and why hasn’t he left yet? I have half a notion to end his life right here in front of everyone, but it’s not what I’m here for. Not to mention that is not what I do. I protect people, not kill them, but this guy is on every nerve I have.
“Don’t make me kill you tonight, Mike. I will.”
“Ha. Yeah right! I’d like to see you try,” he coughs, puffing his chest out like the dumbass he is.
“Well, if you insist,” I smile, gripping the pool stick between my hands and rammed it over my knee. Shards of wood fly around us and Mike’s eyes almost bulge out of his head. “Wouldn’t hurt my feelings one damn bit,” I twist on my feet and hold the jagged point to the soft spot where his chin meets his neck.
“Don’t hurt him,” she demands and a sharp point poke against my side.
“And just what do you think you’re going to do about it?” I swallow the laugh creeping out of my mouth. She’s cute. I don’t know how many people she has killed in her life, but I’m betting the number is zero. She’s no killer. I know that with every fiber of my being. Neither am I, but I am serious. I will take his life and not lose an ounce of sleep. He’s already a dead man walking if he thinks he’s going to stand between me and my fox. Nobody claims what’s mine and even if she doesn’t know it yet, she is mine. The thought zooms through my brain and I should shut it down. I should walk out the door right now and get as far away from her as I can, but my feet do not budge. What could it hurt to entertain this idea just a little longer? It’s not like I’m going to fall in love with her. I’m getting this prick away from her and then South and I will follow after him as we plan.
“I’ll gut you like the fucking son of a bitch that you are and leave you here to bleed out,” she snarls, and it reminds me of a small animal. So protective. So violent. I knew I was right about her. She might even hate the world more than I do.
