“What do you mean?”
“Your boyfriend was able to call earlier,” he reminded. “That’s got to mean he killed them.”
Flix had called right after Bowser had tied Ani and shoved him into the car. He’d been standing out of it when he’d taken the call on Aneski’s multi-slate, only telling him who the caller was after he’d ended it and gotten in himself.
Screaming for help in the background wasn’t Ani’s style though, so it didn’t really make all that much of a difference that he’d missed the opportunity to give it a try.
“So, there isn’t a single member with Russ right now?” Aneski let out a low whistle. “That’s a bold choice. Wouldn’t have gone that way myself, but okay. You just left one of your followers on Rex and sent the rest to Vail?”
“It’s not like Flix will be able to find us.”
“No?”
“I tossed your multi-slate in the parking lot,” Bowser reminded.
“That’s true.” The guy really should have done a body search though. The ring hanging around Ani’s neck was still tucked beneath his shirt, and he could feel it warm against hisskin. He’d put it there to avoid getting any clay on it, especially since it was brand new. “Just remember our bet, okay?”
Bowser laughed and opened his mouth to reply, but the sound of hoverbike engines revving cut off whatever he’d been about to say. He frowned and glanced into the side mirror, even as Ani twisted in the seat to look behind them to see as well.
The bikes came on them fast, three in all. They sped through the other cars in the lane, darting between them with ease. All the riders had on black leathers and helmets, shielding their identities, but it didn’t take long to figure out they were after Bowser’s car when one sped up while the other two moved to flank Bowser’s vehicle.
Almost as soon as the lone hoverbike made its way in front of them, the rider came to an abrupt stop.
Bowser swore and slammed on the brakes, practically sending Ani careening between the front seats before falling back. The older guy reached for the dashboard where he’d stashed the blaster as soon as he’d gotten into the car earlier, but he was too slow.
The hoverbike rider who’d cut them off swung a leg over the bike and removed his helmet, exposing himself to their view. At the same time, his two accomplices stopped at either side of the front of the car, blasters out and aimed at Bowser.
“Is that Madden Odell?” Bowser asked once they got a good look at the rider in front. “What the hell is he doing here?”
Good question.
“No clue,” Ani admitted. The sound of another bike coming up on them had him turning a second time.
It circled around the stopped car, twisting and parking directly next to Madden, facing the wrong direction on the road.
Flix yanked off his helmet and tossed it to the ground, motioning to Madden to hand over the blaster. The two of them spoke, but Ani couldn’t make out any of the words, could onlycatch that whatever they were saying, it wasn’t an argument and Madden was more than willing to go along with whatever Flix said.
Aneski had known the Brumal had ties to the Retinue, but he hadn’t imagined they’d come together like this in a pinch, especially not to help someone as unimportant as him. Yet here they were.
Madden was the right-hand man to the Imperial Prince, Kelevra Diar. He went to school at the Academy and was known for running the “illegal” street races at the Docks. The riders who’d come with him still had their helmets on since they were focused on keeping their weapons steady, but they were either other Retinue members or some of Madden’s racers. Considering their skill level just now, Ani’s money was on the latter.
“Told you he’d come,” Aneski couldn’t help but say the moment Flix started toward them. The smart thing to do would be to wait, but he was impatient. Flinging himself at the door, Ani turned and used his bond hands to pull on the handle, gasping when it opened and he spilled out onto the pavement.
Flix was next to him in a flash, lifting him onto his feet with an annoyed glare. “Why would you do that? Couldn’t you have waited two seconds for me—”
Ani flung himself at the Brumal member, sealing their mouths together, effectively shutting him up before he could scold him further and ruin the moment.
Chapter 27:
The second Flix had Ani standing next to him, safe and unharmed, a weight was lifted off his chest he hadn’t noticed was there. He undid the ropes binding his wrists, a spark of fury whipping through him when he saw Ani’s skin there was red and raw.
“I should kill him,” he mumbled to himself, but Aneski heard, turning in his hold to face him.
Ani settled back against the closed car door while Madden’s guy yanked Bowser out of the driver’s side at gunpoint. He didn’t so much as flinch or glance his way as the older man was practically dragged to the head of the vehicle, giving the two of them a modicum of privacy, however brief.
“He’s working for my brother,” Ani said. “Russ has him convinced it’s love and they’re going to run off together.” He snorted and rubbed at his right wrist with a wince he didn’t seem to notice he made. “Why didn’t you tell me the two of you never hooked up?”
“Who?” Flix looked to Bowser, who was being shoved to his knees before a grinning Madden. “Him?”
