Standing, I pull my cell out and send a few quick texts before pocketing it. Then I reach out my hand to her. “Can you walk?”
She takes it without hesitation, and I cup her face once more, forcing her to look at me. She’s shaken up but alive. It could have been much worse. I pull her out of the bathroom and hold the door open with my boot. “I need you to get in the car, okay?”
I’m looking down at her, but she’s looking at the unconscious man on the bathroom floor. “Charlotte?” I bark, and her watery eyes meet mine. “I’m going to watch you get in the car. It’s unlocked. Get in the passenger seat and lock it. Do you understand?” Her car isn’t far from where we are, but I can’t leave the guy here alone and risk someone walking in and seeing him here. I have to remove him as soon as possible.
She nods again. I lean down and gently kiss her forehead before I guide her out the door. She sprints to the car, jumps in the passenger seat, and slams the door shut. The tint is too dark to see inside, but I know she’s locked herself in.
Going back into the bathroom, I throw the piece of shit over my shoulder and carry him out of the bathroom. I have her keys in my pocket, so I unlock it and toss his ass into the back seat before jumping into the driver’s seat. I start the car and squeal the tires, getting the fuck out of here.
I pullup to Carnage and bring the SUV to a stop. She hasn’t said one word to me since the gas station. I’m letting her process what happened, but she’s got her breathing under control.
Getting out of the car, I walk over to the passenger side and open her door. She takes my hand and lets me help her out. Then I drag his ass out of the back seat just as the front double doors open. Saint and Kashton come running down the steps.
“Got your message. What happened?” Saint questions. His eyes go to Charlotte and then to the man.
“Attacked her in the bathroom of a gas station,” I answer. “Help me get him inside.”
They each take an arm, throwing it over their shoulder, and I take her hand, pulling her inside Carnage. She stays quiet as we ride the elevator down to the basement.
“Is he a Lord?” Kashton asks as we step off.
“We’re going to find out,” I growl.
“Think it was a hired hit?” Saint inquires, his eyes quickly going to Charlotte again.
They have no clue I’m fucking her. I can tell they’re both wondering why I’m with her to begin with. “I don’t know.” I sigh, but honestly, my mind is telling me no. There’s no way anyone would know we were stopping there unless they were following us. But then again, how would they know she’d choose to go to the bathroom when I stopped for gas?
We exit the elevator down in the basement and make our way to an empty cell. I take Saint’s place, holding the guy up as he removes a key from his back pocket. He unlocks the cell door so Kash and I can place him inside. The first thing we do is strip him of all his clothing.
“Not a Lord.” Kashton observes as we look over the naked man. He lacks the Lord’s crest on his bare chest.
“He looks young,” Saint adds. “Could mean he just hasn’t been initiated yet.”
I exit the cell and walk over to the safe that we have in the wall. Putting in the combination, I grab the vial and a syringe and draw it up to the top. Closing the safe, I turn to see Charlottelooking down at her shoes while Kash and Saint both stare at me and then glance at one another.
“Grab the handcuffs and the chains,” Saint orders Kashton.
“I won’t be needing those,” I say, stopping Kash.
Saint huffs but doesn’t argue.
Making my way back to the cell, they both follow me. I walk over to the passed-out guy who was going to do God knows what to my girl and look up to see Charlotte now standing in the room as well. Her watery eyes on mine. I look at Saint. “Get her out of the room and lock the door.”
“Haidyn—”
“Get her the fuck out of this room and lock the goddamn door!” I shout, interrupting Kashton.
Saint turns and grabs Charlotte’s arm, dragging her out of the cell while Kash follows, locking me inside alone with the piece of shit.
Looking down, I place one hand on his chest while the other stabs the needle into it.
FIFTY-FIVE
CHARLOTTE
Istand outside of the concrete room, hands on the bars to the cell. My eyes focus on Haidyn. He stands, tosses the now empty syringe to the other side of the room, and reaches up, grips the back of his T-shirt, and rips it off, throwing it away too.
The muscles in his back flex and his hands fist while he watches the guy on the ground open his eyes. He takes a deep breath and jumps to his feet.
