He let out a growl. “If things had gone to plan, you would have gone with the young server to fix your dress. I would have slipped you out without Thorne noticing.”
Ah, so that other server had been part of the plan.
“Bastian will be coming.”
“I hope so.”
The certainty in his voice made unease trickle through me. “Where are you taking me?”
“Somewhere private. Where I can take my time with you.” He smiled and it looked distorted in the light of flashlight, making him look evil. “You’ll be my masterpiece.”
No, I wouldn’t.
I was going to kill him.
“When Thorne comes for you—” his smile widened “—I have a bullet with his name on it.”
I made a scoffing sound. “A bullet won’t stop the Reaper.”
Dean scowled. “I have an entire magazine of armor-piercing rounds that will stop him in his tracks.”
Oh, God. My stomach clenched into a painful ball. Even if Bastian was wearing a ballistic vest, which he wasn’t, it wouldn’t stop these bullets.
I couldn’t let him catch up with us and walk into an ambush.
“Lark.” That’s when I heard his steady, sexy voice in my ear. I didn’t react. “We’re getting closer.”
Shit. I squeezed my eyes closed. When I opened them, I stared at Dean’s back ahead of me.
He would not hurt Bastian.
I slipped the earpiece out of my ear and dropped it on the ground. I wouldn’t risk Bastian’s life. I still had on the bracelet, but I wasn’t sure he could track it underground.
“Move it.” Dean gripped my arm and dragged me down another tunnel.
Debris was scattered across the tunnel floor. It looked like people were living down here. Probably homeless people or drug addicts.
We turned another corner and the tunnel branched into three. They all loomed like dark, gaping mouths.
Dean paused, studying the tunnel entrances.
I saw something, or someone, stir in the darkness off to my right. My heart leaped, but then nothing. I realized it must be one of the people living down here. Not wanting to get involved.
It was safer for them not to come out.
“This way.” Dean’s fingers dug into my arm as he yanked me forward.
We moved deeper into the central tunnel. A rank smell filled the air, and I breathed through my mouth.
I needed to take him down. I needed the right moment.
We came out at another junction. Graffiti covered the concrete walls. He stepped in front of me, muttering under his breath.
I stared at his back.
Now was my chance.
I slid my hand through the slit in my skirt, and pulled a knife from the sheath.
