Groaning, I push off the edge and roll into standing–still half asleep as I open the door without checking the peephole first.
First mistake.
“Well, well, well,” his voice drips with disdain and danger. It’s Cory. Mickey’s paid lackey who has no morals or empathy. Just does what he’s paid to do, even if it’s evil. “Looks like you pissed off the boss-man.”
I go to slam the door in his face. I’m not letting this fucker in here, but his hand stops the door. Cory’s slick and disgusting, but he’s a big guy. At least 6’4” and beefy, wears a stained wife beater that shows off his width. I’m strong, quick, resourceful, but I also know that if I tried to take him right now, I’d lose.
“What do you want?”
“I was told to make sure you knowexactlywhat happens when you try to get away from Mickey. Painfully.”
“How’d you find me?” I ask, stepping backward, trying to remember where I’d put my phone. Is it in Ty’s room?Fuck, Roxie, think. I move back, leading Cory into the kitchen because if he’s going to try to attack me, a knife would even the fight out.
“You really think it was a smart idea to send Ty Hernandez and Asher Lee to the Franks?” He chuckles sinisterly. “I made an educated guess.”
“You? Educated? I never would’ve thought. When’d that happen?” I smart off, backing a little closer to the silverware drawer.
Cory’s expression sours really fucking fast, just like I knew it would. He’s always been sensitive about how he’s just the muscle because he has no brain power and everyone knows it.
“Careful, bitch,” he snarls, stepping closer to me and clenching his fists. This isn’t going to end well for me, but I’ll be fucking damned if I don’t leave my own marks.
“Come and get me, dumb-ass.” I reach into the drawer, pull out a knife and take a deep, steadying breath.
This is really going to fucking hurt.
CHAPTER 19
This has beenthe longest fucking day. And it really wasn’t all that long, it’s just that I’m used to being up all night and sleeping all day, not the other way around.
Asher was staying late at the shop and then said he was going to, and I quote, “Call up one of the girls in my phone and hope for the best.”
That guy… But at least he’ll be gone for the night and Roxie and I will have the whole apartment to ourselves.
It’s all I’ve been able to think about since I left her hours ago. Getting her completely alone and taking my time with her.
I park the bike, cut the engine and kick off, running into the building. But the moment I step inside the stairwell, something immediately feels off.
Roxie.
I sprint up the stairs, taking them two at a time, and barging into the apartment.
Oh my god.
My breath catches and horror fills me as I take in the apartment. Everything is trashed. Whoever did this was insistent on making the biggest fucking mess. The couch cushions are slashed and thrown, stuffing’s everywhere. The bookshelf next to the TV is broken and the few knick-knacks we had are destroyed. My eyes take in the damage, but my brain only has one thought.
Roxie.
“Roxie?” I call out, running through the small space and taking in all the damage. There’s a slash mark through the wall, blood on the floor, a big ass bloody handprint dragging down the wall. My heartrate picks up and imagines of Roxie fill my mind. “Baby, where are you?!” I scream out, and dart into the kitchen.
Laying there, completely still, is Roxie. I drop to my knees, trying to catalog all the injuries I can see. Her chest is rising, so she’s alive, but there’s a lot of blood. Alotof blood.
“Dios mio,” I whisper, cradling her bruised and bloody face with my hands gently. “Roxie?”
Her eyes flutter open; one eye has a burst capillary so the white of her eye is all red, while the other is already swelling. She makes a noise that’s closer to a whine than a groan, and I can hear something rattling in her chest.
That’s really, really not good.
“Roxie, what happened?” I say softly as my hands move quickly along the back of her head, her neck, her spine. I’m trying to make sure she’s safe to move. I need to get her out of here. I need to call Asher and make sure he knows.
