With better reflexes than I expected, he grabbed my wrist.
Ryan yanked his knife free and went for Boyd’s neck.
Boyd’s grip on my wrist weakened and I pulled my hand free.I swung my arm back to hit him again.
“Don’t,” Ryan said.
Was he kidding?
“Why?”I asked.
“A second blow could be seen as premeditation.”
I wasn’t a lawyer – and I didn’t think he was either – but he had so much certainty in his tone, I dropped my arm.
Boyd sunk to his knees, then he fell awkwardly to his side.
Ryan looked at me.“Pretty sure he’s heavier than Campbell.You up for moving him, too?Or do you wanna leave him?”
I fought off a sigh.“Dealer’s choice.”
“Check his pockets.We’ll leave him, but we’re taking his vehicle and his phone.”
We couldn’t unlock Boyd’s phone, but the GMC Canyon he drove was decked out with navigation and more than enough gas to get us back to On a Lark.Ryan’s phone wasn’t in the glove box, but he seemed resigned to it being a lost cause.
Out of habit, I lifted on the center console for a tissue since that was where I stashed mine, then I shook my head.“Sorry.”
“What for?I don’t think I checked there for my phone.”
I nodded.“Ah.I was on auto-pilot and going to grab a tissue.”I lifted the lid again and reached inside.“I think you’re in luck,” I said, pulling out a cell phone in a black hard-shell case.
“Yes,” Ryan hissed.
He took the phone from me, and used his finger print to unlock it.Then, to my surprise, he handed it back to me.“Pull up my contacts and call the bar.”
I shot him a look, but his eyes were trained on the road.“If you say so.I thought for sure you’d want to call your brother.”
He shook his head.“No.We’re closer to the bar, and I never told Lark I was leaving.Put it on speaker.”
I did as he asked, and once the other line rang, I held the cell toward him.
“Where the hell have you been?”a gruff voice demanded.
The level of irritation in the man’s voice sounded eerily familiar.If I wasn’t mistaken, I sounded the same way when I was overly worried about someone.
“Lark, I’m sorry.Those assholes we tossed out months ago took me and a woman hostage.From what I overheard, they wanted me because they thought I’m your son.”
“Are you shitting me, Nickel?”
“No,” Ryan said with heavy emphasis.
“Well, where are you now?It sounds like you’re driving.”
“Two of the assholes are out of the picture, and I’m driving his truck back to town.We should be—”
“Don’tbring that vehicle here.This is the first place they’re gonna hit looking for you,” Lark said.
“Shit, you’re right,” Ryan muttered.
