Gravel and glass crunched beneath footsteps as someone neared. I clutched the knife in my hand, ready to defend to the death. Another vehicle roared close, its light illuminating the cab fully for the first time.
Blood dripped down the side of Landon’s neck. So much blood—a fatal amount. His whole neck and side of his vest were coated in crimson. A bullet must have hit him somewhere above the Kevlar.
A sob escaped me. I pressed my hands to his throat, praying I covered the wound. “I need a doctor!” I screamed, not caring what they did to me, but Landon required medical attentionnow. He was going to die.
The people talking outside quieted. Warmth squished through my fingers. “Call an ambulance!”
Someone laughed.
Fury overtook every other emotion. If I had to fight everyone single-handedly to get Landon some help, I’d do it.
A pair of footsteps got closer, then stopped on the other side of Landon’s window. A man crouched down to stare at me, Cliff, MBI’s head of security. A handgun dangled casually from his fingertips. “Your brother wants to have a few words.”
He made it sound like he was going to say a eulogy at my memorial. Knowing how homicidal my brother could become when he didn’t get his way, it was probably a good guess.
I waited for him to fire, but a sharp pain poked my ass. Someone laughed again. Still holding Landon’s wound, I twisted, my shoulder screaming at me to stop. A syringe stuck out of my butt cheek. They’d shot me full of something—something that made my eyelids feel like hippos were pulling them closed.
We’re dead.
18
LANDON
When I’d askedher out, I’d thought she would refuse. I couldn’t have been more pleased she accepted.
We stood on the threshold of her apartment, a bachelor suite in a nice part of town. It was our first date, so I wouldn’t ask to go inside. But I couldn’t leave her just yet.
I lifted her hand to my lips. “Thank you for a lovely time.”
“It was fun,” she replied, her voice a little breathless, and cheeks flushed pink. Nervousness mixed with her vanilla cake scent.
Fun.It wasn’t a raving endorsement, but maybe I could turn that around. The knuckles of my free hand brushed her cheek. “I’ve always wondered what your freckles would taste like.”
Her eyes widened, cheeks flaming from pink to red. Every time I could make her blush, I felt victorious. My bear agreed.
She remained immobile as I leaned closer. Her pupils dilated. When my lips skimmed her cheek, she inhaled sharply. My eyes rolled back in bliss.
She tasted of perfection.
* * *
“Doesn’t matter, really. He’ll probably bleed out by the time we get there if he’s not dead already. Mr. Mahn didn’t say anything about doctors.”
Voices dragged me out of a refuge I would’ve rather stayed in.
“He didn’t say anything about taking the dude at all. Just the woman.”
This place… Dear God, I hurt all over. I didn’t know where I was, but it was dark, and my body felt broken in a hundred places. There was a disconnect to my legs, but they still managed to hurt like a son of a bitch. The Kevlar I’d worn had been removed, giving me room to breathe, but every time I did, points in my neck and hips stung and throbbed.
“Whatever. Mr. Mahn can do what he likes with him. Hell, we can dump him out the back after we take off again if he wants. But if it turns out he wanted the guy and we left him behind, some of us might not live to regret it.”
A crust over my eyes kept me from opening them fully. Razor blades had taken up residence in my throat. I felt as weak and lightheaded as a newborn cub.
The hum of an engine told me we were in a vehicle of some sort, and from the way it dipped and swayed, I’d guess an airplane in the process of landing. Beneath the smell of my own blood were the scents of animals—possibly wolf—stagnant around me, and below that…a shifter. Part of my brain perked up. Was that Walker’s scent? Was he close by? No. How could he be? We’d been in a collision, Jolyn and I.
Where was she? Was she okay? I didn’t scent her among the rest of the strange smells.
I extended my hand, the snap of pain through my elbow telling me something was broken. My wrist hit something hollow, like wood. Yes, like a box or crate, or coffin. My fingers brushed above me, trying to push up the lid, but it was stuck. I was definitely inside something.
