Carnage.
“Hi. Sorry to scare you, but it had to go that way.”
I throw my arms around him. “You. Oh my god, it’s you.”
“I told you I’d find you.” He rubs my back. “Are you hurt?”
“No.” Tears flood my eyes as I release him, staring at his face in disbelief. “How did you do that?”
“I installed a tracking app on your phone. We’ve been following you for a few days, but we lost you every night.”
“Shitty reception at the house.” I glance at the driver. “You really did it. You got me away from Leon.”
Carnage smiles, and for the first time, I truly take him in. We’re not in a dingy club or a dirty bathroom. It’s daylight, and while the van’s windows are tinted, there’s still enough light for me to see his features clearly. He has soft brown curls that are a little wild, a sharp jawline, soulful eyes, and a mouth that I really want to kiss right now. Wow, he’s hot.
“You can stay with us until we figure out what’s going on.”
“Stay with you? What do you mean?”
“Where else are you gonna go? I just kidnapped you.”
“I had a room I rented. Maybe that’s okay.”
“A room that Leon knows about?”
I frown, nodding. “I see your point.”
“Listen, you’ll be safe. We have guest rooms and plenty of protection. Leon won’t find you there.”
And then what? I haven’t considered what I’d actually do if I got away from Leon. Probably leave town, but with what money?And where would I go? I guess I have no choice but to accept the kindness of a stranger. A stranger who knows how to kidnap people.
“Did you do that to Kyle and Loon?”
He nods. “I tried to reason with them first, but they wanted to be dicks, so…”
“I helped,” the driver says with a chuckle.
“That’s Whisper,” Carnage says.
“Hi.”
“Hey, Rue,” he says. “You’re good now. We’ve got you.”
“So, um, do I want to know how you’re so good at this?”
“At what?” Carnage asks.
“Kidnapping, beating up criminals, tracking me.”
Carnage studies my face for a moment, before asking, “Doyou want to know?”
“Probably should. Unless telling me means you’ll have to kill me later or something.”
Whisper chuckles again, merging to get on the freeway toward Crestvale.
“Uh, no, I won’t be murdering you at any point,” Carnage says.
“That’s a relief. Sooo, yes. I guess tell me.”
