SWNOVELS Runner: Chapter 45
I was still reeling after learning about Rylan. And I was kicking myself for not seeing it. But thinking back, I couldn’t remember one time I was even suspicious of them working together. They were good. More than good. I gritted my teeth, shifting in the middle seat and accidently brushing against Kade. I was stuck between him and Gray in the back seat while two men were in the front. The short ride had been silent, and my stomach knotted with nerves when we parked behind the club.
Vic and Juan would want my head after all this. Kade promised they wouldn’t hurt me, but I couldn’t take his word on that. Or anything else. I was done trusting them or anyone else besides Caleb. If I got out of here alive, I was never coming back.
“Come on, Rebel,” Gray said in a low voice, grabbing my arm lightly.
Holding my head high, I shook off his hand and climbed out of the car. My eyes darted around the alley, looking for a chance to bolt. But the men who brought us joined with four others, and they were all sporting weapons of some sort. I didn’t stand a fucking chance. We climbed the stairs, and Kade opened the door, going in first with me behind him.
My heart raced when Vic and Juan both turned their attention to me. They were pissed, and their anger was all on me. Sapphire or not, they wanted to take their revenge out on me. Kade and Gray both angled themselves in front of me, a move none of the men in here missed. My eyes wandered from the bar to the couches before going to the one-way glass. This room was where my adventure in Ridgewood had started. I guessed it was poetic if this was where it ended.
But I wasn’t about to go quietly. I sure as hell wasn’t going to hide behind a wall of muscle. I was Sapphire. Strong. Deadly. And not a fucking coward. Letting my gaze settle on dangerous, I pushed past Kade and Gray, ignoring their protests. Striding to the bar, I poured myself a drink and moved toward the glass, surprise filtering through when I saw that the club was empty. They’d shut it down for this meeting.
“Mili. We have things to discuss,” Vic said gruffly.
“We do,” I purred, turning and giving him a lethal smile. “I don’t enjoy being summoned.”
“You don’t call the shots anymore,” Juan snapped. “You tried ruining us.”
“No, I was playing. If I actually tried, you wouldn’t be standing here right now.”
Kade and Gray were watching with frowns on their faces, neither of them liking that I was across the room from them. My gaze flicked to the door near me that went down to the club. As of right now, that was my way out since the other door was blocked by about six men. I wondered if it was unlocked.
“As much as we need to talk about this, we need to wait.” Vic’s words made my attention go back to the bar. “We’re having a business meeting.”
“You think I’m going to work with you now?” I asked, trying to ignore my growing anxiety. “Who are you meeting with?”
“Someone who is interested in working a job with Sapphire,” Juan answered.
I straightened up, fear washing through me. “You told someone I’ve been working with you?”
“Someone reached out to us,” Vic answered, watching me carefully.
I inched back toward the door. “Do they know I’m here?”
Gray whispered something in Kade’s ear, and I watched, my panic growing when Gray disappeared behind the door marked Private. Juan glanced at him before focusing back on me. Apparently, whatever Gray was doing wasn’t out of the ordinary.
“Do they know I’m here?” I asked louder, making Vic scowl.
“I told them it was a possibility,” Vic answered. “You want to make up for what you did to Kade and Gray, then you’ll work the jobs we want. Understand?”
“What’s his name?” I asked, my voice getting shrill.
“It doesn’t matter. You’ll do it.” Vic stirred his drink, nodding at his men, who strode across the room, cutting off my exit plan.
“What’s his fucking name?” I screamed.
Kade’s eyes grew wide, but I ignored him, stalking to the bar. The tension thickened when I got within a foot of Juan and Vic.
“Who?” I spat out.
Vic studied me, shaking his head to the men who I was sure were closing ranks behind me. “They haven’t given names.”
“They’ve given something,” I hissed. “You wouldn’t meet with them without knowing something.”
“You’re not running this,” Juan said gruffly. “It doesn’t matter who the fuck it is—”
Snaking my arm around him, I grabbed an empty beer bottle, smashing the neck of it against the counter. Juan moved to get a hold of my arm, but I pressed the jagged glass against his neck before he had a chance. Vic went rigid, and Juan stayed absolutely still as he glared at me.
“Mili,” Kade said from behind me. “Put it down. We’ll talk about this.”
“We were talking,” I said, tilting my head. “But no one here is saying the things I want to hear.”
“You’re dead if you hurt me,” Juan snapped, a vein above his eye bulging.
“You never planned for me to survive this anyway. At least with this, I’ll take one of you with me.” I pressed the glass into his skin harder. “Give me a fucking name.”
“You won’t do it,” Vic sneered.
“Fucking try me,” I told him, my voice calm. I wasn’t scared to die. I’d expected it when I walked into this room.
“A symbol,” Juan grated out. “That’s all they gave us.”
“What was it?”
“A skull. With snakes going through its eyes,” Juan answered, nearly flinching when my body jerked.
“No,” I breathed out, my breath locking in my chest.
I staggered back, making Juan sag against the counter. Hands grabbed my arms and spun me around until I was looking into Kade’s eyes.
“Mili, what’s wrong?” he asked quietly.
“What did you do?” I shrieked.
“What? Nothing—”
“You brought them here,” I screamed, losing all sense of calm as my panic took over.
Kade tried wrapping his arms around me, tugging me farther away from the bar. I let him, running my hand over his clothes until I found what I was looking for. It wasn’t a gun, but the folding knife I pulled from his pocket was better than nothing. I flicked it open and swung it, giving Kade one warning to let me go.
He released me, concern swirling in his gaze. “We’ll talk about this—”
“There’s nothing to talk about,” I hissed, my voice shaking. “You brought them here. I’m fucking dead.”
“Who?” Vic asked.
I didn’t answer, stumbling back until I hit the couch. They all watched me but made no move to grab me as I held the knife tightly. There were too many men in here for me to fight my way through when they had guns and I didn’t. Gray came out of the other room, readjusting his hoodie, stopping in his tracks as he looked past me.
“I told you that I’d find you, Mili.”
The voice came from behind me, and my body locked up. Panic flooded through me as I whirled around. New men were now pouring in through the door. But it was the one who was already inside the room, staring at me, who made fear flood me.
“Liam,” I choked out, taking a step back.
His eyes bored into mine before I broke the stare, my eyes darting around to find some sort of escape.
“There’s no way out,” he murmured as if we were the only two in the room. “Not anymore.”
“I won’t go,” I cried out hoarsely. “I’ll die in this room before that happens.”
“You know him?” Vic asked sharply. “What is this?”
“This is exactly what we wanted,” Liam said, keeping his eyes on me. “Don’t worry. You’ll be paid handsomely for turning her over.”
“The fuck she’s leaving,” Gray snarled from behind me.
I didn’t dare look behind me, and I straightened my stance when Liam stepped toward me. My heart was beating painfully, taking note that there were at least five men with him. A couple I recognized while the rest were new faces.
“Come on, Mili,” he coaxed quietly. “You fight, and this will end badly.”
“This wasn’t what we talked about,” Vic said gruffly. “She works with us.”
“We’d love to work with your crew in the future. If Mili’s working with you, then you must be good,” Liam praised, trying to keep the peace. “But right now, she needs to come with me.”
“Fuck you,” I hissed, my fear swallowing me. “I’m not going.”
“You are,” he stated. “One way or another.”
He came at me, and I raised the blade to go for his throat. He easily avoided my attack, his hand lashing out to try and grab my wrist. I yanked my arm back, keeping a grip on the knife. I swung at him, slashing his arm. His grunt was the only sign that I’d gotten him. He fell back for a moment, and I saw his men raising their guns and aiming behind us. If I were to turn around, I was sure the crew was doing the same thing. They had no idea what the hell they’d gotten themselves into.
I stayed light on my feet as I watched Liam’s body to see which way he was going to move. Doubt clouded my thoughts. I could defend myself against him for only so long. Liam was the one who taught me to fight. I’d kept up with it after I escaped, but he still knew my moves more than anyone. And he was better than me. Plus the men he brought with him—I was so fucked.
“Don’t do this,” I pleaded, trying to keep my words quiet. “Please, Liam.”
He shook his head. “It’s too late.”
He lunged at me again, this time successfully getting a hold of my wrist. Before he even tried prying the knife from my hand, he snapped a handcuff around my wrist, tightening it until it pinched my skin. I punched him across the face with my left hand, bringing my knee up to his stomach. He yanked me to the side, making my neck snap painfully. There was shuffling in the room, but all I was focused on was Liam as he went for my other arm.
“No,” I screeched, feeling the metal close around my wrist. Liam’s face was stone cold as he locked the handcuff. He took the knife from me, closing it and tossing it behind me.
“Let her go,” Kade growled from behind me.
Liam spun me around, kicking the back of my legs until I fell to my knees. I stared down at my cuffed hands, my head swimming. I had a wire in my bra I could use to free myself, but I doubted Liam would give me a chance to move for it. He kept a hand on my shoulder to keep me from getting back up, and I finally raised my head. Gray and Kade both had guns aimed at Liam, while the rest of their men were focused on the men behind us. Vic and Juan were still near the bar, both had weapons out too.
“What the hell is going on?” Vic hissed, his eyes falling on me. “You told us you wanted to work with her.”
“We’ve been looking for her for a long time,” Liam murmured, his fingers digging into my shoulder.
“Why?” Kade snapped, meeting my gaze.
There was a noise behind me, and all eyes went behind me before a new voice rang out.
“Because she needs to come home.”