Doesn’t look good. There were no witnesses to the attack, but it appears it happened just outside the elevator on the top floor. Witnesses reported a man forcing a screaming woman into a dark SUV in the parking garage.”
“His girlfriend? Shit, his family must have gotten to him.” My hand came up to my mouth while I shook my head. Why the fuck hadn’t he taken me up on my offer? Maybe he would have been safe. Now this, on top of my sister having some kind of break down and running off. I couldn’t stand her not being looked after. I supposed it was time I backed off, but I didn’t like her being so unprotected. Too much shit surrounded us. Bad blood came a dime a dozen in my circle and now she was part of it.
“Boss, there’s more.”
Brace glanced back at Marcio. I knew that look. They were hiding something.
“Well, what the fuck is it?”
What looked to be black lace was pulled from his pocket. The stocking attachments were the first thing to catch my attention.
“Speak, Brace. I’m not a fucking psychic. And stop looking at Marcio. He’s not going to help you. Just tell me.”
I reached for the garter belt and what I soon realized were ripped panties.
“I found these around the side of the building,” he said, pointing off to the distance. “I went shopping with Lily earlier. She bought the replica of those. The call we tried to track…it was a buffer call. It had to be. Holland’s Hotel is on the far side of the city. With traffic like it is, it would have taken her at least a half hour to make it there by car. She was walking. I think your man who just got shot might have something to do with Lily calling. The number you had me track down earlier had similar characteristics. And the description of the woman…it’s Lily to a tee. The hair, the dark dress, the black stockings…”
My head shook, refusing to believe what sounded so certain. “Coincidence. It has to be. Women wear black undergarments all the time. And Lily didn’t sound scared when she called. Angry, a little, but afraid for her life? No. Besides, how would she know Zane Collins? It doesn’t make sense. You’ve seen everyone Lily’s came in contact with. Have you ever seen them together?”
“No,” he said, shaking his head. “But we both know Zane Collins isn’t his real name.”
Of course I knew that. Why hadn’t I been tempted to find out what it was earlier? There was just something about that guy that made me a little soft and I had no idea what it was.
The more I let everything play out, the faster my heart raced. One by one, the possibilities hit me and I could feel myself freaking the fuck out. Not again. Lily . “Well, what have you been waiting for? Get it for me! If my sister had an association with him and she was the one taken, I want to know everything.” I took a few steps closer to the street, not sure of where I was going. “Son of bitch. Marcio, get the car, we’re going to the hospital. If he wakes up, maybe we can learn something.”
Please don’t fucking die. And please tell me they’re wrong. Lily can’t be the one taken. Not again. Fuck…I couldn’t do this again!
I nearly groaned as I let everything sink in. Whether I wanted to admit or not, I already knew in the pit of my stomach. Zane and my sister had been together. How, I had no clue. But it made sense why he kept showing up at random places. And then, asking me for help, and wanting to get his life straight because of the woman he loved. He’d stressed that part, as if he were trying to tell me why it were so important. The woman….it had to be my sister. Fuck! I could kill him for the danger he put her in. Yet, I knew the cost of love. Had lived out my own hell with Mary before we found peace.
The car pulled up next to me as I still stared at the flashing lights. I had to force myself to slide in the back seat. I felt rocked inside, right back in the same spot I’d been when I learned my sister had been taken the first
“His girlfriend? Shit, his family must have gotten to him.” My hand came up to my mouth while I shook my head. Why the fuck hadn’t he taken me up on my offer? Maybe he would have been safe. Now this, on top of my sister having some kind of break down and running off. I couldn’t stand her not being looked after. I supposed it was time I backed off, but I didn’t like her being so unprotected. Too much shit surrounded us. Bad blood came a dime a dozen in my circle and now she was part of it.
“Boss, there’s more.”
Brace glanced back at Marcio. I knew that look. They were hiding something.
“Well, what the fuck is it?”
What looked to be black lace was pulled from his pocket. The stocking attachments were the first thing to catch my attention.
“Speak, Brace. I’m not a fucking psychic. And stop looking at Marcio. He’s not going to help you. Just tell me.”
I reached for the garter belt and what I soon realized were ripped panties.
“I found these around the side of the building,” he said, pointing off to the distance. “I went shopping with Lily earlier. She bought the replica of those. The call we tried to track…it was a buffer call. It had to be. Holland’s Hotel is on the far side of the city. With traffic like it is, it would have taken her at least a half hour to make it there by car. She was walking. I think your man who just got shot might have something to do with Lily calling. The number you had me track down earlier had similar characteristics. And the description of the woman…it’s Lily to a tee. The hair, the dark dress, the black stockings…”
My head shook, refusing to believe what sounded so certain. “Coincidence. It has to be. Women wear black undergarments all the time. And Lily didn’t sound scared when she called. Angry, a little, but afraid for her life? No. Besides, how would she know Zane Collins? It doesn’t make sense. You’ve seen everyone Lily’s came in contact with. Have you ever seen them together?”
“No,” he said, shaking his head. “But we both know Zane Collins isn’t his real name.”
Of course I knew that. Why hadn’t I been tempted to find out what it was earlier? There was just something about that guy that made me a little soft and I had no idea what it was.
The more I let everything play out, the faster my heart raced. One by one, the possibilities hit me and I could feel myself freaking the fuck out. Not again. Lily . “Well, what have you been waiting for? Get it for me! If my sister had an association with him and she was the one taken, I want to know everything.” I took a few steps closer to the street, not sure of where I was going. “Son of bitch. Marcio, get the car, we’re going to the hospital. If he wakes up, maybe we can learn something.”
Please don’t fucking die. And please tell me they’re wrong. Lily can’t be the one taken. Not again. Fuck…I couldn’t do this again!
I nearly groaned as I let everything sink in. Whether I wanted to admit or not, I already knew in the pit of my stomach. Zane and my sister had been together. How, I had no clue. But it made sense why he kept showing up at random places. And then, asking me for help, and wanting to get his life straight because of the woman he loved. He’d stressed that part, as if he were trying to tell me why it were so important. The woman….it had to be my sister. Fuck! I could kill him for the danger he put her in. Yet, I knew the cost of love. Had lived out my own hell with Mary before we found peace.
The car pulled up next to me as I still stared at the flashing lights. I had to force myself to slide in the back seat. I felt rocked inside, right back in the same spot I’d been when I learned my sister had been taken the first
Similar Books
