THE CRAZY GOOD SERIES - Rachel Robinson Page 0,315

aim, I pull the trigger one more time and hit him in the leg. Finally he rolls off my hood and lands on the left-hand side in a deep puddle. That required way more effort than I anticipated.

“Nice one, boss,” Van says over the radio. Replying isn’t an option because I can finally speed up. Horse is within shouting range and the cascade of gangsters is heading his way. Fuck. There’s too many of them. Once we reach Horse we hop out, wielding more guns than a real gangster and help Horse finagle the jerk from the white truck into the back of Horse’s Jeep. We put a pair of zip ties on his wrists and ankles and attach them behind his back. It will hold him until we get to our second location away from this fiasco. We have seconds to spare before the group descends on our vehicles again. They’re trying to take hubcaps, fucking with the door handles and doing everything in their power to stop us.

“Drive to the hangar, guys. I’ll question him when I get there,” I say. They confirm, and we are out of the alleyway, back onto the roads, heading toward safety. I take a deep breath and realize how close of a call that was. To be outnumbered was a large concern when I was a Navy SEAL, and it’s just as much of a concern with my work now. Molly calls again. “I know you’re taking a breather. Horse just called in, so I’m patching you through to another call,” Molly says, out of breath. She’s probably working from her treadmill desk.

“Go ahead,” I say.

The call is transferred to my phone. I try to speak before she does. “So you’re missing my dick and what else?”

“Classy,” Dax says. “A true fucking professional.” I’m going to kill Molly.

“What do you need, man?” I ask. “How’s that nose doing? Still just crooked enough to throw off your facial symmetry, marring you unattractive to the general population?”

“I wouldn’t be an ass if I were you. I’m calling to tell you that the deal stands. Do what you need to do and I’ll meet you tomorrow.”

I laugh. “She’s not going to go for it. I can lie to her until I’m blue in the face and she’ll never believe me. She knows me better than that. If you knew her at all you’d know Lainey gets what she wants.”

“I have an exact location that will be valid for the next forty-eight hours. Better practice your acting skills,” Dax says. “How bad you want V?”

I swallow hard. I want him badly—more than anything else. I thought, but now I want Lainey more. “You don’t deserve her. You know that, right?” I reply.

“And you do? You’re even more fucked up than I am. I can give her a good, honest life. What will you give her? She already has money and mansions. The only things you bring to the table are a hobby for homicide and an absentee ballot.” I grip the steering wheel tighter. He doesn’t know her like I do.

But he’s right. “Fine. I’ll talk to her tonight. I’m out of pocket, so I’m going to have to email or call her. Two things that make it even less believable, but it’ll be done tonight. You better have good intel, asshole. I’ll add you to my hobby list. Remove you from the equation completely.” I hear him breathing heavy on the other end of the phone. “I’m joking, Dax.”

“Who the hell knows with you! You’re a loose cannon.”

I roll my eyes. “And you are a manipulative, secretive man. I just hope you know what you’re doing. Messing with others’ happiness will bring you bad karma. Not that I believe in that shit, but even I have to admit what you’re doing is pretty low. You could give me the information I need and walk off a cliff. Happily ever afters for all involved.”

“She was happy, you asshole. Lainey was perfectly content with me.”

“Wow. Content. Everything she dreamed of being when she was a little girl. ‘I want a content marriage to a man who reminds me of my one true love.’ Yeah, I’d say she was content with you,” I say, forcing a mock girl voice. “You don’t know her like I do.”

Dax scoffs. “Content and safe. Both of those things. Now, tell me if you think that’s something she deserves. I’ll take care of her. I know her just as well as you do.”