Deadly Coincidence (Brantley Walker Off the Books #4) - Nicole Edwards Page 0,61

not make a sound. He turned and watched the small, wiry man in the cheap, dirty clothes move across the room with purpose.

This was the part they were improvising on. Considering they hadn’t been certain JJ would even let him in her front door, they had agreed they would let things play out.

On his way, Marcus grabbed something off one of JJ’s decorative shelves.

Dante frowned, his brain making a dire effort to figure out what Marcus was planning to—

He’d made it two steps when Marcus disappeared into the kitchen. Another when the first thud sounded. The second thud was louder, the equivalent of a body hitting the floor.

Oh, God. What the hell had he done?

Racing into the kitchen, Dante saw Marcus leaning over—

Oh, Jesus. JJ’s motionless form was crumpled on the floor, and Marcus was leering down at her like a lion might an injured deer.

“You did not mention how hot she is,” Marcus crooned, cutting a look at Dante. “Damn, but she’s hot.”

“Did you hit her?” Dante exclaimed. “What the fuck? I thought you were gonna give her a shot. Knock her out.”

“This was easier,” Marcus said, grinning when he looked over at Dante. “Faster, too.” He nodded to the syringe sitting on the counter. “But don’t worry, I’ve got it covered.”

It was then the horror of the situation had become real for Dante. Up until that point, it had all been a plan to extort money from his father. Using JJ had only come up because Dante had been telling Marcus about the task force his father had created. Together they decided it would be the fastest way to get his dad to agree to a payout.

The only thing Dante had to do was call JJ, get her to meet him at her house. He’d decided to pretend he was panicked, maybe tell her someone was after him, because she was a do-gooder like that. It was likely the only way JJ would help him considering she’d turned her nose up at him this last time.

What Dante hadn’t considered was how JJ could get hurt in the process. Just because he was irritated with her did not mean he wanted her hurt.

“You gonna help me or what?” Marcus snapped.

Dante shook off the foreboding feeling, focused on what was in front of him.

Marcus grabbed JJ’s wrists and was dragging her toward the dining room, her shoes dragging on the floor. Dante immediately grabbed her ankles so they could lift her up, carry her into the bedroom.

“Get her on the bed,” Marcus insisted.

Dante hesitated. He didn’t like the idea of putting JJ in that bed. Definitely not with Marcus ogling her the way he was.

“For fuck’s sake, Greenwood. Get with the program,” Marcus shouted. “I ain’t got all fuckin’ night.”

It pained him to do it, but Dante did what Marcus asked. The two of them managed to get JJ’s limp body onto the bed. In the process, her sweatshirt had lifted, revealing her flat belly. When he saw Marcus grin, Dante immediately yanked the shirt down, covering her.

“Take her shoes off.”

“Why?”

“Just fuckin’ do it.”

Dante gritted his teeth in frustration but did as he was told while Marcus slipped out of the room.

Once he was finished removing her shoes, Dante looked down at the woman he’d been in love with at one point in his life. Well, as “in love” as he was capable of, anyway. JJ’d been right to dump him half a dozen times, of that he had no doubt. But the last time… The last time, Dante had intended to do right by her. Unfortunately, the addiction had won out, and he’d fucked it all up again.

Marcus returned. “Catch.”

Dante had just enough time to lift his hands to keep the plastic two-liter bottle full of animal blood from hitting him in the face.

“Douse the whole place. Top to bottom.”

“I’ll do this room,” Dante told him, starting immediately. “You get the living room.”

Thankfully, Marcus didn’t put up a fight.

Half an hour later, they’d completed their task, the walls, the floors, the furniture all bloodied. There were smears on the walls, the linens, even the hardwood.

Dante’s mind had cleared the closer they got to the end. The only thing he could think about was his next fix. Marcus had promised him he’d get all he needed once they took care of setting the scene.

He eyed JJ, who was still unconscious in her bed. He hoped she didn’t wake up. Not until they were gone. Then he hoped she panicked when