Destroy For Her - R.B. Hilliard Page 0,65
seems you’re not the only one.” Steele glared at Ax. Hererra continued, “I’m looking to expand my business in your area and would like your assurance that you won’t interfere.”
“As long as it doesn’t affect me or my club, I see no problem with that.”
“That is good. I would also like to be able to call on you in the future, for let’s say, a favor or—”
Steele cut him off. “We’re out of the drug business and have no plans of getting back into it.”
“I understand and respect that. I still would like the ability to call on you and your club at a later date. No involvement with any drugs would be required of you.”
Steele’s brow rose in question as he gazed around the room. One by one, they all nodded, giving their consent. “Agreed,” Steele told him.
“Perfect. My plane is due to arrive at the Atlantic Aviator private flight terminal at the Corpus Christi International Airport at eleven o’clock this evening. Carlos is scheduled to fly out at midnight. You can find him there. But I warn you, Mr. Steele, if for some reason you don’t make it in time, all bets are off. I will not be held responsible for my nephew’s actions after that.”
“Understood,” Steele said. The line went dead, and the room exploded into action.
“We need two cars,” Ax said.
“I’ll drive,” Ink replied.
“Good. Ax and Buck are with me. Sledge and Taz are with you. The rest I want here. Everyone must wear a vest. It’s not optional. Grab what you need from the armory and say your goodbyes. We roll out in thirty,” Steele announced.
Ax found Petal upstairs. As he stood in the doorway watching her attempt to teach baby Jade
how to play patty cake, a wave of hopelessness washed through him. He’d wasted years of his life fucking around when he could have been with Sage. He’d always thought of Petal as his. It was time that he made it official.
Petal’s face lit up when she spotted him standing in the doorway. “Alex! Come see what I taught baby Jade to do!”
“That’s great, Sweet Pea. I’ve got to run but wanted to give you a quick kiss before I go.”
He laughed when she raced across the room and launched herself into his arms. “Mommy has a meeting, so Aunt Lucy is going to watch you. We may be back late, okay?” The lie burned.
“Does this mean I can have a sleepover with Baston and Benji?”
“If it’s okay with Aunt Lucy.”
“Aunt Lucy says yes!” Lucy called from the doorway.
“Yay!” Petal cheered.
“Kiss,” Ax ordered, and she planted one right on his mouth. “Love you, Sweet Pea.”
“Love you back,” she said, kissing him again.
He set her on her feet, his heart aching as he watched her race back to baby Jade.
Lucy leaned in for a hug. “She’ll be fine. Now, go and get our girl.”
After one last glance at Petal, he walked out the door.
Chapter Twenty-Four
SAGE ROUSED TO the sound of muffled voices. She’d been dreaming about Alex and Petal, but when she tried to recall the details, they flittered away. Yawning, she attempted to sink back into the dream, but those damn voices wouldn’t shut up.
“Shhh, tryin’ to sleep,” she mumbled.
A phone rang, and she heard a faint, “Hello?” A string of curses followed. Someone’s angry.
Not long after that, the talking resumed. A few words filtered into her consciousness. One of the voices sounded familiar, but she couldn’t place it. That is, until he said her name.
Carlos.
Her eyes sprang open, her lungs gasping for air as awareness hit. Carlos was at the salon. He said ugly, hateful things to her, and she’d tried to run, but he caught her before she reached the door. She saw the needle, felt the stab, and then . . . darkness.
Where am I? Panic struck, and she rocketed up with a gasp—a gasp that quickly turned into a groan when her head slammed into a hard, immovable surface. Spots danced across her vision as she grabbed her head and dropped back onto the musty-smelling carpet. Ouch.
A moment passed before the pain subsided and she could focus again. Movement under her body—a steady, rocking rhythm—caught her attention. Her pulse jumped as she scanned her surroundings. She was in the trunk of a car. The trunk of a car! A claustrophobic wave of dizziness hit, and she slammed her eyes shut, willing it away.
Think Sage. What did she know about car trunks, other than they were freakishly dark and incredibly claustrophobic?