Page 25 of Run, Little Rabbit

Fucking mediaeval bastard, but it always worked as a deterrent for the next guy who was having second thoughts.

He shoves the woman in the boot of his sleek black sedan, slamming the trunk down with a sharp snap.

I scowl at him. “You don’t need to put her in the trunk, Maxim.”

“On the contrary,” he says with a deep scowl, wiping more blood from his face. “I absolutely fucking do.”

His nose is still bleeding a bit but nowhere near as badly as before.

“I hope it hurts when Angel rebreaks your nose.” And I hope I get to fucking watch.

Chapter Eleven

Veon

“Veon! Code red! Code—”

She screams, and the phone hits the floor. “Echo!”

Sounds of scuffles, grunts and groans travel down the line, and my heart lurches in my chest. I’ve never felt so powerless in my life. She’s in trouble, and I’m not there. I knew I should have stayed closer, but I trusted that she could take care of herself. She’s always been able to make her way out of any situation she’d found herself in and now…

Dammit! Why did I choose that moment to go on a perimeter walk? She’d been dancing with Verity when I left. What had made her leave Verity?

Fuck, it doesn’t matter now. I’ll figure all that out later. Right now, I need to know where she is.

I pull up the phone tracker app and see she’s still in the building. Good. That’s good.

I head in that direction and hope she’s still there when I get to her. “Echo, if you can hear me, I’m coming. Echo—”

A man’s voice hits my eardrums, and I stop. “I’m sorry, but your girl can’t come to the phone right now. She’s a little tied up.”

It’s a deep voice, calm and quiet, and I can hear the threat lacing each word. The hairs on the back of my neck stand to attention, and I know I’m listening to someone dangerous.

“I don’t know who you are; I don’t care, but if you harm one hair on her head, I will make you fucking pay.”

A rumble of a laugh echoes down the phone, and I’ve never wanted to punch someone in the face more than I have this man. I really hope I get the chance.

“Bye now,” he says, and he ends the call.

Fuck. The little red dot showing where the phone is disappears from the map.

Double fuck!

I run around the back of the building and see a fire exit propped open while one of the barmen takes a drag from a cigarette.

I push him out of the way, ignoring his protests, and head deeper into the back of the building. He follows me, but I don’t give a shit.

“Echo!” I shout. “Echo!”

“Hey!” the barman calls, “You can’t be back here.”

I turn on my heel, and he flinches when he sees my face.

“Whoa,” he breathes, his brown eyes wide with concern. “You okay, man?”

No. I was very far from okay. “I’m looking for my friend. Red hair, glitzy dress.”

“Sorry, no one has been back here since the boss left.”