Page 86 of Dirty Hearts

One last kiss, and she floated away from me, giving me a great view of her ass as she walked back up the stairs.

I put the papers away so I could pick up on this tomorrow. I’d come back tomorrow for a little while, then maybe get Luc or one of his guys to finish off.

My phone started buzzing in my back pocket, and I hoped like hell that was good news.

It was number two from the secret squad.

“Hey, boss, one of the cameras at the restaurant just picked up someone shifty hanging around the alleyway. Your girl just went out there.”

Shit!

I sucked in a sharp breath and made a run for it.

Gun in hand.

Chapter 21

Ava

Well, at least today turned out to be manageable, and my head didn’t explode like I’d feared this morning.

Having Claudius with me helped, and I was able to do a lot. The place was actually ready. I just needed to do a few things here and there. Tweaks that could really be done by anyone.

I went out back to close the shutter. I hated keeping it open and often had visions of people getting into the restaurant through here in the night.

It was where my deliveries came in.

Tonight, it had a creepier vibe, probably because I was so on edge.

“I’m amazed he let you out of his sight,” said a voice from the darkness, making me jump right out of my skin.

I spun around, facing the direction the voice had come from. A man stepped out of the shadows, moving into the soft glow of the amber lights I had set up around the retractable door.

Hideous was the best word I could find to describe his large, bulky build with a tattoo of a panther killing a snake crawling up his cheek.

“What do you want?” I cried.

Oh God… why’d I come out here by myself? I should have asked Claudius to come with me.

“You, sweet thing. Looks like the boss needed a louder message. Or something more evocative. Like me taking you.”

I sucked in a sharp breath and stepped back when he came forward.

“Or me,” came another voice. A man equally as tough looking jumped over the fence, and I knew I was screwed. Claudius was in the cellar. He might come looking for me when he didn’t see me come back, but it would be too late.

Just like before.

“Leave me alone.” I backed away as they came closer.

“Now that I see you, I doubt I can. Orders were to take you away for a little while. No mention though of what I could and couldn’t do with you while I had you,” tattooed face guy mused, whipping out a gun and aiming it right at me. “I could kill you, and no one would know. But you got a nice pair of tits I could—”

He didn’t get to finish. A gunshot sounded and ripped straight through his neck.

I screamed as the blood splashed out and he dropped to the ground squirming, grabbing at his neck.

Claudius was on the other guy before either of us could register what was happening.

He’d fired a shot, but the man dodged it and lunged for him.