Page 10
CHAPTER 10
Zee and Victor looked to me for what to say or do next. I could technically eat the mafia trolls, then we could borrow one of their trucks and ride off into the sunset. But I had argued for trying to talk our way out of this problem, so it was time to give Plan A a fighting chance.
We were marched at gunpoint up the bank and onto the track we’d abruptly left just a few minutes ago. The stubborn alligator that had caused our detour had slunk back into the murky waters somewhere.
“Get in,” one of the trolls grunted.
The truck we climbed into had its interior lit up like the inside of a spaceship. All glowing ambient lighting and plush, creaky leather.
“I am loving these kinky red-room vibes,” Zee said, scooting all the way over so Victor and I could fit too. “You guys hire it out by the hour?”
Nobody replied.
The other trolls returned to their trucks, doors slamming, and after performing some tight U-turns that almost saw us plunging down the bank again, we headed back out of the swamp.
Maybe talking was all they’d wanted all along?
“May I ask where you are taking us?” Victor enquired.
The troll in the front passenger seat grinned over his shoulder. “You’re gonna love it.”
That non-answer sounded ominous. Especially as he kept his shotgun resting over his knees.
They hadn’t tied us up, though. Perhaps they thought the guns were enough of a deterrent. I didn’t much like the idea of a shotgun blast to the face, but if the situation soured, we’d be able to escape.
Victor and Zee’s quick glances confirmed they’d had the same thoughts. We’d play along... for now.
The trucks trundled through the night, leaving the Everglades behind for a sprawl of houses that soon turned into blocks of modern apartment buildings. The sky turned red, sun rising behind towering palm trees. Victor eyed the approaching dawn with concern, but just as it seemed we’d be driving into full daylight, the convoy of black trucks pulled up outside a shiny, newly constructed apartment building, and we were escorted under the entrance canopy and into a sparse, marble-floored foyer.
The smell of fresh paint hung in the air.
Chatty, the troll who seemed to be the one in charge, waved a card over an elevator panel. The elevator pinged, its door opening.
“Step inside.” He gestured for us to go first.
We each peered into the elevator car.
“Is it safe?” Zee asked.
“It’s an elevator.”
“So uhm... it’s not going to randomly drop ten floors? It’s just, sometimes that happens... to us,” I said, remembering the elevator at Reynard Technologies that had tried to kill me. Also, our own hotel elevator had tried to kill me. The one at the Stephanie Hotel hadn’t been all bad, though, just frosty. So we hadn’t had much luck with elevators.
“The building is new, one of Mr. Skrinde’s newest developments. All signed off on, and safe. You can take the stairs if you like, but it’s twenty floors up, and some of us have shorter legs.”
Zee stepped inside, Victor followed, and I entered last.
“Why would we go to all the trouble of bringing you here just to kill you in an elevator?” Chatty stepped inside too and hit the penthouse button. The doors rumbled closed and the car swooshed into stomach-flipping motion.
Victor side-eyed me. I side-eyed Zee. Zee scowled down at the back of the troll’s head, like maybe he wanted to shove him face first into a wall. At twice his size, there were countless ways Zee could overpower him.
“You guys are ripe,” Chatty said. “Some advice. Use the shower before meeting Mr. Skrinde. He likes everything to be... clean. There’s clothes waiting for you.”
Were the clothes poisoned? Was poisoned clothes a thing? What was their angle? I was about to ask, when the elevator doors opened, revealing a gleaming lobby. A big leafy green potted plant softened all the shiny white tiles. Victor avoided the windows as we were escorted to the closed door ahead. The troll waved his card over the lock again, and shoved open the apartment door.
It was as though Toby’s house had been transported off the beach and planted on top of this building. There was even an infinity pool, with a scary drop toward miles of sandy beach, bustling roads, and people going about their early morning routine.
“Get cleaned up, and meet us in the foyer at eight tonight.” Chatty left the apartment keycard on the side.
“Uh... Have we been kidnapped?” I asked. It felt like it, but also didn’t.
The troll smirked, then sauntered across the room to peer up at me.
“I mean, can we leave?” I asked, not sure if he was about to pull a knife or?—
He extended his hand. “Why would you want to? The name’s Tucker.”
I took his hand and gave it a polite shake. “Uh hi.”
“You get one shot at meeting the boss. Don’t fuck it up.” And with that bit of advice delivered, he left.
“I like his vibe,” Zee said as the door closed. “For a troll, he’s badass.”
“Zee, he tried to shoot us.”
“Meh. Who hasn’t?”
“Unless either of you would like to shower immediately, I really must insist I go first.” Victor scratched at his head. “There’s something wriggling in my hair and I’d prefer not to learn what it is.”
“Ick.” Zee recoiled. “Go. If it’s a leech, don’t fuckin’ tell me.”
Victor hurried to the bathroom while Zee and I headed toward the three beds, each one with an outfit laid out on it. Zee’s had a brilliant dark-purple suit that almost matched his hair color, mine was a silky dark-gray suit that felt like the most expensive thing I’d ever stroked, and Victor’s suit had black silk accents. He hadn’t worn a suit like that since losing his billions.
I glanced at Zee and saw his raised eyebrow. “If they think I can be bought by fine clothes and silk sheets, they are absolutely fucking right.” He eyed the balcony, and after opening the sliding door, he stepped outside. “This is some weird-ass kidnapping.”
The sound of traffic and the ocean sailed in. I joined him on the balcony, shielded my eyes against the glare off the endless ocean, and peered down at the long strip of beach and impressive high-rises flanking it.
Zee leaned on the rail, taking in the view, and grinned. Sunlight highlighted all the shades of purple in his ruffled hair... and the bits of swamp gunk. “Miami, baby.” He sighed hard. “Maybe I won’t quit just yet.”
The view was stunning, just like the apartment. But why hadn’t we been left for dead in the swamp? Why give us nice clothes and have us stay in a place like this? It didn’t add up.
“You think maybe it’s a bit suspicious?” I asked.
Zee leaned a hip against the glass balustrade, folded his arms, and smiled, sharp teeth and purple eyes shining in the sunlight. I chose to ignore the crusted bit of algae hanging off his left horn. “Kitten, trust me, we are one hundred percent being lubed up to be fucked over. Doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy the warm-up. We just gotta watch our backs.”
His gaze roamed over me, warming up . He beckoned me over, and I looped my arms around his waist... pressed close. He peered down. “Your hair is a mess and you smell like something a gremlin threw up.”
“Thank you,” I snorted.
He sniffed my hair and grimaced. “Ew.”
I snapped the crusted bit of green stuff off his horn, then showed it to him. He screwed up his nose, and laughed when I tossed the green stuff over the rail.
“So our plan,” Zee said. “Is to go along with all this. Meet Mr. Drug Lord, tell him to fuck off, and if he doesn’t, then you eat his ass—in the unfun way.”
“Unfun for him. But yeah, that’s about it. I don’t think they realize what we can do.”
“Half the time, neither do I.” He bowed his head and bumped our noses.
I lost myself for a little while in his eyes, enjoying the moment and the feel of his arms around me. Zee and Victor were my everything, and the people who tried to hurt us had no idea the extremes I’d go to to keep them safe. Except my brother, he knew, which was why we were as far away from him as possible.
“We need to find a phone.” I started to peel myself out of Zee’s embrace, but he caught my hand and reeled me back in. I didn’t put up much of a fight, as there was no place I’d rather be than wrapped in Zee’s arms.
“Yeah, but we have some time. Got a whole day to kill. In Miami.” He glanced at the outfits. Zee in purple, me in gray, and Victor in black. His eyebrows jumped. “This is a vacation, right? And we’re long overdue for some fun.”
Stretching onto my toes, I smacked a kiss on his lips. His arms tightened, hugging me closer, and his tongue swept in, needing more, needing me. We might have indulged some more if some kind of wriggling bug thing hadn’t fallen out of his hair. Knowing he wasn’t the biggest fan of bugs, I discreetly flicked it off his shoulder. “Maybe a shower first?”
“Fuck, yes. I got crust in places crust is not welcome.” He sauntered back inside to examine his suit. “Hey, Kitten. My friend in Miami. He has a place on the Strip, big with celebs. You’re gonna love it.”
“Is it like Razorsedge?”
“Pfft, that dump? Kitten, this is Miami .”
It was definitely like Razorsedge. But if we could walk out of this place without getting stopped by Skrinde’s people, then I was game for some sightseeing. If being on the road had taught me anything, it was to enjoy the good stuff while you could, because you never knew what pitfall was around the next bend.