Page 102 of Endure the Pain

I told him. He and Finn were in Hartford and they were near the bakery. I explained what had happened and how we couldn’t find Asher. He told us to go back to New Haven and that he and Finn would try to find him.

We hung up and I tossed my burner in the van’s cup holder angrily.

The rage inside me made me want to erupt. I slammed my hand down on the steering wheel. “Shit! Shit! Shit!”

It was nearing eight o’clock at night and Brenna and I had been back at the hotel for over an hour, waiting anxiously. Right after we’d returned, I had received a text from Dean saying that they had found Asher, he was unharmed, and that he would explain everything when they got back to the hotel.

Brenna and I were sitting on the couch with Vincent while watching the news when the door to our suite opened. Dean walked in first, followed by Finn and then Asher. Seeing that he was unharmed for ourselves,Brenna and I both let out a sigh of relief and each took turns hugging him.

“What the hell happened?” I asked as I crossed my arms.

Asher took a seat in one of the living room’s armchairs. “Buck and his child bride fled down the fire escape like we expected, with two other Aryans guarding them. They were supposed to head for their cars parked in the parking garage next door, but they didn’t. They broke into the building across the alley. It was some restaurant. I followed on foot. One of them must have seen me because when I went inside the restaurant, the wife was hunched over in the middle of the kitchen, pretending to be in labor. It distracted me. I barely had time to duck when one of the Aryans popped out from behind a corner and started opening fire.

“One of the cooks took a bullet. I’m pretty sure he didn’t make it. I tried to follow them through the restaurant, but I lost them in the crowd that was frantically trying to flee out of there. I was circling back to my truck when I was stopped by two cops, asking me if I witnessed anything. I told them I hadn’t and that I just heard gunshots. They asked to take down myinformationso that they could question me again later. It wasn’t until I went to hand them my fake ID that I realized I must havedropped my burner in the restaurant’s kitchen. Dean and Finn found me not long after that.”

“I’m glad you’re alright,” I said. It sucked that we had no idea where Buck was now, but I was sure we’d find him. Preferably tomorrow because right now... “I need a drink.”

Asher gave me a shit-eating grin. “It warms my heart that you were worried for me, doll.”

I rolled my eyes.

“Speaking of drinks, we could take the night off to let loose and check out the club downstairs,” Brenna suggested.

Dean and Finn groaned.

Vincent scrunched his nose. “I don’t like crowds. I’m out.”

Brenna turned pleading eyes at me. “Please go dancing with me. You know I’ve never been allowed to do anything remotely fun in my life.”

Oh, she’s good.Using guilt to manipulate an outcome in her favor. “Alright.”

Brenna jumped from the couch and squealed. “Good. Because I found us the perfect dresses to wear in that dress shop down the street this morning,” she said and took off toward our room.

I glanced at Vincent with an arched brow. Both of them had gone out for coffee this morning and, thinking back, they had taken a while.

“Don’t give me that look,” he grumbled. “You couldn’t say no to her either.”

I smiled. “I’m not mad. I'm happy she’s learning to be more assertive.” I gave my goons a pointed look. “It’s a good thing and we should encourage it.”

Dean frowned. “Two Quinn women going clubbing. What could go wrong?”

CHAPTER 34

Brenna and I danced together in the dark crowded club, losing ourselves to the music. The guys were nursing beers at the bar while they watched over us. The music was hypnotic, and the beat buzzed over my skin. And boy, did I have a lot of skin on display. Brenna’s perfect dress she had found for me was very close to a handkerchief. The black fabric was thin, the skirt was very short, there was no back, and the straps were nothing more than strings. The dress left very little to the imagination. My mint green stilettos were gorgeous, though. Brenna’s dress was thankfully a little more modest. It was also black and short, but it was long sleeved and had a keyhole neckline.

Hips swaying to the music, I threw my arms up in the air and closed my eyes. I felt light—free, like nothing else mattered. Knowing the feeling wasn’t going to last, I was determined to relish every second. It was why I wasn’t bothered when hands smoothed over my hips from behind and a body swayed with me. I could tell it was a guy by the feel of his strong hands and masculine scent. It was probably all the alcohol I had drunk that mademe brazen. I leaned back against the stranger’s chest and hooked an arm around his neck.

Our bodies seemed to mold together, and we moved as if in tune with one another. One of his hands moved to my arm that was around his neck and he ran his finger along the underside of my arm, down the side of my breast, to rest on my ribs. It made me shiver.

I slowly opened hooded eyes and saw that Brenna had stopped dancing. She was staring at me and my dance partner, wide-eyed.

The stranger behind me brushed his nose along my ear and said, “You cut your hair.”

I froze, my hooded eyes going as wide as Brenna’s. I unhooked my arm and whirled to face him.

Hazel eyes stared down into mine.

Jamie.