Page 34 of Ravaged Soul

Her scowl firmly fixed in place, Raye pops a hip as she stares me down. “Hello again.”

“Come to slice me open? Or toss me out of a moving vehicle?”

“Calm down, princess.” She sticks her weapon in the back of her waistband. “The van wasn’t moving. We’re not complete assholes.”

“Em?” Hyland’s gun is still raised.

“Right. This is Raye.”

“You were there in Mexico,” Warner surmises.

With a faintly bored look, Raye looks over our group. “Bingo.”

“Fantastic,” Hyland drawls. “You here to surrender?”

A burst of laughter spills from Raye. “Surrender. Hah. Hilarious.”

The bulky shadow at her side steps into the light, revealing familiar, light hair and an acidic glare. Warner inhales when he recognises Blaine’s other right hand man from the fight club. It’s Spyder, though I still refuse to believe that’s his real name.

“We’re exposed here,” he clips out. “You lot coming in or what?”

“Where is Axel?” Warner ignores him, not moving an inch.

“The purple-haired fuck?” Spyder scowls. “Inside. Giving me a damn headache, too.”

Lips rolling inwards to suppress a smile, I wave a hand to indicate for them both to relax. This isn’t some elaborate setup. Blaine signed that deal in good faith. Perhaps this is a test, or an extension of trust that we should honour.

“Take us to the boss.”

Spyder nods at my command. “You gonna give us another show? I’ll even bet on you this time.”

“Yeah, not likely.”

“Shame. Wouldn’t mind seeing a decent fight.”

I take the first step to follow, letting the other two decide whether or not to follow. Their whispers betray a rapid argument before footsteps trail behind me into the warehouse.

Spyder and Raye guide us through a warren of empty rooms and corridors. Whatever they’re doing here, it isn’t immediately obvious. Blaine’s playing this smart, giving no clues as to what really goes on behind these walls.

After several turns and twists, I’ve lost track of our path deeper into the cold, echoing building. The knowledge thatHyland and Warner are armed at my back offers some assurance. The way Spyder keeps glancing over his shoulder to look at me is unnerving.

“What are we doing here?” I snap at him.

“Heard about your little problem.” He eyes me knowingly. “We’ve been turning the city over since the boss man called to fill us in.”

“You have?” Warner sounds surprised.

“He says jump, we ask how high. Just didn’t expect it to take this long.”

Thundering heart leaping into my mouth, I quicken my steps. Blaine’s been floating around the edges of our investigation since Tom was taken yet never once mentioned that his people are out there working from the shadows.

The central hub opens to a wide, drafty space with high ceilings, exposed steel beams and rows of empty work benches. Drinking in the details, I flinch when a scream cuts the chemical-tinged air.

“What the fuck?” Hyland jerks in front of me.

“Calm down, toy soldier.” Spyder snickers.

“Where is Madden?” Hyland turns to Spyder, nostrils flaring.