“Don’t kill him yet,” I said, annoyed that he was treating the captive so carelessly.
Grayson chuckled. “He’ll be fine. It’s just a scratch.”
“He already has a bullet wound,” I growled from my patience wearing thin. I loved these guys like my brothers, I really did, but sometimes, I wanted to strangle them. I guess family did that to everyone.
“It’s a scratch. He’ll live,” Owen said. “Listen to Grayson. Everything is fine. You worry too much. You’ll be able to do what you want to him.”
Heaven snickered. “That’s what she said.”
Grayson, me, Sebastian, and Owen paused and glanced at the youngest of us. There were times when he was so immature that you couldn’t help but love him.
“What?” he asked, smile falling from his face a bit. “I couldn’t just ignore an opening like that. You set yourself up.”
“Get on the plane, Heaven. I’ll deal with you later.” I hoisted Quinn in my arms to get a better grip on her and realize how light she was. Had she been eating? She felt too thin. That would change with me. She needed to gain ten pounds, at least.
Heaven pointed at all of us. “You all need to loosen up. You’re wearing your ties too tight.”
“I’m not even wearing a tie,” Owen grunted, dragging Brian behind him toward the plane as Louis drove the car onto the ramp that would lift it into the bottom of the aircraft.
“Then you need to pull the stick out of your ass,” Heaven joked and laughed when Owen got out his gun and pointed it at him. “Someone is sensitive.”
“Someone is annoying, and it might get you killed one day.”
Heaven pouted. “Aw, someone didn’t get hugged enough at night.”
Owen brought his gaze to mine and pressed his lips together. “Can I kill him? I’m killing him.”
“No, we like him, remember?”
“Not right now.” Owen tugged on Brian’s arm, and this time Brian woke up and started screaming. Owen stopped in his tracks. “You have got to be kidding me.” he hung his head, clearly exhausted from Brian, not from dragging him, just…him.
“Help me! Someone, help me!” Brian’s screams echoed in the forest yet blended in with the crash of the waves against the bottom of the cliffs. No one could hear him. It was just us out here.
He wasn’t even asking about Quinn. He didn’t give a damn about her. I wondered if they had sex. Just the thought had me clutching her tighter.
No, I didn’t care. She could fuck whoever she wanted.
It was far from the truth, but I had to stay as far away as possible from that damn thing, or I’d get myself in deeper shit than I was in right now.
“Is anyone going to shut him up?” the wayward old lady scowled as she hobbled toward us on her cane. How the hell I picked up a grandma was beyond me and out of character, but I liked Ingrid. We jived. And I didn’t find many people that didn’t flinch when confronted with violence. Ingrid was a badass, and the guys could use a feminine figure around to keep them respectful. “Stop your moaning!” Ingrid chastised Brian and smacked her cane against the side of his head until he was knocked out again.
Well, maybe saying she was feminine was a bit of a reach.
“Damn! Old lady has moves!” Heaven gasped and pointed at Ingrid with his mouth open.
“Call me old one more time and I’ll shove this cane down your throat,” Ingrid warned and continued her way to the plane.
“I thought bringing her was a mistake, but I think she’ll fit in just fine,” Owen said, watching Ingrid walk away. “She kind of reminds me of my Nana.”
“I heard that! I ain’t no one’s fucking Nana,” she cursed at him and climbed up the steps of the plane, refusing Louis’s help, shrugging his arm off her shoulder, and almost making my favorite driver fall down the airplane steps.
And here I thought she wanted to be a grandma. I didn’t know what the hell I was doing. Bringing Ingrid was a last-minute choice, one that told me it would be good for her to be there for Quinn. Women need Women, right?
Not that I cared. I just didn’t want to hear Quinn bitch.
“Grayson? Carry Quinn to my suite on the plane. I’ll be up in a minute.” I was careful when I handed her off to Grayson, my hand lingering on her head to make sure he was supporting her. This was the woman I loved when I was sixteen and hated when I turned twenty-one.
I never stopped.
“I have her, Jaxon. It’s fine.” Grayson strolled away, and I kept my back to him, refusing to turn around and watch as he carried a woman that meant more to me— that shouldn’t mean anything to me— laying in his arms instead of mine.
But I had someone to take care of.
The rent-a-driver was alone since the cars were on the plane. He was sweating, jittery, and pale. I knew he was untrustworthy, so letting him leave, well, I didn’t think that was an option. Jittery people had a habit of flapping their mouths.
“I swear, I wo—won’t t—tell anyone wh—wha—you’re doing,” he stuttered and wrung his hands together. “Take me with you. I could be useful.”
“I doubt that,” I said, and then the warm stench of piss filled the air. Damn, the man really was a coward. I hadn’t even done anything yet.
“I swear Mr. Steel. I…I can do grunt work. Whatever you need done.” His pants were wet, and he didn’t bother to hide the shame. I didn’t like people I didn’t trust knowing what I was up to. Someone who saw me kidnapping two people and carrying them to my plane, that was too much for him to know.
“No.” I shoved his chest with one hand, and he fell over the cliff, screaming for his life until the sea and rocks swallowed him, death silencing his plea.
Sometimes, this job got dirty. Sometimes, people died.
But that wasn’t my problem.
Chapter Three
Quinn
I do.
I woke up with a gasp when Brian’s face morphed into Jaxon’s in my dream.
More like a nightmare.
I rubbed my eyes to wake myself up, and my head swam with dizziness. My stomach turned, and a low hum surrounded me. Sitting up, I couldn’t believe my eyes with what I saw. I was in a large luxurious room, and the sheets beneath me were made of the finest silk. A white canopy fell over the bed, and it would have been a gorgeous room if it were on the fucking ground!
The bastard put me on a plane. I had no idea where I was, where he was taking me, or if Brian was okay. I loved Brian, but I wasn’t in love with Brian. I was content. I figured happiness didn’t really exist since the man I did love, murdered his sister, and went to prison for ten years, so my views on love shifted a bit.
Sue me.
“Ooof,” I groaned and held my hand to my head when a wave of dizziness hit again as I stood up. A full-bodied mirror greeted me as it hung against the wall and I noticed the horrid appearance of not only myself but my wedding dress. My hair was wrecked, blood splattered over the beautiful Vera Wang silk gown, staining the expensive material that I saved up an entire two years for.
Not much made me cry, but this was coming close to making tears fall. I didn’t have to save. I could have used the money my grandparents left me, but I didn’t want to. I wanted to feel accomplished like I made something out of myself, and I worked every damn night shift the hospital had until I finally saved up the eight-thousand dollars needed to buy this gown.