Chapter-67

Half an hour later, I made my way through the shadows, my senses on high alert for any sign of danger. I’d been unable to get a hold of Rook, and unable to let things rest until I did, I’d parked LadyBug a little way up the road from the Dinelli estate, and set out on foot. Now, as I reached the edge of the property, I heard a sound of twigs breaking underfoot, and before I could react, I had the barrel of a pistol pressed against the side of my head.

"You've got some nerve," a man's voice sneered right next to me ear. "You do realize this is private property, right?"

I swallowed hard, my hand inching closer to the knife I’d placed in my waistband and fingers wrapping around the handle. “Private property? No, can’t say I did,” I lied, securing the knife in my grip.

The man took a step closer, his bulk brushing against my back, but keeping the gun firmly in place. “Boss don’t take kindly to strangers crawling around the grounds,” he sneered. Afterward, he chuckled, a sound that sent chills down my spine, as reaching out, he grabbed my arm. "Let's go for a little walk, shall we?"

I began inching the knife out of my waistband, hissing,"I'm not going anywhere with you."

"You don't have a choice, girlie," he said, following the statement with another sinister chuckle.

Before he could do anything, a shadow stepped out from the nearby trees, a gun in one hand, the other holding a switchblade, as voice icy, Torin growled, "Let her go."

The man looked at Torin, his eyes widening. "Thought you were dead!"

"Wishful thinking," Torin said, his voice filled with a dark amusement. "Now drop the gun."

The man didn’t move, so Torin did the only thing he could—he pulled the trigger. The shot rang out, echoing through the surrounding area. The man fell to the ground behind me, lifeless.

\---

The smell of gunpowder filled the air, and for a moment, Torin and I just stared at each other—me in shock, him in cold determination. Then he was gripping my arm and pulling me behind him at a dead run.

"You shouldn't have come here," he snarled over his shoulder, as brushing tree limbs out of the way, we plowed through the thick brush.

"What is going on Torin? Why is your uncle really after me?" I panted, trying to keep up with him.

Finally slowing, he came to a stop, and sighed, holstering his gun. "It's complicated. But let's just say he thinks you hold the key to something much bigger."

I felt a shiver of dread. "What?"

"Let's get somewhere safe first," he said, scanning the area around us. "We can't stay here."

~~

He led me through the city before finally we arrived at a dilapidated building on the outskirts of town. It looked abandoned, but I knew better. This was where Torin had been hiding all along.

Inside, the building was surprisingly clean and well-maintained. It was clear he'd been living here, preparing for his next move against his uncle. He sat me down at a small table, his eyes never leaving mine.

"You’re in the middle of a deal gone wrong," he began, his voice low. "It was supposed to be a way to bring down my uncle's operation. But he found out.”

I felt my heart sink.

He nodded. "Yeah. But the important thing is that he thinks you have what he wants."

"Why would he think that?" I asked, my mind racing.

Torin leaned back, his eyes searching my face. "Because I had someone tell him you did."

My head jerked and my eyes widened. "Excuse me? You did what? Why... why would you do something like that?" I stammered.

"To protect you," he said simply. "If he thought you were just a bystander, he'd have killed you already. But since he believes you have something he wants, he'll keep you alive—for a little while longer, buying me some time."

I felt sick. "You're fucking using me?"

Ignoring my question, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small black USB drive. "This is what he wants. It has evidence that could put him and the rest of his crew away for good." He slammed it down on the table. "And he'll do anything to get it."

The gravity of the situation settled heavily on my shoulders. "You mother fucker, you're bargaining with my life?"

Torin nodded grimly.