He returned from probably taking care of the condom and lay down, tugging her into his side. She reached down and pulled up the covers. “Um, did I yell?” she asked.
“Yes. It kind of sounded like my name,” he rumbled, placing an absent kiss on her forehead. “Go to sleep, baby.”
Nobody in her entire life had called her baby. It took a guy like him, one dangerous and deadly, to even think of trying it. As she struggled to think of a proper retort, her eyelids shut, and her breathing smoothed out. “Raze,” she murmured, crashing right into sleep.
Chapter Nineteen
Our deepest desires are often ones we’d never admit aloud.
—Dr. Vinnie Wellington, Perceptions
Raze watched the ceiling and held Vinnie as she slept, his mind troubled and his chest aching. God, she was something. Sweet and wild and brilliant . . . and fragile. So fuckin’ fragile, he had no right touching her. The woman wouldn’t survive in the Mercenary camp, so he had to find another way to save Maureen.
God. Maureen. What was happening to her right now? Raze had been assured no harm would come to her if he followed the plan, and he had to believe that fact, or he’d go crazy. Thus far, he’d played along, so Greyson had no reason to harm Moe.
Thunder rolled outside, and lightning zagged. Here Raze had thought the rainy season had ended. Well, one more night of collecting water was just another blessing.
He gingerly moved Vinnie off his arm and slid from the bed. She rolled over, still out cold. He swallowed and quickly dressed, arming himself with the two guns, three knives, and pack concealing a water-ski rope he’d hidden in a lower cupboard. He turned to take one last look at her. That light hair splayed over the pillow, while her skin glowed with a translucent tint. She barely made a bump under the covers. He couldn’t watch her and mentally prepare himself for what he had to do, so he exited the apartment and jogged down the hallway to the old vestibule.
Jax Mercury stepped through the mess hall doorway, his hair ruffled, his eyes weary. “You on patrol?”
“Yes. Couldn’t sleep, so I thought I’d scout.” Raze zipped up his leather jacket.
“Take a partner,” Jax ordered, moving past him and heading up the steps. “Remember what it feels like to work with people instead of alone. You’re still out of here tomorrow if you don’t come clean about everything.”
“Of course,” Raze said, waiting until the Vanguard leader had disappeared from sight. Hunching his shoulders, he shoved out into the drizzle and walked across puddles to the fence. A quick whistle from him—the correct one—and the gate opened. He nodded to the darkness and strode beyond the downed vehicles and tires to the scraggly weeds.
A brick apartment building stood silent and dark across the road. They had to figure out how to take it down. Rippers could easily be hiding inside, and a clear view for Vanguard would provide much more security.
They. If he stayed, he wouldn’t be considered part of Vanguard.
Unless . . .
He kept to the shadows and soon left Vanguard territory. Abandoned shops and little stores lined his way, all with broken windows or busted doors. A noise near a former jewelry store caught his attention, and he paused, facing the door.
A fully grown male lion padded outside, its eyes glowing golden in the night.
Holy fuck. He’d heard Marvin roar late at night, but he’d never caught a glimpse of the massive beast. It was much larger than he would’ve thought. Had Vanguard continued leaving him meat at night? God, Raze hoped so.
Marvin stared at him for a moment and then flicked his tail, turning toward Vanguard.
Raze let out his breath. He gave a shudder, then turned and hustled in the opposite direction from the lion. Within thirty minutes, he reached Luke’s Bar.
Ash was inside, sitting on the bar, waiting. “About fucking time. You’re late.”
Raze’s boots crunched shattered glass, irritation heating his breath. “Where’s Grey?”
“Busy. He couldn’t make it.” Ash blew a bubble with grape-scented gum. “I was hoping you’d bring the bitch.”
Muscles tightened down Raze’s back at the language. “I’m here for the fuckin’ plan.” He looked around and tried to listen for other breaths. “Who am I supposed to coordinate with?”
“Me.” Ash grinned and revealed yellowed teeth.
Raze rolled his eyes. “You’re a lackey, Ash. Who am I working with here?” He had to make sure Ash was alone.
Ash shoved himself off the bar, his boots scattering dirt as he landed. “You’re working with me, dumbass. It’s just me. Stop wasting time. Grey gets antsy if I’m late, and when he’s pissed, it’s bad.” Ash gave a mock shudder. “I can’t imagine what he’s doing to your sister right now while you’re dicking around with me.”
Raze moved in, fast as a whip, and grabbed Ash by the neck. Rage tried to take hold, but he shoved it down, going cold. “Do you know what I did in the military?” he asked, shoving the asshole back and leaning into his face.
Ash clawed Raze’s scarred arm, his eyes bugging out. “No.”
“Anything I needed to do.” Raze increased the pressure on Ash’s windpipe and drew out a knife. “Now you and I are gonna have a little talk, and if you need persuading, I can torture you for at least three days before you’ll die. It’s a honed skill.”
Ash paled, and his nails dug in hard. “You can’t hurt me. You touch me, and Grey will kill your sister. With pain. He likes to hurt women.”
Raze kept cold and shut out all of Ash’s words. The bastard’s pulse beat rapidly, and his breath panted out of his skinny chest. “I’ll carve you like a turkey. Where’s my sister?”
“I don’t know,” Ash croaked, his breath scented with grape.
“Then it’s gonna be a long night for you.” Raze lifted the idiot by the neck and slammed him down on what was left of the bar. Then he turned and threw Ash into the jukebox. The greaseball hit, and glass shattered.
Ash groaned and thrashed on the ground.
Raze jumped for him, lifted him, and deftly used the water-ski rope to shackle Ash to the jukebox.
Ash struggled, kicking out, his arms useless.
Raze casually punched him in the jaw.
Ash’s head jerked back and forth, his blood-shot eyes widening. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” he spat, blood dribbling from his mouth.
Raze shrugged out of his leather jacket and rolled up his sleeves. He swallowed twice and settled into the calmness required for the job. Taking his time, he leaned down and withdrew a glinting double-edged knife from his boot.
Ash’s eyes bugged out, and he struggled against the restraints. “Wait a minute. Just wait a minute here.”
Raze kept all expression off his face and ignored the nausea suddenly swirling in his belly. “You know, this kind of thing comes right back.” He shrugged. “I figured I’d have to work up to cutting you, but I’m already in the zone.” He stepped in and sliced Ash’s shirt from hem to neck without touching skin. The dirty material fell to the sides.
Ash coughed, and his eyes filled with tears. “If I don’t make it back to Merc territory on time, Grey will kill your sister. And he’ll enjoy it.”
Raze nodded thoughtfully, his gaze on Ash’s neck. “I considered that, but it’s a risk I’ll have to take. He’s gonna wonder if a Ripper or two got to you. My guess is that he’ll wait until the rendezvous night, and if I don’t show, then he’ll take action with my sister.”
Ash gulped in air. “So you’re going to kill me no matter what.”
Raze lifted his gaze to meet Ash’s directly. Too many people had died in the world. “No. I absolutely don’t want to kill you. Tell me what I want to know—all of it—and I’ll let you go.”
Ash shook his head and snot bubbled out of his nose. “That’s a lie. You won’t let me tell Grey about this.”
Raze chuckled. “Oh, if you tell him, you’re dead. If he discovers how easy it is to subdue you and get answers, he’ll kn
ow what a liability you are. He’ll cut off your head and feed it to the dogs as an example to his men.” Probably. Truth be told, Raze didn’t know shit about Greyson Storm.
Ash’s chest heaved as he tried to control his breathing. Raze cocked his head to the side and ran his blade down the side of Ash’s neck. The idiot flinched and nearly got cut. The fear of torture, of pain, was often worse than the actual thing. “You could always switch loyalties,” Raze murmured. “Work with me on getting my sister back, and I’ll find you a place in Vanguard.”
Ash snorted. “Jax Mercury is going to rip your heart from your chest when he finds out you’ve been working with the Mercs. You can’t help me with Vanguard.”
So Ash wasn’t a complete moron. Good to know. “Jax has more of a capacity for forgiveness than you know, and he’d understand my trying to save my sister.” Not a chance in hell. The second Jax found out, Vanguard became Raze’s enemy. So far, Vanguard’s enemies all had met with terrible, if well deserved, deaths. “If you don’t want to work with me, you’re still gonna tell me everything I need to know.” Raze allowed the tip of the blade to puncture Ash’s neck.
Ash stiffened and tried uselessly to pull away from the knife. A dot of blood rolled down his jugular. “I’m just doing my job.”
“So am I,” Raze countered. “My sister is mine to protect, and you’re keeping her from me. Let’s start easy. You came with a message, so why don’t you give me that?”
Ash struggled uselessly against the bindings, his greasy hair scattering the tempered red and yellow glass from the jukebox. “I was supposed to give you the location for the exchange of Dr. Wellington and your sister.”
“Where and when?” Raze snarled.
Ash blinked rapidly. “The location of the trade is halfway between here and Merc territory in Thousand Oaks.”
Made sense. It got Raze far enough from Vanguard to be vulnerable but didn’t let him see anything in Merc territory. “Where?”
“The Civic Arts Plaza.”
Also a good plan—plenty of hiding and sniper positions for Greyson to use. If he used them. What little Raze had learned about the Merc leader showed the guy was a wild card full of surprises. “What’s his plan for coverage there?”
Ash violently shook his head. “I don’t know. Really. I’m not privy to his plans.”
Raze wouldn’t let this moron know his plans, either. “Not sure I believe you.” He pressed the blade in.
Ash sucked in air and tried to draw back. “Honest. I’d tell you. Grey doesn’t tell me shit.”
Oh, Ash was definitely expendable. Raze nodded. His primary objective was to meet with Greyson at the rendezvous point and save Maureen. If that didn’t work, he needed to know more about headquarters. “Okay. Say I believe you. Where is my sister being held in Merc territory?”
Ash sniffed loudly. “I don’t know much. She’s kept in the main headquarters with Grey.”
Raze growled. “Where’s the main headquarters?”
“Come on, man. I can’t tell you. I’d be a dead man,” Ash pleaded.
Raze sighed and drew a long line from Ash’s neck to his belly, making a very shallow cut—more like a scratch.
Ash screamed.
Raze slapped a hand over the man’s mouth and leaned in. “One more sound, and I’ll find something in this rat’s nest to gag you with. It won’t be pretty.”
Ash gurgled and then subsided.
Raze removed his hand. “We’ve already established you don’t have to tell Grey shit when you get back, and I’ve promised I won’t kill you if you give me the information I want. If you don’t, you’re gonna feel pain you can’t even imagine, and by the time you die, you’ll thank me for it.”
Fear rolled off the Mercenary scout. Ash shook his head. “This isn’t fair.”
Raze barked out a laugh. “Fair is dead. Work with me. I won’t hurt you.”
Ash’s body went limp. “Fine.”
God, that was easy. “Tell me about Maureen.”
“The main headquarters is the Pacific Beach Club on Goleta Beach.” Ash snorted snot up his nose again.
Raze narrowed his gaze. “They can see attackers from each direction down the beach, and I’m assuming mansions are behind and to the sides? More good vantage points.”
“Yeah. The pier is down the way, so there’s fresh fish to eat. There are tons of nurseries and greenhouses from UC Santa Barbara, too.” Once Ash gave his cooperation, he did it completely, now didn’t he?
“Where Maureen can continue her work and grow food for him?” Raze drawled. Hell. That was a fucking brilliant location for a camp.
“Yeah.”
Raze leaned back. “How many men does Grey have?”
Ash relaxed and kept his gaze on the knife at Raze’s side. “About a hundred, I think. All trained, all dangerous. Only a few women, and they’re all attached.”
“Attached or sex slaves?” Raze asked, bile rising in his throat.
Ash shrugged. “Never paid attention. But they’re not passed around, if that’s what you’re asking.”
“Is Maureen?” Raze asked evenly, his chest heating.
“Not that I know of.” Panic filled Ash’s eyes as Raze straightened. “Honest. She’s in the beach mansion with Grey and a few other top soldiers, and the rest of us rarely see her. I’ve only seen her once, and that was last week.”
Raze lifted an eyebrow.
Ash scrambled. “She looked fine. Pretty girl with dark hair and even bluer eyes than yours. Looked like the girl next door.” His gaze darted around the dismal bar. “She was reading some papers and muttering about crop growth. Seemed more distracted than scared of anything.”
Perhaps Greyson wanted her for her knowledge and ability to cross-pollinate edible plants. Raze breathed out, his vision clearing. Moe had to be all right. “Good. You’re doing a good job, Ash. Now we’re going to go over Merc territory, and you’re going to tell me everything.”
Ash nodded.
A ruckus sounded from outside.
Raze turned just as two men rushed inside, both wearing torn boxer shorts, both foaming at the mouth. Blood covered their bodies, and dried fur and blood matted their lips. Their eyes were crazed. Rippers.
Ash screamed.
Shit. The first Ripper rammed into Raze. He ducked and brought up his blade, piercing the Ripper’s neck and wrenching his knife to the side. The guy spit out blood, gurgled, and fell to the ground.
Raze turned, but the other Ripper had already bitten through Ash’s neck and was chomping on muscle and cartilage. Ash sagged in death, his eyes wide and filled with shocked horror. The Ripper pivoted, chewing. Raze drew a gun and shot the guy three times in the chest. He fell with a soft sigh.
Damn it. “Sorry, Ash,” Raze murmured, looking at the dead Merc scout. “I really would’ve let you go.” He said a quick prayer for the fallen and turned to jog out the door. Dawn would soon arrive, and he didn’t have time to properly bury anybody. If the Mercs sent somebody after Ash, they’d find the Rippers and assume Raze had already left. Hopefully.
Now that he knew the location of the exchange point as well as where Maureen was being held in Merc territory, things had changed. Finally, he had intel. He had about forty hours to figure out how to set a trap for Greyson in Thousand Oaks and get Maureen to safety without putting Vinnie in danger. God help them all.
Chapter Twenty
We study sociopaths to better understand ourselves.
—Dr. Vinnie Wellington, Sociopaths
Vinnie stepped into her office while sipping a cup of way-too-strong coffee. Raze had been gone when she’d awoken, but he was probably out on patrol. The morning felt odd without him in it. She was getting too attached way too quickly. Time to regroup.
“Girlfriend? You need to get yourself a gag,” Lynne Harmony murmured from her perch on the love seat.
Vinnie faltered and then continued in to flop into her leather chair. “I screamed his name. He said I was going to scream hi
s name, and I actually did it.” She shook her head, and prickly heat climbed into her face. “I have never, in my entire life, screamed during sex. I mean, not even once.”
Lynne chuckled and pushed her long hair away from her classic face. “You’re not the first, and I doubt you’ll be the last woman who gets embarrassed around here. The walls are thin, and a few of us are forming couples, so it’s going to happen.”
“Forming couples?” Vinnie looked at the rather famous scientist over her cheap coffee mug. “That’s what we’re calling it?”
Lynne smiled, her green eyes sparkling. “Sounds better than hooking up with wild, dangerous, deadly men in this postapocalyptic hell we’re all living in.”
Vinnie chuckled and leaned forward. “Do you think that’s it? I mean, that everything is amplified so much more because of the world ending? I mean, we could die any minute. So sex, feelings, anger . . . it’s all just bigger and more overwhelming than before?”
Lynne nodded. “I do think that. In my mind, when I’m rational, I do believe that’s a factor. But when I’m with Jax, when we’re together and he’s all, well, Jax . . . then I’m not sure. Maybe it’s the men we’re with now, you know? Even before Scorpius, Jax was intense, and I’m thinking Raze was as well. Perhaps it’s the men and not the apocalypse.”
“That should be a bumper sticker.” Vinnie snorted. “I mean, if we still all drove cars every day.”
“T-shirts. We could make T-shirts.” Lynne reached for a steaming mug decorated with a picture of Einstein. “Extreme situations lead to extreme emotions,” she murmured thoughtfully.
“Plus, there’s safety being tied to a warrior during war, you know?”
The scientist had obviously given the matter some thought. “Biological imperative,” Vinnie agreed, studying the woman. “Do you think you’d feel the same about Jax if the world hadn’t ended?”
Lynne took a deep sip, and color slid into her cheeks. “I actually do. He’s smart, strong, and honorable. I would’ve loved him even if our biggest struggle was how to balance the checkbook every month.” She leaned back and kicked her jean-clad legs out to cross her tennis shoes at the ankles. “Yet there’s something about this world now where we see more clearly who somebody really is.”