Total pages in book: 78
Estimated words: 76309 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 382(@200wpm)___ 305(@250wpm)___ 254(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 76309 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 382(@200wpm)___ 305(@250wpm)___ 254(@300wpm)
Then arms around me. “You’re okay.” Lanzo’s voice. I blink rapidly, his face coming into focus. “You’re okay, you’re okay.” He’s hugging me tight to his chest. “I got you, Ren, I got you now. Just breathe.”
“What happened?” I gasp out, my hands finding his face.
“I stopped him.” His expression is twisted in rage and agony. Something red’s splattered on his clothes. “You’re okay now. You’re safe.”
I turn my face and there he is, the man in the golden top hat, unmoving on the ground. Face-down, blood pooling around his sunken skull. A white brick, splattered with brain matter, on the ground beside him.
“Oh my god,” I groan when I realize Lanzo bashed his head in.
“Come on.” He stands, gets me to my feet. I’m unsteady, but with his help, I can move. “We have to get out of here.”
“He knows,” I say, leaning on Lanzo. “Burian. He knows who I am. He knows you’re involved.”
“What happened?”
“The top hat, he attacked me.” I cough, trying to clear my throat. It feels like ants are eating my esophagus. “Said something about… about his partner… and having to do it. To save his partner.”
Lanzo’s expression clouds. “Fucking Burian. Playing his games.”
“What is it?”
“We’ll talk when we’re out of here.”
The crowds appear again. The kaleidoscopic whirl of shouting, lights, colors, laughter, it overwhelms my dizzy head. I can barely breathe, let alone think. But as Lanzo steers me toward the parking lot, I stop dead, yanking away.
There, standing near the bumper cars, is a bald man.
He’s pale, square jaw, thin lips. Wearing all black. Staring back at me.
He smiles.
“Lanzo,” I croak, turning away. “Lanzo, it’s him.”
“Where?” Lanzo appears at my side again, grabbing on. “Where is he?”
“There.” I point—but the bald man is gone. “He was right there.”
“Stay here.” He takes a few steps forward, as if he’s about to go off in pursuit—but stops himself. He looks back, staring at me. I’m leaning against a trash can to stay upright. He glances toward where Burian must be running away, and I can tell it kills him, but he only curses and comes back to me. A strange glow fills my chest. He made his choice, and he chose me. “We’ll get him another time. I have to get you somewhere safe.”
I grunt in reply and let him lead me to the truck.
Chapter 26
Lanzo
I get her in the bath. Warm water, candles, a hot washcloth for her raw neck. I give her soothing tea with honey to drink. “Don’t fall asleep,” I order, making sure she understands. I’d hate for her to survive a strangling only to drown in the fucking tub. “I’ll be back to check on you.”
“Lanzo.” Her voice is an ugly rasp. It kills me. It breaks my heart, hearing her like that. “I’m okay. Really.”
She’s trying to make me feel better.
That only drives the knife in deeper. “I’ll be right back.”
I leave her in the tub and stand in the hall, my hand pressed against the wall, trying to catch my breath.
It was too close. I gave her more space when she went back to the toilets because I was worried about getting caught. There were fewer people and it was too risky to stick close.
I should’ve known better.
It was the perfect spot for an ambush.
That young drunk couple saved her life. I’m not sure I would’ve gotten there in time if I hadn’t seen the girl’s face twist in confusion then fear. That tipped me off. If I hadn’t sensed the guy’s panic as he pulled his girl away, both of them scattering back into the carnival, I’m not sure I would’ve realized what was happening.
They saved Renata’s life.
Otherwise? If there was nobody around to see what happened?
Renata would be dead.
All because of me.
“Fuck you,” I whisper to myself. “You fucking user. You fucking thief. You take and take and take.” My hand curls into a fist.
I wasn’t lying when I said she shouldn’t feel safe with me.
For a few seconds, I thought I lost her. When I pulled the big fuck off her, kicked him in the head, and used the nearby brick to cave his skull to pieces, I thought she was dead. I thought I was too late. But then she was coughing, and it was like my mind came back together. Like I woke up from the underworld, dragged myself from a grave, and crawled into the light of the living again.
I don’t know what I would have done if I hadn’t gotten there in time.
Found Burian, killed him, then went with him.
But she’s alive. She’s in the tub. I have to keep telling myself that.
I head into the living room. All the ghosts of past missions haunt each step. My phone rings in my hand. Carmine answers. “You all good?” he asks, sounding on edge. He knows about the job tonight.