Page 71 of Beautiful Killer

I shook my head.

He cursed again and shoved the door open. “We’re not done; this is not done. You need help, Zeke.” Then he climbed out and slammed the door shut behind him and strode into his building.

I dragged a deep breath through my nose, trying to slow my racing heart. Shoving the van in gear, I pulled back out onto the street and headed to the address Tomas had given me. I somehow managed to keep my mind clear, avoiding the land mines threatening to blow my shit apart. I didn’t let myself go there, to the past, to Sunny, to the conversation I’d just had with Van, and stayed focused on the job I had to do.

The building looked dark when I slowed down in front of it. I drove around the back as instructed. There was only one car parked back here. I pulled up and climbed out of the van just as the rear door to the warehouse opened and Tomas’s tall frame filled the space.

I met the other man’s cold eyes. “Where’d you want him?”

He didn’t answer right away. Just slid off his suit jacket and put it on a drum by the door. “Bring him in here.”

I rounded the van, flung open the doors, and dragged the guy out, half carrying him inside since his wrists and ankles were tied and his eyes were covered, also at Tomas’s request.

“Untie him,” Tomas said when he’d shut the door after me.

I did as he asked and glanced around. There was no one else in the warehouse, just the three of us. There was also a table, a chair, and a gym bag on the floor beside it. Whatever was in that bag, meant seriously bad things for the asshole standing beside me. I felt not one shred of sympathy.

“Take off the blindfold,” Tomas said.

I dragged it off and the guy blinked rapidly against the bright light, spotted Tomas, jerked back sharply . . . then pissed himself.

A slow smile curled Tomas’s lips, then he rolled his shirt sleeves up, taking his time. Finally, he strode forward, and for the first time since we were living in that shitty neighborhood, I watched Tomas lose his composure. He snarled then struck out, fist connecting with the other man’s face, then again. His target went down and Tomas fisted the whimpering bastard’s hair and dragged him to the table, manhandling him onto it and securing him to the top.

Finally, he looked over at me. “I can take it from here.”

I dipped my chin, turned, and walked out.

Somehow, I forced myself behind the wheel and headed toward home, even as every part of me demanded I go to Sunny. If ever I needed another human being . . . no, fuck that, not just anyone, her, it was now. Van had called me out tonight, in a big way, and I didn’t know what to do with it. Crawling in beside Sunny, having her turn into me, cheeks pressed against my chest, soft hair tickling my skin, warm curves covering me, was what my body, my mind, was screaming for.

I couldn’t fucking think without her.

Couldn’t breathe.

I sure as hell couldn’t sleep.

I’d thought my life was a hopeless dead end before.

Shit, now? It already felt over.

Sunny

I stared out the window, out onto the street, not really seeing anything. I’d had a visit with Dr. Evans and we worked out that I was around thirteen weeks pregnant, which meant I’d conceived when Zeke and I first started seeing each other. God, I missed him. The last week without him had been more painful than I could have imagined. It was a silly notion. But I couldn’t help think that we, this baby, were meant to be. I’d never been one to think that way or believe in destiny or serendipity or anything like that. But as soon as I’d seen Zeke, I’d been drawn to him. When everyone else had seemed to be avoiding him, I hadn’t been able to stay away.

If I had to have a child alone, I was glad the father of my baby was a man I loved, even if he didn’t love me back. Even if when I told him he decided he didn’t want anything to do with either of us. When my child was old enough, I could tell them about the night we met, how there was something magical that brought us together, that we were meant to be. That might sound absurd to some people—okay, a lot of people—but that’s how I truly felt.

I heard Julia behind me, talking to a customer. She’d been so great. It was like she was a different person without Bobby in her life. Like he’d been pulling her strings for years and she’d finally cut herself free. Neco and Ruby had stopped by Julia’s apartment last night and told me to stay put for a little longer, that as soon as they had this Miller guy off the streets I could go home. Honestly, for now, I was happy where I was. I missed my things, but I was glad for Julia’s support, her company. I needed it more than she knew.

Lulu and Ruby had popped in on their own as well and hung out. I was kind of surprised; I expected them to distance themselves after Zeke and I went our separate ways. Then again, Zeke wasn’t exactly the kind of guy to talk about what was going on in his life. They probably had no idea we weren’t spending time together anymore, and I certainly wasn’t in a hurry to talk about him, or the gaping hole being without him had left.

The door opened and I glanced up . . .

Bobby walked in.

I spun toward Julia. She’d paled.

I stepped forward. “Bobby . . .”

“Mind your damn business, Sunny. This has nothing to do with you. This is between my wife and me.”