Burn For Me (Phoenix Fire #1)(43)

She wanted to kick Martinez’s ass. Oh, wait. She’d just done it. She’d like to do it again. But with a gun on her, it wasn’t the best moment for another attack.

Eve waited for him to haul his bleeding carcass into the front. Then she focused on the man with the gun.

It was too dark for her to see much about him. He was big. Strong. Holding a gun.

Did she need to know a lot more?

Cain would have risen already, right? He’d chase after her. She hoped he would but …

Why would he risk himself for me?

It was the question that wouldn’t leave her alone. Deep inside, she worried that Cain would just cut his losses. He’d leave her.

She needed to get herself out of this mess. She couldn’t count on Cain. She wanted to trust that he’d help her but …

“Just settle down,” the guard told her. “No more fighting.”

He had no idea who he was talking to. Maybe she didn’t think Cain was coming for her, but this guy didn’t know that. “He’s going to kill you all.” She’d always been good at bluffing.

The gun didn’t waver. “I don’t see anyone else here, ma’am.”

“He’ll follow me. He’ll track me down, and Cain will make sure that anyone who took me dies.” Did that sound good and dramatic enough? She rather thought so.

The gun stayed pointed at her head.

“The plan is for him to follow,” the guard told her quietly. “But nobody on my team will die. We’re gonna be ready for him.”

So not what she wanted to hear.

Why did everyone want to use her as bait? This sucked.

“Your boyfriend needs to be contained. He’s too dangerous to be left out with the humans.”

Damn right he was dangerous—to Wyatt and this team of jerkoffs. “Want to move that gun, you know, before we hit a pothole and you accidentally blow my brains out?”

The gun eased away. He even put the safety back on. Wasn’t he a gem?

“It won’t be long now.” There was no accent at all in his voice. “So you just stay calm and do what you’re told.”

Not about to happen. He’d lowered the gun. Did he realize that she’d managed to get one cuff unlocked? “So where’s Wyatt? He up in the front, too?”

She’d seen that bastard. Just for an instant. He’d left in a hurry—probably because he’d been afraid Cain would rise and torch his ass.

He will.

The guard didn’t speak. So now he got quiet? The guy had sure seemed chatty enough earlier.

“He’s crazy, you know.” She had plenty to say. They were the ones who hadn’t been smart enough to gag her. “The humans who died at Genesis—”

“Your boyfriend killed them.” Ah, he was talking again. And sounding good and pissed.

She shook her head. Kept the cuffs in her lap so he wouldn’t see that she was easing her left wrist free. “No, the bombs that Wyatt set off did that. The guy giving you the orders is a psychotic freak who’ll kill you if you become any kind of hindrance to him. You won’t be anything more than collateral damage.” Just like Gloria.

Eve’s breath rushed out. Maybe if she kept talking, she could convince the guard to listen to her. If he thought his life was in danger …

The van braked to a stop.

Hell.

“We’re here,” he said.

Eve’s body tensed. With her ankles shackled, she wouldn’t be able to run. She wasn’t sure exactly where “here” was—Wyatt’s second lab? Some other fun little pit of hell? She didn’t think they’d driven far enough to actually leave North Carolina.

“So why don’t you just snap that cuff back in place,” he added, “before someone gets hurt.”

The back of the van opened. Bright light hit her. They were inside a big parking garage.

She could hear distant sounds from a city. Definitely not the second lab. Wyatt liked his privacy too much to put the lab near too many other people. So this had to be some kind of temporary holding facility. With Wyatt’s power and reach, he probably had places like this scattered over half the East Coast.

The guard snapped her cuff back into place, then hauled her out of the van. She wobbled on her feet, nearly falling as she tried to find balance in the shackles. He put a hand on her side, steadying her.

She turned her head toward him. This guy kept helping her. She might be able to work him and—

Thin, white scars slid down the right side of his face. Scars that looked just like claw marks.

No wonder he wasn’t exactly pro paranormal.

But she still had to try. “He’s going to kill me.” There was no need to add a tremulous quiver to her voice. It was already there. “Wyatt will—”

The guard just picked her up. Hoisted her over his shoulder and carried her. She tried to fight her way free—not happening. The man’s grip was unbreakable and so strong that Eve started to wonder if the guy was human or something more.

A door creaked open. Then she was inside yet another room. He put her down, and her gaze flew around the area. Heavy, metal-looking walls. A clear-glass window located right next to the door. Not on an exterior wall. Interior. One glance and she knew exactly what that window was for. Observation. Wyatt always liked to have a good view of his subjects, and she knew he’d watch her through that glass while she was tortured.