See How She Runs (The Chronicles of Izzy #1)(52)

I felt like a part of my heart was physically being ripped away. A man I had thought of like a second father was nothing more than a deceptive manipulative ass like the rest of these guys. I thought back to the email and to everything that had happened. Xavier had set me up. He had known he could not get to me when I was with Kennan and Ian. He had played on my weakness. I had fallen for it hook, line, and sinker. It looked like I was the catch of the day.

In a rare fit of rage, I grabbed Mike’s cigar and shoved it down on his arm hard, putting out the embers in his skin. I wanted him to be reminded of me every single day for the rest of his miserable life.

Mike yelled out. “You little bitch!"

He struck out at me and Xavier intercepted.

“Now, Mike, let’s all keep a level head here. Izzy is just a little spirited. But don’t worry, we will work that out of her before too long. Now go rinse that out before it gets infected." Xavier dismissed Mike with a flick of his hand and moved towards me.

I stood my ground. I refused to cower in front of this man. Kennan may not have been able to kill him, but I held no such reservations. I looked up at my captor defiantly. Yes, I had been stupid and played right into his hand. But I had done so to protect the people I loved. That was a kind of stupidity I could live with. We stared at one another for a long time before he began to speak.

“You aren’t at all like your mother, are you? You are quite the feisty thing. I have so enjoyed our little talks in the dreaming. It is such a pleasure to finally be face to face once more," he drawled as he reached for my face to brush it the way Kennan did.

I grabbed his hand quickly, bending it backward almost to the breaking point.

“You touch me again and I will break you, big man," I said, grateful for Ian and all of the small things he had taught me about using my size to my advantage.

“Looks like you have learned some new tricks, pet. What else has my brother taught you?" Xavier asked with a raised brow, as though I had not even hurt him.

I was amazed that I had once thought him handsome. He was not godlike at all. He was playing at being a god. In my experience, the mighty have a much further to fall. I would bring him down if it were the last thing I did.

“Oh, wouldn’t you like to know. But it was not just Kennan, I still have other friends left, you know," I said, being as vague as possible.

“Well, don’t worry your pretty head about any of that now. We have a long trip ahead of us, so why don’t you go and grab your bag," Xavier commanded.

I really wanted to inflict vast amounts of pain on this man. I had never felt anything like the rage that had swelled within me since knocking on that infernal door. I was hoping that Mike would get gangrene from his burn and his arm would rot off. I was hoping that all of the men in black suits would get some incurable virus that would melt their organs. I was hoping most of all that Xavier would have a run in with a rusty blade of some sort and contract tetanus. I had never been a violent person, but when I had nothing left, I got scrappy.

I looked at Xavier and weighed my options. I could go along with this and not fight it, or I could try and run. I knew from experience that outrunning a Guardian was damn near impossible, so I decided to once again ride the wave of a kidnapping. There really were only so many times a girl could be kidnapped. I mean, I must have met my quota by now. Come on, Big Man. Help a sister out a little. I sighed and motioned toward my car.

I was awarded with an escort from the goon squad to retrieve my belongings. I acted like I was searching the glove box. I needed to leave a note or something in case Ian or Kennan found the car. I scribbled on the registration the basics of what had happened. I did not have much time since the goon squad was growing restless. I tossed the paper down in the floorboard under the seat so that it barely showed. I was counting on Kennan’s obsessive nature to take over and find it.

I grabbed my bag and closed the door, locking the keys inside. See if you can move the car now, stupid bad guys. I mean, I supposed they could call a locksmith, but at least I had delayed them in disposing of the car. I headed back toward the house, only to have Xavier gesture toward a black limousine. Well, of course. Why wouldn’t he be cruising around in a limo? I was more than a little pissed that my first time in a limo was going to be with an asshat like him.

I sighed, tossed my bag into the dark chasm and shuffled in after it. I pulled myself into a back corner before Xavier’s morose entourage climbed in. They really did look like a crew of undertakers. I decided to name them Lurch 1, Lurch 2, and Lurch 3. The last of the men did not look nearly tall enough to be a Lurch, so he was instead dubbed Igor.

I sat quietly in the back seat for a long time. The road rolled beneath us, taking me to Lord knows where. I just sat thinking of what a major cluster this whole situation had been. I might as well have just given myself over in Chicago. I knew that was not true, but for the moment it felt nice to wallow.

I was brought from my thoughts by Xavier’s hands approaching the sides of my face. I looked at him like he had lost his mind. I reached up and snapped his hand, sure that I had broken at least something. Instead, he just shook his hand and "tsked" me.

I was pinned to the back of the seat by the Lurches faster than I could track.

“You should have played nice," Xavier scolded. I wondered what it would take to make him yell. Then I remembered, he was devoid of all real emotion.

I struggled against my captors as Xavier approached. I knew he was trying to hack my brain but I was durned if I was gonna make it easy on him. I squirmed as much as possible, but once he had a hold of my head I could not move any longer. He braced my head painfully between his large hands.