Perversion (Perversion Trilogy #1)(49)

Tricks takes it from my hands. “Thank you,” she says, her eyes welling up with tears.

I push a stray hair from her face and look deeply into her eyes. I need her to see how serious I am. “Stay out of Marco’s way as much as possible. If he so much as touches you, I’m coming for you.”

“We all will,” Belly chimes in.

“And then what?” she asks.

“We’ll kill everyone who stands in our way to get to you, and I’ll tear Marco apart limb from motherfucking limb.” I hold her face gently in my hands. “Just make it back to me, Tricks.”

“I will. I promise I will.”

I know without a doubt that she thinks she’s telling the truth, but dread still fills my entire body.

Because promising something you can’t know for sure is still a lie.





Twenty-Five





Sandy drops me off in an alley a few blocks from the compound. Wearing my cat shirt with Belly’s ring tucked in my pocket, I walk through the gates.

“Hey, the bitch is alive. Look at that,” Gil, who is standing guard out front, whistles. “Marco isn’t here, but I’ll make sure to tell him you made it.”

“Fuck off,” I spit. I shuffle to the apartment. It takes more than twenty minutes to make it up the three flights of stairs.

Gabby opens the door as I reach the top. “Holy shit. You’re alive!” she says, hugging me too tightly. I groan. “I’m so sorry. Leo told me what happened. I was imagining the worst. The very worst.” Tears pour from her eyes as she helps me inside.

“Shower,” I groan.

She helps me to the bedroom, and I sit down on the bed. I grab my backpack and tuck Belly’s ring deep inside while Gabby runs to the bathroom to start the shower. I want to tell her everything, but I don’t. Not just because I don’t have the energy, but because the less she knows the better.

I take a nap next to Gabby, and when I wake up, it’s dark out. I pop a few Advil for the soreness and the pain because I have more to worry about right now then my aching body. I dress silently so I won’t wake Gabby. Then, I grab my backpack.

I sneak out the door, shutting it slowly so it barely makes a click.

Then, I head straight for Marco’s building.

Marco’s lights are out. Hopefully, he’s out for the night and won’t be back anytime soon. I had an idea on the way over here. If I can find proof that Marco’s the one responsible for the trucks or the park shooting, then The Immortals will be on Bedlam’s side to take Marco out. And I can go back to Bedlam with Gabby the second it’s safe.

The sooner I find something, the sooner I can do just that.

There is only one soldier out front when I approach. I recognize him as a guy they call Fright. “I have something for Marco. I just want to go up and put it in his office.”

I lift my backpack from my shoulder to indicate that the ‘something’ is inside.

“Ain’t no one allowed up,” he says, staring over me, scanning the area.

“It’s me, Fright, not some ho looking to wreck his shit because he never called. I made it back, didn’t I? TRUST me. He’ll be super pissed if I DON’T leave this for him.”

“I said I’m not allowed to…”

“Fine,” I reposition my bag on my shoulder and point at his chest and raise my voice. “But, when Marco asks me why it’s not in his office, I’ll have to tell him it was because you wouldn’t let me put it there.”

He rolls his eyes and sighs, repositioning his gun in his left arm. “Fine. Just be quick. In and out. Leave your shit on his table, and don’t touch anything.”

“Yes, sir,” I say in a low masculine voice, clicking my heels together and giving him a sarcastic salute. I chuckle as I walk past him.

At some point, Fright will tell Marco I was there. I don’t need to give either of them any indication that something is off or any reason to suspect me of anything other than being persistent to the point of annoying.

I open Marco’s office door and feel the wall for the light. I don’t know what I’m even looking for. A file. An email? A fucking sticky note?

I’ll probably know it when I see it.

I finally find the light and click it on. No sooner is the room bathed in light than I’m slammed up against the wall.

Marco.

My wrists are pinned above my head.

“You made it back,” he states. The familiar blue vein throbs in his forehead. His eyes are bloodshot, and I can smell the liquor on his breath as it lands hot against my face. He spreads my legs with his knee, further pinning me in place.

“Here I thought you’d be happy about it,” I say. “You sound disappointed.”

He releases one arm just long enough to smack me across the face. The stinging hurts, but it also helps put my mask firmly in place. The one he can’t penetrate.

The one I’m damned good at wearing.

“Just the opposite,” he says. “I’m surprised.”

“I’ve learned my lesson. I won’t try anything again. I wanted to come back to show you that,” I say, eyes downcast. “I want to prove that I can be loyal.”

“Oh yeah? And how do you plan on doing that?” Marco asks. “By sneaking into my office?” He grabs my face in his hands and squeezes my jaw.