Dirty Little Secrets (Dirty Little #1)(48)

He steps away, thankfully taking the gun along with him, and I feel like I can breathe for the first time in a while.

“Now,” he says, his voice full of amusement. “Let’s get started, shall we?”

He walks over to the corner, and picks up a baseball bat. He slaps his hand against it a few times, making a sickening thud. I struggle against the restraints, but it’s no use. Privya walks up to me, and yanks on my hair, pulling my head back violently.

“Where should I start first? Leg?” He taps the bat against my shin. “Rib?” The body of it rolls across my side.

“Fuck you,” I say, because at this point, why not?

He rears back, ready to strike what I’m sure is going to be an incredibly painful blow. I close my eyes, because I don’t want to see it coming.

A gunshot surprises me, and I wince, expecting to feel the sharp pain of the shot at any moment, but it never comes.

When I open my eyes, Privya falls at my feet, eyes wide open.

Dead.





* * * * *





“Sam?” I ask, relieved. It’s always nice to see a familiar face when a hitman was getting ready to slam you in the body with a baseball bat. Especially if that familiar face belongs to a bodyguard. I’ll never fight Caleb about that again. Oh god, Caleb.

“Hi Mia,” he says, with a tight, stressed smile.

“Are you hurt? Where’s Caleb? Is he okay?”

“I’m not hurt,” he assures me, walking behind me so that he can undo my bindings. “Caleb’s taking care of Jack Kemp.”


“What do you mean he’s taking care of Jack Kemp!”

“Mia,” Sam says calmly. “It’s going to be okay. Let me get you untied.”

“How did you know where I was?”

“Mister Simmons called me and told me to be on the lookout, because he was worried you were going to do exactly what you did.”

“Of course he did,” I say with a sigh. “Are you the one who shot at Privya?”

He nods. “I was standing too far away. Mister Simmons wanted me to stay at street-level instead of posting a guard at your door. I was in the process of assembling a team so that we could have more coverage, but I wasn’t fast enough, apparently.”

“It’s not your fault, Sam. I’m the idiot here.”

“When the person I’m supposed to be protecting gets drugged and shoved into the back of a van, that’s my fault.”

“But you found me.”

“Mister Simmons is the one who found out where you were, Mia. I just happened to be close enough to you to get here first. Thankfully, since I’m not entirely sure Mister Simmons knows how to shoot a gun.”

Yes, that’s right. Sam just shot Privya. And killed him. Not that I’m going to mourn his death or anything, but I am sorry that Sam had to take a life to save mine.

“I’m sorry you had to do that, Sam.”

“I’m not.”

He finally gets my arms undone, and I could scream from the pain once they’re released. Sam runs his hands up and down my aching muscles, but it doesn’t help, not really.

“Yeah, that’s going to hurt for a while. Nothing I can do about that. I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay,” I manage. “How long have I been down here, anyway?”

“The better part of a day,” he replies. “How much do you remember?”

When he gets my legs undone, they don’t ache anywhere near as badly as my arms do, thankfully.

I shrug. “Nothing, really. I had just woken up when you came in. Whatever he drugged me with must’ve been really strong.”

“And I can see he got you in the cheek,” Sam says, reaching out toward my face. He doesn’t touch me, and I’m glad for it. I don’t think I could take any more pressure on my cheek. The throbbing is out of control at this point. “Piece of shit.” Sam kicks Privya’s dead body, and I turn my head.

He lifts his wrist to his mouth, and mumbles something into what looks like a watch.

“What’s going to happen here?” I ask.

“We’re going to take care of it.” Sam turns his head, and waves in two gentlemen wearing dark suits.

Sam helps me up, wrapping his arm around me to keep me steady, as he gives instructions to two guys who must be members of his security team.

“Come on,” he says, leading me toward the door. “Mister Simmons is anxious to see you.”





CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX





Sam leads me outside into the blazingly bright sun. I’ve been in that dark room for so long that it actually hurts to open my eyes. I hold my hand up against my forehead, trying to block out the never-ending brightness, and squint. I look around, and…god, Privya took me way out of the city. We’re standing in front of what looks like an abandoned strip mall. It’s so old that all the store windows have been busted out, and there’s broken plaster everywhere.

I want to take ten showers to wash this entire experience off of me.

At the far edge of the parking lot, an SUV takes the corner without slowing down, wheels screeching against the hot asphalt. It’s kicking up dust and dirt in its wake, and it makes its way along the side walk, the back door opening before it even comes to a stop.