Stone Cold Bad Read online

  I ran past Ray and the sadistic assholes who had been beating him and threw my arms around him. “I’m so sorry. This is my fault.” They’d soaked him with cold water, and his strong body was shivering in my embrace.

  “Damnit, baby, why’d you come? You should have stayed away.”

  I peered up. He was looking down at me through swollen lids. His lip was split open and a red stream of blood trickled from the gash and ran down his chin to his neck and shirt.

  “This is very fucking touching,” Ray sneered from behind me. I hadn’t looked at his face yet, and I had to brace myself to do it. I turned to him.

  His dark eyes flickered with the same hatred I was feeling. “Not sure how I feel about the new hair color, but I guess we can change that back now that you’re out of hiding.”

  “Release him right now, and we can go home. I’ll do anything you ask, but let him go.”

  I turned back to Colt. “I have Amy’s car. Can you drive?”

  “Not leaving without you.”

  “Yes, you have to.” I hugged him again. “I’ll get away from him again,” I whispered. I looked up at his bloodied and bruised face. “I need someone to run to once I get free.” My throat tightened as I said the words. The truth was I didn’t think I’d ever be free of Ray. He would kill me first. I was certain of it.

  “Let’s be on our way then, Jade,” Ray said.

  “I want to see him freed first.”

  “Cut him down.”

  One of the men reached up with a sharp blade and cut through the rope. Colt collapsed. I caught him but my legs buckled under his weight. Two of the men grabbed his arms to prop him upright.

  “Don’t do this, Jade.” Colt’s voice was low and gritty.

  I pressed my hand gently against his face. Blood covered my palm as I kissed the side of his mouth that wasn’t cut. I stuck the car keys in his pocket. “I will find a way back to you,” I said quietly.

  “No need,” Colt grunted. “I’m coming for you, so you wait. Do you understand, baby? You fucking wait for me.”

  Ray walked over and wrenched my arm painfully.

  Colt’s face reddened with anger. “I’m going to kill you, motherfucker. You’re a fucking dead man.”

  Ray laughed. It was a sound that had always made me cringe. He dragged me toward the door. I stumbled reluctantly behind him. “What about him? I want to see him get in the car.”

  Ray’s sharp whistle made me jump. “Bring the piece of garbage out to the parking lot.”

  I glanced back. They held Colt up and made their way to the door. Ray’s fingers cut off the circulation in my arm like a tourniquet as he yanked me along to his car. I craned my neck to see what was happening with Colt.

  They walked toward Amy’s car. Ray opened the door on the Mercedes and shoved me into the front seat. I kept my face glued to the window. Colt’s green gaze caught mine, and we stared at each other long and hard. The men were still holding him next to Amy’s car when Ray climbed into the driver’s seat. He started the engine.

  “Why aren’t they letting him get in the car?” I asked frantically.

  Ray didn’t answer. He circled the Mercedes around. The men pulled Colt back toward the white van.

  “No!” I screamed. I grabbed the door handle, and it flew open as the car circled around. Ray grabbed my arm so hard, sharp pain shot up to my shoulder. He pulled me roughly into the seat and turned the wheel sharply so that the door slammed shut again.

  “You were supposed to let him go!” I screamed.

  Ray laughed. “Gullible little bitch.”

  I threw a fist at his head. The car swerved into a trash bin, putting a gash in the side of his precious Mercedes. He returned the favor. His big, heavy hand came across and backhanded me so hard, I blacked out.

  Chapter 27

  Colt

  I leaned up against the side of the van and took several deep steadying breaths. I’d figured all along that I was a dead man. I just didn’t want to let Jade know. Now he had her. My teeth gritted in anger causing my jaw to throb with pain.

  Red sat at the front end of the cargo hold with the gun held loosely in his hand. He’d apparently decided I was messed up enough not to put up a fight. They had tossed me inside the van without bothering to tie up my hands again. My head and body felt like shit, and I wasn’t sure if I could fight back. I closed my eyes to try and calm the pain messing with my mind. I needed to think clearly and get past all the bruises, cuts and broken bones. I planned to go out with a big fucking fight. Jade needed me more than ever now. I needed to get out of this for no other reason except to save her.

  The van was moving along at a good pace. From the drop in temperature inside the van, it seemed we were heading back toward the water. I glanced over at Red. “We’re heading back to the boat, huh? It’s really nice of you guys to give me a ride back to my hometown dock. Don’t think I’d be able to make the swim with the way I’m feeling.”

  “Yeah, you’ll be taking a swim all right.”

  That was the plan. I’d gotten the fool to tell me without even asking. They were going to take me out on the water, shoot me and drop me into the ocean. My only chance was to grab red’s gun, but with the way we sat at the moment, there was no chance. He’d be able to shoot me in the face long before I made a grab for the gun. I needed to wait for the right opportunity.

  The van veered right and slowed. We were leaving the highway. It was just a few miles to the private dock where they’d moored the boat. My body felt as if it had been through the fucking wringer. Working up any adrenaline to make my move was harder than I’d expected. But something told me, when the chance presented itself, I’d move into action.

  We made several right turns. The van was getting closer to the beach house. A sharp turn and a bump told me we were traveling on the long path to the water. Then the van came to a sudden violent stop as if it had hit something. The voices were muffled by the dividing wall between the cargo hold and the cab of the van, but they grew louder. The driver and passenger doors opened.

  Red got up and hunched over as he reached to slide open the door. I kicked his feet out from under him, and he hit the floor elbow first. The gun fell from his grip. I snatched it and held it against his forehead.

  He scowled up at me.

  I motioned with my head toward the door. “Slide it open.”

  As he opened the door, skull went flying past the opening, landing hard on the driveway. I shoved red out with my foot and climbed out with my gun, ready to kill any fucker who came near me.

  Slade’s grinning face greeted me. “Holy shit, you’re a mess.”

  Loud grunts came from the other side of the van. Slade leaned his head that direction. “Hunter is taking care of the circus strongman back there.”

  A low groan came from behind me. Skull was just coming to. Slade had already done a number on him. He pushed halfway to his feet. Slade stepped forward, but I put up a hand to stop him.

  “My turn.” My leg flew out. I kicked the guy’s head so hard, blood flew from his ears. He flopped face down on the driveway. I looked around. “Where’s the fourth guy?”

  “The small dude ran toward the beach. Hunter scared him.”

  Hunter walked around to our side of the van. His knuckles were bright red, and there was some blood sprayed on his shirt. But it wasn’t his blood. “Who did I scare?” He looked at me. “Fuck. What the hell did they do, drag you behind a fucking horse?”

  “Feels like it. We’ve got to get back—” A gunshot fired through the trees, and we all ducked. Slade reached for his gun.

  “I’ve got this. I’m suddenly feeling much better, and I’m in the mood for a little payback.” I headed to a small brick wall that lined the driveway and dropped down behind it. I waited for a flicker of movement. There was more than a flicker. Another shot was fired. He was just shooting blindly. I, on the other hand, saw exactly where the shot had come from. The second he dashed away from the tree he’d been hiding behind, I
fired a round. He yelled out and grabbed his leg.

  Hunter nodded. “Not bad for a guy who looks like he’s been run over by a tractor.”

  “Let’s get out of here. We need to get to Ward’s place and find Jade. She’s in a lot of danger.”

  “Yep, we’ve got the address,” Slade said. “That was where we were headed after this place if we could find you.”

  Hunter walked over and patted me on the shoulder. “Glad we found you, little bro.”

  “Yeah, me too.”

  Chapter 28

  Jade

  I came to just as Ray was pulling into the driveway. For a second, the facade of the house seemed so familiar, I’d forgotten what had happened. For a split second of time, I was back with Ray still trying to figure out how to eventually free myself from the man I hated. Then Colt’s battered face flashed through my mind, and I broke into sobs.

  Ray walked around to the passenger side and gripped my arm like a vice as he pulled me roughly from the car. “You’ll have to get over this drama scene fast, sweetheart, because it’s getting on my nerves.”

  “You were supposed to let him go,” I cried. “That was part of the deal.” I wrenched my arm free and ran. He grabbed my hair. I reached back to keep him from ripping it out of my head. I fell back hard on my ass, but he kept his grip on my hair. He yanked on it, and I reached up to the roots to stop the pain.

  “Get up or I’ll drag you back to the house by your hair.”

  I got to my feet. My tailbone ached from the fall. I sighed with relief when he released my hair. His hand wrapped around my wrist. There were several men standing in front of the house like guards.

  “See, you’re so fucking hated, you have to pay people to protect you from your enemies.”

  “That’s what happens when you make a lot of money.” We got to the front door. “Seems you can buy anything when you have big bucks.” He opened the door and pushed me inside. “By now, that scumbag you were living with is dead. If you leave, there’ll be no one to run to. Besides, I’ll just track you down again.”

  I swayed on my feet. I’d caused Colt’s death. The man I loved. I thought about that for a second. I loved him. It wasn’t just passion and an infatuation, I had fallen in love with Colt.

  I spun around. “Then just kill me. Living here with you is far worse than a long, slow death.”

  “That can be arranged too. Don’t bother to run. The guards are there to keep enemies out and you in.” He walked toward his study, which, of course, meant he was going for the bourbon. In less than an hour, he’d be drunk and even more vile.

  I watched him walk to his study door and realized my hatred for the man had gone past the point of sanity. He’d killed Colt for no reason. I grabbed a heavy copper vase from the table in the entry. I ran toward Ray. The fake flowers fluttered to the ground as I lifted the vase over my head.

  Ray turned around and lifted his arm. My forearms nearly broke in half as they smacked his hard arm. The vase bounced off his shoulder and clanged loudly as it clattered to the marble floor. He swung his fist at me, and I stumbled back. Shards of light sparked across my vision and I couldn’t tell which way was up. I fell hard onto the cold floor.

  Ray reached down and pinched my skin painfully as he grabbed my arm. This time, he didn’t wait for me to get to my feet. The skin on my legs stuttered along the smooth floor as he dragged me to his study. My head lolled back as he grabbed both my arms and jerked me to my feet. With a solid push, he shoved me onto the sofa. My neck snapped and my head jolted back and forth. Everything turned fuzzy gray. I flopped down on the cushions and hid my face to keep the room from spinning.

  Through the haze, I heard Ray unlock his liquor cabinet. My mind drifted in and out of reality. One minute, I was leaned over his desk trying to plunge a letter opener into his face, and the next, I was safe and secure in Colt’s arms. That vision and the reality that I’d lost Colt forever made me curl into a ball of quiet hysteria. Now, my only hope was that Ray would get drunk enough to kill me. I wanted the end to come soon so that I didn’t have to endure the excruciating heartbreak.

  It was clear to me that I was never meant to have any happiness in my life. My childhood and teen years had been one long string of disappointments. Then I’d ended up with this monster. With Colt, I’d finally found someone that made me feel that life was worth living. And now, because of my sordid past, he was gone.

  I stumbled off the couch. Ray turned around just as I grabbed a glass from his liquor cabinet. I smacked it on the side of his desk to give it jagged edges, deadly shards just sharp enough to cut a throat. Ray stepped back. But it wasn’t his throat I was heading for. I shoved the glass toward my neck. Ray’s eyes widened, and he lunged for the glass. I put a gash in my shoulder as he knocked it from my hand.

  He stared at me. “You had it all here. Money. An easy life.”

  Tears clouded my vision. “Life with you was never easy. But when you started drinking, it became unbearable.”

  Ray’s jaw tightened. He tossed back the bourbon and slammed his glass on the desk. “We’ll see just how unbearable I can be.” He reached for me just as there was a knock at the door. He stopped. I used the pause to step out of his reach. His silent, menacing glare stopped my retreat.

  “Yes?” he called sharply.

  One of the men from outside poked his head into the office. Ray had obviously hired a whole new crew for protection. I was sure it had to do with the miserable failure of his men the night I’d made a run for it. Overwhelming sadness washed over me again as I thought back to that night, the night I’d ended up in Colt’s arms.

  “What is it?” Ray asked.

  The man stepped inside. He was armed with a large handgun, a ridiculous contrast to the expensive, crisp suit he was wearing. He looked more prepared for a business meeting than protecting a lowlife bookie from all the people who wanted him dead. “Sir, the man who gave you information is here to collect his ten thousand dollar reward.”

  A derisive laugh shot from Ray’s mouth. “Is he? Fucking mercenary. Tell him to get the fuck off of my property. If he doesn’t leave, shoot him.”

  The man looked shocked.

  I glanced over at Ray. “God, you’ve really lost your fucking mind.”

  He ignored my barb and glared at the man who hadn’t moved yet.

  “Well, is there something else?”

  The man shook his head. He seemed to be thinking the same thing as me. “Nope. I’ll go ask him to leave the property.” With that he turned and left.

  Ray faced me. “Next time one of my men is within earshot, you keep that pretty mouth shut. Now, where were we?”

  Chapter 29

  Colt

  I wiped most of the blood away from my face, but every time I talked or moved, it seemed to start flowing again. With my state of mind and body, for that matter, I wasn’t thinking too straight. None of us were, it seemed. We were moving purely on adrenaline and anger. There had been no plan made, just a quick ambush. We pulled up to the street. Ward’s massive house peered up over the tall trees.

  Slade leaned down to get a view past a long, leafy branch. “I see some men standing out on the lawn. Looks like he’s got guys positioned all around the place.” He pushed his face farther forward. “Wait. What the fuck is he doing there?”

  “You going to let us in on your solo conversation?” Hunter asked.

  “It’s that asshole who’s been picking up our cargo.”

  “Ace? Are you sure?” I asked.

  Slade squinted to make sure. “Yep, that’s him.”

  “That asshole. He was asking questions about Jade on our last drop.”

  Hunter looked at me in the backseat. “You never said anything.”

  “He had the flyer with her picture and the reward offer. He was asking me while he had his gun against my head. I told him I didn’t know her, but he’d already been asking around about her and people had mentioned my name. I guess we have him to blame for the whole
thing going down like this.”

  Hunter turned forward. “He must be at the house to collect his reward.” He pulled the guns out from the glove box. Unfortunately, mine was still at the cottage. But Slade and Hunter had theirs, and I was armed with enough rage and determination that I wasn’t going to need one.

  Slade checked his bullets. “Been awhile since we needed to use these.” There was an edge of hesitation in his voice. We’d been in plenty of fights, but a brawl always took on a whole different layer when everyone was armed. And keeping the police out of it was going to be impossible.

  I leaned forward. “You guys already saved my ass once today. I would have been shark bait by now. Why don’t I just go up alone? I’ll take a gun and see if I can negotiate my way inside.”

  Slade looked back at me and laughed dryly. “Negotiate? Have you taken a look at yourself, dude? Trust me you aren’t that sparkly pretty Colt that the girls all yearn for. No one is going to let you inside.”

  “You’re not going alone,” Hunter said in a tone that meant don’t bother to argue. We climbed out of Slade’s car and headed up the street to the house.

  As we stepped into view, three of the men posted out front took off and climbed into a black Cadillac. They took off down the road and never looked back. Slade looked at Hunter. “Must have been that ugly mug of yours. They just ran off for their mommies like the boogie man was chasing them.”

  We stepped onto the front lawn. Ace was on the front porch. He didn’t look shocked to see us. “Thought you boys might show up.”

  We stopped midway. “You told Ward that I was with the girl?”

  “Yeah. Sorry about that. It was ten grand, and I figured you were just having fun with his girl. Didn’t know there was actually something between you or that Ward was such an asshole. He stiffed me on the ten grand, so I’ve decided to help you out.”