Hard Bastard(59)

“What are you going to do with me?”

“I haven’t decided yet,” he said. “The easy thing would be to kill you and anyone else you told about what you’ve found. But the truth is, that might be a waste of your talents.”

“What talents?”

“You dug all of this up,” he said, laughing. “That’s impressive. We’ve been operating like this in Ashertown for a very long time, but you’re the first person to really make all of these connections.”

“So I’m right,” I said softly.

“Of course you’re right. About everything, as it turns out. That’s pretty damn impressive.” He stood up suddenly and paced back toward the door. He turned back and put his hands up then dropped them down to his sides. “Killing you would be such a waste,” he said, sighing.

“So don’t kill me,” I said. “Maybe I can help you.”

“No, I don’t think you can. You’re a little good girl, aren’t you? You care about law and justice and all that absurd shit.” He cracked a harsh laugh. “There’s no justice except in power, little Sadie. Power is the only thing that holds this world together. Law and order and justice are all just words, it’s the people with the guns that make shit happen.”

“I don’t believe that,” I said.

“Which is exactly why you could never work for me.” He sighed. “I’d love to salvage you, Sadie, make you see the light. Or maybe make you see the darkness. But I think this is enough. I think it’s time to kill you and be done with this.” He nodded to himself like he was just making up his mind.

“Wait,” I said. “I can help you hide this stuff better. I can give you advice.”

“Goodbye, Sadie.” Vadik turned toward the door. “You learned a lot and did a good job. Now it’s time for you to die.” He opened the door and shut it behind him.

I sat back in my chair and stared at the door, cold shivers running up my spine.

They were going to kill me, just like they killed Gage.

Maybe that was good. Maybe it was for the best that I was going to be with Gage. I didn’t deserve to survive this if he didn’t, and really, I didn’t want to survive it without him. Gage was the first person to really make me feel good, and I couldn’t let that go. I couldn’t live without it.

I was going to face my end and get through it, because there was nothing without Gage.





Chapter 26





Gage





The Hen was an industrial building on the edge of town, not too far from where Boris planned to murder me. I drove fast to get there then parked a couple blocks away, not wanting to draw attention to myself.

I didn’t have a plan or backup, but I couldn’t afford to wait. I didn’t know what Vadik planned on doing with Sadie. I couldn’t let them hurt her or even fucking kill her just because I was trying to be patient. The time for patience was long gone.

I’d made some mistakes trying to keep her safe, I knew that. I could admit it. I shouldn’t have stayed anywhere near Ashertown. We should have gone on the run immediately, disappeared somewhere far away where nobody knew either of us. It would have been hard for her, but it would have been the right thing. I should never have gone to see Liam or trusted him.

But it was too late for that. I did what I did because I was trying to give Sadie her life back. I made mistakes and I couldn’t pretend otherwise, but I was going to fix those mistakes and get her away. I was going to save her and be done with all of this.

I was going to get my woman.

I knew that she was mine and always would be. I didn’t want anyone else, couldn’t imagine anyone else. The second Sadie walked back into my life was the second I fell for her all over again. I felt like a kid when we were around each other, and that was better than anything I could have imagined. She made me feel pure, like I wasn’t a fucking killer and a thief anymore.

She gave me a reason to keep going.

Before Sadie, it was all pussy and booze and money. I wanted to fight, fuck, and kill all day long and didn’t give a fuck about anything else. That was all I had become. But as soon as I was back with her, I realized that I could be so much more than just some dirty thug, wasting my life.

I could be a husband. I could be a father. I could start a family with her and make a life for myself, make something worthwhile.

I was willing to kill to make that a reality.

I headed toward the back of the Hen. The front of the building was the bar area, and there were always a ton of mafia guys plus some local regulars hanging around in there. I wasn’t interested in getting spotted, so I stuck to the back way.