Page 95 of Hurts So Good

BANG

Avery screamed out as she covered Cross’s body with her own. She couldn’t let them kill him. He was Knight’s only way to find her. She had to ensure he remained alive as long as possible.

“Let’s go! Mackey is waiting.”

The man gripped Avery by the back of her head and pulled her up off of Cross’s body. She knew if they suspected Cross of being alive, they would kill him.

She did the only thing she could think of. Well, two things she fought, kicked and screamed as loudly as she could.

Avery welcomed the darkness when she got punched in across the face. She hoped, as she started to black out, that they had forgotten about Cross. Please let them forget about Cross.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Knight and Donovan were looking over the security footage they had received from the grocery store. When his cell phone rang, he was pissed at the intrusion.

“This better be good, Cross.”

“M-Ms. Jones. Mackey’s goons have her. She wanted to c-come to her h-house and get clothes a-and go to the store to g-get groceries to make dinner for you and Mr. Donovan. W-we were ambushed at her place. I was shot. S-she caused a scene to make them focus o-on her so I could call y-you.”

“Fuck! We’re on the way. Stay alive damn it!”

“What’s wrong?” Donovan asked when he hung up the phone, worry in his eyes.

“Fuck!” Knight threw his phone across the room, luckily hitting the couch. “Avery didn’t have clean clothes, so she had Cross take her home to get some. They were ambushed by Mackey’s men. He’s been fucking playing us!”

“He’s a dead man. Where’s Cross?”

“He’s still at Avery’s house He’s been shot. She fucking protected Cross, according to him so that he could stay alive to call us. I’m spanking that ass red when we get her back!”

“We will get her back. Now, let’s go deal with Cross. Get him the medical attention he needs.”

Knight got up, walked over to where his phone landed and picked it up. His screen background was that of Avery laughing at something his sister had said the other day. She looked so carefree and utterly fucking beautiful. Yeah, they were getting her back. She was his. Mackey was fucking dead. He put hands on what belonged to him. He would make that fucker scream for mercy before cutting his throat.

When they had arrived at Avery’s place, their inside contact for the local police department was standing there with another officer. An ambulance was there, getting ready to load Cross into the back.

“She put her fucking body over mine when the bastards shot that fucker, Green. He was waiting for her in her bedroom. She screamed for me to run! Find her!”

“You can bet your sweet ass we will. You go to the hospital and get patched up. We’ll be there when it’s taken care of.”

Knight nodded at the medic and then walked away with Donovan towards their police department contact. Heads were about to roll.

“Adams. What the hell is going on? I thought Mackey was under control?”

Donovan was pissed. When he paid good money for someone to do their damn job, they had better be worth the price, if not better than what they have earned to stay on his good side. While they knew mistakes happened and shit can pass through the cracks, this was an epic sized fucking hole in that bitch.

“Looks like Mackey had a mole in the department as well. We’re digging to find out who it is. Cross could only identify the head guy. He did mention Officer Green, but he wasn’t privileged to half the information that we’re finding out now that Mackey knew. So, we believe, strongly, there’s someone else in the fold. Whether it’s my department or higher up, which is where I’m leaning because of the kind of business Mackey runs.”

“You’re redeeming yourself with that thought then, Adams. Who are you thinking?”

Knight watched as Adams looked around for several minutes. He studied Adams. He knew Adams well since they served together in the Army and saved each other’s bacon a few times.

“I’m going to be honest, I have a strong feeling it’s either the captain or the chief, if not both, which wouldn’t surprise me with as chummy as those two are. While they give you lip service, there are a few things that I have noticed but wanted more evidence before I brought it to your attention. The chief has an affinity for younger girls. Young girls if you get my drift. The captain? He likes anything that will give his dick the time of day. I don’t trust either one of them to be honest.”

“Knight, it’s time I let you off the leash. Adams, anytime you’re ready to come work for me, you’ve got a job. It’s time we cleaned up the department, starting with those two.” Donovan’s voice went ice cold, letting Knight know he had hit his limit of bullshit for the day.

“I do have one question, did you get the footage from the store?” Adams asked, causing Knight to look at the man in confusion.

“Yeah. Wait, you sent me that?”