Chapter 23

Chapter

Twenty-Three

GRACE

T he ride away from the hotel proceeded in a tense silence. Voodoo didn’t hurry us out of the room after Bones left. If anything, he insisted I eat, drink the coffee, and then he checked my wound and the dressing before helping me to shower again.

This time around didn’t turn to sex. Probably better, considering Bones was already waiting. Still, Voodoo was infinitely gentle and patient, particularly with washing my hair. Bed head looked a lot like I’d stuck a fork in a light socket and it blew me up.

He toweled us both dry, then helped comb my hair. Afterward, we got dressed. Despite all the sleep I’d gotten, I was exhausted all over again. But I felt clean, a real first after the past several days. So many of them had bled one into another that I wasn’t even sure what day it was much less the date.

The sex and the showers seemed to give me my first real “distinction” in the monotony of the days. “Is it weird that the coffee tastes better?” Better than anything I’d had in a while.

There wasn’t much of it left, but I finished my cup while he repacked our bags. He’d also sacked up the bloodied towels and stuff.

“I don’t know,” Voodoo said with a shrug. “But if you like it that much, we’ll stop and grab you another cup.”

I stared down at the takeout cup for a beat.

“Problem?” Voodoo asked.

“Just thinking that I should probably not overdo it with the caffeine.” The diet I followed was a strict regimen. Too much caffeine could dehydrate me. That wasn’t good for my system or my skin. The chances of a photo shoot in the next twenty-four to seventy-two hours was slim and none. “But I also think I really want more coffee.”

He chuckled. “Then we’ll get you coffee.” The clothes I was wearing weren’t mine, but they fit a little better than the stuff I’d been in previously. My back was still sore, and so were my thighs and my pussy. But I preferred the sore between my legs versus my back.

“Thank you,” I said and he nodded before he grabbed both bags.

“You’re welcome, Firecracker. Let’s get going.”

Bones waited for us in a dark SUV. He was behind the wheel and said nothing while Voodoo tossed our stuff into the back. Rather than sit up front with Bones’ stony attitude, I climbed carefully into the back.

The seats were a lot more comfortable than our purloined car from the night before. A yawn cracked my jaw as I buckled in. “Thank you for the coffee and the food,” I said to Bones.

He turned his head as if glancing over his shoulder at me. The sunglasses hid his eyes from me, so maybe he was just checking the other side of the car.

Voodoo climbed into the passenger seat and dragged his seatbelt on. “We need to stop for more coffee. Firecracker liked what you picked up this morning. So let’s hit there.”

“You want more coffee?” Bones directed the question at me. The utter lack of inflection was unsettling. He’d been more animated when I woke up in the other house with him sitting in that chair.

“If you wouldn’t mind,” I said. “I am fine if you don’t want to go there.” Maybe he just wanted to get moving. The blood that had decorated his hands the night before was gone, but the bruises on the knuckles of his right hand were clear evidence that what I remembered had happened.

Instead of saying anything in response, he just drove. Twenty minutes later, he pulled into a little strip mall that had a dry cleaners, a place that offered physical therapy, another that sold insurance, a donut shop, and an empty storefront.

“Do you need more food?” Bones asked as Voodoo opened his door.

“If you want to save time on stopping later. The breakfast burrito was actually pretty good.” And not at all greasy, so I didn’t feel an ounce of guilt for eating it.

“I got it,” Voodoo said, then he closed the door leaving me and Bones alone. The silence dragged between us, stuffy and oppressive.

Maybe I should have gone inside with Voodoo. The realization of someone watching me crept over my skin, leaving chills in its wake. I glanced at Bones and he had his head turned, like he was splitting his attention between me and the shop.

Or maybe he was watching the shop behind us. He had backed into the slot instead of just pulling straight in. There was no reason he was watching me. I was just being paranoid.

I shifted, trying to not rub against the seat back. I was already uncomfortable. The pain reliever had helped, but the dull throb seemed to be there to stay.

“Is your back bothering you?” The question pulled my attention to Bones.

“Yes, but it’ll be fine,” I said, dismissing the discomfort. “I just need to get used to it for the moment. I’m sure the acetaminophen will kick in soon.” The tracker was out of me and that was worth some pain.

“When did you take it?” Coolness framed the second question.

“Before we left the hotel, after I ate, but before we showered.” My voice hitched a little when I said we , but I didn’t let that slow me down. “Are you pissed at Voodoo?”

“Does that matter?” Answering a question with a question was kind of rude.

“I don’t know.” That was the truth. “I also don’t know if you’re mad at him or not.” He seemed unhappy for certain.

“You don’t need to worry about it.”

“Unless I’m the reason you’re angry,” I countered. “Am I?”

Instead of just giving me some platitude and telling me no, not at all, he went curiously silent. The truth was always preferable to the lie, but the lack of response grated on me. I’d just opened my mouth to prod him when the passenger door opened to let Voodoo back into the car.

Wreathed in the scents of sugar, coffee, and grilled sausage, Voodoo twisted to pass me a huge takeout cup of coffee. He passed a second to Bones, then held onto the third himself.

“I picked up some pastries, breakfast burritos, and three breakfast sandwiches.” Voodoo held up the bag. “You good for now or do you want to have one?”

“The coffee is more than enough.” I could probably eat more, but I had no idea how long we were going to be in the car. Safer to take my time. “Thank you.”

“You got it.”

Bones said nothing at all, he just drove. It wasn’t long before the long, winding two lane roads began to widen. Eventually we were back on an interstate.

The coffee was long gone, though it had been fantastic. I finally asked for one of the breakfast burritos. I should have saved some of the coffee. Voodoo had water bottles though. That definitely helped.

Two hours of silence in the vehicle while the tension between the pair in front of me thickened to something I could touch kind of made me want to scream. Then Bones took an exit off the highway.

“Change of plans?” Voodoo asked abruptly.

“You could say that.” Bones’ response was less than helpful, but I sat forward a little to see where we were going. We left the interstate and then followed a series of signs to a small, local airport. I didn’t even realize there was one out here, but the place was pretty small and most of the planes were two engines or props.

The idea that we were going to get on a plane settled into my system. My stomach bottomed out and my heart began to race. If we got on a plane, we could go anywhere.

Then again, they’d been in control since they showed up at the clinic so it wasn’t like I could just run away. Bones cleared the main gate, then continued through the airport to the far side where a small plane waited with a couple of familiar faces.

Alphabet stood with Goblin seated right next to him. Lunchbox, however, crossed to the SUV as soon as we stopped. He opened the back door and glanced in at me. “Hey Gracie, looking good.”

“You’re a sweet liar,” I retorted. The absence of cosmetics or hair styling meant I looked rough and pale. But that was fine. Once I unbuckled the seat belt, Lunchbox was right there with a hand to help me get out. My ass was numb and my legs were a little sore.

“At least you think I’m sweet.” Lunchbox winked. The droll comment made me laugh. “Go on and see Alphabet. We’ll get the gear.”

“Are we getting on that plane?” Cause it looked awfully small for all of us.

“Yes, we are. Don’t worry, you and Goblin barely make one person between the two of you.”

I snorted but headed for Alphabet, who grinned as soon as I met his gaze. Goblin’s tail wagged swiftly, but he didn’t leave Alphabet or try to jump up on me.

“Hey there,” I greeted the puppy. I wanted to get down on my knees and give him a hug, but I wasn’t sure my back would tolerate it.

Oh.

Alphabet had done a flattening motion twice when I first approached. He was telling Goblin to stay down. They knew about the tracker. That made sense. Of course they knew, Bones or Voodoo probably briefed them.

They’d probably know all about the sex soon too. Did I really care about that? When I was working, yes. I did my best to never sleep with clients or photographers. Other models were pretty much a no go too.

Relationships made everything messy.

“Hi, Alphabet,” I said. “How are you and Goblin?”

“We’re doing good. How are you, Pixie-girl? I brought some of the better pain meds with us in case you were still hurting.”

I blinked at him.

“Bones said you lost some blood after the car went down the ravine, and you got banged up.” The whole time he spoke, he gave me a firm visual once over. “You look all right though.”

“I am,” I said, raising a hand. “Just… sore.”

“Get the lady in the plane, Asshat,” Lunchbox said as he strolled past us carrying my bag, Voodoo’s, and a third I hadn’t even known was in the back. It made sense, it was probably Bones’.

“We were talking,” Alphabet countered, but then he offered me an arm. “Come on, Goblin is going to sit with you. Flying doesn’t bother you does it?”

“Not usually,” I said, putting my hand on the crook of his arm and then moving with him as he took a slow walk toward the plane. I appreciated the pace, particularly after sitting still for so long. I was definitely stiff.

“Define usually,” Lunchbox said after he stored the bags in a little cargo hold then opened the side door on the plane. Holy shit, that thing was small.

“Well, usually the planes are a lot bigger.” That really made me sound like a diva. “And have room for guys as big as you four.”

“Size definitely matters, Gracie,” Lunchbox said with easy humor. “But in this case, we have skill to go with it. You’re going to be fine. Now, let me help you in…”

Trepidation firmly in place, I climbed inside and sat on a fold down seat in the back. As soon as I was in place, Lunchbox directed me to buckle in and then he passed me a headset. It was heavy, but it had a microphone on it.

A moment later, Goblin hopped in and he came directly back to me and curled up at my feet. His golden color seemed a bright spot in the day. The pressure was definitely welcome. Somehow, the four men all climbed into the plane and I was right—it shrank with all of them in here.

Bones took the seat nearest mine and Alphabet took the other. Voodoo had to sit up front with Lunchbox, who proved he was the pilot. One by one they had on headsets.

“I’ve requested permission to take off,” Lunchbox said over the comm. “We’ll be taxiing in a minute. I also filed a flight plan. How you doing back there, Gracie?”

I gave him a thumbs up and he grinned.

A moment later, the radio crackled to life and the words of the controller were clear on my headset too. We had permission.

My heart suddenly leapt into my throat as Lunchbox drove us to the runway, the ride was only a little bumpy. Then we were in place and Lunchbox informed the tower that we would be taking off.

I wasn’t even sure where the tower was. Maybe it was that shack I could see?

“Hang on,” Lunchbox said and then we were accelerating. A hand grasped mine, and I gripped it tightly. My eyes were closed because I just didn’t want to see if we decided to crash at the end of the runway.

Stupid idea, really. But once I imagined the worst that could happen it would replay in my head until we were past the possible worst of it.

Then we were airborne and I let out a shuddering breath. Finally, opening my eyes, I fully expected it to be Alphabet holding my hand, but it wasn’t.

Bones hadn’t let go either. I wasn’t sure what to do with that, so I just kept holding on.