Perfect Rage (Unyielding 3)

Deck had set me up in a quaint three-bedroom house, a block away from the beach. It had a perennial garden out front and a wide porch with an overhanging willow tree that desperately needed trimming. A friend of Deck’s lived downstairs in the basement apartment. I had yet to meet him as Deck said the guy had flown home to Ireland for a couple months, but he was expected back any day now.

The door opened again and Matt appeared. “What’s going on?”

Matt owned the bar Avalanche and I’d learned fast that he was really protective of his staff. He didn’t let anything slide and his customers knew that. You messed with his staff, you were banned. Clear cut and simple. No second chances.

I felt safe working here and Matt made it that way.

“Alina?” Matt asked.

“We’re handling it,” Kai said.

Matt ignored Kai and moved closer to me. “Alina?”

“I’m okay, really, Matt.”

His eyes narrowed. “I have rules at Avalanche. A guy making one of my girls cry is not okay. I deal with it and you come to work feeling safe knowing any guy gives you a hard time, won’t set foot in here again. But if I don’t know who put those tears on your face, I can’t make sure you feel safe working here. You get what I’m saying?” His eyes remained locked on me until I nodded and then he shifted to the right to look at Kai. “I want answers.”

Kai’s brows lifted. “Just because Deck and I are now working together doesn’t mean I’m cool with his friends.”

Matt half smiled. “Good. We’re on the same page. Makes things easier.”

Kai chuckled. Then the grin slipped away as he said to Ernie, “Vic needs to stick around. Tell him whatever you want to make sure that happens, but Deck doesn’t get wind of this tonight. I’ll take her home and secure her house.”

Ernie nodded. “I’ll be right behind you.”

Kai nodded. “Good.”

“Be nice to know what the hell you guys are talking about?” Matt said.

“A situation. Ernie, give him what he needs. Babe.” Kai held his hand out to London who took it, but she also put her arm around me.

Ernie opened the door and slipped inside. Matt hesitated looking at me. “Take a few days off. Come back to work when you can.”

“I’ll be here tomorrow.” I liked working. It gave me a purpose and made me feel like I was living.

He hesitated before nodding and followed Ernie inside.

We walked to Kai’s car parked in a Green P parking lot a block away from the bar. It was an impressive silver car with black leather seats and tinted windows. Classy, like he was, so they suited one another.

I sat in the back, staring out the window as Kai weaved in and out of the Friday night city traffic while London fiddled with the radio until she found a station playing jazz. She kept the volume low and I guessed she was fiddling because she was uncertain what to say to me.

Kai pulled up to the house and before I could unclip my seatbelt he ordered, “Key.” He held out his hand to me. “Need to check the place.”

“Umm, okay.” Arguing with Kai didn’t seem like a good idea, so I put my house key in his palm.

“Stay here.” Then he opened his door, got out and walked up to my house. I didn’t have the front porch light on and all I saw was a shadow then nothing as the massive willow tree blocked the view to the front door.

London shifted in her seat to half turn toward me. “You can stay with us if you want.”

“Thank you, but I’m okay.” And I was. I would be. Who wasn’t okay was Connor and I was worried.

“Are you sure? Because—”

“I’m good.”

“Okay.” London was silent a minute while chewing on her lower lip. Then she said, “The drug… I’ve done a lot of research on it, but Alina, I don’t know the long-term effects after withdrawal.”

Because Connor had been Vault’s only test subject.

Carlos had wanted me to know what he’d done to Connor. It was his way to torture me. Never physically. That wasn’t his style. I knew London’s father had developed the drug for Vault, heard his name mentioned a few times. What I hadn’t known about until Deck told me was the compound with the kids. Kai and his sister, Chess, had grown up in a place like that. Cruel. Harsh. Training kids to be emotionless killers.

She continued, “My father warned us that abrupt withdrawal caused severe seizures… then death. Connor survived it.” She paused, her grip on the back of her seat tightening. “But I don’t know the damage it’s done, Alina.” She took a deep breath. “He looked pretty unstable tonight.”

She was right. Connor was unstable.

Kai opened my car door. “House clear. Tomorrow I’ll talk to Deck and we’ll decide what to do.”