Buttons and Blame (Buttons 5)

Men’s voices could be heard in the house.

“He’s here.”

It was Tristan.

They must have followed me. They knew I was in the house. I couldn’t fight them off, so I had to run.

I moved to the other side of the kitchen and to the back hallway. There was a window just big enough for me to break through. I took out my knife and cut through the hinges.

“Hands up.”

A man was standing behind me, a pistol pointed at my back.

I slowly raised my hands.

“Good. Now—”

I spun around and shot him right between the eyes. I didn’t have time to wait, so I smashed my fist through the window, making it shatter and echo through the house. They definitely knew where I was now.

I jumped through the window and landed on the dirt on the other side.

Then I ran like hell.

“There!” Flashlights turned in my direction.

A man jumped in front of me, a shotgun pointed right at my chest.

Another man appeared to my left, wielding a machine gun.

Fuck.

“He’s over here!” One of the men called.

I kept my hands by my sides, my hand still on my gun. If I could only take one shot, I knew exactly who I was going to take out.

“Crow.” Tristan’s sneer was obvious in just his tone. “Nice to see you again.” He slowly circled me until we were face-to-face. “Finding you wasn’t that difficult. But your wife…I’m having a hard time locating her.”

I was so grateful I sent her to Greece. I’d never been more thankful for my paranoia until then. Death didn’t scare me. Watching my wife die the way my sister did scared me a lot more. There was nothing Tristan could do to get her. I wouldn’t talk no matter how much he tortured me, and Cane wouldn’t either.

Tristan continued to glare at me. “Tell me where she is, Crow.” He raised a pistol and pointed it between my eyes.

“Why are you interested in her when you have me?” I stared down the barrel without flinching. I’d been in this position before. Still wasn’t sure how I got out of it. I knew Pearl would have called Cane immediately. He was probably on his way now. If I stalled as long as possible, it might save my ass. “I was the one who broke in to your compound. I was the one who took Adelina. My wife is good for nothing besides spending my money.”

Tristan gave me a cold smile. “I know you don’t feel that way, Crow. But nice try. Tell me where she is.”

“You already know how this is going to go,” I said calmly. “You aren’t going to get anything out of me, even if you torture me. So I suggest you find some other use for me, or you kill me. Personally, I hope you kill me.”

“Is that so?” he asked. “You’re awfully brave when there’s a gun pointed at your head.”

“Not my first time, Tristan.”

His eyes narrowed. “You think this is funny?”

“Not at all. But I do think it’s a waste of time.”

One of his henchmen exited the house. “He was on his phone. Someone is probably coming this way.”

Fuck.

Tristan lowered the gun. “Let’s get moving.”

A guy from my left moved suddenly and smacked his gun against my skull.

I lurched to the ground.

Rope was bound around my wrists, I was kicked in the stomach, and then I was dragged to one of the black vans parked in the driveway. A migraine had already started to form, the rope was too tight around my wrists, and I knew was in deep shit.

But I had my tracker. If Cane could find me before they figured it out, I had a chance.

I had to get back to Button.

I had to meet my son or daughter.

But I was grateful she wasn’t there. I was grateful I took her life so seriously. I was grateful I’d prepared everything she needed if I didn’t make it back to her. Tristan could do whatever he wanted to me, drop each of my limbs into the ocean along with the rest of my corpse.

As long as she was safe, I could accept that.