Razor: A Bad Boy Stepbrother Romance (15 page)

Brian let out a noncommittal grunt. “I see.” He waved a hand at me. “Now tell me about this information you claim to have.”

I licked my lips. “We believe that your son is staying with a woman who is helping harbor—”

“I already know,” Brian said, surprising me. “The woman who is helping him is my stepdaughter.”

“Oh.”

Didn’t look like they were just siblings to me on that footage,
I thought, seething with jealousy at the memory of the two holding hands.

“Do you know where your stepdaughter lives?” I asked.

Brian shook his head. “No, I don’t. And unfortunately, I don’t think she’s with him anymore,” Brian continued. “So that information you wanted to sell me? It’s absolutely worthless.”

He had me there. Now I had nothing to leverage a big payday out of him with. It was shame too, because I knew the man was wealthy. I was hoping we’d get information
and
a payday. “Come on Andre,” I said, turning to leave. “Looks like we wasted our time. Good day, Mr. Keller.” Not giving the man the satisfaction of seeing me upset, I turned to leave.

I made it two steps before Brian commanded, “Wait.”

I slowly turned back to regard him with a raised eyebrow.

“You came here looking for a payday, and perhaps more information pertaining to my wayward son. I don’t have that unfortunately, but perhaps we can work together toward a common goal.”

Now he was talking.

“You obviously want something from Mason, no? Well, I do too. You two find him and I’ll pay you a handsome reward for your efforts.”

I glanced over at Andre and he had a goofy grin on his face. God, he looked stupid. But I couldn’t be bothered with getting annoyed at him.

For once, I was happy. We were going to track down Razor, something we’d been doing anyway, and get paid big money to do it.

“We’ll be honored to help you sir,” I said with my most charming smile.

We quickly hammered out the details of the deal and Brian gave us all the information he knew about Mason and his stepdaughter Carly and then we left his office.

“Well shit,” Andre said as we got into an elevator to go down to the bottom floor. “How the hell are we going to find Razor when we haven’t found him all this time?”

“We don’t have to find him,” I said darkly, my mind formulating a blueprint of a plan.

“Huh?” Andre asked stupidly.

Normally, I would have yelled at him already, but I didn’t even have the urge to say something nasty. I was so proud of myself.

“Because,” I said, “he’s going to come to us.”

“
I
t’s a fake
,” Brian said over the phone about the footage I’d sent him. “This is not even real.”

“What?” I asked breathlessly. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Surely he could see that it was Mayor Bradley in the video. How could he not? “Are you serious?”

“I am,” Brian replied calmly. “This video is just a hoax, a setup by Bradley’s political opponents to see him out of office and Mason was foolish enough to let himself be used as a pawn.”

“I’m sorry, Carly,” Brian continued, “but you’ve really got to stop doing this. You are grasping at straws in your effort to protect your brother.”

“What the fuck are you talking about?” I half-shouted. I think this was the first time I’d ever been angry enough to swear at Brian. “I know you can see that the man’s face in that video is the God damn mayor!”

“Calm yourself, Carly,” Brian said with unnerving calm. I was shocked. After what I just said, he should’ve been yelling at the top his lungs. “This is very much unlike you. I don’t think I’ve ever heard you swear at me.”

“Because I’ve never had a reason to until now!”

“Well, you still don’t have a reason to and you need to show a little bit more respect for your stepfather. I’m the one paid your way through college, remember? Me. Not you. Not your mother. And not Mason. Me.”

I’d hoped to never hear those words, to be reminded that I owed my stepfather for his generosity, but now I didn’t give a flying fuck.

“I appreciate what you did for me,” I said carefully, “and I thank you deeply for it. But this video is not fake, and you of all people should be on Mason’s side. He did the right thing!”

“Mason didn’t do anything but be the criminal that he is,” Brian growled. “And if you don’t want to wind up sitting in jail cell beside him, I’d suggest you stop defending him.”

I couldn’t take anymore. “You know what? Mason was right about you being a heartless, cruel bastard. I don’t know why I didn’t see it until now. Something is not right about a man who is only too happy to vilify his only son. And I don’t care if he wasted your money by dropping out of college or whatever. It wasn’t even that big of a deal for you. You don’t treat your children this way if you love them.”

“Are you in love with Mason?” Brian asked suddenly, ignoring my insult.

The question came so far out of left field that I froze.

“You’ve slept with him, haven’t you?” Brian pressed. “I just know it. I can hear it in your voice.”

Shit.

I didn’t realize I’d given myself away just by defending him. But in the end, did it really matter? Who cared what anyone thought about it. It’s not like Mason and I were together anyway.

“Answer me!” Brian yelled when I didn’t respond.

I hung up in his face. There was no use talking to him anymore. He would never see things from my point of view.

What am I going to do now?
I thought, setting my cell phone down on the kitchen table and looking out of the window.

I thought for sure that when I sent the video to Brian, I’d at least have a partner. He would see the video, apologize for being such an ass, and then help me.

Instead, I’d just succeeded in making things worse.

Fuck it.

Grabbing my cell, I dialed the number Mason left me. It rang twice, and then I got an automated voicemail recording.

I took a deep breath. “Mason,” I said, holding back tears. “If you get this, please call me. I miss you so much and I wanted to tell you that I’m starting to believe you about Brian—”

A sudden loud boom shook the walls as the front door was kicked in and a large blonde man and a lithe woman with a long braid that went down to her waist walked in.

It took me less than a millisecond to deduce that these two meant trouble.

Shaking off my shock, I lunged for my gun that was on the table next to the couch, but the woman snatched me by the hair before I could reach it, jerking my head back with surprising force and eliciting a sharp cry of pain from my throat.

“Don’t even think about it,” she purred menacingly in my ear as the blonde giant grabbed my gun and pocketed it.

“Who are you?” I demanded, trying to keep my voice level. I could tell that whoever this woman was, she would feed off my fear. “And why are you here?”

“You’ll find out soon enough,” the girl replied coldly. Her voice was filled with venom as if she already hated me. “And as for why I’m here . . .”

She jerked me around to face her. Up close, I got a good look at her. She was about my age, pretty, but with a cruelty stamped on her features that lessoned her attractiveness.

She stared back at me, studying me as well, but with a hatred that I found deeply unsettling. After a moment, she backhanded me across the face, drawing blood and her next words filled me with terror.

“It’s to make you pay for Razor’s sins.”

“
I
think that’s it
,” Shadow said, leaning back in his chair with a satisfied sigh. “Maddy should be off on a plane to New York in the morning, snooping around in the Bronx for a whiff of the amazing Razor.”

I grinned. I could only imagine the look on Maddy’s face when she found out that I wasn’t there. I was sure Andre would bear the brunt of her unbridled wrath.

Sucks to be him.

“Good job, man,” I congratulated him, clapping him on the shoulder. “I can only imagine what she’ll look like when she realizes that I’m not there.”

Shadow chuckled. “Probably like an evil succubus who will then proceed to suck the life right out of Andre.”

I laughed. “I could totally see that happening.”

“Oh it’s gonna happen,” Shadow said firmly. “You can count on that.” He tilted his head back and yawned, his jaw making a popping noise. “Shit, I’m tired. Been up for almost forty-eight hours.”

“I guess that’s my cue to leave,” I said. “Besides, I need to get out of dodge anyway.”

Shadow nodded. “No doubt. Safe journey, man.”

“Thanks. I’ll be keeping in touch. Let me know if you hear anything.”

“As usual.”

I walked over to the door, but paused with my hand on the doorknob when Shadow called out.

“Razor?”

“Yeah?”

“Remember what you promised if you don’t wind up in jail. Or dead.”

“Don’t worry,” I said confidently. “We’ll get to hack your little game and make you a level one hundred whatever it is that you play so you can beat up on all the other little nerds.”

I opened the door and walked outside of his apartment. I’d made it just two steps before I felt a vibration in my pants.

I pulled one of my prepaid cells out, my heart pounding in my chest. It was the cell I specifically told Carly to call in case of an emergency. There was a voice message left on it.

I stared at the phone, wondering, could she be in trouble? The police should have no interest in her, and Anonymous and Maddy should be on a wild goose chase.

She’s probably just calling to cuss me out
, I thought, but of course I had to check and see.

“Mason, if you get this, please call me. I miss you so much and I wanted to tell you that I’m starting to believe you about Brian—.”

The message cut off and my heart skipped a beat.

There was something about the way the message had ended that chilled my blood. It only took me a few seconds to decide that something was horribly wrong.

Fuck! I should’ve never left her alone.

I had no time to lose.

Buoyed by fear, I ran down the cement walkway toward my motorbike like I was running from a rabid dog.

“
T
ell me where Razor is
!” screamed the woman inches away from my face.

My captors had tied me to a chair, and I was positioned in the middle of the living room. For the past fifteen minutes, the vengeful villainess had grilled me with a score of questions, striking me when I didn’t answer to her liking, which was every single time.

“I don’t know!” I shouted back, refusing to show the hateful woman any fear. I wasn’t sure who these strangers were, but I assumed they were part of Anonymous and the people Mason said were after him.

Her face twisting with rage, she back-handed me, whipping my head to the side. “Stupid lying bitch!” she yelled.

Anger flared in my stomach. Oh how I wished I could get my hands on her long braid and jerk her around. Or better yet, if I could get my hands on the gun. The tramp wouldn’t be so bold and brave then.

“I don’t think you’re going to get her to answer by doing that, Maddy,” said the blonde man. “She really might not know where he is. She doesn’t sound like she’s lying.”

“Shut up, Andre!” Maddy snapped.

I expected the guy to say something back and put the woman in her place, because after all he was like four times her size, but he just stood there mutely.

But I might be able to use Maddy’s volatile anger to my advantage
, I thought.
Appeal to his ego and cause friction between the two.

Though I had only been in her presence for less than a half-hour, I already had her figured out. It was obvious to me that this Maddy had a temper problem, and most of the time either took her anger out on me, or the guy with her.

“Are you just going to let her talk to you like that?” I asked Andre in a disbelieving tone. “She’s like a quarter of your size.”

Andre looked like he was about to say something, but glancing at the glaring Maddy, he held his tongue.

I was rewarded with another backhand, but this time, I almost smiled. I was getting used to her attacks and they didn’t altogether hurt anymore past the first few.

Satisfied that she’d shut me up, she turned her gaze on her partner in crime. “Of course the bitch knows where he is. She just won’t say.”

I shook my head and boldly said, “Actually, Andre is right. I have no clue where he is. And all this abuse is not going to get you any closer to finding him.” I looked at Andre as I said his name, making my tone respectful of him, something I knew he never got from Maddy.

She cut her eyes at me. “Did I say you could speak, bitch?”

“No. I was just agreeing with Andre.” I flashed Andre a charming smile.

“Then shut the fuck up!” Another backhand. I kept my head from jerking to the side and held my smile, but it only served to enrage her further. Grunting, she put the full force of her body behind the next one, this time causing black spots to form in front of my eyes.

I had to admit, that one stung a bit.

Maddy’s chest heaved with anger as she studied me with hatred. I stared back at her with my smile of defiance, letting her know she could abuse me all she wanted but she’d never have the pleasure of me showing fear in the face of her wrath.

“You love him, don’t you?” she accused.

I played stupid. “Huh?”

“Razor! You love him, even though you’re his stepsister.”

“Well, he is my stepbrother, so yes, of course I do.”

“Don’t play stupid with me! You know what I meant. You two are lovers — I saw you both on the campus video. He was holding your hand and looking at you like you were the most important person in the world.” Her bitterness was palpable. I could almost gag on it.

I sneered. “Jealous much?”

Maddy’s face grew so red with rage that I feared she might go on an unending rampage on my face, but then she sharply turned to Andre. “Come over here and give the bitch a black eye. Apparently she likes being hit.”

For the first time, real fear coursed through me, though I kept my smile plastered on my face. Maddy’s hits stung, but looking at Andre’s big hands, I knew one punch from him would take my fucking head off.

He glanced at me and hesitated, his expression conflicted. “Maddy I don’t know if I want to do that. I’ve never hit a woman before, and honestly, I don’t think she’s lying—”

“Just shut up and do it!” Maddy yelled.

Jesus, she needs to be on meds
, I thought, amazed at how psychotic she was and how Andre seemed to just take it up the ass without lube.

Andre took two involuntary steps toward me and then stopped. “No,” he refused, shaking his head. “I’m not going to do it.”

Exultation surged through me. My plan was obviously working.

If looks could kill, Andre should have dropped dead right then with the look that Maddy gave him.

Suddenly, she spun on me and snatched me by the hair, jerking my head back and exposing my throat.

“Do it, or I’ll snap the bitch’s neck,” Maddy threatened. She twisted my head slightly for good measure, her tone turning sticky sweet. “Or maybe I’ll slit her throat and let her bleed out. Take your pick.”

I couldn’t help but feel real fear now, but I was trying my best not to show it.

Andre quickly held up his hands to stay the mad woman. “Okay, okay,” he said. “Just let her go and I’ll do it.”

“Don’t do it Andre,” I urged immediately, taking a gamble. “You don’t have to listen to her. She’s just playing you for a fool.”

Her face a mask of rage, Maddy raised her hand to strike me, but before she could, something round flew through one of the side windows, shattering it into pieces. The round object bounced on the floor once and then rolled to a stop by the couch and made a metallic sound.

Within seconds, smoke quickly filled the room, obscuring everything in sight. I looked around frantically, wondering what was going to happen next. There was so much smoke already, and I could barely see in front of me.

“It’s Razor!” Maddy yelled with surprise, letting go of me and diving away as if a grenade was about to go off. “Andre, grab the bitch and let’s go!”

Through the haze of smoke I could see a form approaching me, presumably Andre.

“Watch out Mason!” I yelled, my heart pounding in my chest. “He’s got a gun!”

Suddenly, there was a loud smacking sound and a grunt, followed by a thud as if a body had hit the floor.

Maddy’s hacking coughs sounded nearby. I wondered if she was going to try to harm me before I could be saved.

Luckily for me, she didn’t get the chance.

I heard her inhale sharply and then a thud a second later.

Next thing I knew, strong hands were deftly untying my bonds and then lifting me into the air.

“Don’t worry, Carly,” Mason said softly in my ear, his voice the most beautiful sound I’d ever heard in that instant. “I’m here.”

“
D
id
you have to shatter my window?” I complained loudly over the wind as it whipped my hair into my eyes.

We were speeding down the highway on Mason’s motorbike. It was my first time riding on it with him, and it was a little exciting, despite the situation I was just in.

The incredible speed, the wind whipping my face, the beautiful night time landscape passing us by and the starry sky twinkling above, all made for a breathtaking experience that made me feel vivaciously alive and utterly free.

Mason knew how to really handle his bike too, weaving in and out of lanes and traffic with an expertise that impressed me.

He slowed down as he merged onto the highway going south. I had no clue where he was taking us, but I didn’t care. I was just happy to have escaped with maybe a few bruises, but relatively unharmed.

“I thought it was the best way to surprise them so that no one would get hurt,” Mason yelled over the wind.

“What did you do to Wicked Witch and Brutus back there anyway? It sounded like they both hit the floor pretty hard.”

“Andre got a kick to head. He’ll be fine, but he might have a headache. I just put Maddy in a choke hold. She would’ve been back up in about a minute but still be a bit groggy.”

I couldn’t really see, so I just accepted what he said. “Where on earth did you find a smoke bomb anyway?”

“I have my ways,” Mason replied in his usual coy manner that drove me crazy.

“Seriously?” I yelled.

Mason laughed. “I got it from a gun shop. It’s the only thing nonlethal I could find that I could use. The guy didn’t want to sell it, I’m not even sure it’s legal, but when I offered two hundred bucks, he changed his mind.”

Satisfied with his answer, I grew silent and nuzzled deeply into his back. It was annoying having to yell over the wind anyway, and I was tired of having to strain to hear Mason’s responses. And instead of barraging him with questions that could wait until later, I just needed to sit tight, enjoy the ride and be thankful that we were hopefully leaving our problems behind us.

But as we sped off into the night, I had a strange feeling that the worst was yet to come.