Red-Hot Vengeance by Sandrine Spycher Read Free Book Online Page B

people. Pats on the shoulder and hugs were not part of his behavior. So he just waited for Mariela to calm down on her own.
    “Do you know why there are so many policemen in his flat?” he asked when her sobs had somewhat stopped.
    “The place was ransacked,” she informed him. “They won’t tell me who did it or why. I don’t even know what happened at the pub. I knew that job wasn’t good for him.” She started sobbing again.
    Carter rolled his eyes. Women, always crying and complaining instead of looking for answers.
    “I bet you know,” Mariela said, pointing an accusing finger at him.
    “I’ve got a pretty good idea, yeah,” Carter answered, still watching the cops.
    Mariela suddenly slapped him. Carter jumped up. He blinked a few times to get back to his senses. She’d aimed for the cheekbone, right under his left eye, and it felt like his eyeball was sent on a roller-coaster.
    “Ouch,” he grumbled. “What was that for?”
    “My brother is in the hospital because of you . How can you act so casual? I thought he was you friend.”
    “Is,” Carter corrected. “Rafa’s not dead. And yes, he’s my friend. And yes, I probably have something to do with the whole thing, but—”
    “I knew it!” She was about to slap him again, but Carter grasped her wrist firmly.
    “Please, don’t do that again,” he said. “I’m willing to help, really.”
    Carter was still holding Mariela’s wrist when he caught a glimpse of a reflection of sunlight in black Ray-Bans not far from him. He looked at her for a minute. He knew she was staring at him, and he knew she knew he’d noticed. Carter remained calm so that he wouldn’t frighten Mariela and make her angrier at him than she already was.
    Carter considered his options. They were sadly not very numerous. He could of course run to save his life and leave Mariela, but Vaughn would probably hurt her like she’d hurt her brother. Or he could give himself up to Vaughn, but he didn’t feel like dealing with a crazy murderous bitch. Carter sighed when he thought about the last option.
    “Mariela, sweetheart, I know you won’t like this, but you’re gonna have to trust me,” he told her slowly.
    “Why? What’s going on?” she worried.
    “Don’t turn around. There’s a woman there who wants me dead and attacked your brother,”
    “She’s here?” Mariela panicked, slightly turning.
    “Don’t turn around,” Carter repeated, motioning her to look back at him. “Calm down, everything will be fine.”
    “Yeah, like everything’s been fine for Rafa,” she said with irony.
    “Trust me.” Carter looked into Mariela’s wet eyes and saw fear. “Do you trust me?” he said in a tone he wanted to be reassuring.
    “No,” she slightly lied.
    Carter smiled. “Good. Take my hand, walk fast, and don’t turn back.”
    Mariela reluctantly did as she was told. She offered her hand with a wince.
    “Oh come on,” Carter said. “Am I really that bad?”
    “Yes.”
    Carter took her hand despite her resistance. He started for the police cars parked in front of the building. He knew Vaughn was on his trail, but he didn’t turn back. He zigzagged in between the people on the pavement. The walk toward Williams seemed oppressively long. With each new step, Carter expected to feel Vaughn’s gun between his shoulder blades.
    When they eventually arrived, Carter surprised everyone by opening the back door of a police car. He helped Mariela inside before being violently tackled against the car with an arm twisted behind his back. Carter grumbled an insult at Williams, but relaxed when he saw Vaughn suddenly stop her chase and turn around.
    “What exactly do you think you’re doing?” Williams yelled in his ear, while clamping his wrists in handcuffs.
    “I’m saving this young woman’s life,” Carter said with apparent calm, while he was actually boiling inside.
    Without releasing his grip on Carter’s arm, Williams peered into the car. He saw a frightened