Page 39 of Point Blank

The clock on the dash glowed in the vehicle’s dark interior: 9:23 p.m. Seven minutes early. He navigated the winding road to the lookout point. There weren’t many places for backup to hide in this area. He slowed when he rounded the bend and swung the car into a parking spot. His headlights sliced the air. The lights from the city below lit half of the night sky, and stars speckled the darkest part.

Fatigue crept into his bones, but his mind was wired.

Two beams of light came around the bend, and he watched in his rearview mirror as the kidnapper approached. There seemed to be only one man in the blue Silverado, but Milo’s senses prickled nonetheless. He wouldn’t put anything past these bastards. The driver’s side door opened and a man wearing a ski mask stepped out with his hands shoved in his pockets. He stood a couple of inches taller than Milo, his frame wide and heavy.

Big dude.

He wouldn’t be tough to pick out in a lineup. Milo shoved open the door of his SUV, snatched the dark blue reusable bag, full of cash, and advanced on the man. Icy eyes stared at him through the cut-out holes, but not even a hint of recognition sparked Milo’s mind.

Gravel crunched beneath his shoes. His senses sizzled. He didn’t dare take his eyes off the kidnapper, but he scanned the space around them with his peripherals.

“Throw me the money.”

Milo tightened his hold on the bag. Fuck, he hated that they had to trust that the douchebag would keep his word, but there was no help for it.

“You won’t get any more money or the diamonds until we speak with Dani again.”

The guy laughed. “Do you think I’m stupid enough to throw away millions just to kill that bitch? She’s alive and she’ll stay that way. At least until tomorrow night,” he said with a shrug.

Milo’s body rippled with the need to cross the fifteen feet that separated them and punch the guy in the face. He clenched his teeth until they ached, to stop himself from fucking this whole thing up.

The man’s face hardened. “Make one stupid move and you’ll be shot.”

Milo lifted the bag that hung by his thigh and dangled it in the air. The man gave one sharp nod. Milo tossed it. The bag sailed through the air and landed at the kidnapper’s feet with a thunk. The guy bent over, picked it up, and rummaged through it.

Amusement lit his eyes. “Don’t move until I’m gone,” he said, as he retreated. “If anyone follows me, the deal is off.” He climbed in his truck and peeled out of the lookout spot.

The strings of tension in Milo’s neck loosened. He dug his hand in his pocket for his phone and turned for his vehicle just as a dark shape charged out from behind it. Milo dodged the blow that came at his head, but the sharp movement made him stumble. Another jab shot out. He shifted again, taking the blow to the side of his ribs.

Pain shot through his midsection and a grunt burst from his lips. Milo held his arm like a shield in front of his face and swung his free hand into the attacker’s mouth. His knuckles stung as the guy’s teeth split his skin. The impact jerked the man’s head backward. Then Milo balanced his weight and stomped his boot on the attacker’s knee.

“Ah, fuck!” The guy fell to the ground and cradled his injured knee. “You fucked up my leg!”

Milo shrugged. “If it was broken, you’d be crying like a little bitch.” He stretched out his foot and nudged the injured leg. The guy howled again. Milo reached down and yanked the ski mask from his face. Dark curls spilled out, but in the darkness, and given the angle of the guy’s head, he couldn’t make out his face.

“Who are you working for?”

The man laughed. Milo shook his wrist, preparing it for another attack. If he killed the bastard, he’d only endanger Dani further. He had to keep his cool.

Milo wouldn’t kill him, but he could coerce the asshole to talk. “Look, you tell me?—”

The man flung his fist forward.

Wham!

A handful of gravel sprayed Milo’s face. The rocks hit his skin like tiny razor blades. Debris flaked into his eyes and he blinked, holding up his hands in front of him to stop another blow. As his vision cleared, he saw the man scurry away and disappear over the edge of the escarpment.

Milo let loose a stream of curses and stumbled to his SUV. From the back seat he pulled out a water bottle. He unscrewed the cap, lifted his chin, and dumped the contents over his face. Cool liquid rushed into his eyes as he blinked under the flow, flushing out the dirt from beneath his eyelids. He cast his gaze toward the escarpment. He shook off the remaining water and tossed the empty bottle on the seat.

He gripped the guardrail and searched the brush and rock below, but the grit and water had dried out his eyes. Fuck. He couldn’t see a damn thing. He’d probably break his neck if he pursued the bastard. He tore himself away from the escarpment. The assholes would pay. And when he, Brock, and Serena swept in to rescue Dani, he’d save a slew of punches for the pussy with the curly hair.

Chapter

Nine

Serena buried her hands in her hair for the dozenth time since Milo left. She’d been on edge for more than twenty-four hours, and now she teetered on the brink of insanity. If something happened to him . . . She closed her eyes, blocking out the words on the pages she’d stared at for the last forty-five minutes. She’d left Brock downstairs, escaped to Milo’s room, and pulled out Dani’s laptop to look for clues on the job she’d been planning. Chitchat wasn’t something she was capable of at the moment. All she could do was thank him for what he’d done for Dani, and every time she tried to, he cut her off.

Right now, she needed to force herself to work through the dull throb that pushed her temples together. She sucked in one deep breath after another through her nose.