Hans (Alliance #4)

A sense of gratitude fills me, so large it nearly blocks out my fear.

Before me are the men of The Alliance, men of the Chicago mafia, Karmine’s warriors, and Karmine herself, the only person I’ve called a friend in a long time.

I can’t say thank you.

Can’t bring myself to speak. So I just nod.

And they all nod back.

CHAPTER110

Cassie

Wakingup after being chemically knocked out is not fun.

I had my wisdom teeth removed when I was twenty, and that’s the only time I’ve ever been out for something. But I hated the feeling. And I hate it even more now.

But most of all, I hate the big motherfucker carrying me over his shoulder like I’m a sack of rocks.

I tried to wake up when I was jostled off the plane. I really did try. But I slipped back under.

Not this time though. I’m staying awake.

I force my eyes to blink.

The sunlight makes them water, but I keep blinking.

I don’t actually know whether it’s better to be unconscious or conscious for whatever is about to happen. But I know Hans will come for me. So I need to stay alive until then. And at least if I’m aware of my surroundings, I can maybe do something to help myself.

Sucking the inside of my cheek between my teeth, I bite down. Not hard enough to draw blood, but enough to cause pain.

I am staying awake.

Eyes still blinking, I turn my head and try to take in my surroundings.

It’s hot, and the sun is still up, but it’s lowering toward the horizon.

A horizon covered in… Is that a cactus? It blurs, then comes back into focus as many. That’s a lot of cactuses. Cacti?

I work to steady my vision and see what looks like mountains, or maybe they’re just ragged hills. And I can’t tell if I see a fence or if my eyes are playing tricks on me.

Wherever I am, it’s nowhere good.

I open and close my mouth. The movement helps to spark my senses. But with those senses comes nausea.

The shoulder digging into my stomach is making it hard to breathe, and when the monster carrying me starts climbing steps, the bumping around is too much.

I press my hands into the man’s back and lift my head just in time to vomit up my stomach full of half-digested Skittles.

I pinch my eyes shut and feel tears dripping from my lashes as I heave again.

“What the fuck?” the man carrying me curses, and then my world turns again when he dips his shoulder, causing me to slide off.

I try to catch myself, but there’s no way.

I crash into a railing and have the awareness to be grateful that he dropped me on the landing at the top of the steps and not on the stairs themselves as I land in a heap.

I manage to get up onto my hands and knees before I dry heave once more.