Die for Me Read Online Free PDF Page B

“Why does Rutler sound familiar?”
    “He’s part of an underground MMA ring, but more likely you recognize his name because his stepdaughter just escaped from prison. It’s all over the news.” Wren leaned back in the chair, straining the phone’s cord to its limits. He’d managed to keep in shape from the looks of it, but sorrow rested behind his gaze. The former CEO of Wren Industries, a weapons manufacturing giant, had changed. “Then again, you’ve been hiding under a rock since I was arrested. Afraid of what I might do to you, Taigen?”
    Taigen ignored the last part. “Assuming Chesnick is only following orders from his boss, what does Rutler have to do with Adelaide?”
    “Nothing.” Wren didn’t go on.
    Taigen exhaled in exasperation. Isaac Rutler had a missing convicted daughter. Murder, the news had said. Personally, he found it hard to believe a woman her height and weight could manhandle a man the size of her victim, but he’d seen crazier things in his days. The only reason Rutler would track down Adelaide would be to kill his stepdaughter. Shit . Nobody deserved that fate. “Then why is he looking for her?”
    “You know I don’t do anything out of the goodness of my heart. And what makes you think I’d want to help you after your little charade with Marcus?”
    Siding with a cop against his employer, even to save Adelaide, obviously wouldn’t disappear like water under the bridge. If it hadn’t been for Wren’s demonic, corrupted love for his sister, none of this would have happened. ATF wouldn’t have been brought in after Wren ordered her to kill an undercover agent and his sister wouldn’t be on the run, never able to come home or to live a normal life. If only their father had protected her all those years ago, her mind wouldn’t have broken under pressure.
    “What do you want?” Taigen asked. The moment he’d tried to avoid came upon them in silence. He didn’t have much to offer. In fact, with Adelaide missing, all he had was words.
    “This isn’t exactly the way I planned to live out my life and I owe it all to you and that cop. So I’ll keep it simple: you want information? I have a favor to ask.” Wren leaned forward, resting his elbows on the counter.
    “Tell me more about Rutler and I’ll think about it.”
    Wren chuckled, his eyelids squinting around blue eyes. Taigen noticed wrinkles had developed around his mouth. “You helped an ATF agent take away everything I had in this world, including your sister. You really think I’m going to help you without cause? Come on, Taigen.” His face grew cold. “I trained you to be smarter than that.”
    Both men stared straight into each other’s eyes. Taigen knew exactly what Wren wanted, but he wasn’t willing to let him have it.
    Never.
    Again.
    “I can’t help you.” Taigen hung up the phone and stood. He’d already turned and started walking toward the exit when the fact he was out of leads hit him hard. You can’t give in, he told himself. Don’t give in.
    He knew Rutler’s name. The guy had even sent one of his minions to see Marcus. He had the ability to track down the associate on his own, get to Rutler that way. If only to find Adelaide’s location, he’d track them all down. He’d save others the fate of meeting her bloodthirsty desires, but from what Taigen had gathered, Rutler employed men just like him. Killers. Professionals. Careful, intelligent men. He couldn’t go against an army of hit men alone.
    He glanced back over his shoulder. Wren hadn’t moved. From the look in his former employer’s eyes, Taigen surmised Wren knew he’d won.
    He needed Wren whether he liked it or not.
    His shoulders sank in defeat. Taking his seat again, he picked up the phone. “We want the same thing, Christian. You still love Adelaide. Just tell me what I want to know so I can protect her.”
    “You can’t protect her this time.” Wren’s eyes lowered to the counter. “You aren’t the only one who wants