Dying to Run Read Online Free

feet at his abdomen, and squirmed to be free. I fell off of his shoulder, screaming into the rag as I almost hit the ground. Cursing, Damon caught me around the waist. The other man rushed to his aid, securing my lower body while Damon pinned my arms to my chest. They shuffled halfway down the block, stopping next to a black Tahoe.
    Damon jumped in the driver’s side and let the other guy shove me into the backseat. I tried to scramble to the other door. The man hauled me back and wrapped his arms around me. His breath reeked like Santa had never put a toothbrush in his stocking. The streetlight illuminated his swarthy skin and greasy black hair. He didn’t say anything, but judging from the wide grin on his face, he really liked his current assignment.
    Sirens blared through the darkness. I thought I was going to pass out with joy until I realized they were heading the wrong direction, probably following the car Nana had been chasing. Damon drove slowly out of the neighborhood, not flipping on his lights until we were almost to Main Street. Within minutes it was apparent nobody was following us. No matter how I fought, Foul Breath kept his arms tight around me. His halitosis made me lightheaded.
    Damon happily explained Ramirez’s plan to kill me, Jesse, and my dad. I couldn’t even act brave and mouth off to him. My jaw ached from being pried slightly opened and my mouth felt sticky against the dry rag. I fought it, but two big tears leaked down my face. Damon caught my eye in the rear-view window. His smile grew. It was perhaps the first time since I met him six months ago that he was actually telling me the truth: I was going to die.
     

Chapter Three
     
    Nana watched the monitors next to Sham’s bed, tired of hospital duty, but with everything that had happened tonight someone needed to watch over Sham. Nana had promised to stay here while Cassie’s brother, Jared, worked with the police to find Cassie and hopefully Nathan as well.
    Nana felt guilty for wanting to leave Sham when the gentle giant had come here to protect her girl. Oh, Cassie. Nana groaned. Her empty stomach churned. The worry over her granddaughter made it impossible to eat her usual late-night snack. She almost smiled as she looked at her thick body and thought of what Cassie would say about her Nana skipping any kind of meal. Even the thought of smiling left quickly. The only other time in her life she’d been too sick to eat was when she thought her son, Nathan, and his wife had been murdered. Nathan had survived, but the heartache over her daughter-in-law’s death still lingered and now she had no clue where her son or granddaughter were.
    Sham shifted on the bed, his huge brown hands clutched the tan blanket as his eyes shot open. Nana leapt to her feet. “Sham?”
    He focused on her, those black eyes frightening with intensity. “Where’s Cassidy?”
    Nana swallowed and whispered, “Damon took her.”
    “No!” Sham strained to sit up, but fell back onto the mattress. “I’ve got to . . . find her.”
    “Oh, Sham, we don’t even know where she is.” Nana wrung her hands. “If there was somebody’s butt I could kick, believe me, I’d be doing it.”
    “The police know nothing?”
    Nana shook her head. “They have three men in custody now, but nobody’s talking yet.”
    “Nathan?”
    “He doesn’t respond to my calls. When I find him I will kick his butt.”
    Sham tried to sit up again. “I will help you.” He slid back onto the pillows, his dark skin drenched in sweat, but his eyes determined.
    “How did you know to come?” Nana asked.
    Sham sighed, looking at the monitors next to his bed. “We heard Damon posted bail and disappeared. Nathan sent me here to protect Cassidy.” He coughed several times as if to clear his throat.
    Nana had neglected her nursing duties. She grabbed a cup of crushed ice and spoon-fed him a few bits.
    “Thank you.” Sham sucked on the ice and shook his head. “Nathan promised he