Page 84 of Betrayed

I felt for him. I loved Meg like a sister, but wouldn’t sacrifice Blake. I couldn’t.

“There’s always a choice.” I said, squaring off against my best friend. “We’ll find another way.”

“They have Meg,” Jack pleaded, his voice thick with panic.

“I know, and we’ll get her back. But I’m not risking Blake’s life to do it.”

“We’ll keep her safe.” He stepped forward, holding his hand out for his phone.

I stepped back. “You can’t guarantee that.”

“Janerek.”

“Sheppard.”

Jack glanced past me, causing me to look. Blake was standing in the hall, her eyes round with fear as she watched me and Jack.

“What’s going on?”

Instinctively, I moved so I was standing between Jack and Blake—protecting her from my best friend.

“The people after you took Meg.” Jack didn’t couch his words.

Her hands flew to her mouth. “Oh no.”

“They want to exchange her for you.”

Blake gasped as she stumbled back, bumping into the wall.

“Jack.” I warned him.

“I’m just telling her the truth,” he growled in response to my implied threat.

“It’s not gonna happen,” I growled right back, crushing his phone in my clenched fist. Every muscle in my body was poised to strike.

Jack and I had our differences before, but we'd never come to blows.If we don't agree on a solution, that might change today.

Blake’s soft footsteps broke the silence as Jack and I stared each other down.

“Andrew,” Blake whispered as she put her hand on my bicep.

Jack’s eyes rounded in surprise—he’d seen me rip more than one person a new asshole for using my first name.

“Oh,” he said, stepping back as he looked from Blake to me and back again.

I relaxed my shoulders, “Yeah.”

And just like that, we were good again. He understood how much Blake meant to me, and how far I’d go to protect her.

“What do we do?” Jack asked, resigned to the fact I loved Blake and wouldn’t give in.

Before I could answer, Blake squared her shoulders and said, “You trade me.”

“No!” I barked, causing her to flinch.Shit.“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to yell, but there’s no way in hell I’m letting them get their hands on you.”

“AJ, she’s pregnant.” Jack’s terrified whisper cut me to the quick, weakening my resolve.

Meg’s pregnant?Since when? No wonder Jack was losing his shit.I still wasn’t willing to sacrifice Blake, but it explained why Jack was uncharacteristically willing to sacrifice a client.

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