Page 43 of Burn for Me

What’s first? Get her to a bed and check on her… the mission.

I shake my head and settle on what I have to do.

Check if the car is bugged, so I need to get to a secluded location.

“I swear to God…”

I groan as Caspian's voice keeps coming through.

I need quiet.Let me hear the screams so I can remember who I am and remind myself that these feelings are warranted each time I look at Jasmine. I jerk the car into a side street, wincing atthe way Jasmine's body slings against her seatbelt when I hit the emergency break.

No, no, no. That’s wrong, Sam. You need quiet to ensure the safety of your team.

I feel like I’m fucking suffocating again with this push and pull of what I need to do.

Check on her…. I rush out of the car, brushing my hand through my hair pulling the strands. I examine each inch of the exterior for anything out of place or devices that might have been placed.

“This is fantastic. I'm glad Carlisle finally accepted my invitation. So you're the best he has, huh?” The prime minister smiles as he takes another drink from his glass.

I look at the guards in all corners of the room before nodding.

“Look,” he pauses and sets down his glass as he leans forward on his elbows. We don't want any trouble. I'm sure we can work something out, right? We all have the same blood.”

“Do you plan on surrendering?” I ask as I lean back in the seat.

“We can negotiate an alternative," the prime minister bites out, and I smile.

“It was a pleasure doing business, sir, but unfortunately, my superior expects the whole world, not just half of it,” I state casually as I stand from my seat and brush my hands down my fatigues. A cough follows with a gasp, and a hard thump hits the table. The guards–my men–start laughing as they trail me out of the room, through the extravagant setting onto Downing Street. I give Carlisle a firm nod, and he addresses the crowd gathered in the area.

As I scan the faces, they blur together until I focus on one in particular. He doesn’t flash the toothy grin we shared as kids, nor is he clapping like I had expected. But just as I prepare tomove through the bustling crowd toward him, another person steps into his place.

“You're a resilient little son of a bitch, aren't you? I see why your parents chose the high instead.” My uncle purrs, and I look around to find myself not in the middle of a street but in that damn building that follows my nightmares. Needles stick to the bottom of my feet as I try to take a step back, and a god-awful smell fills the room as my uncle's friends laugh.

“Don't worry. You only have eight years with me until I can get a pretty penny out of you. By the time you get to them, you'll know to do as your told and keep your fucking mouth shut.” I flick my gaze over to my cousin, who holds his bloodied nose, but instead of cowering like I am, he's fuming.

One day, I'll be bigger like him–stronger. No one will be able to touch me. Brady tackles my uncle, but before they hit the ground, my uncle's friends rush to the spot, and my vision goes dark as something jabs into the side of my neck.

“God damn it, Sammy. I swear if I have to keep fighting for your ass… Suck it up and take the line they offer you next time.” Brady mutters, and I open my eyes. Instead of seeing his furrowed brows or feeling him clean a wound like I usually would, blue and red lights flicker in and out. The hues illuminate the broken-down building as cops and paramedics rush around the scene behind a dark glass.

“Come on, talk to us. We can work out a negotiation.” A voice comes through the crack in the window before huffing, “Just tell us where Brady is. If he comes out here and vouches for what others are saying, you can plead insanity. Get a lesser sentence because you didn’t know what you were doing.”

I laugh and turn away from Bill as my thumbs brush over the cuff links behind my back.

I knew what I was doing.

I stand up, brushing my hand through my hair, trying to smooth the mess I’ve created and calm myself down once I realize the car is clear.

They're smart, but fortunately, they must have been too distracted by our presence to notice they had the perfect opportunity to bug us. My mind races as I realize the implications of Casey's words: they're watching us, not just where we go or how we act in their settings—everywhere we can be.

I get into the car, trying to steady my breathing, but as I glance over at Jasmine and see her head leaning limply against the glass, a surge of panic hits me.

In an instant, I move over the center console, crowding her space, grasping her cheeks, and tapping my palm against her face to pull her focus.

"I swear to the devil if you don't—"

Jasmine swats my hands away with an aggravated, groggy growl, and I take a deep breath.

“Open your damn eyes, and don't fucking close them until I tell you to.” I snap, and her lashes shoot open, fluttering to try and adjust, wide with fear. I flick my gaze between Jasmines before throwing the car in drive.

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