Page 105 of Every Which Way

She glanced over at him.

“Because you realize that doing this is the right thing. It gets them back, which is what you’ve wanted for them since you found out they were alive.”

“Don’t presume you know what’s in my head. We haven’t known each other that long.”

Bruce shrugged off her comment. “I was trained to read people and to do it fast.”

“You have it all figured out.”

He reached behind their seats to a bag in the back and rummaged before he pulled out a roll of tape. “Don’t ever use this stuff toactuallysecure something. It’s breakaway tape. You want to get free? Just pull your hands apart hard, and it’ll tear. So, make sure you don’t do it too early.” He waved, motioning toward himself.

She lifted her hands, not exactly excited to be bound at the wrists. The state she was in—no shoes, wearing a dress, rumpled hair, and half her face still sort of swollen—she looked like the captive she was meant to be.

All because he figured she would be happy to trade herself so Amara and Zeyla could go free.

Which, to be fair, was a noble action. When it was her choice. Not so much when someone else did the deciding for her. She didn’t like that.

“We aren’t going to be friends after this.”

“You say that now, but they’ll be free. Isn’t that the idea?”

“The idea is everyone walks away. Not just some people.” Fine, she was scared. Who wanted to be a captive of their enemy? Especially one that was involved in organ trafficking. That, evidently, wanted her to be a surrogate for one of the next generation of babies—or more than one. She could be walking into a lifetime of captivity for all she knew.

“Idealistic. Never thought you were that kind.” He pulled tape away from the roll and wrapped it around her wrists. “You, of all people, know things don’t usually work out the way we planned. That’s why we have things like breakaway tape and tracking devices in our necklaces. Comms earbuds.” He reached to her ear and pulled it out.

Kenna pressed her lips together.Great.

“And hidden weapons.” He dug something out of a pocket by his hip and tucked it into the hidden pocket at the back of her dress beside the zipper. Thankfully, he kept his touch brief, but she rolled her eyes anyway.

He said, “Time to go.”

“Yeah, one sec.”

“Make it fast.” He already had his hand on the door.

She glanced at the cars. No one had gotten out, so maybe they were waiting for Bruce to move first.

Kenna said, “Once you make the exchange, you’re going to contact Maizie and Ramon. Get them and Stairns tasked with finding me. You’re going to locate Jax and his father, praying the whole time they aren’t injured more than a bruise or two at most. And then?—”

“I’ve got it,” he said. “I’ll protect your mom and sister, your friends will look for you, and your boyfriend will punch me in the face when I explain. But we’ll work it out, and I’ll help him find you.”

She hesitated, but it might be best to just get out of the car and get this over with.

“I’ll have to drive to the campsite. They’re in my phone. They’re in our whole system since we were hacked months ago. They know everything.”

Kenna sucked in a breath.

“You knew it was possible, so there’s no need to be surprised, is there?” Bruce shrugged. “We’re going offline to solve this. Old school like the Cold War. And I’ll take care of everyone.” He tugged on the handle and got out, walking around the front of the car to open her door for her.

She stood on the concrete, gritty with dirt and pebbles that pricked at her bare feet. It was freezing, but she still wore Jax’s coat. At least she had that one part of him to take with her. To curl up inside and try to find solace in her faith.

She had a feeling she was going to need it when the darkness fully descended.

“You’d better take care of all of them. I mean it, Bruce.”

He gave her a sharp nod and dragged her by the elbow toward the two town cars. They walked to a spot about halfway between them and whoever this exchange involved.

One of the doors opened, the back seat of the town car on the right. A suited man got out. Not the senator. She recognized this man as one of the men who’d left the house with him. Not the one who pulled a gun on her, thankfully. That guy would be too hotheaded for something like this.

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