Page 159 of Never Sleep with the Enemy

“Monroe! Let her go!”

He spins us both, his hand shifting to my throat, keeping me pinned against him like a shield.

Behind us, Logan stands in the hallway, fists clenched at his sides.

“Logan—!” My voice cuts off as Monroe squeezes harder.

“Mr. Shock,” Monroe says with oily glee. “Good to see you again. I’d love to stay and chat, but we’ve got places to be.”

Logan steps forward, slow and fearless. Behind him, Knox and Jonah burst out of the dressing room, Bronson a half-step behind them.

“What—” Knox freezes, his voice furious when he sees Monroe. “For fuck’s sake. Really?”

“Yes,really!”Monroe snarls, dragging me back another step, his grip tightening around my throat. “You thought you could steamroll my life, and I’d just let you get away with it?!”

“Dude, get a life,” Knox says. “Seriously.”

Monroe’s thumb digs deeper into my throat, and I wince.

“Knox,” Logan says, catching the pain in my eyes. “Back off.”

“Yes, Knox,” Monroe taunts.“Back off.You wouldn’t want something bad to happen to little sister, would you?”

Knox’s jaw clenches as he meets my gaze. “Let her go,” he says.

“Drop out, let The Electrics declare victory, and I will,” Monroe replies.

“Not gonna happen.”

“Then stay out of my way.” He jerks me toward the exit again. “Or I’ll?—”

“Paul, what the hell?!”

Monroe whirls around at the voice. I twist to look and feel the first wave of relief crash through me.

The ladies’ dressing room door is open. The girls block our exit—Addison and Jordan in front, Goldie and Tesla behind them. Harmony. Marla. And then?—

Laurie.

Harmony’s mother.

And Paul Monroe’s ex-wife.

She storms toward us, face blazing. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?” she yells. “Release her! Now!”

Monroe startles. “Snugglebug!” he gasps, loosening his grip.

“Snugglebug?”I echo.

Laurie practically growls. “Oh, don’t youdareSnugglebug me, you pathetic little man! Let me guess. Another loan shark’s on your ass and you’ve got nothing left to give?”

“Because you took all my money!”

“Youblewyour money with your shitty life choices, Paul. God, it never ends with you, does it? You’re already broke and unemployed. Did you really thinkkidnappingwas going to help solve your problems?”

“Laurie, baby… I just need this one last thing?—”

“No, what youneedis a lobotomy!”

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