Page 156 of Beautiful Liar

The voice on the phone is getting even more agitated. But I force myself to speak his name. “Quinn.”

He’s still searching the surroundings. For something. Something that shouldn’t be here. Something dangerous. And he’s firing more questions into his phone.

“Quinn!”

As he’s turning back around, his thumb hits the speaker button. A female voice floods the car.

“Yes! I’m telling you, Quinn. You need to get Lucky the hell out of there. Now!”

Fionnella’s voice.

Fionnella!

For a few seconds, my mind freezes in blessed self-preservation. Then shock sucker punches me, along with the wrecking ball that is my own epic stupidity.

Quinn stares at me, the regret, dread and alarm finally beginning to make sense. The hand I have on his thigh turns to ice, along with the rest of my body. I want to move it, but I can’t. His grip is locked tight on me as we stare at each other.

My mouth drops open. “No…”

His eyes flare with a desperate, pleading light. “Elly, I can explain…”

“No! God…no.”

“Please…hear me out—”

Of course, fate decides not to give me time to process it. I’m still locked in the shock vault when rough hands grab my shoulders and yank me right out of the car. Quinn lunges for me, but his seatbelt prevents him from gaining any traction. His filthy curse rips the air as I hit the sidewalk sideways and pain ricochets through my bruised hipbone.

Quinn surges out of the car with a furious roar and vaults over the hood of the Mercedes as I’m dragged backward and tossed over someone’s shoulder.

“Elyse!”

The otherworldly sensation of what’s happening forces a scream from my throat. But it emerges as a gargled croak.

Quinn’s heavy footsteps charge after me and my captor.

“Put her the fuck down, right fucking now, asshole!”

“Or what?” I hear a taunt from the voice that has given me nightmares for the better part of seven years.

I twist my head to see several men rushing alongside those of my captor. My heart sinks.

“She belongs to me. You get to take her over my fucking dead body!”

Everyone freezes. “I can make that happen, friend.” The very distinct sound of a gun being cocked cracks through the air. “Just say the word.”

I hear a garbled shout, probably from Fionnella. My brain is spinning. From shock. From fear.

“You shoot me, right here right now, and you won’t get down the block before my security take you down. Your best outcome is to leave Elyse. Take me instead. I’m certain I can make it worth your while.”

Quinn’s voice is devoid of emotion, eerily calm and sourced from the very depths of hell. Whereas my brain is desperately twisting itself free of the shock so I can do something other than stare at the sidewalk from my upside down position. Another scream bubbles up. This time it makes it and rips free.

Unfortunately the sound galvanizes my captors. “I’d love to stay and negotiate, but I simply don’t have the time. I came for Lucky. I have her. I promise you, if you take another step I will shoot. Take her to the van,” Clay instructs the man holding me.

“No! Elyse! Jesus. Let go of her. I swear to God, if you hurt her—”

“Dammit. Earl, take care of him, please?”

No…no…no…

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