Page 17 of No Escape

If I had lied and said I was underage, would she have ordered everyone to stay away from me? Does she even have that level of authority over the people here?

“Come on.” Maggie spins around and walks toward the group of women loitering around my doorframe. “Stay close to my group, and don’t make eye contact with the animals.”

A lump forms in my throat as I try to swallow. That’s an insensitive way to talk about other human beings…but, God, I hope that’s not a sign of what’s to come.

ChapterFive

Leo

Ihaven’t experienced true fear in more years than I can count. It’s been a long time since I’ve felt anything deeply, and truth be told, I like it that way.

I’ve stared down death enough times that all I get from having a gun barrel pointed at my forehead is an adrenaline rush.

One day, I’ll have to atone for my sins, but today is not that day. If anything, I’m probably adding a few more years onto my sentence in hell if it really exists.

“Some fucking friend you are!” Shaw snarls, grabbing the arms of the chair the woman sits in. “Don’t you understand the buddy system?”

He’s already berated Avery for the better part of half an hour.

I get his frustration.

I’m living it, too, but that chick doesn’t know anything that will help us.

Hell, maybe she’s too young to understand how to be a decent friend.

That doesn’t excuse her actions, though.

It took her nine hours to meander back to the hotel after Saylor’s team determined she was missing.

Initially, Anderson and Daniels hoped Saylor would be found with her friend, and when Avery made it back to the hotel without their client, they finally got their asses in gear.

The thought makes my jaw clench, and I cut my eyes at the adjoining room.

Shaw and I had a few things to say to those incompetent assholes—most of which involved our fists.

I exhale and try to get ahold of the rage simmering in my gut.

Luckily, Ridge pulled us off them before we could do any permanent damage, and he took over their interrogation.

I’m going to have words with our boss, Easton. Just as soon as we secure Saylor and get her safely back to the US.

I’m genuinely fucking shocked that he isn’t here with us. The team that took over for me and Shaw has to be the most incompetent pair of assholes on Shadow Security’s payroll.

They didn’t even call it in when Avery made it back to the hotel without Saylor.

Anderson reached out to the senator, who instructed them to sit on the information while waiting for a ransom demand.

They should have known better.

Clients do dumb shit when someone they love is in danger.

That’s why they pay Shadow Security astronomical amounts of money to make the difficult calls for them.

If something happens to Saylor that she can’t come back from…

Well, let’s just say, Easton won’t have a chance to verbally rip them a new asshole before firing them.

Shaw and I will make sure we get to them first. I’m fairly sure that’s why Easton sent Ridge with us.

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