Page 4 of Unraveled Love

He’d just shot and killed the man behind me, and yet the man in front of me cocked his head to the left and didn’t carry a hint of the evil I’d seen in the other man’s eyes, or MaryAnne’s for that matter.

“I will not hurt you. I’m here to help you.”

He reached out to touch me, but adrenaline and fear caused me to react. I kicked my legs out and hit him in the shin. Too much had gone on, and my head was still spinning from the sound of gunfire and the scent of smoke. I was pretty sure that tang in the air was blood from the man he’d shot, but what if he was lying? What if this was another trap?

He let out a curse and stood so calmly he simply brushed his hands down his thighs. “I came to help get you away from them. I’m working with Jaxon. We have most of MaryAnne’s men subdued, but we still need to move quickly. Now, I’m going to take this rag off your mouth, and all I’m asking is you don’t kick me again.”

Dark black eyes flashed with annoyance.

My body quaked so hard it was a miracle I didn’t fall out of the chair.

“You’re safe, Addi, I swear it.”

My breath came in such quick, heavy pants I was at risk of passing out. Little blue orbs pricked the edges of my vision as the man moved. Like he knew the terror I was facing, had already faced, his annoyance at my earlier kick wiped away and he explained himself further.

“My name is Luca, and I’m here to help. My men are still working on clearing the building, but you’re safe.”

Safe…could I really be?He tore through the cloth, and I whimpered as I tried to work my jaw. Soon, I was released from my bindings but was still frozen to the chair.

God, I was helpless. Where was my fight?

The man who had done it all stood in front of me again.

“Who are you?” My voice was strained. The name he’d given me meant nothing.

He stood in front of me, darkness shrouding his features, but the whites of his eyes were bright. Behind him, I was vaguely aware of the cacophony of sounds from earlier quieting. There was talking somewhere, squawks of what reminded me of walkie-talkies. Then footsteps. Scrapes of something along the floor. An occasional bang that sounded like a gunshot ripping through the air from a distance.

“Luca, and all you need to know is I owe Jaxon a favor. Can you walk?”

I rolled my ankles, trying to get feeling back to my feet, but the painful tingles only spread up my legs. Hell, even shrugging hurt. “I don’t know.”

My voice croaked again. The man glared at me like he wanted to rip my head off. It brought no comfort, only more fear.

He came toward me, pulling something out of his pocket, and I jolted back, throwing up my hands.

A phone appeared, and I relaxed marginally, dropping my hands to my sides.

He pressed a button, brought it to his mouth, and said, “Make sure there’s water and food.” He hung up and crouched down, almost putting us at eye level again. “That man I shot deserved to die. It made me happy to do that.”

My eyes widened. They were scratchy and dry, and I felt every blink and flutter of my lashes.

“I will not harm you.”

I cleared my throat. “That’s what she said.”

Eyes flared with an almost inhuman fire. “And I am not them. But I will do as I promised and take you to Jaxon and Shawn. They’ve been called. Can you trust me to do that for you?”

I didn’t trust anyone. Not anymore. Notnow.

Whatever he saw on my face made him scowl. I’d have apologized for frustrating him if it wasn’t mylifehanging in the balance, for Christ’s sake.

He pulled out his phone again, scrolled through, and soon, a voice I recognized barked through the speaker. “What?”

Jaxon.His voice was undeniable, and a rush of relief flooded me.

“I have her and she’s safe.”

“Where?”

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