Page 104 of A Captive Situation

I admitted, “I don’t know what kind of monster I’m unleashing when I let him know about Green.”

Ashton didn’t reply, a calculating expression coming over his face. There was the mask of the monster I knew resided inside of him, the one that enjoyed coming out to torture people.

I wasn’t going to defeat Lane. I already knew that. I’d done more research on him since finding out his role in my life, and I couldn’t get a bead on him. Studying Ashton, I had a feeling he couldn’t either. And if he couldn’t, then neither could his best friend. Ashton wasn’t smug and if he hadn’t felt wary of Lane, he would’ve been all up in my face taunting me about my long-lost cousin.

He wasn’t saying a word.

He was worried.

Was I all sorts of fucked here? Yes.

Did I have any other choice? No.

“I’ll take care of making any connection between you and your son disappear.”

“What do you want in return?”

“Nothing.” He chuckled, wryly, at seeing my reaction. “I’m aware of what we’re about to do. This is my city. Lane’s not allowed in it.”

“The Worthings were still in Maine when he made his demands. He might just stick to Maine.”

Ashton shared a look with me, a mocking curve tugging at his mouth. “You’ve not been aware of this, but while your family was declaring war with us, Lane was also on the move. He has strongholds in Cincinnati, Buffalo, Pittsburgh, Ocean City, Providence, and Albany. He doesn’t give a fuck about Maine. He wants your family’s soldiers. Why do you think that is?”

I was placing all the cities in my head, and holy fuck. “He’s surrounding the city.”

“Mycity is in his sights. Trace and I are aware of this. The war isn’t betweenyouand Lane. It’s between us and Lane. I’ll do my part, but you need to do yours.”

A lot of people were about to die.

“Is that an order?”

Ashton didn’t catch the warning in my tone. “If you need that. Yes, Jake. Consider it a last order from me. Now do your boss a favor and fucking declare war on this motherfucker.”

Everything inside of me turned to ice too. It spread. “I’m not one of your soldiers anymore.”

He rolled his eyes again, shoving up, and he tossed some cash on the table. “Did you ever actually stop? Call Lane tonight. I’d like to finish this war before Lane even fucking knows it’s here. We’ll all be better off when this piece of shit is dead.”

My eyes narrowed when he stood. They turned to slits watching him leave.

Ashton just made a mistake with me. I’d meant what I said to Sawyer.

I was done with taking orders.

Chapter Thirty-Seven

Sawyer

“You know you’re totally fucking up here, right?”

It was the next day and our captive wouldn’t shut up. She’d been let free to use the bathroom. Jake stood by the bedroom door to give her privacy, but I stood within eyesight while she did her business. She’d proven to be a little escape artist, so we weren’t taking any chances.

Jake woke me up with his mouth between my legs. I hadn’t lasted long. He brought me to explode fast, and I wasn’t sure if that was something I should’ve been proud of or embarrassed about, but Jake’s dick soon followed. He’d been smug, but took us on a rough round that left me fully sated and my chest heaving to catch my breath.

That didn’t last long, either, before Jake rolled me to my stomach and slid inside from behind. He held me pinned down, pounding inside of me for what felt like forever.

Not that I was complaining.

I came four times by the time morning peaked and I could still feel him inside of me. So when our captive said that to me, I got a little look on my face because yes, that seemed to be our theme lately.

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