Page 125 of A Captive Situation

Vest. He was wearing a vest. The lightbulb clicked on.

This was Jake’s plan.

We could get out of this.

He was bargaining to get my hands freed. I was only half listening, because he was rubbing against me in the slightest movements. They were tiny and he was trying not to draw attention to it, but he was being purposeful about it.

What was this extra bulge I was feeling? It was pressing under my sternum. That’s what he was rubbing over me. He wanted my attention drawn there.

Was that ... My hands were still tied together. No matter what, I couldn’t do anything until they were freed.

“Fine. Fuck’s sake. Cut her hands free. Let them hug. Then kill them while they’re embracing. I want to get on with this and find my toy.”

A man approached, grabbed my arms, and jerked me to the side. He took a knife, cutting through the tape. I released a breath of air when I had feeling in my hands again, which then were immediately filled with pins and needles as the blood drained back down. I hissed again, wiggling my fingers.

Jake turned to face me, his eyes intent on me. He spoke low under his breath, “Back flap.”

I frowned, whispering, “What?”

His face cleared. “My back flap.”

Where he’d been rubbing against me. A flap.

Holy Gods of Everything Against Mafia. He had a gun there. Or a weapon. I was hoping it wasn’t a knife because we were screwed if that was the case. I had no knife-throwing skills.

“Hug, fucking hell.” Lane’s patience was done.

Jake stepped into me, his eyes going over my shoulder.

He had something else planned, but I knew my mission.

Our chests touched, my hand slipped under his shirt, found the flap, yanked it open and shoved inside. As soon as my hand closed around the end of a gun, Jake growled in my ear, “Now!”

He reached behind me, grabbing the guy that was there as I stepped to the side, his gun coming out of his vest and in my hands. I aimed it right at Lane, who didn’t move except his eyes widened only a little bit. A spark lit.

There was a slight scuffle behind me, but another body hit the ground. I heard the safety being taken off a gun. Crap. Right. I needed to do that too. I’d forgotten.

Jake yelled, as the rest of the men in the warehouse drew their guns on us, “No one fucking move!” Then he shot three times. Three thuds sounded right after. He moved to block me. “We have one gun on your boss and I’ve got the rest of you in my sights. Don’t fucking move.”

No one moved, but I was betting those three thuds were guys that had moved.

My heart was soaring. This plan was awesome. We were going down fighting.

“I’d appreciate it if you’dstopkilling my men, cousin. Though, maybe you’re weeding my infrastructure, making it more sturdy? In that case, thanks.” Lane flashed his teeth, biting out that word before the corner of his mouth turned down. He studied us. “What do you think is going to happen here?”

Jake expelled a harsh sound. “I think we’re going to walk out of here and we’ll continue this fight another day. That’s what I think is going to happen.”

“I still have your son, Jake.” Lane’s face still never showed any emotion, but that spark was there. Faintly. But no other emotions. No fear. No surprise. If anything, he seemed a little befuddled, but that was it. He wasn’t perturbed. His face was still flat.

“When he’s dropped off at the ER, when your men get back, we’ll walk out of here.”

“I’ll send them after him again.”

“Then Sawyer walks out of herenow.”

Lane’s mouth lifted in a smile. It was startling. “Yes. You’ll let your woman get a running chance, won’t you? And you’ll stay here, holding my men off because, as you’re aware, I’ve done my research. You think I didn’t know what our family first trained you to become, but I do. I’m glad that you’ve decided to show it to me.” He sounded genuine.

Jake’s eyebrows bunched together, momentarily. “I can see the antisocial diagnosis, but were you also diagnosed as a sociopath?”

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