Page 72 of A Captive Situation

Oh, fuck.

“The Mafia?” Graham fell backward, but Oliver was there to rub a hand down his back, steadying him.

Voices were heard suddenly from the other side of the door, along with footsteps and more commotion.

Oliver crossed the room.

Everyone followed, huddling up behind him as he opened the door an inch. We jostled so we could see. Clara knelt down. Bess pushed her head farther down so she could take Clara’s place, and Graham moved up on the chair beside us, angling to see from a higher point of view. I nudged Oliver to the side so we could share the same space.

“Oh, Lordie. Who isthat?” Bess oohed. “Your man is fine, but so are all of those men. I like the real big one.”

Clara snorted softly. “Get in line. Or I’ll take the other big one with the dark brown skin. He looks like he could handle a roll with Miss Clara here. He could eat me for breakfast, which I would find delightful.”

Oliver stifled a laugh.

Graham snickered before he whispered sharply, “Who isthat?”

Oliver agreed. “Mmmmm mmmm.”

I angled my head a little more so I could see better. Jake moved to the side and two beast-like men came into the room. He motioned and they went upstairs, but another man stepped in behind them. This man was almost startlingly handsome, looking as if he’d stepped out ofa boardroom where he was a CEO of a top 100 company that Forbes would cover in their magazine. Caucasian. Square jawline. He was the same height as Jake, with a smoothness that Jake didn’t have. This guy came off smooth and sleek with an aura of danger too.

“I didn’t call for you.” Jake’s tone was pitched low.

Jakedid notlike him.

The other guy shrugged before lifting his head to look up the stairs. “I was the closer option. Ashton felt speed was more important than made-up grudges—”

“Fuck made-up.” Jake took a step toward him, his voice rising.

The other guy registered all of that, his gaze glancing to Jake before doing another longer sweep around the first floor, finding our closed door and holding.

We all went still.

He pulled his gaze away, but shifted on his feet so we could see his face. His eyebrows arched. “Do you want to hash out facts from how your brother died or do you want to move forward? Ashton’s kept me abreast. I’m the one who compiled that nice little file you received earlier on ourmutualthreat.”

“Oh, fuck off, West,” Jake growled, pulling his gun again. He didn’t raise it, but the gesture was noted by the other man, who grew still. Jake added, “My brother wouldn’t have died if he never met your woman’s fr—”

“I amdonewith you blaming Jess for what your cousin did—”

Jake pushed back, not fazed. His words were savage. “Justin would’ve handled it differently if he hadn’t been with her. She’s the reason he was considered a threat.”

“Your family killed your brother, and they’re the reason why your little girlfriend is locked up in that room over there. Stop putting the blame on other houses and start looking within your own.” The other guy was like ice.

“Trust me. Iam.” Jake’s tone sent a shiver down my spine. The tightly held promise of violence and bloodshed. I suppressed a second shiver, feeling the heat from his anger.

Clara and Bess were both panting.

Oliver noticed and snorted, trying to smother it but failing.

Graham glanced his way and Oliver gestured toward my aunts.

Some drool was happening.

A grin cracked on Graham’s face, his laughing eyes finding mine and for a moment, the stifling threat of violence and hatred from the other room dissipated, lifting off my chest.

I couldn’t hold back a chuckle, but then squeaked and clapped a hand over my own mouth.

“What?” Clara was looking between all of us.

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