Page 90 of Soldier Cowboy
A fear Colton hadn’t ever seen in Riggs’s eyes flashed clear and bright.
“I have to see if he’ll talk to me. If he won’t, then we have no other choice. But if he knows we’re here, he might realize his initial plan is done.”
“Exactly! And when he realizes he’s backed up into a corner, is he going to come out swinging?” Beau said. “With a gun?”
“I can take care of myself. I’ll probably disarm him before he can even take his first shot.”
“I don’t like this,” Riggs said. “It’s too dangerous.”
“The other option is we wait until law enforcement arrives. And when they arrive, that tends to escalate situations.”
“Right,” Beau said. “Speaking of being backed into a corner. He’s trapped.”
Colton turned but gave Riggs one last look. “I’ve got this. Don’t worry.”
CHAPTER23
Colton was here. Beau must have recognized her after all, told Colton what he’d seen, and he’d found her. Maybe they’d already called the police. This would be over with soon, because now Dan had crossed a line law enforcement could not ignore. Maybe now he’d get help. Or jail time.
He’d given her a wig as if that alone would make her look like a different person. She’d tried talking sense into him, telling him the wig didn’t fit. She’d told him that people would be looking for her, wig or not. None of her arguments were working. The thing that scared her the most was how he was packing everything as though he expected to leave here within minutes. But he’d put the gun down, forgotten, and she allowed a sense of relief to flood through her. He didn’t really want to hurt her. Maybe this part was genuinely true. He just mistakenly thought he could force her to love him.
When there was a knock on the front door, both of them jumped.
“Who could that be?” Dan said with narrowed eyes. “Are you expecting anyone?”
“Seriously?”
“Hey, Dan.” Colton’s voice, on the other side of the door. “Is that you in there? Can we talk?”
Fear gripped Jennifer suddenly, churning her insides.
“How does he know who I am?” Dan said.
“I told him all about you. You’re…you’re important to me.”
Dan went to the door and spoke through it. “What do you want to talk about?”
“A few things. I would love to talk to my fiancée for a second, if you don’t mind. You took her away so fast I didn’t even get to say goodbye.”
Jennifer shook her head. “No, no, he’s not really my fiancé. It’s like I told you, we were faking it.”
Dan smirked. “She says you’re not really her fiancé, dude. I’m sorry to be the one to break the bad news.”
Colton groaned. “Well, we had a fight. I guess that makes sense. If you open the door maybe we could talk man to man. I mean, we both love the same woman. Right?”
Love. Helovedher? Or wait. Hang on, this was hostage negotiations 101. Colton must have a script or something. At least, shehopedhe knew what he was doing. Oh Lord. He was a soldier and a cowboy, not a hostage negotiator! He was going to get himself killed.
“Colton, go away!” she shouted.
She mentally telegraphed he should wait for the police to handle this.
Dan happily blew her a kiss. “You heard her, man.”
“Right after I talk to Dan. I’ll go away then. Promise.”
Dan went back to get his gun, as if considering opening the door.
“No, don’t let him in,” Jennifer argued.
