Page 11 of Deadly Ruck
I smirked to myself. It was unlikely he or any of his people would get close enough to Hunter and Parker Brantley to traffic them anywhere. I also didn't buy that they had anything to do with Milly killing Sierra. It was the kind of thing they did, yes, but my gut feeling told me it wasn't them. Who was it? I wasn't sure.
Honestly, I could guess all day and not pin down exactly who it was and why.
"We can agree on that then," Ramsey said. "We didn't appreciate anyone waving a gun around Chelsea either." His tone got darker, clearly referencing the fact that Jones had a bunch of armed men here outside the cottage. He sounded ready to shoot them all himself.
"I don't give a fuck what you didn't appreciate," Jones snapped. "You have thirty seconds to give her to me or I'll put a bullet in your brain."
My grip on my gun tightened. If I was to surrender myself to him, would he let Ramsey live? Men like him often gave no fucks about keeping their word. You know what they say, there's no honour amongst thieves. Especially a lowlife like Carlos Jones. I'd sooner dance naked in the middle of Smashers Stadium than trust a thing he said. He could bundle me into the back of a car and kill all of them anyway.
"No," Dallas whispered. "I know what you're thinking and I'm not letting you do it."
"We can't let him kill Ramsey," I insisted.
"You're not going with that asshole." He was just as insistent.
"I'm not sure there's any other way." I shook my head. "All of you need to get out of here alive. The team needs you."
"Fuck the team," he grunted. "I need you. I don't want to fucking live without you. If they take you, I better be dead first."
"Dallas…" What could I say to that? "I love you. You would be okay without me. I promise." It would hurt a little at first, but he'd move on eventually. He had a lot of love to give. He'd find someone else to give it to. I hated the idea, but it was better than thinking of him dead or lonely.
"I'd die either way," he said. "I'd shrivel up and die like a fish out of the ocean. I'd probably smell like one too.”
I doubted that, but I understood where he was coming from. I'd probably want to shrivel up too if anything happened to these guys.
"Twenty seconds," Jones called out. He turned around slowly, as if he knew we were there, but not exactly where.
"I have to," I said. I had no choice. I wasn't going to let anyone sacrifice themselves for me. I wouldn't.
I tried to pull away from Dallas, but he grabbed my wrist and held on hard.
His grip would leave bruises, but I couldn't bring myself to try to push him off. If I did, he might lose his shit. I felt desperation and fear coming off him in waves. He was absolutely certain he couldn't exist without me in his life, beside him as much as possible. Fucking me every chance he had. Lying in bed at night, his cock deep inside me as we slept.
"Chelsea." He sounded devastated I'd even consider walking away from him.
"Ten seconds." Jones stopped to face Ramsey again.
My heart raced. This was what I feared when I was lying in the back of the car as the guys drove me here. That someone like him had taken me and I'd never see them again.
This way, I got to decide for myself. I'd make the sacrifice if I had to.
"I don't know where she is." Ramsey raised and lowered his spare hand, letting it slap against his jeans clad thigh.
"That's unfortunate for you," Carlos said. "I'm at the end of my patience."
"I'm not having the time of my life either," Ramsey said. "Fortunately, we were able to keep you talking long enough to have everyone in place. You and all the lackeys you brought with you are surrounded. I'll give you one chance to get the hell out of here, or you'll be the one with a bullet in your brain."
"He means us," Frost whispered excitedly.
"Yeah, he does." Storm sounded less excited. "I guess we better not let him down."
Still holding my wrist tightly, Dallas drew me along with him, following the others as we stepped out of the trees.
Chapter Five
Chelsea
"It appears to me you lied,"Jones said, dark eyes on me as I appeared in the light from his vehicle. "Miss Miller seems to be very much right here."
