Page 65 of Love Undercover
Jared Gibson.
Gibson.
Wasn’t that the name of Chase’s boss?
Almost the second the thought slammed home, she heard footsteps on the porch. The relief began to flood her in a warmdeluge. That was faster than she’d hoped. Maybe he’d seen that Kyle was fine and headed back to her.
She was about to stand up when the knob jiggled, and her eyes shot to the door.
“Hey, pretty girl. I know you’re in there.”
The rat-faced man.
Nausea was a straight shot to her stomach at his sickly sweet voice. She slammed the laptop shut and shoved it under the couch just as a loud blast of sound splintered the door, and she dove for the floor with a scream as sharp wedges of wood sprayed in her direction. Scrambling to her feet, she staggered toward the back of the house. There was a back door, a backyard. Was there an exit? Was there an extra vehicle? She had no keys, though, and how far would she get on foot? Could she get to a neighbor?
She yelped and skittered to a stop when the back door burst open, kicked in by a booted foot, and banged against the wall. A big man filled the doorway with a smile on his face. He was probably the one who was in charge—Santiago. Although not as towering as Chase was, the dark and handsome part came right along after tall. A ripple of danger rolled off of him like a black aura.
Even knowing it was a wasted effort, she spun to go back the way she’d come, but the rat-faced man was there, sneering at her and blocking her way. He aimed his gun right at her.
Trapped like a scared cat. She shifted backward, keeping her eyes on the rat-faced man as he stepped closer. Her legs bumped into the table, and she placed a palm on its surface to steady herself.
“And here we find you. Alone. And left to roam free,” the man behind her said.
She looked back at Santiago, his teeth glimmering garishly white against the tawny color of his skin. He shut the doorbehind him, the blatant sound of the deadbolt sliding home piercing the air, and she flinched. Maybe if she moved around the table, lured them closer, she could get to the door.
“Funny how he’d let you wander when you were supposed to be his captive.” Santiago flicked his head as he prowled to her right, and Rat Face circled the other direction, effectively blocking any means of escape. They boxed her in on both sides.
Santiago stopped and rested one hand on the back of a chair, looking down at his fingernails as if this were the most boring interaction in the world. He had so many better places to be.
“He said he was still working you over for information.” Santiago’s almost black eyes flickered to her face, and a smile grew across his lips.
She shifted toward him because Rat Face was still coming from the left. She wasn’t sure which was the safer option, but Rat Face gave her the creeps.
“But it looks like he’s just gotten cozy and started playing house,” Santiago continued.
She stubbed her toe against a chair leg, hissing with the pain.
Santiago chuckled. “We make you nervous, pretty girl?”
Don’t respond. He’s just playing with you.
“Where’s Chase?” she asked instead, trying to infuse her voice with as much courage as she could. But it was flimsy, at best.
He sighed theatrically, rolling his eyes. “If you’re worried about his safety, I’m sure he’s fine. I didn’t send my best guys.”
Her brows knit in confusion, which appeared to be his aim because a pleased glint flashed in his eyes.
“I just needed to delay him a little. I want him to make it back just in time to find that you’re not here anymore.”
Her stomach clenched, ice filling her at his words.
Rat Face grinned as he crept closer. Even though he wasn’t even as tall as she was, wild terror still galloped through herbody. He may have been scrawny compared to Santiago and Chase, but she knew he could probably overpower her.
“Where will you take me?” she asked Santiago.
His brows quirked at her question. “Oh, we have a great place. You’ll love it.”
Rat Face got closer, and she blurted her next words without thinking them through. “I won’t put up a fight!”
