Page 21 of Stealing the Dancer

His back is to me as he looms over her, so I use it to my advantage to make my move.I leap off of the ground and tackle him from behind, but the two of us end up crashing to the floor.The three guards don’t make a move as he tries to wrestle away from me, but I have the advantage of surprise.I’m still lightheaded from the blow earlier, so my movements aren’t as fast, and when he lands a kick to my side, I can’t block it.

I wince as I roll both of us over and use my knee to hit him in the ribs repeatedly.Eventually he’s unable to attack me because he’s trying to protect his chest, and that’s when I reach for the knife in his belt and pull it out.As soon as I put the blade to his neck, he stops moving, and I look up to make sure Whitley is all right.

“Mack,” she says with tears in her eyes, but she can’t move from the chair because she’s still tied to it.

When I look at the three guards, they’re all hesitant to react, but I’m nervous because all it would take is one of them, and there could be more outside.

“Fucking shoot him,” Hagen calls, and I press the blade closer to his throat.

“You want those to be your last words?”I say, and Hagen presses his lips tightly together.“You three, how many are outside?”

They look at each other, and the guy on the left speaks first.“Four.”

Fuck, that’s too many to take on my own without backup.Whitley looks at me like she’s thinking the same thing, and I know I’ve got to protect her no matter what.

At that moment, I hear something in the distance.Something loud that sounds like a tornado is blowing in.What the hell?

“It’s him,” Whitley says, and her eyes lock with mine.

That’s when I realize the sound coming from nearby is a helicopter.The ridgeline above us is cleared for a helipad, and he’s most likely going to land there.There are gunshots in the distance, and Whitley cries out.The three guards start to panic.

“Whose side are you on?”I ask them, and they immediately throw down their guns.“That’s the best decision you’ve made all day.”

“He’ll kill all of you,” Hagen says to the guards.“For seeing her, he’ll kill you dead.”

“If he kills them, it’s because you got them involved,” I tell Hagen, and then one of the guards runs out of the cabin.

The other two exchange a few quiet words I don’t hear, then they follow the first guy out.I’m not sure what’s going to happen to them, but I’m guessing if they’re caught running from the scene of the crime, it’s not going to be good.

“Let me go, you fucker,” Hagen hisses, but I see the fear in his eyes.

“I think I’m going to let Roy take care of you,” I say as I reach for the rope next to Whitley’s chair.

As soon as I’ve got Hagen hogtied, I go to Whitley and start cutting the rope at her hands and feet.The moment she’s free, she leaps into my arms and sobs against my neck.There’s more shooting in the distance, and I know we’re not safe like this.

Reaching over, I grab the guns the guards threw down and pull her against the wall.It’s blocked enough that we can see who is coming, but they won’t see us.

“Are you okay?”she asks quietly as she looks over my face and body.“I was so scared.”

Her hands are shaking, and I hold her against me and kiss her forehead.“I’m okay.I’ve got you in my arms, so nothing else matters.”

“Mack, I—”

“I love you.”I cut her off, and she smiles as tears fall down her cheeks.

“That’s what I was going to say.”

Wiping away the tears, I lean forward and kiss the wet trails.“I know, but I couldn’t wait.Seeing you like that was the worst moment of my life.I thought about how I’ve spent every moment before now without you, and I couldn’t do that again.Not now that I’ve tasted heaven.There’s no going back for me, Whitley.I love you, and you’re my everything.As soon as we’re out of here, I’m taking you to be my wife.Don’t argue with me.”

“Maybe I could shower first?”She says it like a question, and for the first time in what feels like forever, I smile.

“We’ll see,” I hedge, not wanting to waste any time.

The shots have gone quiet for a long time, and I wonder if something’s happened.Just then, the front door slowly opens, and I see a few guys dressed in all black creeping in.I hold my gun in front of us, but just as I aim, Whitley places her hand on my wrist to stop me.

“Those are my father’s men.”

Trusting her with both of our lives, I lower the weapon, and then I see Roy Baxter practically running into the house with a stricken look on his face.

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