Sylan puts distance between us. He strides across the room and slides on a black leather holster, unrolls his sleeves and slips diamond cufflinks into the holes.
Ours. His words burn into my brain. Fear skitters over my body. I can’t help but think about what he means by ours. Like cuffed to a wall? Tied to a bed? Shred between them? Or thrown in a basement somewhere forgotten?
All possibilities.
“Yours? Me?” I croak.
“Yes,” all three say in unison. “And I think we’re going to like having you as our little prisoner.”
“What is it you’re wanting from my father?”
“Money. Even men in our positions need it from time to time. Or something equally as valuable.” Sylan is back in front of me. He holds himself close, his nostrils flaring and I don’t care for the possessive hand he has on my jaw. “Your father likes to gamble too much for a man in his position, earning friends and foes. I’ll let you determine which we are to him.”
I blink hard twice. Blunt. I can appreciate that, but no way in hell am I playing into their little game of blackmail.
“Sorry. I think we both know my father would rather see me dead than try to save me from the likes of you. And another thing.” I straighten my spine to its full length and square my shoulders, not feeling the least bit intimidating to the likes of these men. “No one forces me to do a damn thing.” Righteous indignation spills over my declaration.
Sylan spreads his hands in front of him with an amused smile on his lips. “Let’s hope that’s not true about your father. For your sake,” Sylan adds in what almost sounds like a challenge.
“It seems we’re about to find out. Take a look.” Grey pulls his hand away and is across the room punching buttons as he speaks. I track his movements and immediately see the problem.
Muscles is back and he has brought company.
“Looks like I’ll only be in the way here. I’ll just leave.” I give a half salute and turn on my heel. Two steps toward the door and I’m being scooped up and pinned against an iron chest.
“Not so fast. You are exactly why they’re here. Let’s get this over with.” Grey smiles down at me and the other two move in until I’m flanked on three sides as we move through empty, dark hallways. A burst of light from a bulb hits my retinas and I throw up a hand as a door swings open and the men usher me into the night air.
A car is waiting for us and someone on the inside opens the door. I’m so focused on not wanting to be shoved inside their car I don't notice the other just as fatal details.
Like Muscles standing ten yards from us. Arms raised, the barrel of his semi-automatic pointed right at us. The black of his eyes capturing mine.
And then all hell breaks loose.
“Don’t shoot the girl. We take her alive. Kill the rest,” some disembodied asshole shouts into the fading evening, and chills claw down my spine.
My father sent these men to do his dirty work. But why? After all these years why does he now care about the daughter he never wanted?
I scramble out of Grey’s arms. Rough pavement cushions my fall and bits of loose pebbles and broken glass scrape down my bare knees and palms. “Arg!” I cry out, blood oozing from the ragged cuts. I duck for cover as the first rounds embed into the brick wall behind us.
“Damn it, woman!” Grey grabs for me but I’m faster and do my best attempt as a reverse crab walk to the nearest thing I can find, which is a rusted dumpster. I hope like hell it can hold together long enough for me to find a way out of… I scan my surroundings. A back alley? God help me.
“How many men?” That is Drake. He closes the little distance between us. An empty clip clatters to the pavement and he smoothly clicks another one in place with an ease that makes me kind of happy since he’s between me and whoever doesn’t want me shot. Despite that being a good thing, it also means they want me alive.
Not so good given I have a low tolerance to pain and torture.
“Fucking Kane,” Grey roars, fire in eyes.
“Next time I get my hands on that fucking weasel I’ll kill him just for breathing.” Drake is all but snarling his threat and all the while he keeps his body between me and the others.
I really need to reevaluate my life choices someday. If I survive whatever this is.
I push to my feet, my grand plan to make a mad dash for the club’s back door, but Drake and Grey lock me into place with no way around them.
“Are you crazy? I told you to stay behind us. Do you want to be an easy target practice?”
I pound fists against their backs. “Me? Crazy? I’m not the one having a shootout in a back alley for Christ's sake!”
Grey draws a second weapon from beneath his jacket, his attention half on me and the other half on the other guys.