Jacqueline swallowed because her throat felt desert dry and because a really big lump had seemed to be choking her.
“How much are you getting paid to bring Jacqueline back?” Remy asked.
“F-fifty grand. Twenty-five for me, twenty-five for Nate.”
“Dumbass.” Remy exhaled. “She is worth so much more.”
“Why does your boss want her?” It was Constantine’s turn to ask a question.
“I-I don’t know,” Tim rushed to reply. “They’re engaged, so, uh, maybe he just misses her.”
She could have sworn her skin crawled at that response. “We’re not engaged.”
Tim darted his gaze toward her. He blinked behind his glasses. “Boss says you are. Boss says you’re the key for him. That you’re everything he needs.”
“Your boss is crazy.” The flatness of her voice surprised her, especially since she felt as if she was shaking apart on the inside. “I don’t want to have anything to do with Preston. I ran away from him.”
Constantine pursed his lips. “Some guys just can’t take a clue.”
“Does he have another safe?” Remy snapped.
Nate and Tim looked at each other. Then back at Remy. “What safe?”
Remy smiled at Nate. “Want me to break the other hand?”
Nate curled in on himself. “I don’t know about a safe! He didn’t tell me anything! He just—he wants her back! He needs her. Boss is freaking obsessed with her.”
Wonderful. Just what she didn’t need in her life.
Constantine reached into his pocket and hauled out a phone. “Our new friend Nate had this on him. A little scroll through his contact list showed me that his boss was listed. Want to make the call, or shall I?”
What were they talking about? Surely, they weren’t going tocallPreston?
“I will.” Remy held out his left hand. Constantine tossed the phone to him.
“Man, you are making a mistake,” Tim warned. “You do not want to come up on his radar. The boss is powerful. He’s got more friends than you can guess.”
“I’ve got a few friends. They tend to be useful. I’ve also got some people whoaren’tfriends, but they still owe me. So I’m sure they’ll be useful, too. We’ll get to all those individuals soon enough. But first…” He scrolled through the phone. “Here we go. How helpful. You don’t even have him listed under a fake name.” He tapped the screen and a moment later, she could hear the sound of a ringing phone filling the room. Remy had put the call on speaker.
“Your funeral,” Nate muttered.
“Doubtful.”
The phone was answered on the third ring. “Nate, tell me you have her.”
She flinched at the sound of Preston’s voice.
Nate opened his mouth.
Remy shook his head.
Nate’s mouth instantly snapped closed.
“Nate can’t come to the phone right now. He’s too busy trying not to get his other hand broken. He’s also cuffed at my feet so…Busy.” Remy seemed oddly cheerful.
“Who the fuck is this?”
“I’m the man who is calling to tell you that your obsession with Jacqueline is over. You aren’t going to send anyone else after her. You aren’t going to look for her at all. If you want to keep breathing, you’ll forget that she even exists.”