Chapter 7
Irony is such a little bitch.I’d chided Shae in my mind for banging on the door. It was impulsive and reckless. I’m of the opinion we’d be better served coming up with a calculated plan rather than going off half-cocked. Then I go and bust through the door trying to get to her.
She brought attention to herself, and there’s no telling what those assholes might do to her. Sure, she’s tougher than most women, but she’s not superhuman despite what she might think. It’s like she has no interest or awareness of her own safety.
Images of what a group of desperate men could do to a woman started to assault me when I heard Shae get tossed around in the hall. And because life loves to make hypocrites of us all, I ignored my own safety and abandoned all strategy by plowing through the door like a goddamn wrecking ball. Nearly tore the thing from its hinges. I had to get to her. If these guys lay one fucking finger on her … I’ll use my last breath making them pay.
What is it about this woman that she makes me lose my fucking mind? I feel like I’m constantly having to react instead of act with her around. Like she’s a human tornado—unpredictable and capable of total devastation.
I prefer to maintain a controlled environment, but that’s impossible with her around.
And now we’re back together, but something’s happening around us that has me on edge. It looks like they’re packing up—preparing to leave—and I have no idea what that means for us.
We’ve been ordered to sit against a wall in the main room. A young guy stands watch over us with a gun while the rest of the crew packs up.
“Looks like he’s got a huge cock.” She eyes the guard above us while I try to keep my head from exploding.
“Jesus fucking Christ, Shae.” The growled curse is half disbelief and half reprimand. Is she trying to get herself raped?
“Relax, big guy.” Amusement twists her lips with a smirk as her scrutinizing stare finally drops from the guard. “It was a test. Now we know he doesn’t speak English—not even the tiniest flinch at what I said.”
Fuck, she’s going to give me a coronary. “A little heads-up would have been nice.”
“And tip him off? That would have made the whole thing pointless.”
God, I hate it when she’s right.
“What now?” I ask under my breath.
“We know there’s eight of them.”
“I could probably take three but no more at once.”
“Same.”
The skepticism I feel must have shown through on my face because Shae shoots me a withering glare.
“Not that any of that matters with these damn zip ties are on.” I pull at my bindings, but all it does is bite into my skin.
“Leave that to me,” she says almost inaudibly. Her blue eyes meet mine, and though I’m not sure exactly what she has planned, it’s clear she has something in mind.
A nauseating cocktail of relief and dread roil in my gut.
“Listen, don’t do anything that will get you killed. I don’t want to have to explain to your cousins why I came back alive, and you didn’t.”
“How very chivalrous of you.” Despite everything, her murmured words are light and teasing. She’s laughing in the face of our circumstances, and I don’t know if I should be reassured or terrified.
“As if you’d want chivalry even if it were offered,” I shoot back, following her lead.
Her answering grin warms the room a solid five degrees. “Now you’re catching on.”
I shake my head with a small huff of amusement, though it withers fast. “Listen, Shae. I don’t want you doing anything crazy.”
Her voice takes on an equally somber tone. “You know as well as I do that the longer this goes on, the worse it is for us. We need to get out of here ASAP. I doubt we’ll have more than one chance. We need to use it wisely.”
“Agreed.” My voice is as grim as our circumstances.
Before we can say any more, the hum of a propellor engine grows louder until a small prop plane comes into view outside the hangar door window.
Shae leans in and speaks softly next to my ear. “I need you to trust me, Renzo. Tell me you’ll follow my lead.” The pleading in her voice rocks me, but it’s the sound of my name on her lips that clamps tight like a vise around my chest. I’m not sure I’ve heard her use my first name, and I like it far more than I should.
God, help me.
“It’s all you.”