47. Stranger Danger
stranger danger
. . .
Sadie
Sadie’s Guide to Hostage-Taking Being Taken Hostage Forming a Partnership with Your Hostage Embracing the Hostage Lifestyle Not Freaking Out Escaping, Tip #29: Remember that tip about self-defense lessons? Yeah, get enrolled now, because the moment you realize you need them, it’ll be too late…
When we locked eyes and an arrogant smirk spread across the stranger’s face, my first instinct was to throw up.
Only the thought of being covered in my own vomit prevented me from hurling up all the cupcakes I’d scarfed down at Davian’s.
The man even reminded me of Davian. Tall, dark, and dangerous, but I was surprised to see he didn’t look much older than me.
It was the entourage of scary older men in dark clothes, flanking him, that made me dig my fingers into Bear’s fur.
The predatory way they all watched me made me feel like a cornered rabbit—and not in the fun and arousing way Davian did.
As if he could sense danger in the air, Bear lowered himself in front of me with a soft, rumbling growl. His head stayed low to the van’s floor, and the fur on his back stood up. Just now, he reminded me more of a wolf than a dog.
“Well, if it isn’t Davian Reed’s little girlfriend.” The guy in charge ignored Bear and looked over what he could see of me behind my bodyguard. He frowned, raising his voice. “You sure this is the right girl, bro?”
To my shock, the “bro” who limped into view around the Dog-Mobile’s doors was none other than Fessy from the car wash. He hobbled forward on a pair of crutches, and the bulky white bandage wrapped around his thigh made me wince.
When he looked at me, his nose wrinkled like he smelled something bad. “Yeah, that’s her. That’s the chick Reed was kissing on.”
But the longer the other guy looked at me, the bigger the furrow in his brow. “…You’re sure?”
His skepticism—as if he couldn’t believe Davian would go for someone like me —stung, but I was still trying to comprehend what was happening right now.
“ Fessy? ” I wet my dry lips and laid a comforting hand on Bear’s rump. “What are you doing here?”
“You know these scoundrels, Sadie?” Gladys whispered behind me.
“He’s the one who took Bear!” I pointed at Fessy’s smug face. I didn’t know the other guy, but I doubted he was friendly if he was hanging out with a teenage gang leader. “And his gang vandalized the shelter.”
Fessy scowled at me and hobbled closer on his crutches—earning a loud warning growl from Bear—before the ringleader planted a hand on his chest to stop him.
“You’re sure this is the girl?” he repeated in a low voice.
“Positive, Zain.” Fessy lifted his chin. His beady little eyes glared daggers at me. “Reed shot me because of her crazy ass. She’s the one we want.”
My heart skipped a much-needed beat. “What do you mean you want me?”
“Listen, we don’t want any trouble,” Ryan said slowly. He placed a calming hand on my shoulder, but I did not feel calmed. “Why doesn’t everyone just take a moment to breathe, then we can talk this out?”
A smirk curled Zain’s lips, and my stomach twisted. I’d mistaken his look for leering earlier, but it was something more covetous than that. Which somehow was even creepier to be on the receiving end of.
He cocked a brow at Ryan. “If your friend didn’t want trouble, then she shouldn’t have messed with my brother.”
… Brother?
“Wait. You two are related?” I asked, looking back and forth between them. They both had the same thick brows and dark hair. But where Fessy was a gangly teenager, Zain had filled out into a man. He had scruff on his jaw and wore a dark suit, while Fessy was still sporting a baggy basketball jersey three sizes too big.
But they’d teamed up, chased down the Dog-Mobile to find me, and brought a group of scary men with guns along for the ride.
This was not good.
“Blood was spilled, and I won’t let an attack on my family go unanswered,” Zain continued, ignoring my question. “Reed’s gotta pay for what he did.”
Okay, this wasn’t just not good. It was bad. Very bad. And I needed to salvage it before things got even worse.
“All we wanted was to get Bear back and to stop the Skulls from messing with Happy Tails Haven,” I explained, trying to keep my voice calm and reasonable. But I was really starting to freak out a bit. “I didn’t want anyone to get hurt, and I’m sure Davian is sorry?—”
A sharp laugh from Zain made me snap my lips shut. His lackeys snickered, and a sour taste filled my mouth.
“Reed has never been sorry in his life, but that’s about to change,” Zain drawled. His eyes flicked to me again and went cold. “Grab her.”
“Whoa!” I gasped, scooting back on my butt and knocking into the center console. “Wait a second now?—”
Bear’s growl reverberated through the van.
A lot happened at once, and my brain struggled to keep up in all the chaos. Two of the scary men jumped into the back of the van just as Ryan grabbed my arms, pulling me back. But more men opened the front doors and swiftly overtook Gladys and Ryan.
Then Bear lunged at our attackers.
“Bear, no!” I scrambled after him, worried he’d get hurt. “Don’t do that, boy. Come here!”
But the joke was on me, because from his victim’s pained yelp, Bear was winning.
I was torn between scolding him and cheering him on.
The other henchman grabbed my ankle, and I desperately kicked to shake him off—earning a grunt when my foot connected with his shoulder.
Once again, I really wished I’d remembered to put on a fresh pair of underwear as my skirt flew up with the kick.
“Stupid dog,” Fessy yelled, and I looked up just as he lifted a crutch and swung at Bear.
“Don’t hurt him,” I cried, using one hand to hold down my skirt as I kicked again—aiming for my attacker’s face.
My heel connected with a satisfying crunch , and he jerked back with a howl.
Only for two other scowling goons to take his place.
I huffed. This was not how I’d imagined things going when I left Davian’s place.
“Hang in there, Sadie!” Gladys yelled just as the men grabbed my ankles and dragged me out of the van.
“Gladys! Ryan!” I yelled. Giving up on maintaining any modesty, I flailed with everything I had against their steel grips. It did nothing. But while it might be too late for me, my friends still had a chance. “Run for it!”
“Like hell we’ll leave you,” Gladys called back, followed by a loud thump . “Get your grubby little paws off me, you ruffian!”
In the midst of the mayhem, I looked toward the road for help as the goons pulled me to my feet—but the SUVs blocked any passing cars from sight.
Bear leapt to my rescue, latching on to the arm of one of the men holding me and thrashing with a vicious snarl. The man cursed and shoved Bear off him.
Bear planted himself between the two guys holding me and the SUVs, and the goons hesitated. They could tell Bear had no intention of letting them take me past him.
“What are you waiting for? Get her in the car,” Zain ordered from behind Bear.
I used their hesitation to struggle against my captors, even if getting free felt impossible. The one on my left grunted. “But the dog…”
Bear snarled and jumped forward with a warning nip, making the men yank me backward with them.
“Just shoot the damn thing,” Zain snapped, pulling a gun out of his waistband.
Terror stole my breath, and I stopped struggling.
Shoot Bear?
“ Stop . Don’t hurt him!” I gasped out, going limp in the men’s holds. “I’ll go with you, okay? Just let Bear and my friends go, and I’ll go with you. Please .”
Zain snorted and barely spared me a glance.
“Who said we need your permission?” he asked. When he raised the gun at Bear’s snarling form, my heart dropped into my stomach. “You’re going with us whether you cooperate or not.”
“Please!” I cried as tears blurred my vision. The urge to throw up reared its ugly head again, but I swallowed it. “Don’t shoot. Please don’t shoot him. I’ll do anything. I promise, just don’t shoot.”
Zain’s head tilted to one side as he watched Bear. And for one terrifying, paralyzing moment, I thought he would pull the trigger.
Until Fessy limped forward and stopped beside his brother. “You’re not really gonna shoot the dog, are you?”
Zain rolled his eyes. “What do you care?”
“I don’t,” Fessy backtracked quickly. He balanced on one crutch and scratched the back of his head. “…But he’s just a dog.”
“He’s not ‘just’ anything,” I protested through my tears. “He’s Bear, and he’s my best friend?—”
“Holy shit. Fine .” Zain lowered the weapon and jerked his chin impatiently in my direction. “You have ten seconds to control your animal, or I’ll shut him up myself.”
The two men holding my arms loosened their grips until I could break free, and I ran up to Bear just as he darted past me to jump on one of the goons. His teeth latched on to an arm, sinking into skin and earning a howl of pain that gave me a heart attack.
“Bear, stop !” I yelled over the man’s screams, terrified Zain would decide to shoot now.
Bear let go immediately, backing off his victim and standing guard between me and the men who’d held me. He kept growling, eyes never leaving the one he’d singled out.
I was just relieved he’d listened to me. Now, I needed to make sure he kept listening and didn’t give Zain any reasons to shoot.
“It’s okay, Bear,” I cooed to him, easing around to his side. “It’s okay. Sit .”
He obeyed again, plopping his butt down but not letting up on his growls. I fell to my knees at his side and wrapped my arms around him in a big hug.
He wasn’t feeling the love at first and tried to wiggle free, but I tightened my hold. “It’s okay. It’s okay.”
I kept repeating it over and over, until the force of his growling slowly faded, leaving just a light rumbling from his chest.
“Thank you for protecting me,” I whispered, combing my fingers through his fur to calm him.
“Sadie Marie, don’t do this,” Gladys called to me. “You can’t go with those men.”
I took my focus off Bear long enough to see men pulling Gladys and Ryan around the side of the van. It took three of them to drag Ryan, even though he wasn’t putting up a fight.
Swallowing, I raised my voice. “What else am I supposed to do?”
She didn’t have an answer for that.
Neither did I.
When Bear whined into my ear, I squeezed him even tighter. “I need you to be a good boy and stay with Ryan and Gladys now, okay? Stay .”
Gladys spoke up again—telling me not to go—but I focused on Bear.
“Take care of them, okay? They need you now,” I whispered. I needed him, too. But more than that, I needed Bear and my friends safe. I’d never forgive myself if something happened to them because of me. I allowed myself one more Bear-hug and pressed a big kiss to the side of his snout. “I’ll be right back.”
When I pulled away, his big sad puppy-dog eyes cracked my heart straight down the middle, and I swallowed a sob.
“See? Nice and calm. You’re such a good boy, Bear,” I murmured through a tight throat, unable to resist scratching between his ears one more time. “I love you so much.”
“That’s enough.” Zain grabbed my arm and yanked me back from Bear, making me grit my teeth. “Get in the car.”
I stood on shaky legs and forced myself to turn away as even more tears escaped. I could feel Bear’s confusion as I walked away with the scary men.
His soft whine almost broke me, and I stumbled a step before Zain pushed me forward.
Fessy balanced on one of his crutches and opened the back door for me, but I paused in front of it to squint up at Zain. “You promise you won’t hurt them?”
His thick eyebrow rose. “You’re the only one we need. Your friends are free to go.”
I gave a short nod. It wasn’t a promise, but it’d have to do.
Bear’s whine morphed into barking, and I squeezed my eyes shut to stop myself from looking back. I didn’t want him to see me cry. It would only confuse him more.
So, I grasped the door handle with a trembling hand and moved to climb in.
“But to make sure you behave during the drive…” Zain trailed off behind me. “Sweet dreams, cupcake.”
I had a second to frown—and shudder at the unwelcome pet name—before pain exploded behind my eyes.
I dropped like a sack of potatoes as everything went dark.