Thea
“What are you doing here?” Cole asks again, refusing to open the door all the way.
That doesn’t stop the person behind it from shoving it open. Gavin walks in, followed by the two large bodyguards with guns in their waistbands, forcing Cole backward.
Gavin’s eyes slowly rove over the room like a king inspecting his domain. I detect the moment they find me, because my blood boils.
“I hired you to get the formula, not kidnap my chemist and Darren’s daughter,” Gavin says to Cole.
Cole crosses his arms over his chest. “You have your ways, I have mine.”
“Andi’s not your chemist,” I interject. In therapy my goal is to bring separate parties together, but it seems in my best interest to do the opposite. “She wants the formula for Lifeline.”
Gavin’s gaze swivels slowly on Andi. “You were going to double-cross me. Both of you. Weren’t you?
” Gavin’s face is a study in indifference.
Not a hint of anger is detectable in his placid expression.
“Good thing I had Landon put that tracker on your car last time we met,” Gavin says to Cole, whose face turns beet red.
Gavin turns his attention to Andi. “How much did Lifeline offer you?”
“Twice what you did,” Andi answers without hesitation.
“They’re lying. They don’t have that.” Gavin curses. “I can give you two point five million. Nothing more.”
“That sounds like your problem, not mine.” Andi stalks around the table, stopping in line with Cole.
Just like that, I’m forgotten. I work at the tape on my hand with my shard of glass while simultaneously moving slowly to the left, glancing over the chemicals on the table.
Calcium carbide. That reacts with something.
Water?
I slip the beaker below the table just as Cole looks in my direction, but he turns his attention away. There’s a water bottle on the edge of the table, and I scoot closer, flicking on the Bunsen burner as I pass.
“I will not let you take this from me!” Gavin yells as I snatch the water. I pour some water into the beaker and plug it with a stopper. “I’m taking the girl and the formula.”
All eyes fly to me.
“She’s useless, so she’s all yours,” Andi says with a smile.
Gavin turns back to Andi, and I slide the beaker next to the burner with my elbow.
I don’t know what’s about to happen, but I’m not safe here.
I step to the left, further from my concoction.
“Either you hand the formula over now, or I kill you both,” Gavin says. His two men pull out guns.
Cole isn’t about to be outdone. He holds out his gun while handing one to Andi. “Not if we kill you first.”