Page 11 of Ferocious Nightmare

I let the air fill with silence, letting the pregnant pause be my answer.

Finally, after a long moment, he spoke. “We need something from you first, before you get your answer."

"What?"

Angel slid his hand in his pocket and I tensed, but he pulled out a photo. Leaning forward, he slid it across my desk.

I stilled when I saw the face, then shot to my feet, my gun in my hand, pointed at him.

At the same moment, he was on his feet, his own gun pointed at me.

Tension replaced the earlier silence, neither of us trusting the other. Our hands were steady, our stare down serious, until…until he lowered his gun, not to the floor, but to the little girl sitting beside him. “Put the gun down, or I shoot her.”

Now she shot to her feet, staring at him with wide eyes, her whole body frozen.

"Put down the gun," I snarled at him.

"You first."

"Not until you tell me what you really want."

"I told you what I want," he jerked his head at the photo of Marie, the doctor.

"Why?”

He flashed a golden-tooth capped smirk. "That is none of your business."

"She's working for my father, that makes it my business."

"And that's exactly why we want you to bring her to us. Nero has her too locked down, we can't reach her without starting a war." His smirk widened, his eyes dancing with delight, "but it seems as if the Prince wants to start one anyways."

“I never said that.”

“You didn’t need to.” He jerked his head. “Taking on Nero King is a big risk. This is just a show of trust that you’re not going to start something you don’t intend to finish. You bring us the doctor, and we'll think about helping you."

Suddenly, the smell of piss hit my nose and I dared take my eyes off Angel's trigger finger to glance at the girl. There was a small wet spot on her white dress and a trickle of liquid down her inner legs.

"Lower your fucking gun," I thundered.

Angel's eyes narrowed at me. "I said, you fucking first."

Shit. The girl was quivering, her little body shaking. What the fuck kind of men was I getting myself involved with?

I hesitatingly lowered my gun, and Angel, slowly, lowered his.

Making a show of putting my gun on the desk, pointed away from him, I slowly made my way towards Lola. She was still trembling like a leaf.

Keeping my eyes on Angel, I knelt by her side. Turning her to look away from him, where she was still staring with wide eyes, I forced her to look at me.

I put my hands on her shoulders and her hazel eyes fixed on me. I stared in her eyes reassuringly, but spoke to Angel. "I will get you access to speak to Mrs. Brooks, but it will be at a time and location of my choosing. And you will assure her safety.”

“That’s acceptable.”

"But I want something in return."

"What?"

"You will swear to never hurt this girl, or point a gun at her again."

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