Page 112 of Misdirection

She was far from being out of danger. Sonny still held his gun toward her, and a locked door separated her from Jason. As soon as Sonny heard any movement, he would turn. See Jason. React.

Then mere seconds would decide everyone’s fate.

Would Sonny pull the trigger in time to take Jason down?

Or would Olive be able to stop him?

“I don’t know why you’re looking at me,” Sonny snapped. “I need you to put that code in the computer. Since you obviously have no care for your own life, then how about this? If you don’t do as I say, then I’ll kill Jason.”

All the moisture left her throat so fast it ached. “Why would you pull him into this? I thought he was your friend.”

Sonny’s gaze darkened. “He’s my boss.Ishould have had his position. I’ve worked at this company for twenty years. But instead of promoting me, Jason swept in and took what should have rightfully been mine.”

Another layer was peeled back on this man’s motivation. He’d felt overlooked, underpaid, and like he’d never get ahead.

He was the perfect person for Adriana to target.

But Olive had to convince Sonny this wasn’t the way to remedy the fact he’d been overlooked and undervalued.

“Do you understand what I’m telling you?” Sonny growled. “Now turn around!”

“Understood.” She did as he said.

Sonny pressed the gun to her back, and she flinched.

She kept her ears attuned to everything around her, knowing she couldn’t look over her shoulder again. The movement would be too obvious and would give away Jason’s presence.

Then Olive heard it.

The almost nonexistent sound of someone opening the door.

She began humming to cover any sounds of Jason creeping inside. Maybe not her best idea but her only one right now.

“Why are you humming ‘Song of the South’?” Sonny snapped. “Have you lost your mind? Is this a game to you or something? You do realize I have a gun to your head.”

“I hum when I get nervous.” The song had been one of Jason’s favorites back in the day. He loved talking about sweet potato pie and fields of cotton.

The memory was so bittersweet right now. She’d become a shell of the person she once was. Would she ever have the chance to regain all the things that had made her human?

She’d kept everyone at a distance for so long. The action had kept her emotionally safe.

But it had also kept her life empty.

Maybe she should remedy that. But would she have the chance?

Suddenly, an alarm filled the air.

“What’s that?” Sonny grumbled.

“The fire alarm,” Olive told him as lights began to flash over them.

Who had set off the fire alarm?

Olive turned in time to see Sonny pivot.

Then everything happened quickly.

Jason lunged into the room.

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