Page 103 of My Vigilante Valentine

Before I could react, he was there.

How was he so fast?

He hauled me away from the glass and deeper into the warehouse, and although I tried to fight him off, he was also way too strong.

See? This is why I asked for the superhero version of Jax’s training. But no, he had to assume he was a special superhero snowflake, and I wouldn’t need those skills.

I struggled in The Villain’s grasp, but there was only so much I could do with my hands literally tied behind my back.

And my feet, too.

“A for effort,” he sang, dropping me roughly onto a metal chair. “But you’ll want to save your energy. The show hasn’t even started yet. In fact, maybe you should take a nap. You know, rest, in case it’s a long night?”

I grimaced. Was he quoting what I’d said at the coffee shop earlier?

“I’m sorry I don’t have a bed for you, though.”

And that answers that question.

“Oh, ew,” I murmured as the depth of his surveillance sank in. “Is my shop bugged? Our phones?.”

He ignored me, but whatever.

He’d clearly bugged something, and that took creepy to a whole new level.

But after The Villain went on to secure me to the chair with more zip ties, I dug deep, looking for some inner zen.

Jax was coming.

And if I couldn’t get free because zip ties truly were a formidable restraint?

There were other things I could do.

Observe. Gather information. Look for weaknesses.

Talk.

Could I get this guy to spill his full supervillain origin story and then somehow use it against him?

Those ideas—and more—were what made me valuable to the team and what would be of use when the moment came.

I just had to hang onto that and remember my training so that when Jax arrived—I would be ready.

Because that was what partners did.

They had each other’s backs. No matter what.

24

no matter what

The lights of the city filtered through my open windows when I opened my eyes, and for once, I didn’t immediately jump back into vigilante mode after my afternoon nap.

Instead, I let myself enjoy the quiet moment, thinking about how different everything felt now that I wasn’t alone in this fight.

Having a team—having Luna—had changed things. Changed me.

Even with The Valentine Villain still out there, even with our trap set for tonight, I felt... lighter.

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