Page 224 of The Re-Proposal

Now he’s the one who looks like a bum. His beard is thick and scraggly and he desperately needs a haircut. Scratch that. A haircutanda shower. I’m choking on the putrid scent wafting off him.

There’s a black van waiting downstairs.

The back door slides open and a degenerate who looks even girthier than Winifred peers at me from the driver’s seat. These guys are definitely not professional criminals. They move with no finesse, no intelligence.

“This her?” The driver sweeps his eyes over me.

“Yup. She’s Cody Bolton’s lover. Guy worships her farts. I know we can get a good deal on her.”

“We better,” the degenerate says, popping gum. “I already took out the suit next door, but we gotta move.”

“I’m not moving until I see my mother.”

“Get in.” Winifred shoves me and I stumble into the car. He wastes no time grabbing duct tape.

I glare at him, considering my options.

My detail is ‘taking a nap’, which I now know means that he was taken out by Winifred’s partner.

My cell phone is in my back pocket, but it’s not like I can call the cops in front of them. The most I can do is stall and hope someone sees I’m being shoved into a black van.

“Where’s my mother?” I demand.

“You’ll see her soon enough,” the driver snarls.

I imagine crushing my sensible pumps straight into the back of his skull. I wish I hadn’t left behind all the shoes Cody bought for me. Mimi’s got a thing for long, thin stilettos. I could have used the back end of a heel right about now.

Winifred struggles with the tape.

“How do I get this damn thing?” Winifred asks, glancing at the other guy almost helplessly. “I can’t find the crease.”

“Idiot.” Snarly Mouth snaps the tape from him.

I eye the door, seeing that they’re both occupied.

“Keep the gun on her,” Snarly Mouth instructs.

Winifred lifts his weapon.

Dammit.

I missed my window.

My breath escapes in quick spurts. I need to be more focused in case another chance comes around.

“Here.” The guy hands Winifred the tape with the end flapping while Winifred gives him the weapon.

Snarly Mouth scratches the back of his neck with the gun. I don’t think that’s safe. But it would be no skin off my back if he accidentally blew his own head off and solved my problem for me.

“Make sure you tie her good.”

“I got it.” Winifred trembles as he binds me. Sweat runs down his face and he can’t look me in the eyes.

“You realize what happens if the police catch you, right?” I whisper so his unhinged partner doesn’t hear. “You’re not this guy, Winifred. You have goals. Ambitions. It’s still possible for you if you stop here.”

His eyes remain on the tape. “It’s over for me. Bolton made sure of that.”

“Cody can fire you from a job. But that’s it. He has no more power over you. You’re still free. In fact, you’re more free than before because no one can tell you what to do. There’s so much you can do with that potential. You have the chance to start again. To grow. To be anything you want to be.” I send the driver a side eye. “Anything except a criminal.”

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