Page 103 of Hot for Hostage

“It’s so sweet of you to care, but I’ll be fine,” she said softly, before her voice strengthened. “Despite what Vince thinks, I can protect myself.”

Her determination to prove herself made me scowl.What the hell did Vince say to her?

Sadie cleared her throat again. “By the way, you didn’t happen to put a tracking app on my phone, did you?”

“No, but I should’ve.”

“Davian!”

I grunted. “Will you at least go to the shelter so my guys can keep you safe?”

Another pause. “That depends. Will they take me back to your compound if I do that?”

I hadn’tnotconsidered that option, so I couldn’t lie to her. “This is the safest place for you right now.”

She heaved another sigh—heavier than the last one.

“That’s what I thought,” she whispered. “No, I’m not going to the shelter.”

I leaned over the counter, not recognizing my own voice when it dropped to a rasp. “You’re killing me here, sweetheart.”

Yelling sounded on her end of the call, and Sadie’s voice turned muffled. “I’m sorry, Dav, but I can’t be your sweetheart right now. I need to go.”

“Don’t hang?—”

Click.

A string of curses flew from my mouth, and I had half a mind to launch my phone at the wall. But I couldn’t risk Sadie not being able to reach me.

Which left me standing in the middle of the kitchen, glaring at my phone like an idiot.

Vince was doing a piss-poor job of hiding a smirk as his shoulders shook, and I sneered at him. “What are you laughing at?”

He coughed into his fist and kicked off the wall. “Nothing. I just feel like I’m witnessing history. Never thought I’d see the day you lose your cool over a woman.”

I shook my head, but I couldn’t argue. It was true. “I told you to stay out of my sight.”

His smirk only widened. “I won’t apologize for looking out for you, because that girl will only bring you trouble. But I’m here to make things right. What’s the plan?”

“Get word to our team at the shelter in case she goes there anyway.” I pocketed my phone and headed for the garage. “Any word from Malcolm and Shane?”

“They’re on the road but haven’t found the van yet,” he said, following me. “Where are you going?”

I pulled out my gun and checked the clip. “To get Sadie.”

For once, Vince held his tongue and didn’t try to stop me.

Smart man.

He followed me to the mudroom, where I kept an extra pair of shoes for quick departures.

Except I paused in the doorway, because my shoes weren’t here. Instead, a brown stick covered in chew marks sat in their place.

A flicker of rage sparked in my chest as my eyes fell shut, and I took a deep breath.

That fucking hellhound.

you can run, but you can’t…

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