Page 137 of Hot for Hostage

“Dav?” Sadie frowned at me. “What are you planning? Why do you need to talk to him?”

“I just want to follow up on our call.” I squeezed her hip. “Wait here.”

Her gaze narrowed, but she stayed put and scratched between Bear’s ears when I stepped away.

I stopped Zain when Shane went to walk him past us, taking ahold of his jaw and holding tight when he tried to jump back.

“Relax, Ali. I won’t hurt you today,” I murmured. “You’ve got three weeks to think about what I’ll do to you before you’ll be mine.”

I didn’t imagine the way his jaw trembled in my grip.

Zain wet his lips, gaze flitting around us. “I didn’t touch her, man. If she said I did, she’s lying?—”

“Not the argument I’d go with, if I were you,” I warned. “Try again.”

A scowl twisted his mouth. “You’re a real shit, Reed. You know, maybe I’ll think about your sweet little Sadie over there for the next three weeks. She’ll make the time fly by.”

Instinct wanted me to snap his neck. Pure force of will allowed me to release his jaw and step back instead.

“Untie him,” I ordered Shane.

Shane stepped forward and cut the zip tie, letting Zain pull his arms free from behind his back and massage his wrists.

I curled two fingers at him. “Go ahead. Hit me.”

His dark brows pulled together, feet staying planted. “Huh?”

“Hit me,” I repeated. “I know you want to. You acted like a big shot on that call—now’s your chance to prove it before they lock you up.”

He still hesitated.

“I’m not an idiot.” Zain glanced at the cops milling around. “I know what you’re doing.”

“Giving you a shot? The opportunity to back up your talk so you don’t look like even more of a pussy when news of today spreads?” I asked. “Yeah, I am. What are you waiting for?”

He thought about it for another second, then took a swing, and I easily brushed his fist aside before landing a blow to his jaw.

Sadie gasped behind me as Zain reeled back with a curse, but the cops did nothing.

“Good. Now, let’s try this again.” I pulled a switchblade from my pocket, flipped the blade open, and handed it to him. “Go on.”

Zain rubbed his jaw and blinked down at the blade.

“Davian,” Sadie whispered behind me. “Maybe we should draw a line at playing with knives. Want to go get ice cream or something? My treat.”

But Zain was already lunging for me again, and I knocked the hand with the blade aside.

It felt good to let off a little steam.

And even better than the rush of adrenaline was the painful crunch of Zain’s nose when I grabbed the back of his neck and slammed his face against the SUV.

The second round with Zain turned bloody quickly. I easily dodged his blind swipe with the knife, then twisted his wrist todisarm him. Another smash of his face into the back of the SUV sent more blood gushing from his nose. Zain cursed through the blood and tears, shouting expletives at me and throwing wild punches, which missed by a mile.

“Davian, stop!” Sadie cried at the sight of blood. “Malcolm! Where the heck did you put my broom?”

Bear’s loud barks joined her yelling.

I leaned to the side to avoid Zain’s sluggish punch, then grabbed his shirt and went to swing at his jaw again.

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