Page 148 of Hot for Hostage

“Not until we’re far away from Reed.” Jake ran a hand through his hair, disheveling the dark locks. “You know I’m looking out for you, right? If you want a man to look after you, you have other options. You don’t need to settle for a guy who spends his nights in back alleys with the rats and lowlifes.”

My grip tightened on the water cup. “I understand, and I’m grateful to have you watching out for me.” The lie tasted like sandpaper on my tongue, making me grimace. “But I don’t feel comfortable driving off like this. Please pull over, Jake.”

He scoffed. “Don’t be silly. You’re safe with me?—”

“Pull over.Now.”

Miraculously, he swerved the car to the side of the road and screeched to a stop—causing water to slosh over the rim of my cup.

Jake spun in his seat to face me, and his glare made my hands tremble. “Watch your tone. You don’t give me orders, Sadie.”

He reached for my jaw, startling me into action. I threw my water in his face—aiming for his eyes—at the same time I freed my seat belt. While he spluttered, I launched myself across the middle with a war cry and reached over him to yank open his door.

“What the hell?—?”

Jake blindly grabbed at me, and my momentum made us both tumble out the door onto the road in a tangle of limbs and dirt.

“Let me go!” I cried when he landed on top of me. I pushed at his chest, but he easily grappled me to the ground and straddled my waist. No amount of bucking or wiggling would make him move.

Great, now he was sitting on me.

“Calm down,” Jake ordered, grabbing my wrists and pinning them to the road.

I panted for air beneath him, and both of us realized at the same time that Davian’s jacket had unbuttoned during the scuffle—revealing my pink cupcake bra and a whole lot of cleavage.

Oh my.

Jake stared at my chest, eyes widening comically. “What the hell are you wearing?”

I squeezed my eyes shut and focused on pushing against his hold. “Get off me!”

This was going the exact opposite of how I’d hoped when I came up with the water cup plan.

“Why can’t you just listen?” Jake tightened his grip on my wrists, not budging. “I’m trying to help you, you ungrateful little?—”

Beep, beep!

Frantic honking cut Jake off, and we both looked up. The Happy Tails Haven Dog-Mobile chugged along, moving toward us in a dust cloud. I could just make out Gladys and Ryan waving frantically at me through the windshield.

Jake muttered a few choice curses above me. I tried to wiggle my wrists free, but his grip didn’t loosen.

The Dog-Mobile squealed to a stop a few meters away, but not before Davian and Bear jumped out the side door like crime-fighters in an action movie. I gaped up at them.

Bear shot over to us like a bullet, rammed straight into Jake, and knocked the jerk off me.

Jake screamed, and I scrambled backward on my butt before a pair of strong hands pulled me up. I looked up to meet Davian’s piercing glare.

He looked positively murderous. “You okay?”

I gulped and nodded, then he breezed past me toward Jake just as Bear sank his teeth into Jake’s arm.

I could swear Davian said, “Good boy, Bear,” before pulling Jake up by his collar—only to throw a punch at his face.

Uh-oh.

Bear let go and retreated to me, nudging my hip to herd me away from the violence.

“I know, I know,” I muttered to him, shuffling back and fumbling to rebutton the jacket. “Thanks, buddy.”

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