Page 154 of Hot for Hostage

My chest rumbled with a laugh, and even Vince grinned.

“I won’t underestimate you again,” he said. “But I won’t sit by and watch you get abducted again, either. I’m going to teach you self-defense, so you don’t have to rely on house plants and cleaning tools. We’ll start tomorrow morning.”

Sadie’s head snapped up, and her mouth opened before closing again. “…Really? You want to teach me how to fight?”

I eyed Vince with the same disbelief. It wasn’t a small thing for him to offer—especially since he’d harbored a grudge against Sadie ever since she nicked his gun.

Vince sniffed and looked over to where Gladys and Ryan were dancing with a pack of dogs. “Well, not if you’re gonna make a big deal out of it.”

“No, no. I wouldn’t dream of making it a big deal.” Sadie beamed at him. “Tomorrow morning. I’ll be there. Thank you.”

Vince nodded curtly and walked off, but he stopped when I called after him.

“Thank you,” I said. Maybe he was atoning for what’d gone down with Seb, or maybe he just knew Sadie wasn’t going anywhere, but I was grateful either way.

He dipped his chin before leaving, and Sadie looked at me, all smiles.

“I get to learn how to beat up grown men,” she said excitedly.

I shook my head with a laugh. “I think Vince’s lessons will focus more on escape maneuvers and how to avoid any fighting.”

Her nose scrunched. “That doesn’t sound as fun.”

“It’s not about fun.” Unable to resist, I tucked a loose strand of pink hair behind her ear. She gravitated closer. “It’s about keeping you safe.”

“Oh.” Sadie chewed on her lip, and I admired the way her cheeks flushed, before she perked up. “Do you think he’ll teach me how to knock down a door? In case I need to escape a locked room, of course.”

I grinned. She wasn’t fooling anyone. “Doors are part of the more advanced training.”

But from the way my right-hand man was acting, she’d won him over. Vince would teach Sadie whatever she asked him to.

And even if Vince’s training crashed and burned, I’d make sure to have plenty of brooms handy for her.

Sadie seemed satisfied with my answer, and she wrapped an arm around my shoulders while watching the dogs play. Her fingers found my hair again, combing through the strands in a slow, soothing rhythm that lulled my eyes closed even as loud music blared through the speakers.

“I’m new to all this, so today has been full of new experiences and surprises,” she said after a minute. “But is it weird the hostage call earlier kinda turned me on?”

Thatgot my attention.

I cracked my eyes open to study her beneath hooded lids. “Go on.”

Leaning closer with a smile, she whispered into my ear, “I haven’t been able to stop thinking about what you said to Zain.”

I raised a brow, pretty certain she wasn’t talking about when I’d promised to tear that kid’s body limb from limb. “Which part?”

“When you called me yours,” she murmured, making my one-handed grip on her waist tighten. I took a pull of beer to mask the slow grin taking over my face, and Sadie cleared herthroat as she drew back. Her gaze dropped to my mouth. “Do you want to go make out in the back room of the shelter?”

Like an idiot, I choked on my beer and had to cough into my elbow to recover. It turned my voice hoarse. “Repeat that?”

Sadie wet her lips, and I didn’t stand a chance against the mischievous glint in her gaze. “You heard me.”

She didn’t even need to ask. With the way she was looking at me right now—with laughter and affection dancing in her gorgeous eyes—I’d follow her anywhere.

hot for hostage

. . .

Sadie

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