Page 100 of Hot for Hostage

Gladys scoffed. “Why would I ask about that? We’ve got bigger fish to fry than speculating about some crime lord’s love life.”

“Right. Of course.” I felt silly for even bringing it up. “Forget I asked.”

“Sadie’s right, though. We need a plan,” Ryan said, pulling us back on track. He frowned at me from the passenger seat. “We can’t go to the cops, since they’re under the Reeds’ thumbs. Did Davian mention what he had planned? Was he threatening to hurt you?”

Gladys barked a laugh. “He was clearly playing with his food. Reed may want to keep Sadie around for his own amusement, but I won’t let him toy with her life.”

“It wasn’t like that!” A strangled protest left my throat, and I struggled to find the words to explain something that still felt like a fever dream. “A lot has happened since yesterday. Davian helped me, and he was so understanding about the whole gun thing. After we got Bear back, some thugs showed up at my apartment for retaliation, but then Vincesavedme. Dav even let Bear and me stay at his place last night?—”

“You stayed with himovernight?” Gladys’s voice grew exponentially pitchy, and she conveniently ignored the rest of what I’d said. “Sadie Marie Morris, you better not be telling me you’re sleeping with criminals you barely know now.”

“He’s not a crim—” I cut myself off, realizing how much of a lie it would be. Of course Davian was a criminal. I’d seen him shoot someone. Guards carrying weapons swarmed his estate—which I assumed was built on blood money and the bones of those who’d crossed him. He locked men in sheds. “Oh my god. I almost slept with a criminal!”

“Almost?” she asked sharply. “You mean you didn’t sleep with him?”

“Not exactly. We got interrupted.” Thinking about the patio and kitchen had my cheeks heating, and I loosened my grip on Bear. “But we did… other stuff.”

Gladys muttered a string of prayers from the front while Ryan grabbed his throat and pretended to gag. But I was shocked at myself. The girl I’d been a few days ago never would’ve even considered havingdinnerwith a guy like Davian—let alone fantasizing about doing dirty things to him.

“What have I become?” I whispered. Shacking up with a criminal. Doing unsanitary things in a baking environment. This wasn’t like me. “I’m not even wearing any underwear!”

Gladys slammed on the gas pedal, making the Dog-Mobile groan as it fought to keep up with her demands. We were definitely pushing the van’s limits today. “No underwear? What could you possibly have been doing back there that you lost your knickers?”

“I’d rather not hear the answer to that,” Ryan muttered, rubbing his throat.

Gladys didn’t even try to hide her disgust as she scowled. “I thought he didn’t want you to leave because he wants revenge forthat stunt you pulled with the gun. But you’re saying that man is sweet on you?”

She didn’t need to sound so shocked by it.

I huffed. “It might be hard to believe, but there are men on this planet who find me attractive?—”

“I’m not questioning your attractiveness, you silly girl. I’m questioning who Davian Reed thinks he is to get involved with a kindhearted girl like you. That bastard has even less shame than I thought.”

Bear leaned into me as the van hit a bump, and I rubbed his chest. “Well, it doesn’t matter anymore. I might’ve misjudged our connection.”

Vince’s warnings haunted me, seeping into my thoughts like poison.

You’re a distraction. A sweet thing he can play with.

Gladys sighed. “You say that now, but I swear, child. You better not have magical lady bits that make him come after you.”

“Don’t be silly, Gladys.” My doctor once told me all vaginas were unique, but I doubted she meant some were actuallymagical. I figured she’d spotted something weird about mine and wanted to make me feel better. “We just need to hide out for a little, and I’m sure Davian Reed will forget all about me.”

After all, he had a whole line of fully qualified mafia princesses just waiting for him to choose one of them.

I huffed and rolled my eyes toward the van’s ceiling.Stop thinking about the princesses.

“We can’t afford to take any chances.” Gladys tightened her grip on the wheel. “In fact, we shouldn’t even stay in the States. Ryan, pull up directions to Mexico.”

He frowned. “Isn’t Canada closer?”

“Guys, I don’t think we need to leave the country—” My phone vibrated inside my bra, making me snap my mouth shut.Keeping one hand on Bear’s collar as we took a wide turn, I dug out my phone and checked who was calling.

The name on the screen made my eyes bug out.

“Oh god.” I jolted forward, and Bear’s ears pricked up. “Davian’s calling me. What do I do?”

“Don’t answer it!” Gladys jerked the van into a hard right turn. Ryan and I both clung to the nearest thing we could reach, and a can of wet dog food rolled across the floor at my feet. Bear watched it with interest. “Better yet, toss your phone out the window. He could be tracking you.”

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