Page 106 of Hot for Hostage

It was too late for that. “I’m not leaving Bear, but it’s okay. I’ll explain everything to Davian. He won’t hurt us.”

I was glad my voice sounded more confident than I felt.

Bear lowered his head and growled toward the back of the van, and I gripped his collar. “It’s okay, boy.”

I hated lying to him.

Bear moved in front of me just as voices spoke on the other side of the doors. One of the handles jiggled.

I swallowed and braced myself to face the cold, calculating eyes of my ex-hostage.

But when the doors swung open and let in beams of sunlight, the guy leering down at me wasn’t Davian Reed.

Not even close.

stranger danger

. . .

Sadie

Sadie’s Guide toHostage-TakingBeing Taken HostageForming a Partnership with Your HostageEmbracing the Hostage LifestyleNot Freaking OutEscaping, Tip #29: Remember that tip about self-defense lessons? Yeah, get enrolled now, because the moment you realize you need them, it’ll be too late…

When we locked eyes and an arrogant smirk spread across the stranger’s face, my first instinct was to throw up.

Only the thought of being covered in my own vomit prevented me from hurling up all the cupcakes I’d scarfed down at Davian’s.

The man even reminded me of Davian. Tall, dark, and dangerous, but I was surprised to see he didn’t look much older than me.

It was the entourage of scary older men in dark clothes, flanking him, that made me dig my fingers into Bear’s fur.

The predatory way they all watched me made me feel like a cornered rabbit—and not in the fun and arousing way Davian did.

As if he could sense danger in the air, Bear lowered himself in front of me with a soft, rumbling growl. His head stayed low to the van’s floor, and the fur on his back stood up. Just now, he reminded me more of a wolf than a dog.

“Well, if it isn’t Davian Reed’s little girlfriend.” The guy in charge ignored Bear and looked over what he could see of me behind my bodyguard. He frowned, raising his voice. “You sure this is the right girl, bro?”

To my shock, the “bro” who limped into view around the Dog-Mobile’s doors was none other than Fessy from the car wash. He hobbled forward on a pair of crutches, and the bulky white bandage wrapped around his thigh made me wince.

When he looked at me, his nose wrinkled like he smelled something bad. “Yeah, that’s her. That’s the chick Reed was kissing on.”

But the longer the other guy looked at me, the bigger the furrow in his brow. “…You’re sure?”

His skepticism—as if he couldn’t believe Davian would go for someone likeme—stung, but I was still trying to comprehend what was happening right now.

“Fessy?” I wet my dry lips and laid a comforting hand on Bear’s rump. “What are you doing here?”

“You know these scoundrels, Sadie?” Gladys whispered behind me.

“He’s the one who took Bear!” I pointed at Fessy’s smug face. I didn’t know the other guy, but I doubted he was friendly if he was hanging out with a teenage gang leader. “And his gang vandalized the shelter.”

Fessy scowled at me and hobbled closer on his crutches—earning a loud warning growl from Bear—before the ringleader planted a hand on his chest to stop him.

“You’re sure this is the girl?” he repeated in a low voice.

“Positive, Zain.” Fessy lifted his chin. His beady little eyes glared daggers at me. “Reed shot me because of her crazy ass. She’s the one we want.”

My heart skipped a much-needed beat. “What do you mean youwantme?”

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