Page 111 of Hot for Hostage

An entire wall of drywall was missing, leaving exposed and frayed wires. The wall across from it had clearly been mauled by a sledgehammer. Most of the carpet had been ripped up, and my upper lip curled at the dirty futon in the corner with a raggedy blanket and a bunch of rusty nails sprinkled on top. Both windows were covered by dark bedsheets.

As I eyed the ropes tying my wrists to the armrests and felt others wrapped around my ankles, it slowly sank in that my current predicament was exactly what Vince had warned me about—that I’d be used against Davian. And I couldn’t help feeling embarrassed by how I’d reacted before Zain had rudely hit me over the head. A crying, blubbering mess was the exact opposite of the woman Vince said Davian needed at his side, but seeing Zain point a gun at Bear had really frightened me. It felt warranted to cry a little.

But now, I needed to be brave.

Luckily, neither of the boys had noticed I was awake yet, so after being creeped out by the room, I used the opportunity to eavesdrop.

“Reed shot you over this girl, so she must mean something to him,” Zain was telling his brother. “This is our payday.”

Fessy didn’t look so sure, and he shifted his weight to lean on one of his crutches. “Yeah, but what if he retaliates?”

“Then we’ll handle it. No one messes with our family. Not even the Reeds. We’ve got a chance to get what we’ve been owed for years now.”

Or maybe my time would be better spent distracting them from their evil plotting.

“Why is there a bathtub in here?” I side-eyed a large grey-stained tub across from the futon. “Nothing about this place looks up to code.”

Fessy’s head snapped in my direction. “She’s awake.”

“No shit,” Zain muttered. He walked over and kicked the chair leg my right ankle was tied to, making my heart jump as I clung to the armrests. He wore the same no-nonsense look Gladys used with the dogs when they misbehaved. “Tell me exactly who you are to Reed.”

“What?” Instinct told me to deny any involvement. “I’m no one. I barely even know Davian.”

“She’s lying.” Fessy scowled, hobbling over to stand behind his brother. “He shot me because of her.”

“I only just met him yesterday,” I said, which was the truth.

“So, you just met him, but you were hanging out at his place today?” Fessy’s brows rose. “That was fast.”

“Well, it’s a bit of a complicated story.” I frowned. “Wait. How did you know I was at his place? And you knew I was in the Dog-Mobile before you chased us, too!”

A proud smirk curled Zain’s lips. “I don’t reveal my sources.”

My eyes widened.Sources?Could one of Davian’s men have betrayed him?

My mind went to Vince first, but I didn’t think he would do that. He’d been keeping me at the compound so Davian would be safe.

Unless it was all an act.

“Listen.” I tried to sound professional even as the ropes around my wrists and ankles were cutting into my circulation. “I don’t want any trouble. All I wanted was my dog back. I’m sure if we put our differences aside and speak from our hearts, we can work this out without involving Davian.”

Zain only sneered. “I’m done listening to her. Find some duct tape for her mouth.”

“Wait!” I pulled against the bindings, even though it was useless. “Time out. Can you please not do that? I’m not great at breathing through my nose if my mouth is covered. It’s like I have to actively think about it, and it feels like I’m getting less air?—”

“Stop talking,” Fessy snapped at me, and I smacked my lips shut. “How the hell does Reed put up with all your yapping?”

“Shut up, both of you.” Zain raked his fingers through his hair and glared at me. “All you need to do is sit there and be quiet when we call Reed. Can you do that?”

I chewed on the inside of my cheek, not sure I actually could. “I’ll try, but will you at least tell me what you want from him so badly that it was worth taking me hostage?”

I’d be a hypocrite to judge anyone using this tactic to get what they wanted, but at least rescuing Bear had been a noble cause.

“We just want the territory that’s rightfully ours,” he answered, eyes hardening. “Reed pigeonholed our family to the north side. My dad might not have been man enough to take him on and get the rest of our territory back, but that changes now.”

I sighed.

“You want to trade me for land?” I asked doubtfully, then shook my head. The lack of forethought in their plan was almost embarrassing. “I’m sorry to burst your bubble, boys, but I think you’re severely overestimating my worth to Davian. You might want to lower your ask to something more reasonable.”

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