Page 114 of Hot for Hostage

And what was Zain doing to Sadie?

“We should’ve heard from Ali by now.” I shifted my glare down to my phone—which noticeably wasnotringing. “He has her, so why hasn’t he called yet?”

“They could be on the move. I’m sure she’s fine and he’ll be in contact soon,” Vince said, taking pity on me. “What’s the point of kidnapping Sadie if they don’t use her for leverage?”

If nothing else, his attempt to reassure me was amusing. “Since when do you sugarcoat the truth?”

“…Maybe she’s not as bad as I thought,” he admitted, even if it sounded like the words were being dragged out of him. He grimaced. “It takes talent to give me the slip twice.”

“Yeah, we’re still going to talk about that later.”

“I screwed up. Won’t happen again.” He shrugged. “Don’t get me wrong, though. I still think you two are a horrible idea.”

I had nothing to say to that. Maybe we were a horrible idea. Sadie herself thought our lives were too different to give this a serious shot.

And Vince claimed I didn’t need a helpless baker by my side—that she’d just be a weakness.

But I recalled how Sadie had brandished that ridiculous broom at the car wash, and how her eyes had flashed when I tricked her into staying at the compound. How she’d pointed that gun at my chest with determination, even as her hands trembled.

There was nothingweakabout her.

As if on cue, my phone buzzed with an incoming text—and for one gravity-defying moment, that damn warmth in my chest thought it’d be from Sadie.

Unknown Number

Join this link in 5 minutes if you want your girlfriend to live.

Not Sadie, then,I thought dryly as my earlier flicker of rage grew into something hotter. Angrier.

I read the text again before forwarding the link to Enzo to look into.

“Change of plans,” I said through a clenched jaw. “Drive to our nearest safe house. Anywhere within five minutes of here.”

Vince glanced over and lowered his phone. “What happened?”

“Ali sent me a link to a video call.” All our safe houses were equipped with computer equipment. If I could get it set up in time, Enzo might be able to track their location. “The punk said to join it in five minutes if I want Sadie to live. I’m going to remove his head from his body.”

I’d meant it as an offhand comment—while also a fact—but Vince adjusted his one-handed grip on the wheel and gave me another side-eye. “You need to cool it. If you show up on that call like this, they’ll know she means something to you. But if Ali thinks you don’t care, he’ll be less likely to hurt her. In fact, you should let me talk to him instead?—”

“I’m taking the call. That’s not negotiable.”

He pursed his lips, staring straight ahead at the road. “Then humor me for a minute. The goal is to get Sadie back safely. What’s the best way to accomplish that?”

“Easy. I’ll just tell Ali what I’ll do to him if he doesn’t hand her over.”

Vince’s fingers twitched, like he was fighting the urge to face-palm. “If you go in guns blazing, you’ll spook him.”

“I’m not an idiot. I know how I need to play this.” When he looked doubtful, I raised a brow. “I won’t let him see anything I don’t want him to.”

Vince still didn’t seem convinced, but I wasn’t so heated that I couldn’t see reason. The best move was to play it cool on the call and make them believe Sadie meant nothing to me, thenexplain to her later why I’d had to bluff. With the mask I’d spent years perfecting, it’d be child’s play.

…Unless Zain had touched her. Then all bets were off.

anything but that

. . .

Sadie

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