Page 120 of Hot for Hostage

Her lips parted, but only a squeak came out. Instead of speaking, she shook her head rapidly.

“Sadie, are you hurt?” I repeated gruffly. “I need you to answer me out loud, sweetheart.”

She visibly swallowed before trying again.

“Um, no,” she croaked. “No. I’m not hurt.”

It wasn’t enough. Even if she wasn’t harmed, she was still practically naked and tied to a chair in enemy territory.

And as much as I wanted to rip into Zain for treating her like this—for eventhinkingtaking her from me was a good idea in the first place—reassuring Sadie was more important.

“I know why you ran,” I told her, ignoring the other two in the room, along with Vince. These words were for Sadie. “You were scared. Scared of what you were feeling or what it meant. So, you ran away with your tail between your legs.”

I’d never thought I’d use a dog metaphor in my life, but I’d never thought I’d get so attached to a pint-sized baker with pink hair who’d taken me hostage, either. And it felt like the right call when Sadie’s face softened.

I flexed my fingers at my sides before flattening my hands on the desk. “And that’s all right. I don’t blame you. I know my life can be scary.”

My gaze dropped to her wrists bound to the chair, and I paused. This was a perfect example of why she was right to run as far from me as she could.

Too bad I wouldn’t let her.

“But you’re not a distraction. You’re the furthest thing from a mistress.” My eyes flicked back up to hers, and I stopped caring who was listening as I laid it all out on the table. “And we may not be meringue, but don’t let that fool you, because youaremine. The moment you pointed that gun at my chest, you became mine. That isn’t something you can just run away from.”

Sadie’s eyes were bugging out of her head. And for the first time since I met her, she seemed truly speechless as she gaped back at me.

I glanced away from her long enough to see Vince hang up his phone and give me a thumbs-up—accompanied by a disapproving glare.

But I got the message. We had Nasir.

When I refocused on Sadie, she had that cornered bunny look again. I couldn’t resist giving her one last reassurance. “Sit tight. I’m coming for you.”

All three of them stared in stunned silence as I hit the button to end the call.

We already had what we needed, and there was no point in staying to chat.

I had a partner in crime to bring home.

smitten kitten

. . .

Sadie

Sadie’s Guide toHostage-TakingBeing Taken HostageForming a Partnership with Your HostageEmbracing the Hostage LifestyleNot Freaking OutEscapingBeing Taken Hostage (Again), Tip #32: There are no convenient times to realize you’ve fallen for your hostage. Even so, during a hostage-negotiation call might be one of the worst.

No one ever warned me hostage-negotiation calls could be such a turn-on.

It made me wish my wrists were untied, because I really needed to fan myself.

Zain and Fessy were both still gaping at the laptop screen—where Davian had just finished threatening their lives and staking a claim on me that left me reeling.

There was a loaded pause as Davian’s words sank in, and I felt compelled to break the silence.

I just had no idea how to play this. It wasn’t every day a mafia boss called mehis.

“Caveman much?” I laughed nervously before clearing my throat. “Such an unattractive quality.”

That was a lie.

---