Page 92 of Hot for Hostage

I owed my butt another apology. “You couldn’t have told me thatyesterday?”

Ryan stared blankly, clearly questioning my sanity.

“Scratch that,” he said, as if he suddenly didn’t trust me to roll properly. “Grip my wrist, and I’ll lower you as far as I can.”

That did sound like a better plan.

He held out his arm, and I wrapped both hands around his wrist. With a deep, calming breath, I swung my legs over the wall and hung from his hold.

Ryan gently lowered me as much as he could, and I braced myself for the landing before letting go—but it was a surprisingly soft drop to the ground.

“Catch!” Ryan called down to me. I spun just in time to catch Walter.

“I’ll be right back with Bear,” he assured me before disappearing over the wall.

I shifted my weight at the bottom of the wall and glanced around nervously, silently urging them to hurry. For all we knew, Davian’s men could pop out of the bushes and tase us at any moment.

Then Ryan surfaced above the wall again, looking like a seasoned firefighter with Bear slung around both his broad shoulders. Lugging extra-large bags of dog food around all day really had paid off for him.

Given his slumped posture, Bear was… less than pleased about the circumstances.

Ryan leapt down—earning a yip from Bear—and landed in a low crouch, absorbing the impact like a pro.

I wasn’t jealous at all.

The relief that all three of us had made it over the wall without alerting any guards made me lightheaded. “You’re the best, Ryan. Thank you.”

He put Bear back down on his paws, earning a snort from our furry friend. “Hold your applause until we pick up Gladys. Come on.”

But the souvenir in Bear’s mouth would be a problem.

“Wait!” I walked up to him and got a strong grip on the shoe. “I’m sorry, but you can’t bring this with you. It belongs to Dav.”

After a little wrestling, I tossed the shoe back over the wall.

My aim was true this time, and it sailed over in a beautiful arc.

Bear sniffed the grass around the Dog-Mobile, already forgetting all about the shoe.

“What about the ladder?” I asked Ryan.

“Leave it.” He ushered me and Bear forward. “No time. Get in the van.”

The double back doors were open, and I heaved myself in before Bear jumped up behind me.

Ryan slammed the doors after us. There weren’t actual seats in the back of the Dog-Mobile, so I crawled over some blankets on the floor and around the large crate for transporting dogs, before settling in behind the driver and passenger seats. Bear plopped next to me—probably thinking we were going on some adventure—and I stuck Walter in the center console.

Ryan climbed into the driver’s seat and wasted no time giving the van gas. We tore across the grass, making me cling to Bear for balance.

One sharp turn later, Ryan hit the brakes and sent me and Bear lurching forward.

“Get in,” Ryan called as he flung the driver’s door open. He dove over the center console, landing clumsily in the passenger seat.

Gladys hopped behind the wheel and shifted back into drive. She stomped on the gas, and we took off down the road.

“I feel so alive!” She let out a hoot of laughter that made Bear bark in answer. “Good to see you, too, Bear. Sadie, you back there, girl?”

“I’m here!” We picked up speed and I clutched Bear. With no seat belts in the back area, I just held on for the ride.

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