Page 60 of A Fine Line

“It has its perks.”

“And its cons?”

He nods, sighing as he replies, “Sure, everything has cons. But in this case, usually, the pros greatly outweigh them.”

Declan’s phone rings, and he picks it up off the seat where he set it down earlier. Glancing at the screen, he taps it, then puts the phone to his ear. “What’s up?” He listens for a moment, then asks, “Do you recognize them?” He pauses, listening to whomever he’s speaking with again, then says, “Call the others and see if they can intervene at some point while you try to lose them.”

He ends the call and then looks at me with a raised brow. “Seems you were correct, Carolina. We have company already.”

“What does that mean?”

“We have a tail.”

“Of course, we do,” I snarl. “I’m sick and tired of being tossed around like a goddamn rag doll.”

“I won’t let them take you.”

I glare at him. “Yes, you will. As far as I’m concerned, you should pull over and let me out.”

“And have Tony skin me alive for not even attempting to protect you? Not a fucking chance.”

I stare out the window for a few moments, watching the traffic go by as I contemplate the situation. There is no way Declan and one driver will be able to keep me from being taken if that’s the intent of the people following us. “Are you sure it isn’t paparazzi?”

“My men would know if it was paparazzi,” he replies with a head shake. “They know how to deal with that kind of tail without concerning me.”

The car accelerates and then veers sharply to the left. “Put on your seatbelt,” Declan says as he secures his own. “Things are going to get wild.”

I snort and roll my eyes at his flippant attitude. This guy is determined to get his ass kicked by someone today, and I can only hope it’s by Dare or Tony when they finally catch up to us.

I brace myself as the car picks up speed, the tires screeching on the pavement as Declan’s driver attempts to lose the tail in the busy traffic. “Are you sure it’s not Darius?” I ask with concern, not wanting anyone to be hurt attempting to protect me.

“They would know if it was Darius or anyone closely connected to him,” he replies, tension now evident on his features as his driver becomes more erratic. “And it seems these people aren’t going to give up easily.”

“They won’t give up as long as they’re breathing,” I mutter. “If they were sent on a mission to retrieve me, they won’t stop until either they have me in their possession or they’re dead. That’s how this works, Declan. Bad people doing bad things until someone stops them permanently.”

“Well, I can make that happen,” he says with a humorless laugh.

The car shutters around a corner and then brakes hard, throwing me forward violently. At least two cars pull up, one on either side of us, and doors open, and slam shut. Voices yell incoherently, and through the darkened windows, I see the car being surrounded by men I don’t recognize.

Declan unbuckles and moves to the side, pulling the middle of the seat down and then reaching into what I assume is the trunk. He pulls a duffel through and tosses it on the floor of the car between us, unzipping it and pulling out a handgun. “Do you know how to use this?”

“Yes, but we’re downtown L.A., so it’s kind of hard to discreetly wave a gun around, even in self-defense.”

“This part of downtown won’t notice or care.”

A man approaches and taps on the window. “Give us the woman. We don’t give a fuck about you.”

Declan doesn’t answer; he just keeps pulling weapons out of the bag. “The car is bulletproof,” he says calmly. “We’re waiting for the rest of my men to come in and take care of the vermin problem.”

He seems so nonplussed by the situation, and I’m unsure if I should be concerned as he hands me two handguns. “Will this be necessary if your men are coming to handle it?”

“One can never be too prepared.”

“Why do you have an arsenal in the trunk of your car?”

He gives me an impatient look, then goes back to sorting his weapons as he replies, “Becauseyou can never be too prepared.”

I make a face at him; then check the guns he handed me for ammunition and safety before setting them on the seat next to me. I’ve never shot anyone before, and I’m not sure if I can do it if it’s only to protect myself, but I’m willing to give it a try.

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