Page 28 of Abducted

He jerked it backward, balancing it on its back legs.

“If I catch you sniffing around her again, I’ll kill you in the most painful way you can imagine. Got it?”

Stamos kept his hold on his shoulder, blood oozing around his fingers.

Not a shred of guilt touched him. Stamos’s wild eyes met Cal’s, and a flash of rage dilated his pupils. He gave one sharp nod.

“I fucking mean it. The only reason you’re alive right now is because I haven’t found out yet who’s really behind this. Unless you want me to come back and finish what I started here tonight, stay the hell away.” He let go and the chair toppled over. Stamos spilled onto the floor in the pool of his own blood.

“C’mon, Cal. Let’s get out of here.”

It took both of them to drag Stamos to the vehicle. They dropped him off outside the strip club where they’d collected him.

“Think you can find everything we need on Will Anderson?”

Nate nodded. “Should be easy enough. I’ll let Ethan know, too. Won’t hurt to have us both working on it.”

“Good call,” Cal said. As he settled back in his seat, his mind returned to Stamos. He should have killed the bastard. It had taken every ounce of his control not to. But until this was over, Stamos needed to stay alive.

Will Anderson was next.

CHAPTER 12

Lana threw thecovers back and inched on tiptoes to the closed bedroom door.

Cal was back. The men spoke softly. A laugh erupted Ethan’s voice, then all went quiet. Little did they know that she’d been lying awake, watching the hours on the clock tick by, waiting for Cal to return.

It was after midnight. She had excused herself from the sitting room and Ethan’s company hours ago, with no intention of sleeping.

How could she, when Cal was out hunting the streets? She’d been terrified that something would happen to him. She had no clue what they were getting into or what he would find out. Her mind kept circling around people she’d met, her father’s business associates… Still she came up blank. It was very likely her father had enemies, but would they set out to kill her over a business dealing? It felt like a stretch. Cal had said her disappearance had been on the news. It had taken every ounce of control not to pick up the phone and call her mom or dad. They would be devastated. Her throat tightened. It wasn’t fair—none of this was. But she couldn’t risk ruining all the hard work Cal was doing. She had promised to trust him, and she did. Maybe after tonight everything would be solved.

She tangled her hand in her hair and squeezed her eyes shut. Had he found Stamos? Did he know who was behind this? God, she wished this entire nightmare would be over with.

The hotel room door closed. The clink of metal on metal told her he’d chained the door. Ethan and Nate were gone for the night.

The en suite bathroom to the large bedroom also connected to the hall. After a minute or so, the bathroom light clicked on and the hall door shut.

Wearing only one of his T-shirts that reached mid-thigh and a pair of panties, she tapped lightly on the door with her knuckle. She held her breath. Her pulse raced.

The door opened. Cal stood in the doorway, wearing only the pair of dark jeans he’d had on when he’d left. A black T-shirt lay strewn on the bathroom floor. Blood trickled down his arm from a gash near his shoulder.

Her hand flew to her mouth. She gasped.

“You’re hurt,” she hissed and stepped onto her tiptoes to inspect the deep cut. His hand covered hers when she grabbed his arm.

“You should be sleeping,” he chastised. His eyes were dark and brooding, a crease settled deep into his forehead. She dropped down to flat feet. He wasn’t happy to see her.

Well, tough.

“I couldn’t.” She turned from him and wet a washcloth to clean the wound. He took the cloth from her and placed it against the cut before she could mop up the trickle of blood.

“I’m fine, babe. I got caught with a knife. That’s it.” A small smile touched his mouth.

She glared at him. How could he take this lightly? Anger made her lips thin. “A knife?” Her voice shook. This was all because of her. He could have been killed… Her stomach dropped at the thought.

His fingers brushed her hair behind her ear. His palm settled on the crook of her neck. The contact turned her feet to lead. His eyes locked with hers. Pure lust sparked from his eyes, electricity arced through the air. His lips parted, his breath came out in short puffs. Slowly his gaze dropped over her body. Her muscles firmed, her nipples turning to pebbles under his scrutiny. Her pulse thundered against her throat. She wet her lips, afraid to breathe.

He leaned in, pressed his lips to the sensitive spot on her neck above his fingers.

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