Page 47 of Abducted

Ethan and Nate applauded, and warmth spread through her. “Did Cal tell you about last night?” Ethan asked.

Her eyebrows rose, and her stomach flipped over as she looked back and forth between the two men. “No, what happened?”

Cal chomped on a carrot stick from the plate in front of her, but tension creased the corners of his eyes. She picked up the sandwich and nibbled, keeping her face passive.

“Tell me. I can take it.”

Cal lifted his shoulder and pressed his back into the chair, allowing her to read his face better. Her eyes lingered on the muscles that strained the material of his shirt.

Focus, Lana.“Well?”

“Let’s just say that Stamos is going to need some physical therapy,” Cal informed her, as a grin spread from ear to ear, crinkling his laugh lines.

Nate snorted. “He shot him in the shoulder.”

Lana clapped her hand over her mouth. Her stomach coiled into knots at the image of such violence. But at the same time, she realized, this was a man who had helped plan her murder. She met Cal’s steady gaze. He was watching her carefully, waiting for her reaction.

She lowered her trembling hand and took another bite of her sandwich. “Was that necessary?”

Ethan snorted. Cal’s lips stretched into a sexy smile. A deep, throaty laugh rumbled through his lips.

“It was completely necessary, unfortunately. To be honest, I spared him what he really deserved. But it was a good enough warning for him to stay away from you.” The amusement left his face, and his eyes darkened, reminding her of how dangerous and deadly he was. Her toes curled against the smooth tile floor at her feet. She should have been unnerved by his revelation, but she wasn’t. He was hard, unapologetic, and fiercely protective of her.

She’d never been more attracted to anyone in her life.

CHAPTER 17

His phone buzzedin his pocket, snapping his attention away from the TV screen. It was after 6p.m. and he didn’t have the heart to wake Lana yet. He got to his feet, stretched his tense muscles, and pulled out his phone. Nate was in the kitchen refilling their drinks, and Ethan had gone to grab food. He glanced at the screen. Ethan.

“Yeah?” he answered.

“Get the hell out—now!”

Adrenaline spiked through his veins, and he made a dead run for the bedroom. “What’s going on?”

“I just drove past Stamos’s building because I was in the neighborhood, and I saw him load into a black SUV with a fucking assault rifle. He had two carloads of people with him, and his arm was in a sling and bandaged to shit. He’s gotta be after you. Get the hell out as fast as you can.”

“Sonofabitch. How the hell could he have found us here?”

“Who knows? He could have tailed one of us.”

Anger rippled through him. He wasn’t careless—ever. But there was no other explanation as to how they could have been found. Cal disconnected, and his feet pounded down the hall. He stretched his hand for the bedroom door, but it yanked open, and Lana’s wild eyes searched his face.

“What is it?”

He grabbed her hand and towed her after him. Her fingers turned to ice in his palm and tugged on his hold. He didn’t let go.

“Cal! Tell me—now!”

“They’re after us. Stamos is coming with an army.”

They entered the kitchen, and Nate slapped a pair of keys in his hand. “Take my Chevy. It’s parked in the pull-through garage that leads to the alley. I’ll handle this.”

Cal’s feet rootedto the spot, his gaze searched Nate’s. He couldn’t leave him to fend for himself against a goddamn fleet of people.

“Ethan’s not far behind them. We got this.”

Lana’s fingers wiggled in his. Headlights bounced through the window, and he accepted the keys.

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