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“Good. We’re getting you out of here.”

Anne nodded again, and Wesley noted that such a talkative woman seemed unable to say a single word. She must have been in shock. He hoped she wasn’t traumatized, but he knew that was likely to be a long shot.

As soon as Anne was free, Wesley nodded back to Lauren. “Get her out of here. Straight down to the lobby. Tell the concierge to call the police. I’m going to hold them here. Just get your mother somewhere safe.”

Lauren wrinkled her brow, her face still flushed from the adrenaline of what they’d just accomplished. “You should come with us,” she said. “You can’t just stay here.”

However much Wesley wanted to comfort or reason with her, there just wasn’t the time. And he wanted Lauren and Anne out of the picture as soon as possible. He felt the only safe option was to adopt a commanding air. “This is my job, Lauren,” he said, a harshness slipping into his voice, so they would know he meant it. “Get your mother downstairs. Now. Call the police. Don’t argue. Let me handle this. Lauren,” he said when he felt her hesitate behind him. “Now.”

He heard Lauren leave with her mother, and his shoulders instantly relaxed. The one man who ran would have immediately gotten as far from the building as possible. So, the Bartletts were safe and hopefully would be calling the police soon. Wesley immediately pulled out his phone, his gun still shifting between the other kidnappers, each in turn. He called his boss, so he wouldn’t have to look down while texting. There was no chance he was going to mess this one up. He told Eva where she could find him, where the senator would be, and that he had all but one of the kidnappers held at gunpoint.

“The police will be on their way, too,” he concluded.

Eva didn’t bother asking further questions. Wesley had given her all the information she needed in order to assign her people to the job. The call disconnected, and Wesley was left alone with the kidnappers. While he waited, he decided to mess with them.

“I’ve decided I only need one of you to stay,” he said. “Choose who that will be, and the other two can go.”

Watching the kidnappers argue among themselves gave Wesley some measure of satisfaction. The men both argued that the woman would get less time if she were caught and that she should therefore take the fall for them. The woman argued that this was their idea and she was just going along, so punishing her was unfair. There was talk of guilt, justice, ideals, and at least one mention of the patriarchy. Wesley couldn’t help laughing a bit.

The kidnappers argued with each other for so long that they were all three still at each other’s throats when the police arrived on the scene — not that Wesley had any real intention of letting a single one of them leave. It was just amusing to watch them descend into bickering and backstabbing.

After the scene was secured, Wesley was allowed to leave to get some air with the promise that he would be available for questioning later. His hands finally started shaking after he stepped outside, the adrenaline hitting him hard the second he no longer needed it. He realized it had been years since he was in a situation that tense, and he hadn’t even been given a moment to prepare for it. But he had to admit, Lauren’s impulsivity was part of what had caused their success. The element of surprise.

He laughed to himself when he considered it. How could he have ever thought he stood a chance at resisting Lauren Bartlett? She always had the element of surprise. She’d first surprised him the day she met him, and she hadn’t stopped since. Wesley couldn’t predict her, but that was one of the things he loved best about her.

He leaned back against the apartment building and counted his breaths to slow his heartbeat. And he smiled to himself, knowing he was going to know Lauren for a long time — the rest of his life if she’d allow it. And as long as he stayed beside her, he would never be bored again.

CHAPTER19

LAUREN

Anne Bartlett was in shock. From the moment she was rescued until after Lauren had called the police, she didn’t say a word. She stood in the elevator, still shaking, eyes wide. While they rode down, Lauren put her arm around her mom and squeezed her tight. “I love you, Mom,” she whispered. And her mom burst into tears.

When the police arrived, they told Lauren they would escort her mom and her to wherever the two of them would feel safe until they could be interviewed. Lauren appreciated it. She felt terrible leaving Wesley behind, but he had been so sure and insistent. She realized trusting him was the best course of action right now. So she did, and she rode in a police car to her mom’s house. Then she waited while the house was swept, which reminded her of every time Wesley had swept her own apartment to ensure her safety. She reached over and took Anne’s hand while they waited.

They were allowed to enter the house a few minutes later, and they were offered some time to decompress, which Lauren accepted on behalf of both of them. Her mom’s house was outside of the city, but close enough for a comfortable commute. To Lauren, it had always felt normal, but seeing it now with a bit of perspective, she could see the level of affluence she had enjoyed growing up that Wesley probably hadn’t. And though the home was probably less comfortable than a two-parent household, it was the very best her mom could have given her. Lauren was feeling incredibly grateful as she sat her mom down on the living room couch.

“Can I make you something to eat or drink?” Lauren asked.

Her mom nodded but gave her no answer beyond that, so Lauren made the decision for her. She went into the kitchen and steamed some milk in the home espresso machine. Then she added chocolate and whipped cream, the exact drink her mom would make for her when she’d had a bad day at school. She brought the drink to her mom and sat it on the coffee table in front of her.

Anne slowly lifted the mug to her lips and sipped from it. “It’s good,” she said quietly. “Thank you, Lauren.”

Lauren sat beside her and laid a hand on her forearm. “Are you okay, Mom?”

Once again, Anne’s arms began to shake and tears welled in her eyes. Lauren took the mug from her and set it back on the coffee table before she could spill it. “I’m so sorry,” Anne whispered, and it broke Lauren’s heart to hear it.

She threw her arms around her mom’s neck and hugged until her mom hugged back. “It’s okay, Mom. You’re okay. I’m just glad you’re safe.”

“But you were right,” Anne muttered. “You were right about everything, and I wanted to tell you. It was stupid of me, but I ran out to find you because you needed to know. I was wrong. Then I got myself kidnapped, and you had to come and rescue me.”

“You didn’t get yourself kidnapped, Mom. Don’t say that. It wasn’t your fault. No one’s going to blame you, so you aren’t allowed to blame yourself.”

Her mom just shook her head, seemingly unable to take in anything that wasn’t the admonishment she felt she deserved. “I didn’t even get to apologize. I could have died without telling you I was sorry.”

Lauren wanted to argue because that was far from what Anne should be worrying about. Instead, her mom should be relieved, celebrating that she had survived the ordeal. But Lauren could tell arguing was going to get her nowhere just now, so she sat still and listened.

Anne took a deep breath and clung tightly to Lauren’s hands. “I wanted to tell you I was sorry. I shouldn’t have gotten involved in your audition, especially not to ruin it for you. And I should have trusted you to choose your own bodyguard. Those things are both true. I don’t want to excuse myself, but I just wanted you to know why, and maybe you already do because you were always there, watching and learning. And you know how much harder you have to work to get recognition as a woman. You know how hard they’ll hit you if you dare to wear the wrong outfit or smile at the wrong man. And I know you saw the way they unfairly judged both of us for your perfectly normal teenaged behavior.”

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