Page 106 of A Captive Situation

“Men suck.”

I peeked at her, wondering ... I hadn’t told Jake this part, but my aunts had let it slip. “We were supposed to get married a little over a week ago, and he went through with it. With her.”

“No way.” Her eyebrows shot up. “He married herinstead?”

I nodded.

“Atyourwedding?”

She didn’t even know the worst part of it. “He’s also my boss, so I’m out of a job.”

“Dick.”

“And I think he’s still in my house.”

She choked again. “Yourhouse?”

I nodded again. “I’d been with him since college. Almost two decades. I think this is my midlife crisis, if I survive it.”

She went back to watching me warily. “For a midlife crisis, you went extreme. I mean, you went all out. Some people get a fancy new sports car. You committed a felony.” The side of her mouth lifted in a wry grin. “I kinda hope you survive now.”

I flinched at hearing that. She was right. There was a chance I might not. And if I was about to die, I needed to call my family. I needed to tell them how much I loved them, one last time.

I stood up. “I need to—”

The door opened and Jake walked through, his phone in his hand.

He put his phone on the table and pulled out his gun. “Time to call your boyfriend.”

Ice ran down my spine. I wasn’t ready for this, because what then? Seriously. What then? Did Jake have a plan? What were we doing here?

He was supposed to tell me these things now. We were in this together.

I opened my mouth to say something, anything—too late.

He pressed the call button at the same time he moved her gag back in place.

The call was picked up on the other end, but he didn’t say anything for a moment. “I don’t know this number, but I know you gotthisnumber from someone I care about. I’d advise you to tell me who you are before I send my team to identify you. One would be less bloody.”

Jake said, “Hello, Cousin. It seems you have lost something of yours.”

“Jake Worthing.” Lane’s voice didn’t warm. “I was hoping to receive a call letting me know you were dead. What do I owe this pleasure of hearing from you personally?”

This was the guy behind our contracts?Thisguy?

He sounded annoyed more than murderous, despite his words.

Jake was like cement, but I glanced in Blake’s direction. She froze when his voice first spoke through the phone. Now she was blinking rapidly as sweat began to pour down her face. She looked terrified.

My heart ached again.

She’d been hiding from him for a reason.

I missed my family. I wished they were here with me. Clara, Bess, and my mom would have had it figured out within a few minutes. Their plan might not have been logical, but I would’ve felt comforted knowing they were with me. They wouldn’t have helped kidnap someone only to turn around and offer that person to their stalker. Well ... they would’ve helped kidnap someone. They’d do that in a heartbeat. It would be giving the person up where they would draw the line.

Jake said to trust him, but he also told me that if it came down to anyone or me, he would choose me. He’d give Blake up in a heartbeat if it meant I’d live.

I couldn’t let that happen. I just couldn’t.

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