Page 55 of Bound By Them
“No! No, of course not.” Shit. I quickly silence my phone, reverse the frame, and take several selfies.
The bartender throws his towel down on the bartop and starts toward me.
I scroll back to my photos and delete the one of my tattooed heartthrobs. Then I hold up my phone, turning it around so the bartender can see the screen. Putting on my biggest, ditziest impression, I say, “I was taking selfies, look. Do you want to tell me which one is best?”
“You gonna order a drink?” He stands above me, menacing.
I shake my head.
He lifts a thumb and points it over his shoulder. “Out.”
I slide out of my seat and skedaddle, hoping the tall, tattooed, and terrifying twins don’t follow.
Once outside, I gulp in the cool night air. No time to wait around, though. If those guys were Laytons and hoping to mess with Granddad, they might have recognized me. I wish I hadn’t called attention to myself.
My heart pounds as I walk quickly toward the parking garage where I left my car.
“There she is,” a voice calls from behind me.
I risk a glance behind my shoulder. It’s the Terror Twins. Fuck, fuck, fuck. I scramble to find my phone, but it slips past my fingers to the bottom of my bag. Well, this wouldn’t have happened with the smaller Baciarvita bag, that’s for fucking sure.
The second guy answers the first. “Get her.”
I don’t look back again—I run.
But not fast enough—not faster than a car. Because the next thing I know, a black truck pulls to a stop beside me. The door opens and strong arms yank me inside.
18
Troy
I’ve never seen Dani as angry as she is right now—kicking, scratching, shouting at Edmund.
It takes me a minute to realize it isn’t anger—it’s panic.
“What the fuck?” Edmund dodges another blow.
“She’s freaking out.” I keep my foot steady on the gas. I can’t slow down. I don’t want to risk those two assholes shooting at us.
“No fucking kidding. Danica, it’s me. It’s Edmund—fuck.”
She got him in the face with her bag.
“Hold her tight,” I say. “She’s scared.”
The fastest way out of those goons’ range is the freeway toward Fair Heights. I make a split-second decision—the danger of having a panicked Dani in a speeding vehicle versus guys who probably have guns and want to stop us.
I’ll pick whatever danger Dani poses. She’s fierce, but she’s small, and Edmund nearly has her under control.
“Breathe, baby.” All I can give her is my voice. “It’s me and Edmund. We won’t hurt you.”
“We’ll never hurt you.” Edmund holds her against his body, arms locked around her arms and waist so she can’t flail around.
Tears streak down her cheeks. “Then where are you taking me? Why are you doing this?”
“Doing…what?” Edmund doesn’t let her go. Wise.
“You’re kidnapping me. You had those guys chase me so you could?—”
