Page 15 of Married into the Mob
Hunter raced into another room, but I leaped up and followed. He wasn’t leaving me here to confront Draven. I was greeted by a wall of monitors, while he was pulling out a gun from his holster.
“Don’t shoot.” I held my arms up in surrender.
“I’m not. I’d never shoot you.” He nibbled his bottom lip, and I caught a hint of how he must’ve looked as a little kid. Adorable. But the image vanished when he waved the weapon at one of the monitors. “What the ever-loving fuck?”
“He’s here. He’s come to dragme back to marry him.” Right now being kidnapped by Hunter appeared to be the better option. I grabbed his shoulders. “Don’t let him. I’d rather die than go with him.”
“No one’s dying. It’s not Draven, and I would give my life before handing you to him.”
If I hadn’t been terrified, I’d have rolled my eyes. Maybe he’d majored in drama at college ‘cause he was plenty dramatic. Hiswords might have soothed my fear if I could have glimpsed my immediate future.
“How many other people are after me?” I released him and gave myself a hug, while rocking back and forth.
Still holding the gun, Hunter wrapped his arms around me. I inhaled his distinctive cologne that was so enticing I almost forgot the uninvited visitor. In another place and time, it would have been delightful having a handsome man with his hands on me.
“The people at the door are not out to get you.”
People? There was more than one. I peered at the monitor. The two men weren’t brandishing weapons.
“How do you know?” My voice wavered as he released me, but I took hold of his shirt and trailed behind him as he headed for the entrance. But the door slid open before Hunter scanned his retina.
I hid behind him when he asked, “How did you find me? No one knows about this place.”
The two men ignored him and tramped inside as the door locked.
“Hello. I’m Rudy, Hunter’s dad, and this is Arnie, my brother-in-law.”
Rudy stuck out his hand, and we shook. I was lost for words because Hunter’s relatives had arrived, as if a visit to a panic room was an everyday occurrence and they’d popped by for lunch.
“Odell.”
“My new son-in—” Hunter clamped a hand over his father’s mouth and shuffled him toward the room with the monitors, before sticking his head out and asking his uncle if he could make something for me to eat. He waved a hand toward the microwave. “There’s half-cooked rice.”
“Food is my specialty.” Arnie peered into the microwave.
I barged in behind Hunter and his dad. He gave me a look but didn’t shoo me out.
He confronted his father. “Who told you about this place and how did you know I was here?”
Rudy stroked Hunter’s cheek. “Oh, darling. I’ve been around a lot longer than you.” He went on to say that when his kids were small and Hunter was just a baby, life was more dangerous. “And when your father took over the running of the club, he insisted on bringing me and you kids to work.
“I explored every inch of this place. Flint and Ranger used to play down here while you slept.”
“But the panic room, Dad. That was a secret.”
The dad patted his son’s cheek and tut-tutted. “I came to the club one day looking for you but you were out, and the plans were on your desk.”
“And you added your fingerprint and retina to the panic room lock. I don’t want to know how.”
Rudy tapped his nose. “I’ll never tell.”
“But why drag Uncle Arnie here?”
“He was at work on the food truck. Your brothers’ mates...” He shot me a glance. “Ummm, husbands were collected by the guards while your brothers are looking for Draven. I got Uncle Arnie, and we decided to be with you and your mate in the panic room.”
He patted his son’s arm.“Besides, I knew you’d starve if I didn’t bring Arnie.”
I skimmed over most of the details but zeroed in on one word.
