Page 54 of Swallow Your Fear
His hand disappeared behind his back, and then cold metal pressed against my cheek, and I realized he’d pulledout a gun. My heart instantly pounded in my chest, and my mind spun as panic seized hold of me.
The man’s eyes dropped to my lips as the bottom one quivered. “Sh, sh, sh. Don’t be scared now.” He trailed the gun down my cheek, across the curve of my jaw, then up to my mouth. He tugged my bottom lip down with the tip of the muzzle, and my entire body shook as my breaths came in heavy pants. “We wouldn’t want your boyfriend to see his little girlfriend all worked up, would we?”
His eyes searched mine as he glided the cold metal down my chin and over my throat.
“Ah, who am I kidding?”
He pressed the gun to the side of my neck.
“Iwanthim to see the life seep out of you.”
Gravel crunched under tires outside, and the corner of his mouth ticked up.
“Just in time.”
Chapter 22
Booker
Brynne’s red bandana sat in a heap on my center console, and it was all I could think about as I sat around the corner from the park off the exit. I’d dropped Austin and Henley off to scope the area, and the plan was for me to pull into the parking lot alone. I didn’t want to risk her life if Chase’s boss got ticked off that I’d brought company.
Austin and Henley were the backup now, in case things went south on my end. Two men stood guard at the back of a black van. They each had their own gun tucked in the waistband of their jeans as they talked. If they’d looked hard enough, they would have seen my truck through the foliage, but to my advantage, they were distracted.
We were guessing Brynne was inside the van, so Austin’s job was to take care of whoever the driver was, and Henley’s was to deal with dipshit one and dipshit two at the back. I’d handle the boss and getting Brynne back. That was, if everything went to plan.
Every second I sat here was another second thatsomething could be happening to her, and the thought made me sick. I couldn’t wait any longer.
I reached across the center console and opened the glove box to pull out my pistol. Clicking the compartment shut again, I set the gun between my thighs and shifted into reverse. Slowly backing the truck up, I drove onto the main road and headed onto the street that led to the gravel parking lot. I turned into the abandoned park and killed my headlights as I rolled to a stop. I let it idle for a minute as the two men stared at me. They both donned their guns at the same time, keeping them low.
I killed the engine, taking one last glance at the bandana beside me as I hid the gun in my jeans below my shirt, then got out. I left the door open just in case they decided to fire, but I stepped out from the protection of it.
“Where is she.” My tone left no room for question. I wanted my girl back, no matter what it took.
“Busy,” the tall one said.
The van was still running, which didn’t comfort me one fucking bit. I just had to trust that Austin would take care of whoever was behind the wheel before they had the chance to run.
I held my hands wide. “Well, I’m here.”
As if on cue, the back door to the van opened, and a man clad in all black jumped out with a gun gripped in his hand. He barely spared me a glance before turning back around to grab something.
Panicked breaths sounded as he pulled, and that voice that made every nerve in my fucking body come alive filled my ears, wrapping around my mind, telling me to go to her. But Istood firm.
“Don’t fucking touch me!” Brynne shouted as he yanked her to the edge of the van. Her feet hit the ground as he wrapped his free hand around her forearm, which was at an awkward angle as I noticed her arms were tied behind her back. As soon as she was on her feet, my eyes couldn’t miss the blood coating the side of her face.
I stepped forward on instinct, but the short guy cocked his gun.
“What did you do to her?” I tried to keep my voice calm, but I couldn’t be fucking serene seeing her hurt like that. I wanted to tear every fucking limb from their bodies, gut them like fucking pigs.
“Did what you couldn’t do,” the man with his filthy hand on my girl said. But I knew his fucking name. Same with all his different personas he put on for show. “Taught her to behave.”
My sweatshirt was swimming on her, covering her shorts, and even from where I stood, I could see her legs shaking.
I rolled my lips together. “Doesn’t seem like you did a very good job if she’s still fighting you.”
“We’re working on that.” He looked down at her, bringing the tip of the gun up to her cheek. She froze instantly, her wide eyes glued to me like I was her north star in this dark lot. “Aren’t we, sweetheart?”
My blood boiled in my fucking veins. I’d never hated a sight so much in my life—her standing there like a deer in the headlights, like her death was imminent. I wouldn’t let that be the outcome.
