Page 53 of Swallow Your Fear
I continued to breathe heavily in the hopes it would make him think I was still struggling. And while I was—my lungs were still on fire, my throat burning, and my stomach sore—I needed him to think I was down if I wanted to get the upper hand here.
With a heaving chest, I quickly reeled my leg up and sent as much force as I could muster behind the kick, straight into his shin.
But before my foot could land true, he grabbed my ankle and squeezed.
“Such a feisty little thing,” he said as I screamed. From pain or frustration, I wasn’t sure.
His fingers dug into my skin as I tried to yank my leg back, but it was no use. I was at a disadvantage where I lay on my side.
He yanked me toward him, causing me to roll onto my back. I tried to twist onto my side again, but he was on me in a flash, and my entire body was instantly on alert as it hummed with panic.
His thighs straddled my hips, keeping my legs useless as I thrashed.
“Use your manners and maybe I’ll take it easy.”
I tried to rear my leg up again, but my knee only hit his backside with barely any force.
He was sitting up, watching as I struggled. The sick fuck fucking got off on it.
I needed my energy, and lying here wiggling around while it was clearly useless wouldn’t get me anywhere. I stopped, staring up at him as I tried to catch my breath. “He’s not coming for me, if that’s what you’re hoping.”
The asshole smirked. “You underestimate how much power you hold over those boys.”
I gritted my teeth together as I let out a strangled laugh. “You underestimate how much they actually care for me.”
He tilted his head to the side. “Really?”
I waited, knowing he had more to say.
“I’ve seen them with you. But not just them—Booker.”
“Booker would bury me himself if given the chance.”
The thought alone had emotion threatening to swell my throat. I hated admitting how much I’d grown attached to him.
“Ah, see. Hedoesn’twant to. Henley’s a little fool, making it too easy to keep an eye on him. And, well, you know how the three of them live together. I have no choice but to have my men watching over Austin and Booker, too.” He leaned closer, but I didn’t try to shrink back, evenif I could. It’d only fuel his satisfaction. “I know exactly how much that man cares for you, which made you the perfect hostage.” He patted my cheek before sitting up again, looking bored. “But the thing about hostages is, it’s only a fifty percent chance they’ll make it out alive.”
“Then kill me,” I spit out. “What are you waiting for? If you’re so certain he’ll come for me, just kill me. He wouldn’t know.”
His eyes narrowed the slightest bit. “So eager to beg for your death.”
“It’s better than spending another minute in this van with you.”
The corners of his mouth tilted up at that. “I thought you liked being manhandled?”
Bile threatened to creep up, but I shoved it down.
He chuckled, the sound low and vomit-inducing. “So easy to rile you up, Brynne.”
“So what’s your plan?” I asked, needing his weight off my body like a fish needed water. “Kill the both of us once he shows up?”
He shrugged. “I could. But it’s a good thing you’re a hostage, and you don’t get that kind of information.”
“You’re just going to kill me anyway.”
He leaned down again, bracing both hands on the floor right above my shoulders. “What’s the fun without a little surprise?”
My lips were a thin line, my teeth threatening to break clean through.
