Page 102 of Leading Conviction
I should’ve walked farther down the hallway so Callie could’ve jumped out behind him.
Then again… he could’ve just shot one of us on sight.
Maybe Callie should’ve started shooting as soon as the door was blown up.
No, because what if the General’s team comes down with him? They would immediately… say it with me, class, shoot… on… sight.
Those suggestions might’ve actually worked, but for the worst complication of them all. Theycouldn’tkill the General. He was too important for the testimony that would bring down one of the biggest international trafficking rings in history. And while they couldn’t kill him,he had no such restriction, making it so the women were fighting a perverted, narcissistic madman with their hands tied behind their backs.
But what if…
Scenario after scenario splattered across her vision until it began to darken and she felt light-headed. Her cheeks heated and sweat pricked her brow—
Oh, wait… I should probably breathe.
She sucked in a breath as quietly as she could. The oxygen did the trick, returning her vision back to normal and clearing her head.
It went against every instinct to stand there, waiting for her nightmare to appear in the flesh. But it was all part of their strategy. There was nothing to do now but commit and fight like hell if something went wrong.
She counted her careful breaths as each one of his steps revealed more of the man she’d tried to avoid her entire life.
One… two… three… four… five—
“There she is…” His voice slithered over her like the viper that he was. “Papá’s little girl.”
Despite the kind words, the sentiment dripped in contempt and revolting sensuality. His pistol appeared next, aimed straight at her chest as he nonchalantly stepped off the staircase.
His evil smile stretched across his face and his eyes leered over her. “You’ve run for long enough, don’t you think, my dear?
“Papá,” she answered automatically and winced at the familiarity of the name. That, plus the adult revelation of howwronghis side of their relationship had been and finding out exactly what he was capable of made bile rise in her throat. Accidentally calling him the endearment from childhood had nearly made her vomit.
It’d been years since she’d seen him face to face. His rheumy blue eyes were the only thing that spoke of his true age and the wear he’d put on his body. He’d dyed his hair absurdly dark, since it was unbelievable he wouldn’t have a gray hair on his head by now.
Stay focused. Play it cool. Stall him. I can do this.
Even as she tried to center herself, she squeezed her fists tighter, only to realize her fingers had already gone numb from the pressure.
“I’ve come to fetch you, my dear. One of my business partners has gone rogue, I’m afraid. We need to go into hiding, you and I.”
“There’s no way in hell I’m leaving with you.”
His brow pinched in the center. “Now, now, now, I’m sure Captain Black has probably fed you some frightening stories and all kinds of lies about me—”
Hannah scoffed. “He didn’t have to tell me anything. Your actions have already told me all I need to know. If you didn’t get the memo the past decade, I don’t want to be around you. Leave,Papá. I’m not going with you.”
His lips pursed and his pale skin reddened. “That… will not do. You see, I have my team here. They’ll help ensure you leave with us. And they have no qualms about doing exactly what I say.”
“Then where are they?” Callie asked as she glided out of the first jail cell, her gun poised to fire at the right moment.
The General’s pistol switched to focus on Callie, sending Hannah’s heartbeat into overdrive.
“Don’t,” she begged softly, her hand up in the air, as if that had ever stopped him.
A deranged, pleased look brightened his face. “Don’t worry, precious. I don’t want to kill my favorite doll.” His gaze turned appreciative as he ogled Callie up and down. “Oh, my little toy, how I have missed you, too.”
“Toy?” Hannah gagged. “Dios mio, you are vile.”
Anger squinched his face. Even though she knew she was poking the bear, she couldn’t help but feel proud about it. She’d been petrified of him for way too damn long, and had gone from being forced into silence as a child, to being forced into fleeing as an adult. He’d hurt her, murdered her mother, gotten her friend killed, stolen her fiancé, threatened her son… the list went on and on, filling her with loathing. Facing him now was more cathartic than she could’ve imagined.
