Page 38 of Web of Lies
“Hello, husband,” Wyatt answers.
“Oh,” Adrian says, as if he's just remembering that he hired Wyatt to do some menial task. “It's you. Is my wife giving you trouble? I expect she is.”
Wyatt exchanges a look with Shaun. “Things have changed.”
“Excuse me?”
“This is no longer a catch and release. We will not be returning your wife to you worse for wear. You have twenty-four hours to come up with one hundred and fifty thousand dollars.”
“I hired you to do a simple job,” Adrian sneers. “Just do it and this can be finished.”
The corner of Wyatt's mouth lifts. “Like I said, things have changed. You see, we've been talking to your lovely wife and I've decided that she's worth so much more than what you offered.”
“Make it an even million,” Shaun calls with a smirk.
“Whatever she told you is a lie.”
Wyatt chuckles. “Whether or not she's lying doesn't matter. If you want her back, you'll pay the price.”
The glare I give Wyatt is so vicious that my nose snarls, but I don't say anything. I'm not going back to Adrian. I don't care how much money he throws at Wyatt. I'm not going back.
“How do I know you even have her?” Adrian asks. “For all I know, you killed her as soon as you got her out of the house and you're just trying to get paid for a job you didn't do.”
Wyatt laughs. “This part is always so funny to me. I do this for a living, husband.”
“Prove that you have her and we'll talk about increasing the fee.”
I bite my lips closed. I'm not saying a word. All three of them can go to hell. I'm going to get out of here and I am never, ever going back to Adrian.
“I don't think you understand, husband. This isn't a fee increase. This is a different situation entirely. You have until this time tomorrow to send the money to this account, otherwise we will not be returning your wife.”
“Prove that you still have her,” Adrian insists dryly.
Wyatt turns to me. “Say something.”
I shake my head. I'm not doing anything to appease Adrian and I'm not going to be returned to him.
Wyatt tilts his head, blinking slowly. “One word.”
I glare at him. He nods at Shaun.
Shaun closes the distance between us and smiles down at me. “You can choose to say something or I can help you do it. Either way, you're giving proof of life.”
I transfer my glare to him and press my lips together.
He laughs. “Stubborn ass.”
When you think about someone forcing you to make a noise, lots of unpleasant scenarios come to mind and almost every one of them involve a certain amount of pain or fear. That's not what happens. No, no painful extraction of sound for me. Instead of doing anything that a captive would expect, Shaun reaches out and sinks his fingers into my hair and tightens his fist near my scalp. Then he tugs abruptly, forcing me to look up at him. I can't help the way my mouth drops open any more than I can help the sharp gasp that escapes from it. I can't help the heat that explodes across my face, either.
A slow, wide smile stretches Shaun's lips as he looks down at me. “Noted.”
Oh god. “Don't even think about it.”
“There,” Wyatt says. “There's your proof. Twenty-four hours.”
“What if –” Whatever Adrian was going to say is cut off when Wyatt ends the call. Shaun is still holding my hair tight in his fist and Wyatt's dark gaze moves up Shaun's arm until he's staring into his eyes. “The call is over. Let her go.”
Shaun's smile doesn't falter. If anything, it becomes even more devious. “Oh, I don't know. I don't think she minds all that much.”
