Page 114 of Holiday Hostage
I’d pulled on them so long the knots were impossible, and Jack had used enough rope to make a bridge across the Hudson River.
All the fear and anger I’d harbored for Jack melded into something I couldn’t explain.
With his hands tied and Reed leaning over him, he was no longer dangerous.
Mav’s grin turned wicked. “I won’t stop you.”
“Thank fuck.” Reed switched the gun to his left hand, reared back with the right, and landed a blow on Jack’s chin that knocked him unconscious.
Reed grunted his satisfaction and stood, turning to look at me and Tarron. “You don’t have those fucking restraints off yet?”
“He got crafty this time.” Tarron grunted and yanked.
The bonds around my ankles fell away, and he tore into the ones at my wrists with renewed vengeance.
“Almost there, Payton.” The calm way he spoke eased the weight of disbelief. “I think she’s in shock. She hasn’t said a word.”
Why? Why would I speak and ruin this amazing moment where they were all alive?
It wasn’t real.
The minute I spoke or tried to touch them, it would all vanish. It always did.
A hitch in my breath turned into a sob. “You’re not really here. I’m dreaming again. I don’t want to wake up.”
“Payton.” Mav bent at the waist.
His gray eyes swam with emotion when he cupped my cheek in one hand and rubbed his thumb over my lips. “We’re here.”
The bonds at my wrists fell away.
I wrenched my arms around in front of me and exploded up from the chair so fast it fell over with a clatter.
My sobs shook my body, but I couldn’t stop them, didn’t even have the desire to try.
I grabbed them around their necks and pulled them in, breathing in their scents.
They stayed with me.
Hands brushed my sides and their arms locked around me. It took the combined effort of all my senses to make it real. “You’re alive.”
“Yes.” Tarron kissed my cheek. “We’re here. We’ll always come for you.”
“Can we try not to have any more kidnappings?” Reed chuckled in my ear, his lips brushing my hair. “As much as I love being the hero, my heart can’t take the fear.”
I shuddered and clung tighter. “I’m good with that.” A laugh bubbled up, and when I let it out, the sound of my near hysteria rang in my ears.
“I’ve never been so happy to see anyone in my whole life. But you were dead.” A second shudder rippled down my spine, and Mav rubbed his hands up and down my back in soothing motions. “You were dead.” My laughter threatened to return to sobs. “How are you not dead?”
Arms around me so I didn’t fall apart, they told me a wild and crazy story that sounded so unbelievable it had to be true.
“I performed surgery on Tarron.” Reed beamed a smile. “And he only cursed at me twice.”
“Did not. I was cursing at Maverick for getting shot and making me dig into him without anesthesia.”
“You weren’t even operating on him at the time,” Reed protested.
Maverick sighed, and they both resumed their tale. It was almost too much to take in.
