Page 27 of Holiday Hostage
Maverick took it all in stride. “Nothing we can’t handle. We’ll have her home as soon as possible. And we will keep her safe.”
The savageness that twisted his face would scare me if it weren’t directed at my safety. He meant every word. He nodded one last time, then ended the call.
I dropped the scissors onto the table beside me, letting them fall to rest beside a checkers game spread out on a flannel square. “What kind of complications?”
Maverick wore a look I recognized.
“Don’t lie to me. I deserve to know what we’re up against.” I crossed my arms and turned so we stood face to face.
Reed and Tarron closed in on either side of Maverick.
The three of them together created an intimidating wall of muscle. I ignored that the best I could.
“We didn’t make it out of the mercenary camp unnoticed. We were chased and forced to abandon our transportation and our original plan of escape.” He said it all without emotion, like this was nothing to him.
My face heated as I remembered what I’d done when they showed up.
I’d never been mortified before, but I recognized the feeling sweeping through me. “It’s my fault, isn’t it?”
Reed’s grin stretched wider and wider. He clamped a hand to Maverick’s shoulder. “It’s okay. We like a challenge.”
“Reed.” Tarron put a warning in that single word.
Reed made a flapping motion with his hands, brushing off Tarron. “It’s fine. Really. I’d even say it was worth it. We like a woman who keeps us on our toes.”
My body warmed with more than the flush of embarrassment.
I crossed my arms over my torso as a shiver tracked down my spine and into my hands.
The way he said those words combined with the sultry look in his eyes.
Between the two, it almost seemed like he found me attractive for the challenge I presented.
“You sure about that?” I jutted my chin up to meet his laughing hazel eyes.
He crossed his arms too, making the T-shirt ride higher on his deltoids and exposing more of his tattoos.
Flames wrapped around the lower half and spread up his arm until they met a series of lines that created a geometric pattern I didn’t recognize.
He caught me looking and smirked, flexing and rolling his arms around to show me more. “Like what you see, kitten?”
“Nuh-uh.” I ticked my finger back and forth, unable to stop myself. “I don’t do pet names. You scared the shit out of me. You don’t get to call me anything.”
“Bet.” Reed stuck out his hand, his cheeks dimpling with his smile. A tiny cut marred his lip, and I swung my gaze around to check Tarron, who also had a split lip.
Wow. I’d really gotten a lick in on both men.
My own lip twinged when I met Reed’s grin with my own. “You should know better than to bet with me, but since you’re so smug about it, sure. What are the stakes?”
“I’ll let you know.” He winked and moved away. “I’m going to find something for us to eat.” Heat built in his words when he looked back at me over his shoulder. “I’m starving.”
He was too attractive for his own good.
Now that I wasn’t running for my life and terrified of them, I was able to take in their attractiveness without anything holding me back.
They possessed the kind of bodies gifted by the gods and honed by hours of physical exertion.
I’d never seen so many muscles on one body, much less three side by side.
