Page 52 of Torment

Hunter tried to reach for the gun tucked against his side, but Colton turned the gun and aimed it at Scarlet’s head.

“I won’t do that if I were you. I’d hate to put a bullet through this pretty little head of hers.”

Hunter’s jaw tensed. “I swear to God, Riggs. If you so much as hurt a damn hair on her head, I will kill you…slowly.”

“Yeah. Whatever.” Colton moved forward and jerked the gun from Hunter’s side and placed it at his back. “So, we really need to move, and I’d appreciate it if you would give your full cooperation. I don’t want anyone to get hurt. Really.”

Hunter made no attempt to move, and Colton pushed the gun harder against Scarlet’s temple.

“Okay!” Hunter gave a hesitant step forward. “Just don’t you fucking hurt her.”

“Awesome. Now you walk up front where I can see you.”

Hunter slowly stepped around them and looked at Scarlet, as if trying to tell her to stay calm. But how the fuck was she supposed to do that? Colton was pushing a gun against her head and she had no idea what the hell was happening.

“What are you doing, Colton?” Scarlet took one hesitant step in front of the other, Colton’s arm still tightly draped around her chest.

“I’m doing what I have to do. Now shut up.”

Hunter glanced over his shoulder. “I knew there was something about you, soldier boy. I knew there was a reason I didn’t fucking trust you.”

“Well, congratulations. You got me all figured out.”

“Now I just need to figure out why you decided to make the biggest mistake of your life by screwing us over.”

“Oh, trust me, I made the biggest mistake of my life years ago.”

Scarlet swallowed hard, knowing he was referring to Hope.

To say that her head was spinning would be the understatement of the fucking century. She did not see this coming—not at all. Not from Colton. After all the personal shit he’d shared with her, why would he be doing this?

“Colton—”

“Keep quiet, Scarlet.”

Hunter cleared his throat. “So where am I going here, Riggs?”

“What, no soldier boy this time? Is it the gun I have aimed at your girlfriend’s head? Did it change things between us,Ace?”

Hunter shrugged. “I’d say fuck you, but since you do have a gun aimed at my girlfriend’s head, I’ll just repeat that little phrase over and over inside my head.”

Through everything that was currently going down, the woman inside Scarlet couldn’t help but pick up Hunter’s use of the wordgirlfriend.Did he really see her as his girlfriend, or was he just playing along with Colton?

So not the time right now, Scarlet.

“Turn left and head up the stairs,” Colton ordered.

Hunter did as he was told. “Is Brent paying you, Riggs? Are you on his payroll?”

“Shut up and walk.”

If Colton was helping Brent, that meant she was on her way to meet her fucking doom. Brent would finally get what he wanted…her.

Tears stung Scarlet’s eyes, the mere thought of going back to him twisting her insides, making her stomach churn. “Colton, please. Don’t do this.”

He leaned his face closer to her ear. “Stay calm, Scarlet. This is the only way.”

The only for what? What the hell was going on?

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