Page 14 of Torqued Off

In three years I’d gone so deep inside of the world I built for myself that I forgot who I really am. I left that woman behind. She’s why I can’t work at a business. I have to be my business and I get paid in cash. I know it’s not right, but it’s called survival.

And I’m a survivor because of this asshole.

“I’m not going anywhere with you.” I cross my arms.

“I figured you’d say that, so I have a plan.” He loads the chamber. “Get on or I shoot you. You ran once, but when I shoot you in the leg, you won’t run.”

All I can think about is Thane upstairs, laying there.

“Fine. Shoot me.” Calling his bluff isn’t the smartest thing I’ve ever done, but it’s time to stand up to this bully. “You made me afraid of the dark for years, but I’m not afraid anymore. I know who I am, and you can’t take that away from me. I’m Bree. And I’m not going with you. So do what you have to do.”

He aims, but as I watch his finger twitch, I also hear the crack of a gun behind Deacon and his shoulder jerks forward.

“Fuck!” he drops his gun and reaches to his shoulder. A dark red spot starts blossoming outward on his shit.

His buddy, spins in a circle, pulling his gun out, but the next bullet goes into his knee and he drops to the ground moaning like the little bitch he is.

I scan the area and I finally see him.

I run across the parking lot. “Thane!” I stop before I get to him. “Are you okay?”

He chuckles, that rumble that sounds like a Harley exhaust. “I’m good, baby. How are you?” He puts the gun behind his back and I assume tucks it into the back of his jeans as agents in dark blue jackets run in from all directions. “Thanks, guys.”

I crash into his chest. “You’re not shot?”

“No, not me. There is a man upstairs who is, but it’s not me.”

I look up at him. “Thank you.”

“For what?” He rubs my back. “Looked like you had it all under control.”

“How much of that did you hear?” I inhale a breath and realize how tense I was.

“I heard a woman who knows who she is and stood up to a man who tried to take that power from her.”

I sigh. “I’m not Bree.”

He chuckles. “I know you have a past. I was hoping you’d share it with me.”

I push on his chest. “You got me all riled up.”

“I know. And I’m sorry about that.”

I bite my lip. “I’m not.” I tug behind his neck. “I think you have something to prove to me.”

His lips hit mine and several of the FBI agents snicker around us. “Why don’t we take this elsewhere?”

“Your bin back at the Guardians?”

That’s ten minutes away and I’m not sure I can wait that long to be alone with him.

“Maybe my condo around the corner?”

I slip my hand into his. “What are we waiting for?”

He leans down. “I need to talk to my boss, baby.”

I sigh. “Fine.”

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