Page 101 of Enticing the Fixer

Is there anything I had right? Movement outside the window causes me to jump.Leo.My heart skips a beat.He came for me.Tears sting my eyes.

Of course, he did. Why did I question that? At least, I had one thing right. Leo is a standup guy, and I’m lucky he’s ready to save my ass. Right after, I kick him in the nuts for lying to me and getting me kidnapped.

I shift to the left, causing Carla to pivot to follow me. With her back to the window, Leo should be able to navigate outside the house without getting caught.

Bang. Boom. Bang.Loud banging comes from all sides of the house as the doors and windows rattle.

“Shit.” Carla’s eyes bulge as her head swivels in all directions as if she’s trying to find an escape route.

“What’s that?” Marge blinks and launches upright, dropping the recliner footrest to the floor. “Is someone trying to break in? I thought you said you’d stopped using drugs.”

“I don’t use.” She fists my hair in one hand, pulling along the scalp, making the hair on my head stretch outward. “This must be the police.”

“What?” Marge’s mouth drops open. “I thought you said no one would suspect anything. That the guy had covered his tracks.” Tears fill her eyes. “I can’t go to prison.” As if she hears the words she’s saying and truly understands the consequences, she straightens her back. “I won’t go to prison. I didn’t tell you to do anything.”

“But you didn’t tell a soul what I did.” Carla stomps toward the kitchen, dragging me with her. The rope cuts into flesh. She wraps her arm around my neck and presses into my larynx, cutting off my air. “Sorry, Sweets, but I’m feeling death by a cop today.”

My eyes swim as dizziness from lack of oxygen threatens to drag me under. I barely have time to register what she said or understand the ramifications when she snatches the butcher knife off the counter and holds it to my throat.

“You’ll go first,” she whispers in my ear.

This is so bad. My breath comes out in little puffs of air to keep from putting pressure on the knife. I blink hard over the grit in my eyes and pray for everything to resolve itself–without bloodshed.

The front door pops open, and Jagger steps through the threshold into the living room. “Carla.” He raises his hands in surrender. “We’re here to help. All we want is Kinsley. We’re alone. No police. Give us Kinsley and get out of here before the police show up. You don’t have much time.”

“Do it. Let’s give her up. You don’t want more trouble.” Marge wrings her hands together.

“I don’t have trouble. You do. You were mad at Jack and met him at 16thand Valley. When he showed up, he said he was seeing someone, and you snapped. You bashed your car into him and watched him die. Then, yesterday, you kidnapped Kinsley all to get money. You were selling her company behind her back and needed her out of the way to do it.” She turns and stares at her aunt. “And you forced me under duress to follow your orders.”

Marge’s body goes slack. “Who are you?”

“I didn’t want Jack dead. Why would I have anything to do with it?” She nods at Jagger. Her hold on me lessens as she continues her speech. “I’m only holding Kinsley here because my aunt is lying about my involvement. I need you to listen to everything before you let my aunt get away with everything she’s done. This is all her doing.”

Marge’s eyes darken. “I didn’t want Jack killed. I was in love with him. I was angry and wanted to punish him by making him sell the company and taking my part of the buyout. But that’s where the story ended.” She turns her attention to me. “I didn’t want your father killed.”

“And me? You kidnapped me.”

“I’m sorry.” Her gaze drops to the floor.

Now.I spin, trying to get away from Carla, but instead of gaining momentum, she knicks my neck with the knife. “Don’t try to get away. You’re my escape route,” she whispers in my ear.

“Faas!” Leo rushes forward after having come through the backdoor. He wraps his arm around Carla’s neck as Mac jumps and smashes his paws into her upper body. Mac bares his teeth and snarls as she wildly lashes the knife in the air swiping at the two of them.

“I told you to wait.” Sean stomps toward me while glaring at Leo.What is Sean doing here?

“Down.” Someone grabs my shoulder and pulls me away from the knife and down to my knees.

“Son of a bitch.” Spit flies out of her mouth as she bucks against Leo and Mac.

Holy hell.Leo’s friends swarm the room from all entry points, making me feel incredibly small as Leo grabs and twists Carla’s arms behind her back. “Halt!” Mac drops his paws to the ground, pads over to me, and sniffs.

“Hey, Boy.” I pat his head as the enormity of the night crashes down on me.

Maverick marches forward and pries the knife from her fingers as Jagger snaps a pair of handcuffs onto her wrists.

“Let’s go.” Jagger yanks her toward the door.

Another man handcuffs Marge’s arms behind her back and follows behind them.

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