Page 13 of Forbidden Captor

I found myself longing for her. Several times, I had to remind myself that it was a silly fantasy. No young woman could fall in love with the man that had taken her freedom away.

But there was something…

I had felt the excitement radiating from her when I was trying to keep her safe. We had been locked in heaven together for a short time after the explosion, and I wished it had gone on just a little longer. She was delicious, in ways that I had never imagined.

Of course, reality eventually caught up to us, and we were destined to be apart.

What if I could capture her again?The idea was silly. I wasn’t even sure of her whereabouts.

The fearsome woman came in and tended to my wounds. She didn’t talk much other than to taunt me, and this time was no exception.

“The little girl is rotting in the basement below,” she told me.

I hid my surprise, and said nothing. In my head, however, a plan was already forming.

“The girl will die here, or fetch us a pretty penny,” the woman said. “You did such a poor job of getting her here, but at least she came to us. Perhaps Reed won’t have to kill you after all.”

“Why wouldn’t he have done that already?” I asked.

The woman laughed and left the room.

Knowing Braden, he probably wanted me to tell my side of the story before deciding what to do with me. I had failed him this time, but I had been a dutiful lieutenant, someone he could normally count on to get the job done right. Of course, the odds had been against me, and it struck me as odd that he would have this woman watch over me.Who was she?

Mafia politics were rarely filled with subtlety, and I knew that what I was planning would dig my grave even deeper. I had to get to Emma. Capable men don’t make rash decisions, but I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if I didn’t do everything in my power to get Emma back in my arms. Now that I knew she was here, I could easily get her back.

I had everything to lose, but without her, my world meant nothing. Before I met her, I hadn’t thought that someone could love danger like I did. The way Emma responded to our predicament was enough to tell me that I was on the right track. Getting her back would be worth all I was worth. Even though I was at the top of the Reed Mafia, being their number one go-to soldier was unfulfilling. She’d helped me realize that.

The problem of getting her back needed a multi-step solution. First, I would have to leave the roomunnoticed, or I’d be digging both mine and my girl’s graves. I had to get to her without attracting too much attention, so the next issue was planning a route. Despite being Braden Reed’s lieutenant, I didn’t know this safehouse. I’d have to guess which layout this house was, but Reed only used three or four designs.

Finally, I had to get us both out of here. Once we were out of the city, we could go wherever she wanted. I imagined a paradise for both of us. There was only question I had for her:Does she really love me?

With a jolt, I realized I was afraid. I feared that she would think I was crazy, that I had been alone for far too long, and that I would fail at protecting her yet again.

I gritted my teeth and looked out the window of my room.Can’t give up without a fight.

I dimly remembered being hauled in. If I was right, I’d be able to find my way back out.

Breathing in deeply, I pushed through my very real fear of getting caught.But what if something happens to Emma?

No.I grunted, and sprang into action. Sneaking out of my room was a now or never situation. The sun was about to go down, and I couldn’t risk Reed summoning me.

As I slipped out the door, I heard a familiar voice. “What are you doing?”

“Just a little thirsty,” I lied. The voice belonged to one of my grunt men, Jacob; I was surprised they had him guarding me.

Jacob got quiet. He looked confused.

“I’m a free man, right?” I asked. It was a legitimate question, and I saw the gears clicking in Jacob’s expression.

Like lightning, I had my hand over his mouth and whispered in his ear, “You can’t stop me.” I wrapped my arm around his neck and held it until he stopped struggling. I laid his very much alive body down, grabbed his gun, and bolted downstairs.

My feet were light, but the glare from the downstairs lights was brighter. Luckily, there was no one around, though I did see a man smoking outside on the front porch.

Just a few more minutes and I’ll have Emma out of here.

I made my way past the door to the rumpus room, where several guards were gathered, and I climbed up one of the downstairs walls to catch the basement guard unaware. My plan worked, and there was nary a sigh as I knocked him out as well. Quickly, I descended the dark steps of the basement, and there she was, head hanging down.

I gently patted her cheeks, placing a quieting finger over her lips. The moment we locked eyes, I knew I’d been right about her.

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