Page 4 of Forbidden Captor

“Why doesn’t your radio work?” she asked, smiling innocently.

A brief pang of doubt hit me.Perhaps this was a set up. Maybe Price wanted to see if we would really go through with kidnapping his daughter. But who would he get to take her back? And why not just pay up?

“Come on,” I muttered, banging the little radio against my thigh.

“You really think that’s going to work?” She sounded much more confident now. “My father’s men are going to tear you guys to pieces.”

Frustrated, I rubbed my forehead. “Then why’d he have to pay us for a protection tax? If he’s got so many men on his side, why’d he let us kidnap you? Surely daddy wouldn’t want anything to happen to his little girl.”

My reasoning seemed to tug at her emotions, and she started tearing up. Even so, I was still a little perturbed about the radio.

“Look,” I said. “Even if your father’s men do make it down here, we have protocols in place. The only way he could get you is by buying you back. I’m sorry, it’s just how this works. There’s just no way they’re going to get you back.”

I heard faint footsteps. She looked at me, confused.

“Like I said, protocols.” We were hidden deep down in the basement of an old building, and there were men on patrol all over at all times. Our hiding spot was impenetrable.

One of the young guards, Steve, came down.

“Sorry about the radio, boss,” he said. “It just stopped working. Not sure why. We have a team on it though, shouldn’t be a problem soon.”

“It’ll be fine,” I said. “Get me and the girl some food, and find her some clothes. Keep me updated on progress.”

Steve took our order and Emma, despite not wanting to show weakness, gave in to her hunger. After all, she was a spoiled girl.

“See, it ain’t that bad,” I said, after Steve left.

“Just trying to stay alive.” Her voice was apathetic.

When Steve came back with our food, she thanked him and glared at me. For his part, Steve ignored her. The clothes he’d brought her were far from sexy, and I could tell Emma didn’t think much of them, but she seemed happier to be wearing something.

“Everything’s nice and quiet out there,” he told me, loudly. Then he whispered, “Jack, I think something’s going on up there. Two of the guys on the outer perimeter were shot. We think it was a diversion tactic. The big boss says we have to hold off on ransom talks until the morning. Not sure why.”

For Braden Reed to delay getting his money for the girl, something big had to be going on. There were definitely lives on the line, all because this girl’s crooked daddy couldn’t pay his bills.

I was upset thinking about it, butsaid, “Good work, kid. Next time I see you, the problem better be resolved.” I gestured at my gun and gave him a pointed look.

Steve nodded. “Loud and clear.”

The rest of the time was spent waiting and waiting. Because I didn’t want to be asleep if something were to happen, I took the first shift of night watch.

The hours were long, but I had Emma to look over. She was so serene and peaceful in her sleep. Too bad she was only like that when she was unconscious.

I didn’t exactlydoze off, but the first radio call of the night startled me.

“What’s going on up there?” I asked.

“There was an explosion on the east side, Jack. Boss says to hold still for a bit until he decides on a new location,” one of the guards said over the comm.

“Idecide the location,” I said. “How bad was it?”

“Pretty bad,” the guard replied. “Several men were killed. I think they’re just trying to scare us.”

“Probably,” I lied. I doubted that Lane Price cared who died, as long as he got his daughter back. That is, if Price even knew Emma was missing.

I blew out a heavy breath. I was only in charge of hiding the girl and keeping her safe. The problem was that some of the guys on the surrounding crew were new, and Reed had this weird, micromanaging way about him. They didn’t stand a chance if we got into a war with the wrong people. But who would want to fight us to get Price’s girl? Everybody knew he didn’t pay his bills.

It didn’t matter. My suspicion was that the King Mafia was messing with us. They were the only ones brutal enough to threaten us with explosions. Besides, Price wouldn’t dare blow up a building that could have his daughter in it.

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