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“Well, well, look who’s hiding in here,” one of them said. “Let’s go, you’re joining the rest of them.”
The smaller guy gestured to me with his gun. “Maybe she can stay behind a little while.”
Beckett stepped in front of me, putting his broad chest between me and the men. “Forget it.”
“Oh, is the tough guy gonna fight for his girlfriend? How sweet,” one of them laughed and cocked his gun, then aimed it right at Beckett’s chest.
“I’m not his girlfriend, and I can speak for myself,” I forced out. I didn’t want Beckett getting shot in the chest trying to protect me. I’d probably caused him enough harm by now, not that he didn’tdeserve it. I was all over the place emotionally and had no idea how to handle it.
“Is that right, girlie? She’s got a mouth on her,” the first man remarked, laughing.
His little friend pointed his gun right at me. “I can think of something to put in it.”
“Hey, dickhead, point that at me, not her.” Beckett leaned in to block me from the little man’s line of fire. Much to my horror, he now had both guns pointed at him.
A loud shout echoed down the hallway.
“We have to go. Bring them,” Bad Guy One said.
We walked in front of them toward the rest of the store. The employees-only door had been propped open. We got to the main store, and I took in the carnage. All the products had been ripped off the shelves, and people were huddled in a group on the floor near the cash register.
One of the security guards lay in the middle of the room, bleeding. The blood against the white tile floor was sickening. There was so much, and he wasn’t moving.
“Well, well. Who do we have here? Latecomers to the party!” It was the skinny guy with the missing teeth, coming right toward us. He smiled at me again and then glanced at Beckett. A loud whistle left him.
“My, Mr. Anderson, we are in esteemed company tonight, aren’t we?”
Mr. Anderson?He knew who Beckett was. I had no idea if that was a good or bad thing.
“Jax. What’s going on here, man? This isn’t a good look.” Beckett’s tone was stiff.
Jax shrugged. “Sometimes, shit goes sideways.”
“The cops?”
“Won’t come in – they think we’d kill the hostages.” Jax laughed at that and jerked his gun toward the group huddled on the floor, sending up a wave of gasps. “Boom.” His attention shifted to me. “Who’s your friend?”
“She’s no one important. She can sit with the others,” Beckett said flatly.
“Oh, can she?” Jax sneered at Beckett. “How about I decide where she sits?” He turned back to me. “I’m thinking on my lap would be nice.”
I took a step back and came up against one of the men behind us. Beckett’s hand tightened on my arm. He was tense as hell, a vein pulsing in his neck. His dark eyes were intent on Jax, and if looks could kill, the gunman would be long dead.
“Don’t make this worse, man. You’re in enough trouble as it is. Leave the girl alone and de-escalate this whole thing.”
“It’s too late for that, Beckett. They were searching for me. Violated parole or some shit. I’ve got nothing to lose, motherfucker. Might as well go down swinging.”
He reached toward me, his hand aiming for my cheek. I shuddered in anticipation of his touch. But it never came. Beckett’s hand snapped out and grabbed Jax’s arm, stilling it in midair.
“Don’t. Don’t touch her. I’m serious.”
Jax laughed, incredulous. “Did Hade Harbor’s resident rich boy get confused and think anyone gives a fuck about his opinion here? You might have paid over asking for your cushy little upper-class pill habit, but that doesn’t mean shit now. If I want to touch your whore here, I will, and you can’t stop me.”
Beckett stilled for a long moment, considering that statement. I was so scared, I was sweating. What were they going to do to me? No one could stop them. They had guns. Before I could fully freak out, Beckett exploded into motion. He lurched toward Jax and headbutted him hard. A loud crack sounded as Jax’s nose spat blood down his face. Beckett kicked the gun out of his hand and charged the other lackey who was unarmed, taking him down effortlessly.
I backed up, watching with fascination as the defenseman did what he did best. Crushed his opponents, literally.
Then hands hooked around my arms, and a cold sensation registered at my temple.
