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"Why not?"
Eddie leaned in, lowering his voice. "Because I don't want to rile him up. I'm holding hostages to keep him calm. Now take her in the bedroom or you're going to lose your chance again--"
"Too late," said a voice behind us.
We turned to see Antonio in the kitchen doorway.
"You guys really need to be more careful with security," he said. "The back door was unlocked, and I found a guy raiding your fridge. Don't worry, though, I took care of him for you." He glanced over his shoulder at the floor, presumably where Gavril lay. Then his gaze traveled over their faces. "Oh, was he one of yours? Damn. I'm really sorry about that."
While he spoke, the only person who moved was Eddie, backing up toward me, guarding the prize. Everyone else stared, as if trying to figure out what was going on. Finally the Ukrainian ran at Antonio. Antonio barreled forward, meeting his charge.
A figure slid from the opposite hall entrance, behind Nick, still held by Marko.
"Marko!" Eddie shouted.
Marko only frowned at Eddie, as if wondering why Eddie wanted him to go help fight Antonio when he only had one good arm. The other mutt figured it out, shouting a warning and gesturing at Reese, who'd slipped in, armed with a fireplace poker. He
swung and hit Marko in the side of his head.
Tesler pulled me against him, arms pinned behind me with one hand, the other forearm at my throat. Any notion of fighting stopped--not with the choke hold, but with Eddie, backing up to us, protecting the booty as his soldiers did battle. I couldn't take them both on, and with Eddie staying out of the fight, the odds were in our favor anyway.
Antonio killed the other newcomer--I'd already forgotten what Eddie called him. That left the Ukrainian, pinned to the floor now by Nick, and Marko, easily held by Reese, who had only to twist his broken arm to keep him on his knees. I motioned for them to hold fast. Kill these two and we lost our negotiating power.
When Antonio stepped toward me, Eddie jerked one of my arms from Tesler's grasp. "Take another step and I break this. And that's just for starters."
Antonio stopped.
"I do believe this is what we call a stand off," Eddie said.
"Not much of one," I said. "I'm the only prize worth holding. Notice I'm not even asking for a trade? You'd never go for it--they're just cannon fodder."
Marko and the Ukrainian tensed, Marko looking to Tesler, the Ukrainian to Eddie.
"I'd like my men back," Eddie said quietly.
"But you won't turn me over to get them, will you? Two for one. That's quite a deal. I won't even ask you to walk away. You let me go. They let them go." I twisted to look at Eddie. "Game on."
Neither man moved.
"Guess not," I said. "Sorry, guys. You aren't worth it, apparently."
"No, I'm just not taking the offer seriously, considering where it's coming from." Eddie turned to Antonio. "You don't let a woman talk for you, do you?"
"Usually. They're better at it."
"Speak for yourself," Nick said.
Reese chuckled.
"I'd suggest you start taking this a little more seriously," Eddie said. "And tell me who I'm negotiating with. I know you don't let the Beta's mate speak for the Pack."
"No, we let the Alpha-elect speak for us," Nick said. "She just did."
I glanced at him. Had everyone in the Pack known before me?
"You think this is funny?" Eddie lifted one of my fingers. "Maybe you'll find this even funnier."
He snapped my finger. Nick winced. I didn't. I won't say I didn't feel it, only that I saw it coming and bit my cheek against the pain.
