Page 139 of Sheltering You

Jasmine swiped to answer and lifted the phone to her ear.

“Did you really think you could escape me?” Khalid spoke the words in Arabic, his deep voice like a blow to her chest.

Sophie’s eyes widened. She looked from the phone to Jasmine, then stood and hurried to Summer, speaking quietly.

Jasmine blocked her free ear with a finger so she could hear over the gunfire. “I did escape you.” Like Khalid, she spoke in Arabic. “I am here, am I not?”

“As am I.” By the gunfire that carried through her cell phone, Khalid was close. Not in the line of fire, though. Knowing him, he was waiting somewhere safe. “I have a hundred soldiers.”

A hundred?

Did he exaggerate? Or had the Wrights miscalculated?

“They are prepared to kill every man, woman, and child who stands between you and me,” Khalid said. “But you can end this. Come to me, now.”

“I-I cannot. They won’t let me leave. They’ll stop me.”

Sophie was still whispering to Summer, probably translating everything Jasmine said.

“You will go out from the bottom floor. There is a door on the south side that opens near the forest. Exit there and walk straight ahead. My men will bring you to me.”

“They’ll see. They’ll stop me.”

“We will kill anyone who tries.”

“I don’t… I won’t be able to get away.”

“We’ll provide a distraction. When we do, run. Do not hesitate. The sooner you obey me, the fewer people will die.”

“What distraction? What are you planning?”

But the line beeped, and he was gone.

Sophie watched her.

Summer glanced her way. “Don’t even think⁠—”

“I will not sacrifice myself.”

Summer nodded to the walkie-talkie. “Tell everyone exactly what he said.” She smiled. “Time to set ourselves a trap.”

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

Derrick itched to join the fight.

His brothers were putting their lives on the line while he did nothing but stare out the back door at the empty patio.

“One got through!” Michael called.

The boom of gunfire, then Grant’s low, “Got him.”

“Watch out, Mike,” Daniel yelled. “Watch out!”

Silence stretched for seconds. A minute. Felt like an hour. Then Michael spoke, sounding out of breath. “He’s down. Thanks, bro.”

What had happened? Derrick wanted a play-by-play, as if his brothers had nothing else to do.

He twisted toward Sam, who was watching out the windows on the other side of the room, glancing back to the door that led up from the basement, just in case.