Page 148 of Barinov

“Briggs, do I breach?” Tex’s rough voice hits my ear.

Zeke laughs under his breath, clutching his chest as if he’s been offended. “Now pretty please don’t tell me you forgot all about me that fast. I’m hurt.”

Briggs’s eyes widen just a fraction. He gives Zeke the smallest nod.

“Stand down, Tex.” Briggs orders through the comms.

Zeke takes another step back and sets his gun down on the table with care. He raises his hands and turns slowly to face Briggs. The two of them lock eyes and something passes between them that I’m apparently not invited to.

Tiny movements. A twitch of Briggs’s jaw. A subtle roll of Zeke’s shoulders. A few nods.

Whatever the hell they’re saying… clearly, I don’t speak it.

“What the—” I start.

Briggs cuts me off with a sharp look and a shake of his head.

He holsters his weapon and turns slightly. “Darlin’, give him the necklace.”

“What?!” I snap, my gun still aimed at Zeke’s skull. “You can’t be serious.”

“Lex!” Briggs grits, gesturing toward Zeke’s collar. “Look at his neck. Do you really want us to blow to fuckin’ bits over a damn necklace? Because I sure as shit don’t.”

His eyes flick to Ellie. “Give him the necklace, El.”

Ellie hesitantly steps forward.

“Ellie,” I warn. “Don’t you—”

She doesn’t make it to the next step. Zeke moves fast. His hand clamps around her arm and yanks her into him, slamming her back against his chest. A blade flashes into existence as he presses it to the racing pulse in her neck.

“Ahh!” she screams.

I lunge, finger tightening on the trigger. “You fucker!”

“What’s going on in there?” Tex bites through the comms. “Do we breach?”

“No!” Briggs shouts, throwing himself in front of my gun. “Everyone, stand the fuck down!”

“You sure?” Tex asks.

“Pretty please,” Briggs confirms.

“Heard.”

“What the hell?” I snap, heat flaring through my body. “Move out of my way!”

“No, Lex.” Briggs swallows, his golden-brown eyes locked on the barrel of my gun as he slowly shoves it to the floor. “Trust me.”

Trust him?

My vision tunnels. Zeke’s got a knife to Ellie’s throat. Bella’s still not in my arms. And the cowboy says trust him?

Not a fucking chance.

His eyes narrow. And I know the cowboy’s trying to pull one of those Black Book mind-melds or whatever with me, but my copy of How to Speak Black Book was obviously lost in the mail.

I’m about to shoot through the fucker just for the hell of it when Cade’s voice pierces my ears.