AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Johnny reaches for Claire’s hand. “I don’t know…”
“I’m in,” I announce.
“No.” Dominic stares right at me.
“This isn’t your decision to make.” I stare right fucking back. After everything he has put me through, there’s no way I’m going to let him call the shots. This is my life on the line, not his.
“You’re injured,” Coen tells the room.
Fucking bastard.
“I’m fine.” I move my left arm and circle it around. “See?” But does he notice the tense of my jaw or the way I can’t exactly get a full extension without the pain piercing through me?
Probably not, he’s pretty fucking oblivious lately.
Simon on the other hand, he sees everything. Even the things I don’t want him to. And the things I don’t even know myself.
“Only if we can take certain measures,” Simon suggests.
Because of course, he would be the one to actually think I was capable of pulling this off.
“Absolutely,” Claire confirms. “I would be with her the whole time. I’ve dealt with my fair share of hostage situations. I know what to look out for.”
“Claire…” Johnny sits up in his seat to force Claire’s attention. “This is crazy.”
She smiles softly and cups his cheek. “We’ve done crazier.”
“I don’t like this,” Magnus finally chimes in. “But this might be stupid enough to work.”
Now that I know a threat is imminent, I’ll be able to actually prepare for it. A privilege I haven’t been fortunate to have since the guys have insisted on keeping me in the dark. Maybe if I knew the magnitude of what was going on, I would have kept that bastard alive instead of killing him.Bronco.What a stupid fucking name.
“Wait,” I blurt out, a memory floating in. “I remember another name from the other day.” I dig through the pieces of that dreadful night to uncover what it was. “Harold.” I blink up at the group gawking at me. “One of the men’s names was Harold. And the other guy, Bronco.”
“I have Savini working to see what he can find. I’ll give him that name, too,” Dominic says. He tilts his watch face up toward him. “Speaking of, I have a meeting soon.”
Of course, he would. When we’re finally all together, he would leave. Makes total fucking sense. How can we show a united front when he isn’t even present?
“I won’t be long, though.” Dominic meets my gaze. “I’ll only miss appetizers.”
My heart flutters. Is this his way of finding some common ground between us? A compromise of sorts? It’s not much, and he’s going to have to dig a hell of a lot deeper, but for now, it works.
“So, it’s settled?” Claire fills the awkward silence.
“Yes,” I answer before anyone else can.
“Okay.” Claire leans forward and props her elbows on the table. “We’ll need to pick a place where they’ll think you’re vulnerable. Where the security is lax, and the chance of someone gaining access to you is great. Crowded, so it would be easily overlooked, but not so much that they couldn’t take you if they make a move.”
“I know the perfect place.” I take a deep breath and prepare myself for the possibility that this all might be over soon enough.
Maybe then I will get my happily ever after.
But knowing how things do down in this world, the chance of one of us making it out alive isn’t great.
28
SIMON
Ihate all of this.
