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Inhaling deeply, I closed my eyes briefly and summoned my courage as Katie placed a hand on my shoulder.
“You can do this, Brandon.”
“Yeah.” Covering her hand in mine, I gulped down the ball of nerves clogging my nose and grabbed the phone. In slow motion, I punched in Berthold’s phone number and tucked the phone between my ear and shoulder. The line rang half a time, not even fully, before a softclicksounded, and I sat up a little straighter.
“Well, well... well. I’m not surprised you called, Brandon.”
Fear struck my heart even though Katie had told me, specifically, that Bert wouldn’t be the one to pick up. Mason’s swaggered tone was unwavering, and I ground my teeth hard at the open mockery that bristled my scruff.
“I knew you would. You’re too stupid to realize you’re not in a position to negotiate. You know what I want. Give me Katie, and everything can go back to normal.”
“I may be stupid, but I’m smart enough to see you’re a psycho coward. Even if you’re good enough at fucking people over, Katie is proof that you need your pawns more than they need you. Falling in love with a subordinate is rule number one on the list of crap that’ll blow back in your face.” I couldfeelhow apoplectic my comment made Mason, the prickles rippling down my cheek and neck. Holding Katie’s hand more firmly, I pursed my lips thinly as a wheeze rattled my teeth. “Why don’t we cut to the chase, here, Mason. If you want Katie, come and get her.”
Disgust roiled my stomach that those eight words ever breached me, but it seemed to snap Mason out of his enraged silence. He breathed loudly into the phone, and the hairs on the back of my neck bristled. Closing my eyes briefly, I held my own breath in flaming lungs as anticipation swam in my blood. Sweating profusely, I struggled not to twitch under the pressure of this phone call.
“You’re right. Iamgood at fucking people over. Your man Bert didn’t take too much, but I can tell why you’d feel inferior to him. Dude’s an asshole with a silver spoon so far up his ass it sticks out his mouth. Bigger, badder, and makes sure everyone knows it.”
Katie tightened her grip on my shoulder as a scoff clogged my throat, and Mason’s attempt to chuckle haughtily came out a forced cackle.
“I thought about going after your secretary, since she’s got so much more leverage than someone with no family. I needed Bert’s access though, and he’s such a selfish bastard that he gave it up without hesitation before I could even properly threaten him.”
“Is that supposed to be impressive? I’m more than aware that Berthold is a slug. I’ve known him all my life and intimidating him isn’t difficult.” At least, for a moment, I didn’t have to fake my bland tone, and my nose scrunched in annoyance. “I’m not sure what’s worse— you thinking it’s a favorable outcome, or you thinking it was hard and is an achievement.”
“You insolent, littleworm! You think I don’t know what you’re doing! You think I don’t know you’re lying about coming back? I already know you’re fortifying the island— that you’re digging in.”
Tangling my fingers with Katie’s, my cheek twitched as triumph nearly took my breath away.
“You may think you’re isolated, but I’m watching your every move!”
“... Right. So, I’m actually about to have dinner with my wife, and I was calling Bert to ask him if he wanted a bailout. I am a businessman, after all. Unlike you, I’ve never used a human being as a bargaining chip, but I figured I’d offer because I want him gone, and for the first time ever,hewants to leave. It’s a perfect transaction. Cut out the middleman. Let him know for me. I’ll call back tomorrow.” I resisted the urge to slam the phone down when Mason practically growled over the line. This was going to plan, supposedly, and I was almost done. That terrible sense of tiredness that gripped a runner when the finish line came into view made my knees bounce under the table. My palms sweated, and it felt a lot longer than a mere fraction of a second before Mason spoke up.
“This is your last warning,boy. Bring Katie back to me, and no one will die.”
Rolling my jaw as my mouth dried, I inhaled deeply, deliberately, as Mason’s very serious threat blanketed my arms in goosebumps.
“I’m giving you the chance to save lives, here, and all you have to do is hand her over.”
“I already told you. If you want her, come and get her. You know where we are.” This time, I couldn’t stop myself from gingerly placing the phone on the hook, and I slumped back to cover my face with both my hands. Tremors danced down my spine, and I exhaled a shuddering wheeze of a sigh. “Oh, my God.”
My heart beat so hard it threatened to bust through my ribs, and I swiveled around in my seat to turn to Katie. She smiled, pride and relief swimming in her eyes while my own stung and watered.
“Good. You did a great job. Okay. We’ve had people prepping the bunker, making it look like we’re staying, and so Jett knows where the main entrance is. Now, all we need to do is wait for her to make her move.”
I nodded curtly as unease swam in my veins, but Katie seemed more than confident that her plan would work.
“You did a fantastic job, Brandon.”
“Did you get what you wanted?”
If I were being honest with myself, I didn’t understand Katie’s plan— or that loose version she’d told me about. How someone, over the phone, can accurately gauge another person’s mental state and then predict what actions that person might take... it took so much prowess.
She nodded, licking her lips heavily, but whatever she was going to say came out a devolved squeak when I grabbed her and pulled her into my lap.
Hugging her tightly, I buried my face in Katie’s neck and breathed deep and heaving lungful of her smell. She didn’t resist, but she didn’t lean in, either. The warmth of her seeped through my clothes, and I pressed both hands on her belly firmly.
“... I know it’s hard, Brandon, but it’s not impossible. Three and a half months is a long time, even if it doesn’t seem like it. I have faith that you can pull it together before this baby is born.” Covering my hands with hers, Katie’s voice was steady, strong, like sheabsolutely, unquestioninglybelieved them.
Squeezing my eyes shut tightly, I nodded mutely again, afraid anything I said would come out a cry.This is so overwhelming. How could I think I was capable of handling this?
