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I guess I expected to see an angry gun to match his furious eyes, but considering he’s ex—sort of—mafia and standing in front of a hundred cops, I’d say that’s reason enough not to blatantly break the law.
I press myself flat against the closed door, knowing if I stand on my own, I’m going down. Then I turn toward Archer and grin.
He’s so sexy. So strong.
So scary!
“Now.”
The second Earl is on the other side of the door, Tim sweeps in and scoops Aubree into his arms so the old man flops to the concrete steps and Aubs’ legs fling into the air.
Maybe her brain works as slowly as mine, or maybe everything just plays out in slow-motion for me, but it takes her a stunned beat to scream. Then another for her to twist and fight his grip.
“Minka!” Once time catches up, and realization slams through her system, Aubree scratches Tim’s arms and wrestles to be released. Her eyes swing my way, and her elbow clips her captor’s jaw. “No! He’ll shoot Minka!”
Panicked, enraged, Slade spins to his hostages, but finds Archer instead, his silent prowl and his menacing stance as he stops twenty feet away.
But Slade is desperate and dangerous. Loping around before Archer can squeeze off a round, he wraps his arm across my neck and squeezes until my breath stops.
I should know better.Bebetter. I’m the frickin’ vigilante, a woman able and accustomed to taking care of herself in high-stress situations! But it’s nearly midnight, I haven’t had a proper meal all day, I’m without my factor, and now I have a dislocated shoulder.
It’s pathetic that the last may be my downfall.
But Slade yanks me closer and kicks the door shut, then he plasters his chest to my back, and the barrel of his gun to my temple.
His breath races into my ear and sends goosebumps sprinting along my spine.
“You’re gonna need to step back, cop.” He forces us forward, so Archer must retreat in response.
Archer does so, staring past me and into the eyes of my future-killer. His hands are steady, his gun poised and ready to take a man down.
Undeterred, Slade glares, “Where are my hostages?”
“Safe.” Archer circles, and though I stumble on weak legs, he remains strong. Unbreakable. “You’ve lost them, Parker. Now it’s just me and you. And we’ve already talked. We’ve come this far. Don’t fuck things up now.”
“I still have her.” He wraps his finger around the trigger and almost succeeds in making my bladder fail. “I have her. And maybe you can shoot me, Detective. But she won’t be standing when it’s all said and done.”
“Let her go.” His wedding band hangs on the outside of his shirt. The necklace that ties us together. A beacon of hope for me.
Then Slade’s fingers brush across mine, and like he has a sudden realization, his body jerks.
He grabs my chain and yanks it forward until the clasp snaps and tears burn the backs of my eyes. “She’s yours?” He keeps his arm over my shoulder, but studies the dangling band. The glittering white gold, and the perfect chain purchased from Aubree’s brother’s jewelry store.
Still, Archer circles when Slade brings us around.
“Not just a hostage, Detective. Butyours?”
“I said,” he reaffirms his aim, “let her go.”
“But I can’t. You took all the rest, and now I only have one left.” Slade’s voice trembles with the fear he carried when this all began. “It didn’t have to happen this way. No one had to get hurt.”
“No,” Archer growls. “They didn’t. But here we are, and you’re at the end of the road. Let her go, and you get to walk out of here alive. But if you hurt her, I have no reason not to tear the fucking skin from your bones. You don’t know me, Parker. You don’t know my people, or the things I’ll do for my family. But you have choices to make. You’re not dealing with the cops right now. You’re dealing with me. And there’s nothing I won’t do to protect her.”
“So you’re like me.” Fat tears roll onto Slade’s cheek as he grips my necklace and tightens his hold around my neck.
I’m useless. Worse than a standard hostage, because at this point, Slade’s strength may be the only reason I remain standing.
“I’m a dad, doing what I need to do to keep my daughter safe,” Slade blubbers.
