Page 2 of His Claim

I curled my lip, ready to tell him to stop calling me baby girl, but I figured setting him free so he could get us out of here was more important. “Do you have any idea how we are going to get out of here?” I asked.

“Working on a plan.”

I glanced up at him. “So that’s a no.”

“If you’ve got a plan, I’m all ears,” he grunted.

I didn’t. I managed to loosen the knot on the rope and freed his legs. I moved to his arm, tied to the arm of the chair. “My plan is getting you freed, and then it’s all you.” Not exactly rocket science, but this type of scenario was in Murphy’s wheelhouse. I tended to keep my head buried in the sand when I dated Murphy, but I wasn’t dumb. Leo Banachi was a rich businessman who had his hands on everything. Legal and illegal.

Being locked in this room with Murphy obviously had to do with the illegal things he did. God knew working at a bookstore didn’t put me in contact with anything illegal.

I freed both of his arms and fell back on my butt.

Murphy jumped up and crouched in front of me. “Are you okay?”

I waved him off. “I’m still breathing, so I’m good.”

He ran his hands over my body and worriedly stared at me. “Did you hit your head at all?” he asked. “Anything feel broke?”

I rolled my eyes yet again. “I don’t know what broke would feel like since I’ve never broken a bone.”

“It would hurt like hell, baby girl.” His hands moved to my face, and he caressed my cheek. “You’ve got a few cuts on your face but nothing that needs stitches.”

“I wish I could say the same for you,” I muttered. Murphy’s normally handsome face was bloodied and there was a large gash on his cheek. “I should have listened to my mother when she told me to be a nurse. I’m not much help when it comes to blood and gore. I could direct you to the sci-fi section and recommend some of my favorite books, though.”

Murphy chuckled and shook his head. “You’ve still got a great sense of humor.”

I batted my eyes. “It’s my go-to when I’m in awkward situations or on the brink of dying.”

“Which one is this?” he asked.

“I’ll let you know.” It was honestly both. “Why don’t you James Bond us out of here, yeah?”

Murphy stood and did a slow spin, taking in the room. “Where were you before they brought you in here?” he asked.

“Uh, well, there was just a blanket on the ground.”

“That’s it?” Murphy growled.

I shrugged. “I’ve never been kidnapped before, but I don’t think comfort is what they go for.” Leave it to Murphy to be mad I wasn’t given five-star accommodations. “There were two windows.”

“Covered?” Murphy asked. “Like these?” He moved to the window on the opposite wall that was boarded up with streaks of light coming through the cracks.

“Uh, mostly. The top of one was missing a board. I could see trees.”

“Tops of trees, or the trunks?”

I wrinkled my brow. “Uh, well, I guess it was the trunks. Does it matter?”

“Yeah.” He tried to pry the wood off the windows. “That means we’re on ground level. Should make it easier to get out of here.”

I sighed and shuffled back until my back hit the wall. “You wouldn’t, by chance, have a pry bar in your back pocket, would you?”

“Very funny,” he muttered. “The real question is, are you going to be able to keep up with me once I get these boards off? We’re gonna have to run like the devil is chasing us, baby girl.”

“I was all-state in track, Murphy. I would worry more about yourself,” I muttered.

“Good, good,” he chuckled. The board in his hand creaked, and my hopes soared that he was actually going to be able to get us out of here.

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