Nodding toward the building where his team was set up, he barked at me, “Let’s go inside.”
Who the hell did he think he was? My boss?
Opening my door quietly, I watched Landon open the trunk and reach inside. When his attention was diverted, I jumped out of the SUV and quickly ran across the highway to the hotel. Glancing back, I watched him slam the trunk and give me the finger. He couldn’t holler for me—he’d call way too much attention to himself—so I was home free.
Bursting into the lobby of the hotel, I ran straight into my next obstacle. Literally. I was a pathetic sack of shit, not thinking straight, and absolutely no use to my woman.
“Sir? Mike? My name’s Sam. I work with Carson. I’m going to have to ask you to calm down.”
Why did Carson have to know me so well?
Shrugging his meaty hand off my shoulder, I walked like a good boy toward some conference room and showed myself in. Inside was a man talking on the phone.
“Yeah, he’s here. We got him. Predictable, yep,” he said, laughing into the phone.
Without needing to confirm he was talking about me, I gave him the finger. He laughed even harder before disconnecting his call and turning his attention to me.
“Just got word the sheik’s right-hand guy went up to the room,” he said. “Looks like you won’t be waiting long to see your lady.”
Wanting to break the hell out of here, I looked toward the door and the other agent, Sam, blocking the exit.
I pulled back my shoulders and puffed out my chest. Hell, if he wanted to see who had a bigger cock, I was game. “I want out of here. This sting is over.”
As both agents shook their heads at me, the phone rang. The agent who’d been on the phone before answered it.
“Yup, Mitchell here.” After being quiet for what felt like a lifetime, he said, “Got it,” and hung up.
“Listen, sir.” Hating to have to grovel, I cleared my throat. “That’s my woman in there. I’m crawling out of my skin not being able to do anything.”
“Calm your balls,” Mitchell said. “Your guy Landon is already in place, waiting by the elevators. As soon as that trio leaves the room, they’re done. All the exits have been blocked, so there’s no escape for them. Pretty much, the idiot pimp did them in when he picked a room so high up.”
Sam nodded and added his two cents. “Sit, pace, whatever the fuck you gotta do, because you’re not getting out of here.”
“Forget my balls,” I said, my emotions churning out of control. “I’m going to grow a pussy soon with this bullshit. I’m a bouncer, you know? I manage some of the toughest clubs in the country.” My fist met with the wall, sending cheap paint and drywall raining to the floor.
Mitchell shrugged and said, “Have at it,” as Sam said, “We’re keeping you here.”
“Fuck you, Sam. Who are you? My fairy godmother?”
He didn’t answer, further infuriating me, so rather than beat the shit out of him like I wanted to, I ended up pacing. My shoes ate up the burlap carpet, the friction I created picking up carpet fibers, making them stick to the synthetic soles of my basketball shoes. Needing to calm the fuck down, I stared at my shoes as I paced.
Deep in mindless thought, I almost didn’t hear the phone buzz a while later.
“They got ’em,” Mitchell said, and my head shot up.
“They what?”
“They have your woman, bringing her back here now as we speak. The pimp and the right-hand guy are gonna be off somewhere far, far away. Done and done. Happily ever after.”
I tuned out the rest of what he said because the door opened, and in walked Lynx and Landon.
Suddenly, I couldn’t move. My feet were glued to the floor as I watched her walk toward me in slow motion. Her head was on Landon’s shoulder, his arm wrapped tight around her—and it should have been me.
Stunned, I couldn’t stop staring at her, taking in her short denim shorts, wrinkled tank, and sandals, needing to reassure myself she was okay as she leaned on Landon. I’d never felt more helpless and useless in all my life.
“Michael.” She stood in front of me, standing on her own.
Every emotion, thought, and feeling was lodged in my lungs, squeezing until my breath was nothing but a wheeze.
