“Just let him shoot the fucker,” I whispered into James’s chest as I tightened my grip around his back.
James grabbed my arms, untangling me from him. “Stay here and don’t move.”
I wanted to cry. I needed him at that moment, but I knew I couldn’t cling to him forever. If we were going to get out of here, he needed to restrain Matías.
The men worked fast, fighting Matías as they overpowered him and put him into the very shackles he was going to put me in. He screamed, struggling the entire time, but no one outside of our room could hear him.
Connor had told us every room was soundproof even though it was monitored by a two-way intercom at all times. No one would be coming to rescue Matías.
“Izzy,” James said as he stalked toward me.
I was still in a haze from everything that happened, and my heart hadn’t stopped pounding in my chest. “Yeah?” I whispered.
“You and Alese go back to the hotel, and we’ll be back there as soon as they come to pick him up.”
“Okay,” I said and nodded slowly and robotically.
He wrapped his arms around me, enveloping me in his warmth and safety. “Are you okay, doll?”
“I’m okay,” I said to him and buried my face into his shirt. “I’ll be okay. Just a little shell-shocked.”
“We would’ve never let anything happen to you,” he said in a soft, deep voice.
“I know. Can we wait here for you? I’d rather have a drink and wait in the common area than walk back to the hotel without you.”
He swept his hand across my back, soothing me. “That’s fine.” He leaned forward and kissed the top of my hair. “Go wait out there. Alese, if you can hear me, meet Izzy at the bar, please.”
“Thanks.” I hugged him tighter before breaking the embrace.
I took one last look at Matías. Seeing him helpless and restrained made me happy, but I couldn’t just walk out. I needed to do one more thing to feel I had the power back.
I stalked forward, my heels clicking against the cement floor.
James turned and stared at me, but he didn’t say a word.
I didn’t have words for how I felt about the man, but I did have one thing I wanted to do. I raised my hand and slapped him as hard as I could. My fingernails grazed his skin as they swept across his face, leaving a red mark and drops of blood.
James looked shocked, but he didn’t say anything as I spun around on my heels and marched out of the room. Fuck Matías. If I had my way, I would’ve tortured him until the men arrived to take him into custody. I’d hook electrodes up to his junk and electrocute him until it became useless.
Just thinking about it brought a smile to my face and gave me satisfaction. Alese was at the bar waiting for me when I walked into the public area. I slid onto the stool next to her, unhooking the leash and removing my collar.
“Fuck, that was intense.”
“Sounded like it.”
“Jack straight up, and keep them coming,” I told the bartender.
“Same,” Alese said because the girl could drink.
We’d become fast friends over the years. BDSM and ALFA were our commonalities. That, and strong men who pushed our buttons. Like me, Alese gave as good as she got.
“You okay?” she asked as I lifted my shaky hand, holding the freshly poured shot to my lips.
“I will be.” I laughed. Slowly at first, but it built into a cackle.
“I’d be crying if I were you.”
I poured back the Jack, taking all of it before wiping my mouth with the back of my hand. Alese looked more shell-shocked than I felt after the whole Matías ordeal. But it was over, and somehow, I’d gotten out of a sticky situation again with my life.
