Was this my life now? I scooted up into the mussed covers and crossed my legs under me to consider. It was part of why I’d succeeded the last twenty years, I’d gotten good at considering every angle.
The sharp clap of a gunshot echoed through the apartment. I froze, and belatedly dove to the floor. My chin skidded against the carpet, my coffee flew everywhere. My ears rang as my heart pounded hard enough against my ribs the rug vibrated below me. Every nerve was on high alert. I waited, mouth open forcing each inhale and exhale out hard.
Then I heard shuffling, a masculine shout, and something heavy hit the floor hard enough it shook. I pushed up from my hands and rushed out to see Will stepping on another man’s throat. A gun lay a few steps away and I surveyed the situation. Had he come for Will or for me?
I skirted the men to get a better look at who he pinned down. As soon as I saw the man’s bruised face I said a loud, “fuck.”
Looking between them, the fury on Taylor’s face and the calm brutal composure on Will’s. I needed to think quickly to keep everyone alive. I caught Taylor’s hand inching toward his thigh.
“Stop,” I shouted. The noise faintly echoed to my bruised ears. They both gaped at me.
I pointed to Will. “You. Get off him. He won’t move.”
He narrowed his eyes, no doubt at my tone, but took a giant step backward. Taylor started to stand. I pointed at his face. “Stay still if you want to walk out of here alive.”
He lowered his head back to the polished hardwood. I looked at Will who stood glaring between us.
Even now, with rage written in his quiet glare, I didn’t fear him. I knew I should. Difficult with the imprint of his fingers on my body still so fresh.
How do I fix this situation? Save Taylor, and convince Will I honored our agreement. I considered the man splayed on the floor. How had he found me? Us? How did he even get up here? I’d been thinking too long, I needed to do something.
I looked up at Will again. “Can he please sit on some furniture while we discuss his fate?”
He flinched at the word ‘we’ and it hit me…he thought I orchestrated this. Something hot and liquid slid through me. Not in a good way. It felt an awful lot like betrayal, which made no sense. Neither of us owed any loyalty to the other.
“Get up, Taylor.” I pointed to the wood chair. “Sit, and don’t make any stupid movements.”
He limbered to his feet keeping his eyes locked to Will until his ass met solid oak.
I sat on the coffee table opposite. “Why are you here?”
He pushed a heavy breath out his nose. “Rescuing you, obviously.”
“And how’s that going for you?”
He rocked like he might surge to his feet. “You can’t stay here. He can’t hold you hostage.”
I glanced behind me, Will took up a post anchored at my shoulders. His hands descended heavily and gripped tight.
I hurried to answer before Will could chime in. “We’ve come to an agreement to work together. At least for now,” I added.
He already thought he owned me. I needed to start laying down better barriers. When his face was between your legs did you want barriers then?
I pushed those thoughts away. “How did you get in here, Taylor?”
He hesitated.
“Answer me,” I snapped.
Like a petulant teenager he sighed. “I snuck in via a service entrance dressed as staff. No one noticed me. I took the stairs, knocked out the lone guard, and ran into him.” He waved at Will.
I didn’t need to look up to feel the glare he lobbed Taylor over my head. I could feel it in his hands locked on my shoulders. His fingers spread wide claiming the tops of my shoulder blades and collar bones too.
Taylor ground his jaw.
I pointed at his face to make sure he paid attention to me. “Stay here, don’t move.”
Dragging Will away by the hand, I met his eyes. “What do we do here? I didn’t call him. But he’s my friend and one of my most loyal guys. I don’t want to lose him.”
