“Or you’ve been acting like a cop trying to protect a witness.”
The accusation hung in the air like a loaded weapon. I heard movement—chairs scraping, boots on floorboards.
“Say that again.” Ryan’s voice was ice.
“You heard me. Maybe we should check if your girlfriend’s really in that shower, or if you’ve got her halfway to town by now.”
“Back off, Snake.”
“Or what? You’ll show us those famous skills of yours? The ones nobody’s actually seen?”
More movement. A thud like someone being shoved against a wall.
“I said, back the fuck off.”
“Make me.”
Shit, this was getting out of control fast. I had to do something, or I’d be too late to help Ryan at all.
I stripped quickly, leaving my clothes in a pile. The towel hanging on the door was thin and rough, but it would sell the story. I wrapped it around myself, hair still dry but hoping the steam would provide enough cover for that detail.
The sounds from the other room were escalating—furniture being knocked over, grunts of struggle.
“Get on your knees!” Snake’s voice, sharp with authority.
“Go to hell.”
“I said, get on your fucking knees, or I’ll put a bullet in you right now!”
I stepped out of the bathroom, towel clutched to my chest, trying to look like I’d just finished showering. The scene in front of me made my blood freeze.
Snake had his gun pressed against Ryan’s temple. Diesel stood behind him, his own weapon drawn but pointed at the floor. Ryan was on his knees, hands behind his head, the picture of surrender. A fresh bruise was already forming on his cheekbone.
Our eyes met across the room. For just a second, surprise flashed, then relief, before he carefully masked it behind Coop’s annoyed facade once again.
“See?” Ryan’s voice came out steady despite the gun at his head. “I told you assholes she was in the fucking shower.”
Snake’s eyes tracked over me, taking in the towel, the steam still billowing from the bathroom, the scratches on my arms and neck from yesterday’s panic in the closet. A slow smile spread across his face, the kind that made my skin crawl.
“Well, well.” He lowered the gun but didn’t holster it. “Guess Coop was telling the truth.”
Diesel made a sound that might have been disappointment. “Would’ve been fun to break in a cop.”
“Still could be fun to break in his toy,” Snake said, eyes still on me. “Those are some pretty marks, sweetheart. Coop must’ve worked you over good.”
Ryan stood slowly, deliberately positioning himself between them and me. “She’s mine until I say she’s not. We discussed this.”
“Relax, Coop.” Diesel holstered his weapon. “Just making sure you hadn’t gone soft on us.”
“The only thing soft about this situation is your brain if you think I’d risk this operation for a piece of ass.”
They both laughed—ugly sounds that made me pull the towel tighter.
“Get dressed,” Ryan told me without looking back. “Now. Unless you want to give them what they’re asking for.”
I darted back in the bathroom, grabbing my clothes with shaking hands. Through the door, I could hear them talking.
“Be ready at dawn,” Snake said. “Oliver will be excited to meet his new weapons expert.”
