Turning sharply, Max grabbed his jacket and phone as he dialed Ramone’s number.
“We’re tracking them,” Ramone reported without waiting for a greeting.“My men are moving to intercept at the nearest intersection.We’ve got the vehicle and their location locked in.”
Max’s jaw tightened, his voice a growl.“Good.Make sure whoever is in that van doesn’t get far.I want every single one of them alive—barely.They’ll wish they were dead by the time I’m done.”
He ended the call and stormed out the door, focused on the only thing that mattered: getting Lexie back.
Chapter 38
Theminivanjostledasit hit a pothole, and Lexie winced as her shoulder bumped against the interior wall.She squirmed in her seat, glaring at the zip tie around her wrists and the two women sitting in the front of the van.
“Relax, will you?”DeeDee snapped in exasperation.She was gripping the steering wheel with white-knuckled intensity, her tousled blond hair catching the glow of passing streetlights.“We’re not gonna hurt you.”
Julianne, perched smugly in the passenger seat with her perfect hair and expensive perfume, turned around to face Lexie, her manicured nails tapping on the headrest.“Honestly, Lexie, this isn’t personal.We just need to...remove you from the equation for a little while.It’s just business.”
“Business?”Lexie shot back, her voice dripping with sarcasm.“Kidnapping me isbusiness?Do you have any idea what Max is going to do when he finds out?”
DeeDee’s laugh was sharp and derisive.“Oh, we’re counting on him finding out.That’s the point, sweetie.”
Julianne nodded, looking entirely too pleased with herself.“We just need Max to realize he’s not as invincible as he thinks he is.Once we...negotiate with him, you’ll get to go back to your perfect little life.”
Lexie rolled her eyes so hard she worried they might get stuck.“Do you two even hear yourselves?This is a terrible idea.Like,epicallyterrible.You think Max is just going to shrug and say, ‘Oh sure, go ahead and kidnap my fiancée, no big deal’?”
DeeDee slammed the brakes at a red light, muttering under her breath.“God, you’re annoying.”
“I’mannoying?”Lexie shot back, leaning forward as far as her restraints allowed.“You’re the one driving a minivan with an actual kidnapping victim in the back seat!Did you think this through at all?”
Julianne huffed, flipping her hair over her shoulder.“Of course, we thought it through.We’re not amateurs.”
Lexie snorted.“You’re driving a minivan.In a city crawling with SUVs, sports cars, and vehicles built for speed, you picked the one thing that couldn’t outrun a determined skateboarder.A minivan isn’t made for escaping anything—it’s made for grocery runs and hauling soccer gear.”
DeeDee growled under her breath.“Shut up, Lexie.”
“Make me,” Lexie snapped back, her voice rising.“Oh wait, youcan’tbecause you have no idea what you’re doing.Do you even know who you’re dealing with?Max doesn’t negotiate.He doesn’t play nice.And when he finds me—and trust me, hewillfind me—you’re both going to regret this.”
Julianne’s smugness faltered, just for a moment, but she quickly recovered.“Max is just a man, Lexie.A very powerful man, sure, but even powerful men can be controlled with the right leverage.”
Lexie barked out a humorless laugh.“You’re delusional.Max isn’t just powerful—he isthepower.And you’ve just declared war.”
The light turned green, and DeeDee floored it.“Shut her up, Julianne,” she hissed, her voice tinged with nerves.
Julianne turned around again, her eyes narrowing.“Lexie, do yourself a favor and stop talking.This will all be over soon, and you can go back to whatever fairytale romance you’ve got going with Max.”
Lexie leaned back, her lips twitching into a sardonic smile.“Fairytale, huh?Let me tell you something about fairytales, Julianne.They usually involve a dragon that incinerates anyone who dares touch his treasure.And guess who the dragon is in this story?”She leaned forward, her eyes gleaming with defiance.“You two are going to get burned.”
DeeDee clenched her teeth.Julianne, sitting stiffly in the passenger seat, fidgeted with the hem of her expensive blouse, her confident expression cracking slightly as she avoided Lexie’s gaze.Lexie smirked, her heart racing.At least she’d planted the seeds of doubt.
“Where are we going?”Lexie asked, trying to sound casual even as she thought furiously.She turned her head to watch the trees and highway exits, committing them to memory.
Neither woman answered her, their silence thick with tension.Then, her fingers brushed against her tote bag beside her.Herphone!They hadn’t even thought to take her phone!
Lexie shifted slightly, slipping her hand into the bag, her pulse thundering in her ears as her fingers found the familiar shape of her phone.With one quick glance to ensure neither DeeDee nor Julianne was watching, she unlocked the screen and typed a quick message to Max.
Don’t know where I am, but can you track my location?
The response came immediately.My men are right behind the minivan.I’m on my way.
Relief flooded her, and she almost smiled.Max was coming.She’d known he wouldn’t leave her to these fools.Her grip on the phone tightened as she quickly tucked it back into her bag, her heart lifting at the thought of seeing him soon.
