The last time I used pig Latin was in junior high. I roll my eyes at her telling me to nix the hickeys and keep going.
It’s almost straight up five o’clock when we get back to the stable and we start undressing the horses. “I’m going to take Felix to his stable. I’ll be right back,” I say to Hallie as I lead him to the door.
“Okay,” she says over her shoulder as she carries Maisey’s bridle into the tack room.
“That won’t be necessary.” A deep, angry voice says just before D steps out of the grooming stall.
I jump at the sound, and I hear the bridle Hallie was carrying fall to the floor in the tack room. The combination of the unfamiliar voice, me jumping and Hallie dropping the tack, makes Felix jump and it’s my opportunity to smack his backside to make him run unaccompanied across the yard. He’ll go right to the stall on his own, but I pray someone seeshim going.
Please, someone see him.
D is holding a gun, and it’s pointed at me.
Lifting my hands, my feet are frozen to the ground. All I can do is stare at him. In my peripheral, Hallie slowly steps out of the tack room, her eyes wide.
“Well, hello, pussycat. I’ve missed you.” D drawls as his eyes slide in her direction.
“D. Please, I’ll go with you. Just let Marley go.” Hallie moves to stand between me and him.
He smiles, but anger is behind his dark eyes. His eyes drag down Hallie’s body and back up as he drags his thumb across his bottom lip.
“You know that’s not how this works, pussycat. She’s how I’m going to get you to behave, then once I get you where I want you, I might let her go.”
He starts to walk toward us, no, he stalks toward us. Hallie steps in front of me and holds her arms out. “No, just let her go. I’ll do whatever you want.”
“We’re past that, pussycat.” His eyes travel down her bare legs and back up to her face. “You should have been this cooperative weeks ago.”
Anger flares in his eyes before he pulls his arm back and punches her in the stomach. Hallie falls to the ground and I drop down next to her to make sure she’s okay, but he kicks her in the stomach. I’ve never heard a person make that kind of sound before. I’ve never heard anyone get punched in the stomach.
“Stop!” I yell, hovering over her with my arms out. I know I can’t possibly stop him from hurting her, but maybe I can stall him.
He jerks my arm and pulls me to my feet, spinning me around so my back is to his front, his arm bands across my chest. That’s when I see them. Mason and Jax walk around the door to the stable and stop in their tracks when they see thegun at my temple.
Jax locks eyes with me and I see rage in the depths of his icy orbs, but his face is relaxed. His gaze moves over my body and then to D over my head.
Hallie is coughing and sputtering as she stands, holding her stomach. Mason takes a step toward us, and that’s when I feel the tip of a gun dig into my skin, making me wince.
I’ve never had a gun pointed at my head before. My eyes go wide and my stomach dips, I think I might vomit. My breaths are becoming choppy because I can’t get a full breath.
“Brana?” My mouth moves but no sound comes out, the lump in my throat is blocking air and sound. I’m not sure why I said his name, I guess I’m hoping that he can tell me how to get out of this. I know that’s not rational, but I don’t feel rational right now.
He gives me a reassuring look, a small smile pulls his lips before he winks at me.
“I know you boys are used to getting your way, but it will be in blondie’s best interest if you stay back.” D takes a step back, pulling me with him, and I almost lose my footing, making me grab his arm across my chest.
“D, stop! Let her go. Please!” Hallie cries.
“Shut the fuck up. I wouldn’t have to do this if you would have done what you were told in the first place.” He jerks my body and we start walking to the side. “You’re going to have to give us some room, boys, so we can be on our way.”
For some reason, I cut my eyes to my right, over my shoulder, to get a good look at the man holding me. The same tongue click I use when training my horses breaks through the panic that is trying to take over, and my eyes flick to Jax, his ice-blue eyes are locked on mine and he softly says, “Oci na mene.” [eyes on me] He flicks his fingers to point at him.
“English, motherfucker!” D yells.
Jax doesn’t take his eyes from mine, the small smile barelyvisible. He’s relaxed and there is no fear on his face. How can he be so calm?
D starts pulling me through the door and toward the driveway, never taking the gun from my head. What if we trip? He could accidentally shoot me.
Hallie is crying on the other side of D, following his lead.
