He sighs heavily and suddenly smiles. “Of course. I’ll help you pack.” Still holding my arm, he turns toward the hallway. As soon as he takes one step in that direction, Mace emerges in our path. Holding a gun.
“Let go of her, asshole,” he growls.
Frank hesitates for a moment, probably from shock, and then he pulls me in front of him, wraps an arm around me, and takes a few steps backward. This is not how any of us pictured this going down. I was supposed to leave the room, so Mace and his team could confront Frank without me.
When it became clear Frank wasn’t going to release me or let me leave his side, Mace had no choice but to alter the plan.
What I wasn’t expecting is for Frank to be armed, too, and all the blood drains from my face as he presses the cold metal of a pistol against my temple.
“Let her go, Samson,” Mace orders.
Frank lets out a sardonic chuckle that makes my skin crawl. “Who the fuck are you?”
“Who I am doesn’t matter, Samson. Unless you want your brain matter splattered on the wall behind you, you need to release Autumn.”
“You think you can outshoot me, fucker? Not a chance. I served two tours during wartime. I’ve killed more men than you can imagine. Back the fuck off. Autumn is mine.”
Mace smirks as he approaches, still holding his gun aimed at Frank’s head. If he shoots, there’s a good chance I’ll die. Frank would likely jerk me into the line of fire to save himself. Mace knows this. He would never take the shot unless he was certain I wouldn’t be injured.
That doesn’t mean Mace isn’t going to fire his weapon. I suspect he’s efficient enough with a gun to hit Frank in the skull two inches from my head. But I’d rather not find out.
I’m scared out of my mind, but I also trust Mace. I need to have faith he’s going to get me out of this mess.
Frank is gripping me too tightly around my chest. It’s hard to breathe. I grab at his forearm, trying to loosen his hold. He hoists me up higher, causing my feet to lift off the floor until I can barely touch it with my toes.
My panic is growing.
“You don’t want to do this, Samson,” Mace warns.
“You’re wrong. I don’t know who the fuck you think you are, but I’m taking Autumn.”
Suddenly, Frank is no longer holding me. In fact, he’s not touching me at all. He drops to the floor.
I yelp as I jump clear of his body, finding Galloway on the other side of Frank’s limp body. “How…?”
Mace’s arm is around me in an instant. He hauls me back. “Galloway headbutted him, Baby. Go join Addison in the safe room. Don’t open the door until one of us comes to get you.”
I don’t argue with Mace. I turn and run into the hall. The last thing I want to see is whatever is going to happen in this kitchen.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Mace
* * *
“Come here, Baby girl.” I sit in the armchair of our hotel suite and reach out a hand.
Autumn is wrapped up in a fluffy robe, but she’s chilled. Her teeth are chattering. It’s not cold in the room. In fact, it’s too warm. I turned up the heat as soon as we got here, but even after giving her a hot bath, she’s still trembling.
After lifting her onto my lap, I wrap a blanket around her and hug her against me. Maybe it would be better to strip her out of the robe and spoon her in bed under the covers. She couldn’t possibly continue to shiver with my body heat there.
“I can’t stop shaking,” she mutters.
“I know, sweetheart. Take some deep breaths.”
She inhales deeply and lets it out, but it’s going to take a lot more of those to dampen her panic. “You’re certain no one can trace you back to Frank?”
“Positive.” I rub her arm. “We’re good at what we do.”
