“Not even if you begged me.”
My throat closed up as he pinched hard, sending a flood of adrenaline through my system. Everything around me turned black as I swayed on my feet, only staying upright with his hands on me. I wanted more. Needed his touch and everything else he could offer.
I was overheating, on the verge of tearing off my clothes for just one more opportunity to have his hands on me. But before I could put my plan into action, he stepped back and adjusted my bra, then my shirt with a firm tug.
I was only slightly aware of the fact that he was basically telling me no until he adjusted himself with a pained expression, turning away from me.
“That…that’s it?” I asked, shaking out my trembling hands.
“There will be time for that when we’re done,” he cocked a grin at me.
When we were done. If we got out alive. Somehow, that didn’t seem very reassuring. Not when I felt like I was walking to my death, and he was promising me sex if I survived.
Was that his trick? To make me think I was invincible? Because if it was, it wasn’t working. Sex wasn’t a good motivator in this situation. I needed more than that.
“No more words of wisdom?” I snapped. “No parting kisses or?—”
His finger pressed against my lips, silencing me instantly. “You don’t need words of wisdom. You’re smart, and you’ll do fine. As for parting kisses, we don’t need them because we’re both coming out of this alive and in one piece.”
“You just don’t want to jinx us,” I muttered.
“That too, but I promise you, everything will be fine.”
I really hoped he was right. Because no matter how much I told myself things would work out, I had this niggling suspicion that he wasn’t entirely certain things would go according to plan. And if that was the case, which one of us would come out of this unscathed?
“It’s time to go,” he said, handing over my purse. “Just remember, be yourself. I’ll take care of the rest.”
I nodded and followed him out of the hotel room, gathering in the hall with the others. While they were totally cool with this whole thing, I was not. As much as I wanted to believe I could be like them, danger was not an adrenaline rush I craved.
“We’ll split up downstairs. Derek and Claire will tail Krista to the hotel, and then they’ll be set up in the coffee shop next door,” Sinner explained. “Chance is already on the roof and ready. And Knight?—”
“Wait, Knight is here?” Rob cut in, frowning hard.
“You didn’t really believe all that shit about staying away to keep his family safe, did you?”
“Yeah.”
“Well, Kate made him come.”
“Even after everything with Cash?”
Sinner smiled. “I think it has more to do with the little lady beside you.”
Okay, so there was one more person with us. That was a good thing. We’d make it out of here, and everything would be fine.
“Wait, where are you going to be?” I asked, spinning to face Rob.
“I’m going out the back to another vehicle. I can’t be seen with you or the gig’s up.”
I blew out a nervous breath, but it stalled in my chest when he pierced me with an intense look. “It’ll be fine. Trust me.”
I did. With my life.
“Showtime,”Derek said through comms.
Easy for him to say. He wasn’t the one who had to walk into a building filled with the mafia and pretend everything was perfectly normal.
Striding down the sidewalk, I was nearly to the building when I was grabbed from behind. A thick hand crushed my lips as my oxygen was nearly cut off.