"Burke wanted leverage and I wanted you. Have ever since I first saw you. We made a deal and that was the end of it, at least until Toke lost his s.h.i.t. Now it's all falling apart, which is why I'm heading out to meet your dad in ten minutes. I'm not just trying to save Clutch, I'm trying to save all our a.s.ses. I wish to f.u.c.k you'd give me something to work with."

I shook my head.

"I don't know anything, Hunter," I said carefully. "But you got one thing right-I know what club life is like. And that's why I'd never tell you s.h.i.t, even if I knew anything."

He smiled at me. Actually smiled, proving my theory that he was bats.h.i.t insane.

"f.u.c.k, I knew you'd make a good old lady. A woman who knows how to keep her mouth shut."

He leaned forward and brushed his lips against mine, because he hadn't f.u.c.ked with my head enough already. I tried ignoring him, but he nibbled just right and this wasn't like our other kisses-it wasn't desperate and wild and fueled by adrenaline. Nope, this was just sweet and beautiful and perfect. Here was the Liam I thought I'd known before ... How was this the same guy who'd taken those horrible pictures of me?

I sucked his lower lip into my mouth and he groaned. Then he pulled away and leaned his forehead against mine.

"You really want to catch my dad's attention, take me and Sophie with you," I whispered. "Give us back."

"Then I'll end up dead."

I pulled away.

"Liam, you're gonna end up dead anyway," I whispered. "But if you bring us back, I promise I'll fight for you. Tell them why you did it, explain what's going on."

"We're all dying, babe," he said. "Some faster than others. But I'm not giving up. It doesn't matter if Toke was acting under orders or not, he's still wearing Reaper colors. Your guy started it, and unlike him, we aren't shooting yet. There's still time to save the situation."

I pulled away.

"Take me back to Sophie?"

He sighed.

"Sure."

My talk with Hunter left me confused as h.e.l.l.

It was s.h.i.tty to learn he'd plotted out my future without even considering what I wanted. And he still insisted caring had nothing to do with our relationship.

I wasn't sure I believed him, though. In fact, I didn't. He definitely cared about me. I knew it. Maybe not in a romantic, lovey kind of way. But he'd held me while I cried, and that kiss had been sweet and gentle. Not about s.e.x at all. My cynical brain told me it was just one more attempt to get me to soften up and give him information.

But he hadn't asked me for anything after he kissed me.

It felt more like a good-bye.

s.h.i.t.

I glanced over at Sophie. We were stuck together on the bed again, each of us cuffed to the top by one hand. She didn't ask me what had happened while I was gone with Liam, which I appreciated. No way I wanted to explain that one.

"He's going to go meet with Dad," I told her.

"Why?"

"I think he's trying to save the situation. I think he actually cares about me, Soph."

She looked at me like I'd gone nuts.

"You can't be serious. He wants to screw you-I get that, he's a guy and you're hot. But a man who cares about a woman doesn't kidnap her."

The roar of a Harley outside the house cut the air, and we heard the sound of someone riding away. Hunter leaving.

"If I get away and Dad finds out I'm safe, he'll kill him for sure."

The thought made me sad. Yes, he was a d.i.c.k. And he was definitely a liar and a user and worst of all, a Devil's Jack.

That kiss, though ...

"Don't you dare have second thoughts," Sophie hissed, seeing through me. "This guy is dangerous and we're going to get seriously hurt if we stay here. We're going to escape. In fact, we're going to escape soon."

"I know. I just wish-"

"I don't want to hear it," she snapped, sounding angry with me for the first time. I suppose I had that coming. I was determined, though. I wouldn't fail her again. I'd get us out of here and I'd get her home safe to her boy, no matter what it took. I wasn't just any twenty-two-year-old girl-I was a Reaper's daughter, and Sophie was part of my family through Ruger. She was my sister and my responsibility.

I wasn't going to let anything f.u.c.k up this escape, especially not a man.

Not even a really cute one.

We gave it an hour before making our move. I pulled out the little Leatherman mult.i.tool I'd stolen from him and picked our locks in under five minutes. Once we were both loose, we snuck over to the window to look outside.

What we saw wasn't encouraging.

The house was in the middle of nowhere. There were scruffy shrubs all around, but nothing big enough to hide a person. The few scraggly pine trees weren't much better. At least there weren't a bunch of bikes parked out there-no reason to believe there was anyone besides Skid in the house. It was better than nothing.

"If he chases us, we don't have a chance," Sophie murmured, looking spooked.

"He won't chase us," I told her firmly. "Here's what we'll do. We're going to sneak downstairs. We'll figure out where he is, then you go out one side of the house and I'll go out the other. I can see a back door from here."

"And if he sees us?"

"Whoever he sees has to slow him down long enough for the other one to get away and find help," I said, holding her gaze. I tried to impress my confidence on her, my belief that she could do what needed to be done. "No matter what it takes. And I'm going to be the one closest to him."

"Why?"

"Because you have a kid. All other issues aside, Noah needs you and n.o.body needs me."

That was unfortunately the truth, as much as it hurt to say it. Sure, my dad loved me, but I wasn't a mother.

"Your family, the whole club, they all need you!" she protested.

"You know I'm right," I said flatly, thinking of Noah's little face. I'd only met him once, but he was a great kid. A kid who deserved a mother. I'd lost mine in high school and I'd be d.a.m.ned if I'd let it happen to Sophie's boy. "Don't even try to be n.o.ble here or something. If only one of us gets out, it's you. Let's not fight about it, okay?"

She nodded, still looking nervous but also more determined.

"Okay, promise me one thing," she said. "You need to seriously try to get away. Don't let yourself get caught or something just because you want to keep Hunter safe."

I scowled at her. I wouldn't do that ... would I? No. Definitely not. I wasn't stupid enough to throw away our safety just because some a.s.shole kissed me.

Oh wait-that's what got us into this in the first place. Ugghh ...

"Might as well go now," I said, feeling a little deflated. "I'll keep the knife, unless you know how to use it?"

"You mean to fight?" she asked, looking startled. I bit back a wildly inappropriate laugh. "Um, no. I didn't take knife-fighting cla.s.s in school. You can keep it."

This time I did laugh.

We crept down the hallway together, pausing at the top of the stairs, my f.u.c.k-me heels clutched in my hand. They wouldn't be much good for running, unfortunately. Not to mention the unholy racket they'd make on a wooden floor. At least Sophie had somewhat sensible shoes on, little fake boots with soft soles. I could hear Skid in the living room, either watching TV or playing video games. Hopefully the latter, since that would be more distracting.

"I'll go down the stairs first," I whispered. "Then I'll wave you on. Be ready to go whatever direction I point you, based on where I see him. If I point back at the bedroom, go up and get yourself back into your handcuffs, okay? If I wave you on, that's it. We'll only get one shot, so don't f.u.c.k it up. I'm counting on you to send help for me if I have to distract him."

"I can do it," she whispered back. "Let's both get out, though, okay?"

I nodded at Sophie and started down very slowly. When I reached the bottom, I peeked around the side of the stairwell. Skid sat on the couch, facing away from us. Some sort of loud game filled a giant, flatscreen TV, the sounds of shots echoing around the room.

Perfect.

I touched Sophie's hand. Then I pointed at myself and the front door. That was the route I'd take. I pointed at her and toward the back of the house.

She nodded tightly, her face determined.

Okay. Time to do it.

I held up three fingers and then counted down. Two. One.

Sophie slipped past me, walking quickly through the living room and into the back hallway.

Skid didn't even pause in his shooting.

Holy s.h.i.t. She'd done it. I decided to wait a few minutes before trying for the front door. Instead I studied it, and that's when the plan started falling apart.

It had three locks, including two deadbolts.

Would I really be able to open those without making any noise? Probably not. Time to change it up ... I'd wait a little longer and then go to the back.

But not until I was sure Sophie had a good head start.

Unfortunately, Skid turned off the video, set down the controller, and stood, stretching. Then he casually strolled over to the window and looked outside.

Sophie had s.h.i.t luck, because she ran right past him.

I pulled out the Leatherman, flipped open the knife, and stepped out of the stairwell. Skid grabbed a gun off the coffee table and looked up to see me right as I launched myself toward him. I didn't have any illusions that I could take him. I just needed to buy Sophie enough time to get away.

You know, I think I could've pulled it off if I'd had decent shoes I could run in.

Unfortunately, right as I launched myself toward him, my bare toe caught on my pant leg and I fell down heavily. The knife slid away from me, under the couch. I dropped the heels with a clatter.

Seriously?

Then Skid was standing over me, gun pointed at my head. Well, c.r.a.p. Dad would definitely be disappointed in this particular performance ... And Kit? She'd kick Skid's a.s.s just to clear a path to kick mine for being so uncoordinated. The worst part was I hadn't even bought much time for Sophie.

If I survived, I was never wearing high heels again.

I stared up at Skid towering over me, trying to guess my next move. He didn't seem too happy, which was fine with me. I wasn't very happy, either. Somehow, I had to find some way to slow him down or Sophie was toast. I'd love to say that I was utterly selfless in my resolve to sacrifice myself for a friend, but in reality, she was my best shot at a rescue now that I'd been seen.

In the movies, this is where I would have slinked back, fluttered my eyelashes, and used the power of my s.e.xuality to distract him. But frankly, my s.e.xuality hadn't been bringing great things into my life lately. I didn't quite trust my instincts in that arena.

But my teeth? Those I trusted.

I pushed off from the stairwell wall with my feet, sliding across the wooden floor toward Skid like a missile, hoping to h.e.l.l he wouldn't actually shoot. My hands caught his ankle, shoving up his pant leg so I could lock my jaws around his flesh.

"f.u.c.k!" he yelled as my teeth sank in. "You f.u.c.king c.u.n.t!"

I ignored him, biting down harder. He started kicking at me, and I held on tight, sliding back and forth across the floor as he thrashed his leg. I heard the gun c.o.c.k but I ignored it. I might be f.u.c.ked, but Sophie wasn't. Utter determination took over and my brain held one thought, and one thought only.

Keep biting Skid's leg.

That's why I didn't even notice when he pointed his weapon. The loud crack of a gunshot broke through my fog, but I didn't feel any pain.

Huh. Must've missed me.

Blood filled my mouth as I dug deeper, wondering if I could sever his tendon if I tried hard enough. Probably not, I'd need to rip at him to make that happen ...

That's when he shot again, and this time I definitely felt pain.

Holy s.h.i.t.

I'd never experienced anything like the trail of fire that ran across my thigh. Agony. At first I couldn't get my jaw to unlock. Then he kicked again and I went flying, slamming into the wall with a scream. I lay there, stunned, watching blood seeping out of my leg.

Wait.

BLOOD WAS LEAKING OUT OF MY LEG.

I slapped my hands down, pressing hard against the wound in my upper thigh. That felt just as fabulous as you might imagine. s.h.i.t. Holy s.h.i.t. Sweet baby Jesus!

"You shot me," I whispered, stunned. Why this was such a surprise, I don't know. Skid glared down and shook his head.

"What did you expect, you stupid f.u.c.king b.i.t.c.h? You f.u.c.king bit me. Christ, do you know how dirty a human mouth is? I'll probably get sepsis."

"Oh, I'm so f.u.c.king sorry that your ankle hurts," I growled, my vision blurring. "I'd kiss it all better if I wasn't busy trying to keep the blood inside my body!"

He raised the gun and pointed it right at me.

"What the f.u.c.k Hunter sees in you I cannot imagine," he told me. "But listen up. You got one pa.s.s. You f.u.c.k with me again, I'll shoot you in the head and tell him you made me do it. I'll sleep like a baby afterward, too. Got me?"