Pretending (Westshore Series #1)

Chapter Forty-Nine: Sacrifice

Warner's fingers grip mine with a painful exertion that nearly has me gasping. This is him holding on. My touch is what is stopping him from delivering a blow to Paul's face. If there wasn't guns involved, Warner would have knocked him out cold for talking to me the way he is.

"I saw the envelope; I have a few days to make my decision."

Well, that answers my question as to what was taped to our door

"You know too much. Matt is getting impatient...so are the rest of us. We don't have time to waste like you do. We need an answer. Now. Keep in mind we can't exactly let you go if you say no. Can't have our little golden boy running to the cops."

Warner pushes me behind him, like his body is bulletproof. "Tell Matt I'm not doing it and if he is so impatient, he can come to me himself."

It is the wrong thing to say.

One order from Paul and it all happens so fast.

The men close in on us.

I am kicked to the side by Jared until I fall flat on my face, the palms of my hands scraped.

Warner fights the other two uselessly. It doesn't matter how strong he is; With a gun pressed to the nape of his neck, he is forced to his knees in a fit of rage. His arms are held behind his back by the other man.

Warner pants; his face twisted ferally in something that promises carnage.

He is too far out of my reach. I am held down with a big foot to my lower back. Jared grins at me smugly, before pressing even harder on me.

"You have me, just let her go and I will consider your offer. But I am not considering anything when you are hurting her." Even in the night, I can see the worry, horror and anger wreaking havoc on his face. The emotions mix together and darken his entire demeanour, displaying the battle he is having with himself.

"I think you need a bit of motivation to stay in line." Paul says void of any emotions. He turns his stare to Jared who is looming over me and nods. "Now you can watch and remember what happens when you don't do as your told."

Jared lifts his foot and I try to crawl towards Warner, but the wind is knocked out of me as my enforcer kicks me in the ribs and there is a painful crack. I clutch my middle and let out a grunt. I am so weak that I think he just cracked one of my ribs from a simple kick.

Warner twitches, his fingers jerking in the air, as if to grab me. I know he wants to do something stupid to save me, but I have to stop him. I give him a fearful glare, begging him to remain still and not get himself shot.

His face crumples at my look and he grinds his jaw stubbornly. He knows I am right.

Next thing I know, a fist delves into my scalp and grasps my strands, tugging my head back at a sharp angle that has me crying out.

The pain was too much. I think I am going to blackout.

My eyes sting. My voice is hoarse.

Warner yells out, but I can't see him. I hear his matching grunt and I know he's been kicked too.

"This is what happens when you try to leave our business!" Paul yells and I hold in a whimper.

I look over at Warner, thinking that we were going to die. Nobody was coming. We had no wires, no cops, nobody else. My heart rate speeds up about a million beats per second, shaking not just my fingers but my forearms and even my biceps at the possibility of what is about to happen.

"Jared, take the girls clothes off. Let's see if she still looks like a little boy with no clothes on."

God, No.