She glanced toward the door, uncertainly. “Maybe that’s a chance I’ll have to take. Are you prepared to take the chance that I’ll shoot you?” She raised the gun higher, aiming it at his head.
He smiled, looking her in the eye, and replied, “Baby, I’ve been takin’ chances all of my life.”
She held the gun on him, her hands trembling. She chewed on her bottom lip trying to figure a way out of this.
He raised his arms wide as if inviting her to take the shot. “Make up your mind, baby doll.”
She felt like crying with frustration. Why wasn’t he afraid? Was he so sure she wouldn’t pull the trigger? And was he right about her not being able to get out of here alive? She knew he told the truth. They would hear the shot. And they would come running.
He watched the realization dawn on her face, and saw her resolve falter. She slowly lowered the gun in defeat. He reached up patiently, and gently took it out of her hands.
She watched as he replaced the gun in his shoulder holster. “How did you know I wouldn’t pull the trigger?” she asked in a whisper.
He raised his eyebrows, and shook his head. “I didn’t.”
They studied each other.
“But I also knew the safety was on,” he added, a smile pulling at the corner of his mouth.
Her shoulders slumped, and she looked at the floor. She waited for the blow she knew was coming. By now, Chuck would have taken his fist to her. When nothing happened, she slid a quick glance up at him, and finally whispered, “You don’t seem too mad about it.”
“It’s not the first time I’ve ended up on the wrong end of a gun,” He ducked his head to look in her eyes, and he smiled at her. “Just usually not my own.”
She looked up at him from under a lock of hair that fell across her face.
“Darlin’, I’m not gonna hurt you.” He could see the mistrust in her eyes. He exhaled slowly. “Look, I know you got no reason-” He shook his head to emphasize the point, “…no reason at all to trust me, but I just want to get you out of here.” His eyes searched hers. “I swear.”
“Why would you want to do that? I’m just payment for a debt, right? I heard what happened here. I’m not deaf. You took me in trade for a gambling debt,” she said, her voice escalating as she went.
Cole stepped closer, got right in her face. She needed to understand this. “Darlin’, my whole purpose in getting him in this room was to take you away from him. I don’t give a shit about that debt. I’ll get my money, one way or another.” He looked right in her eyes. “I did all this to get to you.”
That shut her up.
“W-what?” She took a deep breath, and swayed on her feet. He could see she looked ready to drop.
“Here, sweetheart, sit down.” He guided her to a chair, and pulled up another. He sat in front of her. He noticed she was trembling, and glaring at him at the same time, her eyes flashing with emotion. He reached to brush the hair back from her face, and she instinctively pulled back. He hesitated only a moment, his palm suspended in the air a few inches from her temple. Looking into her eyes he again promised, “I’m not gonna hurt you.”
Her gaze dropped to her lap, and he softly brushed the hair back from her face. The side of her jaw was bruised, her lip split. He gently tilted her face to get a better look at the injury inflicted on her by Chuck, and their eyes connected. “He beat up on you pretty bad, huh?”
She didn’t answer. She didn’t need to. He could see the proof on her face, arms, and legs. He glanced down at her wrists, and reached for her cuffed hands.
She sucked in her breath at the pain that shot through her tender wrists, her eyes watching his hands.
“I know it hurts, baby. I’m sorry.” He carefully examined her wrists. They were badly bruised, and the metal was cutting into her skin so tightly that they were cut and bleeding.
He looked back at her face, his eyes running over her features. She was still looking down. “We’re not all like him,” he told her softly. She looked up at him then, and he was again struck by the beautiful emerald green