Reid - Maddie Wade Page 0,64

was out of her depth. The man moved so fast Calle hardly had time to digest it as he disarmed Sophia and shoved her away.

“Do not point a fucking gun at me unless you plan to use it.”

Callie watched as he glared with hate-filled eyes at Sophia as he holstered the weapon in his jeans before his gaze moved to her.

She held her head high as he appraised her, not in a sexual way, but as if he was looking for injury of any kind. Callie thought she saw a gentleness, a regret there before he hid it and turned away, dismissing her.

“You’re late,” Sophia accused as she came to her feet, dislike in her features as she watched him prowl the room.

He had the look of a tiger waiting to pounce, small steps and an economy of power. She’d noticed Reid and Liam did it, in fact, all of Reid’s friends did. She didn’t dwell on it because she was using the distraction to work on the rope at her wrists to little gain. The only thing she’d managed to do was rub the skin from them.

“I don’t answer to you.”

Callie lifted her eyes to the man as he growled the words.

“Maybe not, but it’s time for you to take her. I’ve done my part and I want my money.”

“I don’t have your money. You see him for that.”

As the exchange continued, Callie kept working the ropes, even as she felt blood run down her hands.

“Fine.” Sophia turned to walk away, but the man grasped her upper arm, stopping her. Sophia yanked away from his touch. “Take your fucking hands off me.”

“I need you to stay with her while I bring the car around.”

“I. Did. My. Part.”

The man seemed unimpressed and unaffected by her anger. “You will wait while I bring the car around or I’ll make sure you don’t live long enough to spend a single penny of your blood money.”

Sophia snorted. “Do not judge me. You’re no different. You plan to kill them anyway.”

Callie saw Sophia had scored a direct hit as the man flinched infinitesimally before he hid it. “We are nothing alike. Now wait here and keep your fucking hands off her or I’ll make sure you feel every second of pain that she does.”

Callie was opened mouthed as the man walked away. Were his actions his way of protecting her? She felt he had but not in an overt way, but she hadn’t been afraid when she looked at him, but then she hadn’t been afraid with Sophia either, so that was no great indicator.

The entire time he’d been there, Callie had stayed silent, not engaging him directly despite having no gag. She hadn’t felt the need to, more aware of what he didn’t say than what he did. She knew listening was more important in this instance.

This was the man who’d been sent to kill her. She didn’t know why someone wanted her dead, but her gut was screaming at her that is wasn’t someone she knew. She was even more convinced this had something to do with Reid in some way, Sophia was just their means to an end. Everything else though, including the stalker, were Sophia’s doing, and so she waited to see if she could figure anything else out.

Perhaps she could appeal to this man, beg him if she had to not to kill her. She didn’t want to die, not when she’d only just found true happiness. The lights in the building went out suddenly, and darkness surrounded them, but unlike Sophia who yelled, Callie smiled.

Reid was here.

Gunner paced the back of the derelict warehouse that had once housed a removal company. He’d never been so torn and seeing the woman hadn’t helped at all. No, it had made his choice, if that was what he could call it, ten times worse.

She was innocent, from what he knew kind, and more than that, his friend—even if he now hated him—loved her. He pulled at his hair as he threaded his fingers through it, frustration, anger, resentment, and absolute heartbreak bombarding him and leaving him drained as he tried to reconcile the knowledge that to keep his sister safe, he had to kill the woman and Reid.

That was probably just the tip of the iceberg, but what else could he do? Milla had loved him, and he’d caused her enough pain, enough damage through his behaviour. He couldn’t let them hurt her. Yet, it would kill him to hurt Callie