Hot for Hostage

by Maggie Evans

Either I was having one hell of a hangover, or Strawberry Shortcake herself was standing in front of me and pointing a gun at my chest.

LMAO

She chewed on that full lower lip again as she considered me, and her brows scrunched in a frown before she whispered, “Now what?”

CRYING

He made a sound that confirmed he thought this woman was certifiable. But I couldn’t take my eyes off her.

Bruno mumbled a prayer in Italian and cut a look at me. “Please don’t hurt her.” I had no intention of doing anything of the sort. My mind was already busy with much more intriguing options of what to do with her.

Her frown deepened. “This really isn’t the time for semantics, Mr. Reed. I’m the one with the gun, so if I say you’re my hostage, then you’re my hostage. Got it?” Oh, I got it.

Well, I was in quite the pickle now.

“You okay, bunny?” Davian’s eyes narrowed on my face, and a shiver rolled down my spine at his inspection. “You look a little pale. Maybe you should sit down.”

“I want you to make those boys stop vandalizing our shelter! And to get Bear back. That was the last straw. Nobody touches our dogs. Well, not unless an adoption is approved. Or if you want to visit and play with the dogs. Or if you volunteer or work there. But outside those circumstances, nobody touches our dogs.”

LMAO

She was too damn cute for her own good.

Sadie mumbled something under her breath about women’s clothing and lack of pockets. She wasn’t even paying attention to us.

Sadie’s Guide to Hostage-Taking, Tip #5: Wear something with large pockets. Most women’s clothing isn’t made with hostage-taking in mind.

Was it normal to feel butterflies around one’s hostage? There should be an instruction manual for this.

It almost felt like Davian was taking me hostage now, but that was just silly. I was the one with the gun.

Who knew Davian Reed would be attracted to short bakers in pink overalls, pointing a gun at him?

And hopefully she’d forgive me for this, because I wasn’t ready to let her go just yet.

“Okay, well… Back off a bit, man. Take twenty steps back, and we’ll come out.” … Twenty steps? Did they think we were about to duel?

Think of Sadie. Don’t shoot the kid. Remember Sadie.

The mutt guarded Sadie like he owned her, and it pissed me off. I couldn’t even hold her fucking hand without him getting in the way.

Davian’s lips met mine—slow and teasing—before molding against them with a hunger that stole my breath.

EVERYONE CHEERED

“What are you thinking?” I murmured against his lips. He trailed slow, lazy kisses to the corner of my mouth, and my heart stuttered. “I’m thinking I should take you hostage for dinner tomorrow night.”

I couldn’t deny it anymore. I was hot for my hostage.

TITLE CARD

“You’re a good girl, aren’t you, Sadie?” I asked. Her eyelids drooped, and she relaxed—almost melting into me. She’d reacted the same way to my words of praise in the car. “Today wasn’t a great example, but I try my best.”

“Then be a good girl and give me a kiss.”

Sadie’s Guide to Hostage-Taking Being Taken Hostage Forming a Partnership with Your Hostage, Tip #12: Is it healthy to miss your hostage? Sorry, not a tip. Just curious.

Apparently, Davian was a bossypants.

She tasted like fucking sunshine.

Sadie’s Guide to Hostage-Taking Being Taken Hostage Forming a Partnership with Your Hostage Embracing the Hostage Lifestyle, Tip #14: Don’t feel ashamed for making out with your hostage. Own it.

I was going to kill someone before the day was over. Maybe more than one.

ME

Sadie’s Guide to Hostage-Taking Being Taken Hostage Forming a Partnership with Your Hostage Embracing the Hostage Lifestyle, Tip #17: It’s natural to feel fear when your hostage is hunting you. Arousal is less common, but we don’t kink shame in this guide.

A strangled choke left her throat, and she dropped her head back again. “I’m dead. I died. This must be the afterlife.”

Lying on a kitchen counter with my ex-hostage’s head between my thighs hadn’t been on my agenda for the day, but I could be flexible when a good opportunity presented itself.

“I’m sorry. I swear I’m not usually so emotional, but the stress of this whole hostage thing must be getting to me. The life of crime takes a toll, as I’m sure you know.”

“I’m not kidding, Vince. If I see you again before I get her back, you better pray my gun jams.”

DADDDDDYYYYYYY

“Blast it!” Gladys smacked the steering wheel. “You gosh-darned piece of⁠—” I covered Bear’s ears again at her string of curses. “Gladys!”

Karma had found me. What was that saying? Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Well, apparently that applied to hostage-taking.

“I have a phobia of someone cutting off my nipples and eyelids. Please, anything but that!”

“Hey, we are not screwing.” My cheeks must’ve been bright scarlet as I shifted in the seat. “I mean, sure, there were some close calls… Not that my sex life is any of your business.”

LMFAO

“Fine. Whatever,” Zain muttered, lowering his weapon. “We promise not to cut off your nipples.”

LMFAO

Sadie glanced down and chuckled a little hysterically. “Oh, that? Um, there was a little scuffle earlier. My shirt got ripped. You know how these things go. Not a big deal.”

She's so me

“I’ll do a lot more than that,” he threatened, raising his voice and grabbing her again. “You don’t have any leverage here, Reed. Either agree to our terms, or—or I’ll cut her nipples off!” Sadie sucked in a breath and stared up at him in betrayal. “Seriously, Zain? That’s the one thing you promised not to do!”

“And we may not be meringue, but don’t let that fool you, because you are mine. The moment you pointed that gun at my chest, you became mine. That isn’t something you can just run away from.”

No one ever warned me hostage-negotiation calls could be such a turn-on. It made me wish my wrists were untied, because I really needed to fan myself.

“I wasn’t going to cut off your nipples, you mouthy bitch! It’s called bluffing.”

“Me?” I squeaked. Now that was just crazy talk. “Hey, I didn’t kidnap myself, buddy.”

“I can’t whack them with my broom if I don’t have a broom.” It was difficult to argue with that logic.

Sadie’s Guide to Hostage-Taking Being Taken Hostage Forming a Partnership with Your Hostage Embracing the Hostage Lifestyle Not Freaking Out Escaping Being Taken Hostage (Again), Tip #35: There doesn’t seem to be a limit to how many times one can be taken hostage.

I wanted to go on a date to the park with Davian and bring Bear along with us for a picnic. I also wanted to jump him.

I was so over being abducted. At this rate, someone should’ve at least given me a loyalty punch card for all my troubles.

She shrugged. “At my age, you gotta get the thrills where you can. You call that a punch, Murdock? My parakeet can hit harder than that!”

I was rewarded with a hint of a smile cracking through Davian’s hard exterior. He pulled me close and pressed his lips to my forehead. “That’s my girl.”