Page 195 of Fly's Path

Vexing.

Also, who is Vex and how do I know him?

Focus. You need to escape. Just get to the phone and call the cops.

I yank and tug and shimmy and shake…nothing moves this thing.

It might be time to think about breaking my thumb. Dylan, you better be right.

Also, how does one break their thumb in a way that you can slide off a pair of handcuffs?

An image of a bloody mess that needs to be amputated pops into my mind. I can’t do it.

But you need to. Women who are abducted don’t get chances like this. You fight to the death rather than letting them take you anywhere.

You need to escape.

The door starts to open.

“You’re telling me there is a woman in my office, handcuffed to my couch. Is that what you’re telling me, Wick?” A familiar voice says.

It can’t be. But I know that voice. I’ve known that voice since before I was born.

“Yes. Vex called while you were out at your meeting, needing a simple favor. This girl watched until her man picked her up. You know how he is. I figured you wouldn’t want to get on his bad side. So I sent Viktor to watch her, but you know how Viktor is.”

“He’s loyal but an idiot.”

“Basically. He thought she’d be easier to watch here. So he dumped her in your office.”

“And how do you think Vex is going to handle it when he finds out this woman he wanted protected is chained to my couch?”

“I would have apologized and offered her a refreshment, but Viktor said she was a little kicky. I didn’t want her to get hurt trying to hurt me. So I left her there. You’re better at problems than I am.”

“Better at problems…You left a ticking time bomb in my office and expect me to go in there and smooth it all over before Vex comes here and kills us all painfully.” His voice sounds a little deeper than when I last saw him. There’s a hard edge to it. “I should fire you.”

“Yup, you should, but I’ll go order you lunch. Do you think the lady will be here long enough to eat? You know what, I’ll just grab her something in case.” The sound of footsteps racing away punctuates his words.

“Idiots.” He steps through the door. “I’m very sorry about Viktor and Wick—” His briefcase slips out of his fingers. “Sheri. What are you doing here? Why…What…Sheri…”

“Hello, Draven. It’s been a while.”

You’re With Vex?

Sheridan

Everything about Draven is different from the boy I once knew. That is to be expected. A teenager looks vastly different than a grown man…But this man in front of me. There’s a hard edge to him. It’s not just that he looks like he works out enough to walk into the ring at any time.

What toll did it take on him to become the rich, powerful man he is now? More than I would have dreamed possible.

My Draven dreamed big, but he also loved harder. His heart drove him…to what is the question.

“Why are you in my office, Sheri?”

“That’s a good question. It seems one of your goons has a thing for handcuffs.”

“Did Viktor give you that bruise on your face?” Draven walks up to me but stops.

“Nope. He was remarkably gentle, except for the one time he shoved me onto his backseat. And even then, he apologized.”