Page 83 of Keeping Collette

Collette shuddered in revulsion and bile crept up her throat. Would he still think she was tasty if she threw up on his feet?

“What? You don’t have anything to say about your sister? I thought you would, considering how you tried to trick us into getting information.” Jim laughed. “I don’t know why people think I’m stupid. My own brother thought he could trick me. As if I didn’t know what he does. I make it my business to keep up with him through my own contacts.”

Collette was shocked Jim was giving her so much information. He truly believed that he was going to get away with everything. Even if she didn’t survive, there was no way Deal and the others weren’t going to do everything to bring him down. “If you know him so well, then you’d know he and his friends are dangerous.”

Jim laughed and pressed a knife against her neck. Where had that come from? “Cupcake, I’m even more dangerous.” He trailed the knife down her flesh, the sting of the blade cutting her had her crying out. “That’s it, keep it up, Cupcake. I love it when you yell.”

Collette clamped her lips shut. No matter how much her ankle hurt, or whatever else Jim planned to do to her, she wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of screaming. He could make of that what he wanted. She also didn’t allow herself to think about Courtney and what Jim had done to her.

She would survive. She had to.

Chapter Forty-One

Deal’s finger caressed the trigger of his gun. All he had to do was depress it and then Jim would be taken out. The fucker had a knife to Collette’s throat, and from where he stood, he could see the trickle of blood from the cut he’d made.

Irish gave a shake of his head, as if he could read Deal’s mind. Not that it would be hard to do, if it was Cass being held at knife point, he was pretty sure Irish would shoot first and ask questions later. Although none of them wanted to be the one who killed a teammate and friend’s brother. But if it came down to a life and death situation between Jim and Collette, there was no discussion, and none of his friends would judge him for doing what he had to do to save the woman he loved.

He and Irish, along with Hound and Jag, had found Collette and Jim at the same time. They had them surrounded, and Jim was so focused on thinking he’d won that he had no idea that everything was about to come crashing down on him.

“Mal secured,” Growler murmured over the comms. None of the four men surrounding Jim and Collette acknowledged the message.

“I don’t like that you’ve gone quiet on me. Where’s the fun in that?” Jim taunted Collette. “How about if I did this?”

They watched as Jim took Collette’s arm and sliced from her elbow to her wrist. This time a bit deeper than the one on her neck. Yet somehow she managed to keep her cry of pain to a mere whimper.

Fuck, his Collette was strong.

But Deal had had enough. He wasn’t going to stand by and watch Collette get hurt anymore. Before he could make a move though, Hound rushed toward them and jammed his gun to the back of Jim’s head.

“Touch her one more time, fucker, and your brains will be painting the ground,” Hound growled.

The shock of having a weapon thrust against him was enough for Jim to loosen his grip on Collette. Aware that his friends would have his back, Deal rushed forward and caught her before she fell to the ground.

“I’ve got you, baby. I’ve got you.” He clutched her tight to him and carried her away from where Irish and Jag, along with Hound, had Jim on the ground. Surprisingly the man wasn’t yelling. Or struggling.

Why?

Why wasn’t he fighting?

“Deal? Is it really you?” Collette’s questions dragged his attention back to where it should be—on the woman he loved, and not the man who’d caused her pain.

“It is. I love you. I’m sorry it took so long for us to get to you.” He pressed a kiss to her temple, aware of the blood trickling from both her cuts.

She needed medical attention.

“This isn’t over,” Jim yelled, as he was yanked to his feet, as if the action snapped whatever fog he’d fallen into once he’d been overpowered by the others.

“It fucking is over, you asshole.” Hound stared his brother down.

“You always were the cuckoo, Porter. Always the weak one,” Jim goaded.

Hound looked like he was going to say more but shook his head instead. “You’re not worth it.” He walked away with his head high, but Deal knew inside he was hurting.

“That’s it, walk away. You’re good at that!” Jim yelled. A second later the sound of Irish’s fist hitting Jim reached him.

“Let’s get this piece of shit out of here,” Irish muttered.

“Give me five, I need to attend to Collette’s wounds.” Deal reached into his pack to pull out his medical kit.”