Stand Off

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TRIGGER WARNING

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Dane

The only things Dane could hear were his own heartbeat and breathing. The thrub, thrub, thrub of his pulse echoing in his ears, throbbing in his skin, carrying Lila's name—and her imagined screams at the hands of his brother. What had Chris done to her! Where was she?

"I will kill you," he snarled through his teeth. "Tell me where she is."

"Don't be dumb right now, Dane. Think this through," Chris said through his teeth.

"Tell me where my wife is."

"You have to stop right now and listen to me, Dane," Chris's entire demeanor had changed—far from the shaking, uncertain man he'd been towards Doug, now Dane faced the bodyguard, the cool-tempered security advisor. The one who owned other men's safety and called life-and-death decisions in seconds. "She's safe," he said. "Do you hear me? She's safe. You need to listen to me, and remember everything we've ever talked about."