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Chapter Sixteen
Ariella
I squirmed against his shoulder, and while the masked man had kept an arm around my hips, I didn’t stop my movements. He’d grow tired or be forced to put me down and I’d have the chance to fight back. It was just the two of us.
His grip loosened just slightly, and I used all my strength to roll hard against him, knocking him over and us onto the floor.
A male voice grunted. “Damnit, Freckles.”
It couldn’t be. Could it? “Jaxson?” I whispered. I probably should have run. It was my opportunity, but I’d recognize that voice anywhere when it said my name.
He glanced over his shoulder as he stood up, dusted off his pants, and offered me a hand. Those piercing blue eyes stole my heart. I clutched his hand, and we tore out of the building.
SWAT awaited our departure out of the building. Guns pointed at us.
I threw my arms into the air.
Jaxson did the same. The shotgun slung over his shoulder. He fell to his knees, the mask still on as SWAT surrounded him.
“Don’t shoot!” I screamed at the men. “He’s with Eagle Tactical.” I had assumed they’d sent him in as part of their operation.
“Even more reason to arrest his ass,” a man with a swat jacket said. He stepped out from behind the command center positioned across the parking lot, he must have been the leader of the operation.
“Jaxson?” What the hell was going on?
* * *
SWAT agents patted me down to make sure I wasn’t harboring a weapon before they whisked me away from Jaxson.
“I want to see Jaxson,” I demanded. Why were they keeping us apart? “He saved my life.” I insisted that they know that he rescued me. Was it the fact he was dressed as one ofthemthat they had to check out his story?
Had he broken the rules coming in to rescue Hazel and me? Where was Hazel? Worry flooded my face as I sat in a metal folding chair, a blanket around my shoulders.
“Relax,” Mason said, coming to sit beside me. He handed me a bottle of water. “Jaxson said you might need this.”
“Thank you.”
Hazel stood behind him. She was small in comparison, and I hadn’t even realized how easily she disappeared. He was her protector. Had he been inside the resort too? I hadn’t seen him, but that didn’t mean anything. Eagle Tactical worked as a team. I doubted Jaxson had gone in alone.
“Where is he?” I asked. I opened the bottle of water and took a sip. I used two hands to hold the bottle, doing my best to keep my hands from shaking. The blanket helped, even though I didn’t feel cold. I didn’t feel much of anything other than exhausted.
“Debriefing and dealing with the repercussions of what we did,” Mason said. He wrapped an arm around Hazel, pulling her tight against his body.
“I don’t understand. Is he in trouble?”
Mason smirked, chill. “No more than usual. I need to get Hazel someplace safe. She mentioned Franco was inside the resort. I can’t risk waiting around for him to find us out here.”
“Yes, that’s right.” She couldn’t stay at the hotel anymore. I didn’t dare ask where he’d take her. I wasn’t sure I wanted to know. It was best to keep it a secret from everyone.
He rested a hand on my shoulder. “Are you sure you’re all right? If I take you with us, Jaxson will lose his shit. He’s just barely keeping it together,” Mason said.
I sipped at my water and wiped my lips. “I’m fine. I doubt he wants to see me. He kicked me out of his place. I’m the last person he wants to deal with. Remember, I planned on staying at the hotel to get out of his hair.”
“Talk to him,” Mason said. He patted me on the back before leading Hazel out of the tent.
I wanted to leave. I didn’t want to stay with the itchy blanket curled up over my shoulders, drinking a bottle of tepid water. I wanted to go home, slip into a hot bath, and let my troubles disappear.
* * *