Page 20 of Stockholm (Angel of Mercy #1)

“Are you trying to provoke me?” Jessie growls, tugging harder on Bo’s hair and curling forward so that their faces are only inches apart.

Bo blinks up at him, speechless. One of his hands raises up to push the long hair out of Jesse’s face, grazing up his cheek to tangle at the roots.

I can’t believe what I’m watching. I can’t believe how close they look. How comfortable. I definitely can’t believe it when Jesse pulls on him again until Bo twists and crawls up his body, settling between Jesse’s legs and pulling him in for a kiss.

I gasp, my hand covering my mouth as they sink into it. Hands run each other’s bodies, pulling on hair, and Jesse looks about to consume my friend. He rolls them, his hand still tight on Bo until he’s caged beneath him, then fists Bo’s hair as their kiss deepens.

Noah presses a button and the screen goes black, startling me. I try to snap my mouth closed and hide some of my shock. He’s watching me closely, studying my reaction.

“I don’t want to invade too much. Although Jesse wouldn’t mind, I’m sure,” he says, putting his phone back in his pocket and crossing his arms again over the back of the chair. “As you can see, your friend is adjusting extremely well.”

I have no idea what to say. The air feels charged after what we just watched. They’re hooking up, here. Somewhere.

The captor and the captive. Just like Noah and me.

Is this what he’s expecting? And why was that…so hot ? I hate to even admit it. Watching them together, witnessing how much they want each other. It shouldn’t make me feel the way it does.

It feels so invasive.

“You look a little breathless, Emma,” Noah states, the hint of a smile on his face. “Did that turn you on?”

His forwardness has my face flushing again, mouth dropping open again. “No, of course not. That was clearly a private moment, I just don’t feel right intruding.”

He laughs, my discomfort obvious. “That’s not what Bo thought after that night at the bar. I watched from the couch as Jesse took your friend right over his coffee table. ”

My eyes squeeze shut, the information too much. Too forward. He can’t just talk to me like that, like we know each other. I hate how it feels.

I hate how it’s making me feel.

I wish the earth would open and swallow me whole. And why is this image burning in my head? Noah, kicked back on a couch, drink in hand, watching as my best friend—as Eric’s cousin —hooks up with Jesse.

It’s undeniably attractive. Jesse is admittedly a work of art—the hair, the tattoos and piercings. The way the glint of his lip ring and the stud in his nose draws your eye to his sharply beautiful face. His tall, lithe body taking control of Bo’s.

And then there’s Bo…

They look good together.

“Look at me.”

I shake my head.

“Look at me, Emma. Why are you so flustered?”

“I’m not,” I sputter. “I just don’t know how to feel. That’s Bo’s kidnapper. They shouldn’t…he shouldn’t feel so comfortable.”

“Do you feel uncomfortable right now?”

I can’t open my eyes. I lower my head into my knees and breathe. Finally, I look up at Noah.

“What do you want from me?” I ask, my voice shaking.

“You look like you're about to pass out,” he says, studying my face. “What I want is to ruin your husband’s life and make him pay for what he’s done.”

“Is it worth it? Revenge so you can spend the rest of your life in prison? The police could be here any minute.”

He nods, never taking his eyes off mine. “It is to me.”

He’s more open right now. I wonder what else I can get from him while he talks to me like this. “What pays for this? This house feels custom built. What kind of man needs a home he can keep people locked up in?”

Pausing to consider his answer, I almost think he won’t respond. That I’ve already pushed him too far when he starts to talk .

“My family…we deal in contracts. Not the kind that you deal with in your world. Contracts for other things.”

I wrack my head. “Illegal things?” I suggest.

He nods.

“Is there a contract out for me? Is that why I’m here?”

“No,” he says, shaking his head with brows furrowed. “You and Bo have none. Bo shouldn’t even be here. Sometimes Jesse gets a little fixated. That couldn’t be helped.”

It’s another shock, but he says it like it’s nothing. Bo shouldn’t be here, but his cousin is obsessed. Just a small hurdle, toss him in the second kidnapping room and problem solved.

“You mean Eric has a contract,” I guess. When he nods confirmation, I continue. “Can you tell me why? Do you know?”

He sniffs, raising his head so he’s looking down his nose at me. “You’re gonna have to convince me that’s a good idea. That you can be open-minded, Emma.”

His eyes burn into me. “How—how do I do that?”

“I’m sure you’ll come up with something, smart little thing like you.”

I can’t tell if he’s being sarcastic or not, and it stings. As far as he’s concerned, I’m just an oblivious housewife. It doesn’t scream intelligence and I wonder if he thinks of me as blind. As dumb.

Maybe my face betrays me. A moment passes and I hear the scrape of a chair, Noah stalking those final steps toward me. It’s deja vu, him planting his fists on either side of me. I can feel his breath on my face, the smell of smoke and mint locking my eyes on his mouth.

“ Maybe you can look to your friend for inspiration on how to convince me,” he says, and his nose brushes against my cheek lightly. So light it’s almost like it isn’t happening, and yet my body’s response is disproportionate. My stomach seems to fall away.

“ Maybe if you show me how good you can be, I’ll tell you things you want to know, hmm?”

My thighs clench .

“Do you think that might be something you can do for me, Emma? You seem like you could be such a good girl, like you’d be so good at doing what you’re told.”

His mouth drags up the side of my face, to my temple and places a soft, hypnotic kiss there.

Then he pulls away, and I realize I’m panting. Snapping my mouth shut, I think I see the beginning of a smile on his face before he turns, dragging the chair back to the corner.

“Wait! Wait, not yet,” I say, scrambling to the end of the bed. I can’t stand being alone all the time. “Will you be back tomorrow? There’s nothing here for me. You didn’t pack any of my books or anything. I don’t even have my cat and I need her.”

He considers this. “I’ll see what I can do. Goodnight, Emma.”

I sit back. I guess I’ll have to take what I can get. At least he’s not insulting me as he leaves this time.

He shuts the door and I’m thrust back into silence.