“You never liked me in your bed before,” she replied, then yelped as Jerry jerked her around so she faced him. He shook her, hard.
“Ah, but I haven’t found anyone as intriguing and fun as you were, my dear.”
She hated him. Goodness, she really hated him! “Let me go!” she whispered, feeling herself shake with fear and wishing she could hide it. Jerry loved fear! He got off on it. He loved intimidating anyone, thinking it gave him power!
“Not just yet, my love.”
She shivered, closing her eyes as she tried to think. How long had Arik and Simon been gone? Unfortunately, she had no idea. But, she knew she couldn’t wait for them to save her. She remembered Arik’s comments about leaving certain things to the experts. If Arik and Simon were here, she’d definitely let them take care of Jerry and her father. But they weren’t here. She was basically alone since Jade was still unconscious. And hurt! Jade needed help! She needed medical attention. What if she were dead? What if…?
No! She couldn’t think like that! She had to slow down and come up with a plan.
“Um…Jerry, I think we should–”
“Just get her into the car,” her father snapped. “I’m going to shoot those dogs. They’re annoying the crap out of me!”
Sage swallowed hard. Glancing over at Jade, she noticed movement. Jade’s eyes were open! Was Jade trying to tell her something? Yes! But what?
Jade looked lower, but Sage was still confused. Then Jade closed her eyes again, feigning unconsciousness.
“We should do something with Jade too. If she’s found here, someone will call the police.”
Herbert sighed. “She was always such an obstinate child!” he sneered. “Let’s put her in the trunk.”
“We can’t just haul her out of here,” he argued. “Someone will call the police!”
Herbert rolled his eyes. “She’s my daughter, you idiot! I’ll just tell any busy bodies that we’re taking her to the hospital!”
Jerry considered that for a moment. “Yeah, I guess that will–”
Before he could finish, Sage pulled her leg back and, with all of her strength, slammed her knee into Jerry’s groin. For a long moment, he didn’t speak. He didn’t react. His eyes widened, but other than that, he didn’t move.
Then he slowly, silently tumbled sideways. If Sage hadn’t been so terrified, she would have laughed as he hit the floor, both hands clutching his groin.
While all eyes were on Jerry, Jade opened the bedroom door. A split second later, Xena dove through the door, literally landing on Herbert. The man screamed and threw up his hands. But Xena already had a grip on Herbert’s arm, shaking it viciously and taking him to the ground. Herbert tried to throw Xena off, but Minx was right behind her. Minx might look like a teddy bear or a mop, but he was surprisingly vicious! He sank his teeth onto Herbert’s earlobe. Hard! Herbert screamed.
Sage rushed over and snatched the pistol from Herbert’s flailing hands, aiming it at her father and Jerry.
“Off!” she ordered her dogs.
Shockingly, they obeyed, backing towards Sage, while continuing to growl, clearly ready to finish this.
“Your damn dog bit me!” Herbert screamed.
Just then, because there wasn’t enough chaos in the small apartment, the front door burst open. Arik was the first through the door, sweeping the room with his weapon at the ready. Simon came in after him, doing the same thing. Several other officers followed them in.
“What’s going on?” Arik demanded.
“My father and Jerry were trying to kidnap us.”
“Not Jade, you stupid bitch!” Jerry yelled. “Just you! Good god! You can’t even get that right!”
Arik stepped closer, pistol still aimed at the guy’s head. He kicked his foot into Jerry’s gut.
“Whoops, I tripped,” he explained. The other officers chuckled, while one stepped forward with handcuffs. He quickly restrained Jerry while another officer handcuffed Herbert. Both men were quickly led out of the apartment.
As soon as they were gone, Arik turned and pulled Sage into his arms, almost crushing her as he held her close. “I thought I’d lost you!” he whispered into her ear. “Don’t ever do that to me again!”
Sage held him just as tightly, luxuriating in the safety she felt in his arms.
“You were so right about the dogs!” she told him, burying her face in his chest. “Xena took him down! Then Minx bit his ear. They saved us!”
Arik tightened his arms around her. “You saved yourself, damn it! You’re such a beautiful woman!” And then he kissed her. Sage was breathless, overwhelmed by his kiss, but she didn’t protest. In fact, she reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck, just in case he thought about pulling away from her.
Several hours later, Sage sat at Arik’s desk at the police station with Jade at Simon’s desk, facing each other.
“What do you think they’ll charge them with?” Jade asked, moving Simon’s pens into his bottom drawer. Jade and Sage had begged to be included in the interviews, or at least allowed to watch. But the men insisted that their women needed to be kept safe and out of harm’s way. Which is why Arik and Simon they’d parked Jade and Sage at their desks and ordered them to stay put.
Sage shrugged, removing the lead from Arik’s mechanical pencils and storing them in her wallet for safekeeping. Soon enough, the guys would learn not to patronize her or her sister. It might take a few more weeks of mischief, but he would figure it out. After enough headaches and stuff shifted to different places, she supposed.
“I don’t know. I hope it’s really bad, though.” She pulled his stapler out and…!
A hand latched onto her wrist. “Enough, woman,” Arik pulled her up and into his arms.
