Free Glitter and Gunfire by Cynthia Eden

people.”
    But the Executioner had never taken a man hostage. In all the time that she’d been following him, he’d never picked a male for his prey.
    Until now.
    “It was a mistake. You wanted me, not him.” Her breath was ragged, and the trembling in her voice wasn’t an act. The fear was real. “You’ve got me. Let him go.”
    Cale had lunged forward. He waited now, at the foot of the stairs, his hands clenched into fists. The light from the top of the stairs barely illuminated him.
    “I’m not letting him go. Your hero nearly ruined everything for me.” Her captor’s breath blew over her ear. “So I’m going to make sure he suffers.”
    “No!” Cale suffering wasn’t part of the plan. “You have me—let him go!”
    “Get him,” the man said to the others as he climbed back up the stairs, pulling Cassidy with him.
    The bodies of the other men shoved against her as they ran for Cale.
    “No!” Cassidy yelled.
    Only...
    There was the thud of fists connecting with flesh. Three men had closed in on Cale. Three against one.
    One of the Executioner’s guards fell down, groaning. A second joined him moments later.
    Cassidy saw the flash of Cale’s weapon as he sliced out at the third attacker.
    Vicious. Fast. Deadly. The fight happened in a matter of seconds, and all three of Cale’s attackers wound up on the floor, groaning and immobile.
    “Now I’m coming for you,” Cale said as he started to make his way up the stairs. “So you need to get your hands off her.”
    But her captor’s hands had tightened, and Cassidy felt the sharp slice of a blade on her neck.
    “Can you see the knife in my right hand?” the man holding her demanded. “Because it’s at her throat. You take one more step, hero, and I’ll slice her from ear to ear.”
    Cassidy wasn’t breathing.
    She knew the man meant exactly what he said.
    Cale stopped advancing. “You’re bluffing. If she’s dead, then you can’t use her. You can’t ransom her.”
    “No, but there are others like her. Rich, useless women who can be taken and controlled. There are always more, just waiting to be taken.”
    Waiting to be killed?
    She heard the thud of footsteps behind them. More of the Executioner’s men, coming to help him.
    Coming to hurt Cale? To kill him?
    How much more time needed to pass before help came for her and Cale?
    Cassidy licked her lips. “Was...Helen McDonough...so useless? So easy to control?”
    She felt his start of surprise against her.
    Cale advanced a step.
    “Helen?” the man repeated. “I remember her so well. She was my first. You never forget your first.”
    She wanted to sink that knife into his throat. “She was my friend!”
    Cale crept up another step.
    “She was a spoiled princess who begged while I sliced her.... Begged ...” He jerked Cassidy back, yanking her up the stairs and away from Cale. They crossed the threshold and stumbled into another room. “Just like you’ll beg before I’m done with you.”

Chapter Five
    And, with his cold, brutal words, Cassidy let the mask that she’d worn for so long fall away. Her fear was real—but so was her rage.
    “No. I won’t beg.” She shoved back with her elbow as hard as she could. He grunted, and his hold loosened. That little bit of slack was all she needed. Cassidy ducked, dropping right from under his arm. The knife sliced over her, but she didn’t care.
    “Cassidy!” Cale’s bellow. His footsteps thundered up the stairs.
    She swiped out with her hand and yanked the ski mask off the man who’d held her. The man who spoke of Helen’s death so callously.
    The Executioner.
    His men were crowding in behind him. Some held guns. Some had no weapons at all.
    She ignored them.
    Hurry, Mercer, hurry.
    Cassidy stared up at the monster who’d haunted so many of her dreams. Only he didn’t look like a monster.
    Under the bright light, his blond hair gleamed. His face was handsome, cut in smooth, clean lines. He could have been any man that she’d