Free Captivate Me by Ryan Michele Page A

for good. I look back now, and I just did everything so wrong. So terribly wrong.”
    The history between Angel and GT is complicated. She explained the loss of their baby and her thinking GT cheated on her because he made it look that way. I got what she said. I didn’t want to screw it up, either, whatever it was.
    “The difference between you and GT and us is … You have history and were destined to be together. Buzz and I met because he came up to school and got you. It was a whim, and I’m not going to make this out to be something it’s not.” Even as I say those last words, my heart aches. It’s true, and I don’t like the truth. I would rather have a slap to the face than feel this.
    “Bella, you have no way of knowing anything. Princess and Cruz met when he held a gun to her face. Crazy shit happens. It’s a part of life. Don’t give up so quickly or be so quick to judge.”
    I shrug. “Only time will tell.” I fear time will tell me something I don’t want to know.

     
     

 
    The door opens to my computer cave, and I look over to see Pops walking in, his face a mask of disapproval.
    “Hey, Pops,” I call out.
    He nods toward my bank of computers. “Have anything on Ransom yet?” His voice is firm. Fuck, I wish I had more to give him.
    “He cut the feed and looped it at nine p.m. Then he restarted it at ten-thirty. That gave him an hour and a half to get whatever he needed out of that place and get gone.”
    “I want in there,” Pops demands, and I pull up Ransom’s property on my screen.
    Pointing to the photo, I tell him, “There are two entrances. I have infrared cameras telling me there are three guys.” I show him their locations. “But I’m not sure if the place is rigged to blow if we show up.”
    “Find out,” he orders.
    I decrypt the code for two computers at the same time, hoping to gain access to their system while Pops hovers over me. While I don’t fucking like it, I take it because I fucked up by calling Bella first. I’ll take that heat. If part of that is him over my shoulder, then so be it.
    “Anything?” he asks after fifteen minutes of me meeting road blocks.
    “I have one other way. Give me a sec.” I tap into the computer. “There.” I look up at Pops who hasn’t moved an inch. “These are the underground wires that are secondary to the wireless network they have going on. I already tapped that and can control it at any time. The wires, though, will be set to blow, and that can be accessed remotely. If Ransom’s watching and we step in, he detonates it.”
    “Fuck,” Pops growls, crossing one arm over his chest, the other hand coming to his lips. “Do you think there’s anything there?”
    I turn to him. “No, I don’t. Whatever he had, he took it with him: computers, phones. At least, that would be what I would do if I were as fucked as he is.”
    “I wanna blow it,” Pops says. “Round up the guys and meet in church.” He turns and moves away.
     

     
    Three hours later, we watch as Ransom’s compound and the men inside burn to the ground.
    We pull up to our clubhouse in the van, parking it in the lot.
    “Lock this place up tight,” Pops orders, and we do what he says. It won’t take long because everyone’s already on alert.
    “So, brother, you sharing Bella with everyone or just your brother?” Dagger asks mischievously. He has a woman, Mearna, and she would cut off his balls if he touched another woman. Still, the question pisses me off.
    “No one fucking touches her.”
    Dagger laughs as we move toward the clubhouse. Then he nods his head to the courtyard, and I follow his gaze.
    Two brothers from the Clayton Charter sit on either side of Bella at a picnic table. It’s like a punch to the gut that takes my breath away as the cards of my life fall into place. Yes, we’re in a bunch of shit, but having her here with everyone else … They need to know she’s mine.
    Bella’s soft laugh can be heard as the two men try to get my