The Mercenary by Katherine Garbera Read Free Book Online

She sprinted all out through the kitchen and through the back door, which led to a hallway.
    She hesitated, not sure which way to go. That hesitation cost her.
    Burati’s heavy hand fell on her shoulder and she was lifted over his shoulder facedown. She kicked and screamed until he slapped her hard on the ass.
    “Settle down, Ms. Olivia. We don’t want any extra attention.”
    “Screw you, Burati. This is kidnapping and illegal. Do you honestly think you will get away with this?”
    “I’m not kidnapping you,” he said. Walking down the hallway, she heard the door behind them open and she twisted to see who was following them.
    A man with a gun and dark stubble, that was who. Olivia felt like the situation was getting worse by the second. What was she going to do? She wasn’t giving up, but she didn’t think she could fight this man and win.
    “Freeze!” he yelled, but Burati didn’t stop. “Drop the woman.”
    “Stay out of this,” Burati responded.
    Olivia tried to kick her legs and this time Burati brought his hand to her thigh, squeezing tightly until she thought she’d pass out from the pain. She didn’t let that stop her, using her bound fists and punching him in the side.
    “Help me!” she yelled to the man who’d entered the hallway. He was tall, dark, and scary but he seemed the lesser of two evils right now.
    In the back of her mind was the thought that maybe this was the man that Anna was sending to her. “Kirk?”
    He nodded, but didn’t respond, and that made her feel better. And she stopped worrying about him and his position and just tried to get free.
    She heard a gunshot and felt Burati flinch and fall to one side. He was off balance and she rolled off him. With her hands bound it was hard to get to her feet, but she struggled upright.
    She glanced around, her long hair swinging into her face. She ached everywhere. Burati drew his gun and aimed it at Kirk, but he didn’t slow down. Kirk just shot Burati in his gun hand. Burati’s handgun clattered to the floor. Barack fired at Kirk, but Kirk hit the man on the side of the neck as he came up to him. The other man crumpled to the floor.
    Kirk grabbed her bag and kept on moving. Burati reached for his gun, and Olivia kicked it out of his grasp. Kirk bent down next to the other man and said something that was too low for her to hear. Then he clocked Burati on the head. Both of the men were unconscious.
    “Let’s move,” he said.
    “I need my bag,” she said. Searching for anything that would delay the moment when she actually left with this man. He scared her almost as much as the look in Burati’s eyes had.
    “I’ve got your bag,” he said. “Laz?”
    She had no idea who he was talking to. “What?”
    “Be quiet and follow orders. The airport security guards are on their way. We need to get out of here quickly.”
    “Did Anna send you?” she asked him.
    “Yes. I’m Kirk Mann. My colleague is waiting for us with a car.”
    “You can talk to him?” she asked, walking beside him. Actually trotting beside him, since he was taller than she was and walking at a fast clip. Maybe it was a good thing she’d put on her running shoes. Oh. My. God. She had almost been kidnapped. She’d seen Ray kill someone, he’d held a gun on her, and…
    “Lady, keep up.”
    “Olivia,” she said. “Call me Olivia.”
    He nodded and then said something else to someone she couldn’t see. “How are you communicating with these other men?”
    “We have wireless communication devices,” he said glancing back at her. “I have her. Let Anna know that I will put her on the phone as soon as we are secure.”
    “Who are you talking to?” Olivia asked.
    “My boss—Jack Savage. Listen, lady, if you could just be quiet and keep up, this will go more smoothly.”
    She made a face at him but clammed up. She was tired and ached from trying to escape Burati. And she realized a numbness had taken over her. She still had the duct tape around her