Read Online Man of Mystery: A BBW Romantic Suspense by Lorelei Moone - Free Book Online

can’t see. Where is Tess?” I say.
    I shuffle ahead further, as the man behind directs me. Then I finally see her. A woman, tied to a chair with a black bag covering her head, surrounded by yet more spot lights. She’s only about twenty feet from me, and yet she seems completely out of reach.
    The sight of her in such an undignified position fills me with anger, but I swallow it, knowing that losing my temper won’t help either of us right now.
    “Tess? Is that you?” I call out.
    The woman stirs, lifting her head in my direction, even though she probably can’t see anything through the dense fabric blocking her face. “Yes, Liam?”
    I’m so glad to hear her voice. So relieved she’s here. That means there’s hope of getting her out of this yet. Otherwise, Fletch might have just hidden her somewhere else or killed her already.
    “Now. If you don’t mind telling my associate here where you’ve kept the package.” As soon as Fletch finishes his demand, a man steps out in front of the light, clad all in black. Even his face is covered by a black ski mask, hiding his features completely. All that’s visible is the menacing look in his steel-grey eyes.
    “Outside. I’ve hidden it,” I say.
    The man pulls another chair out of the darkness and gestures at it. “Sit.”
    Something about him seems familiar, his voice perhaps, but I cannot place it.
    I obey, though, taking a seat, and the hands that had kept a firm hold on my arms until now loosen just a bit as the restraint around my wrists is cut.
    They’ll want to secure me to the chair now too, obviously. Then they’ll want to get the package and verify it before possibly killing the two of us right here. I can’t let that happen.
    I flex my muscles, preparing myself for a fight. The man in black steps around me, holding a couple of black plastic ties. The hands on my arms have relaxed enough for me to slip out from underneath their grasp. I turn around and punch the man who had been holding on to me right in the gut, making him double over.
    The man in black with the zip ties pulls a huge knife from a thigh harness and charges at me. I jump up from the chair, pick it up and fling it in his direction, in an effort to distract him.
    The lights are still bothering me, making it hard to see the two men I’m fighting, so I focus on sounds instead. Sometimes it’s easier to visualize a fight with your eyes shut, acting only on instinct. And anyway, if I can’t see properly, neither can they.
    Footsteps off to the side remind me that Fletch and who knows how many other people are still around, hiding in the darkness. They’ll have guns, and if I get shot, Tess will die as well.
    I dodge the guy in black again, narrowly avoiding his knife and see an opening to punch him swiftly in the throat. He goes down almost instantly, and the large Rambo knife makes an almighty ruckus at it falls to the ground beside him.
    The other guy is still doubled up on the floor with both arms wrapped around his abdomen. In just a split second, I reach down, remove one of my shoes, as well as the folding knife. Keeping the knife in my left hand, I fling my shoe hard at the light, blocking my view of where I assume Fletch was. It falls over with a loud clatter and shatters, giving my eyes some relief at last.
    I sprint towards the other light and use it to scan our surroundings. I can’t see anyone, especially Fletch. He must have made an exit as soon as I started to resist.
    Then a loud whimper makes me turn around towards Tess. She’s no longer alone.
    A man - Fletch, presumably - has wrapped his arm around her throat and is holding a gun to her temple. His black fedora hat is obscuring his face; all I can tell is he’s quite unremarkable in terms of build and most likely Caucasian.
    “Another move and she’s dead, Agent Everson,” Fletch hisses.
    It’s peculiar how his voice remains mostly calm with only subtle undertones revealing how he really feels. I’m sure he’s