Zane opened the door for Juliet to get into the backseat of the car. Clive didn't say anything as he started the car up. The woman hesitated for a brief second before getting into the car. Did she consider changing her mind or did she see something?
"Where are we going now, Sir?" He accepted the woman's unexplained presence but would keep an eye on her.
"She's the one who has the directions." Zane shut the door before going around to get in on the other side. He would allow the other to dictate the location. If the safehouse didn't seem 'safe', he would adjust accordingly.
Juliet gave the directions before giving Zane back his phone. Their hands made contact for a brief second but the clamminess of the woman's hand didn't evade him. Nerves from taking this chance or something else?
"Thank you for letting me use this."
"No problem. I would prefer though if you could hand over your other phone for now." Zane held out his hand after putting his own phone away.
"Do you really think that there is something to be worried about?" pulling the phone out of her purse, Juliet looked it over herself before handing it over.
"I will know for certain once I have a look at it. Always hard to tell in these situations but better to always remain cautious." Zane regularly requested a scan to ensure the security of his phone. Lack of caution ran the risk of inviting death . Especially with so many people turning sides in recent weeks.
"What if there is something wrong with it?"
"I will keep it then. We will get a replica for you and have any calls forwarded to it from this phone here." Zane didn't have the technological expertise to do a deep dive into the phone's system. Gut instinct said there would be no need to. It would take a fool to not notice where they were heading lead outside of his territory.
"Finger prints would tell who has accessed this phone over the last week or so. If anyone Carelessly left them behind. I'm sure you can provide a list of who does and not have access to this?"
"As long as it looks the same and you're answering calls the way you always do, no one will be suspicious unless they see it up close."
"Is there any risk to my son in any of this? I don't want to put him in danger if you do something and they find out." Zane looked up from the phone, smirking at the woman.
"I think that you should give me more credit than that. I know what I'm doing well enough to not mess it up. You on the other hand need to think about sharpening up a bit." Zane flipped the phone over to take the battery cover, pausing before doing so.
"If you honestly want to make sure that your son stays safe. You need to pay better attention to your surroundings. Think the way an enemy might think to hurt someone. Doubt everything you see around you and you think you know." Juliet fiddled with the handle of her purse, looking away and out the car window.
"If you tell me to do that... How do I know then who I am to trust?"
"You think that someone such as myself has reason to fear a lone woman stuck in a car with two men?" Zane's attention turned to Juliet.
"Clive might be driving, but the way I see it right now, you're the one at a disadvantage here. Being stuck in a car alone with two men. If I wasn't someone who just offered you my protection and instead found out you betrayed me and changed sides, what would you do differently?" lowering his voice with each word, Zane grabbed the other's chin to force him to face. It would be easy to find out any secrets in these situations.
"If you are hiding something else from me, I highly recommend that you tell me now." Juliet refused to make eye contact, looking over except at the young mafioso.
"I already told you-" The words died on Juliet's tongue as the other shook her chin firmly.
"I am a very generous person to those who respect me. To those who try to take advantage or use me.... let's just say that you don't get off so easily." Zane cut her off without care. Feeling the trembling against the hand holding her chin and the tears welled in the corner of her eyes told more than a thousand words possibly could.
"I will give you until the count of ten to tell me what's going on or I will drop you off right here and now." Clive began to slow the car down as though to prove his boss meant what he said. Juliet opened her mouth and closed it several times without any words coming out.
Zane began to count, emphasizing each number without letting go of the other's chin. With the counting of each number, the grip on Juliet's chin grew tighter. She didn't dare try to remove the hand uncertain of what the mafioso would do.
"Eight. Are you sure you don't fear me more by now than whoever you're trying to protect or hide behind? Trembling like a fragile leaf, what could be worse than this?" The human psyche could be rather fragile if the right pressure is applied.
"Nine. Only one more number after this. Are you sure you want to keep pushing me this far? If you keep going on, you'll be left on your own. Destroying the only potential alliance you could have before it even starts." Zane couldn't deny that he admired the woman before him. Enduring everything far longer than he anticipated. Still, such stubbornness was annoying to deal with.
"One more second left but I will give you a chance to reconsider your choice before you get out here." Juliet appeared on the verge of tears but the answer Zane wanted didn't come out of her mouth when she spoke. A potential monster hiding in the shadows more threatening than Zane himself?
"I'm only trying to take you to the place we agreed to talk at. Is it wrong for me to be scared and concerned over how everything will turn out?" Zane let out a derisive chuckle. Clive changed the direction of the car to head onto one of the side roads, detouring from their initial destination.
"You seem to take me for a fool. I have been around far more people in varying states of fear than you can probably imagine. I know well enough the difference between the fear of hiding something and the fear of what is to come." Zane jerked his hand, pulling the other closer so that their noses were almost touching. Juliet's breath caught in her throat.
"If that's how it is going to be, you can get out here then and find your own way back. Your problems will no longer be of any concern to me and I will get what I want another way." Zane leaned over further until his hand made contact with the car door handle on the other side. Clive stopped the car and put the hazards on despite no cars being behind.
"Get out. If you aren't going to tell me anything. There is no point in us wasting any more time." Zane went so far as to undo the other's seat belt leaving the petrified woman only having to take her purse and flee.
"What exactly do you think you're doing? Do you often make it a habit to kidnap women and do as you please with them against their will?" Zane didn't even have a chance to process the voice before a much smaller hand grabbed his.