Total pages in book: 74
Estimated words: 70370 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 352(@200wpm)___ 281(@250wpm)___ 235(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 70370 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 352(@200wpm)___ 281(@250wpm)___ 235(@300wpm)
The door opened, and two men walked in. From Egan’s description, I knew one of them was Alex. They set up a camera and a set of lights.
“I have to go to the bathroom.”
They ignored me.
“Hey! I said I have to go!”
They exchanged glances, and Alex shrugged. “Then go.”
“I am not peeing myself.”
The man from earlier stepped into the room. Part of me felt great satisfaction in seeing his swollen, painful-looking nose. He tutted under his breath. “Escort the lady to the restroom, Alex. We must treat our guest with some respect.”
I wanted to laugh at his words, but I kept my mouth shut. A moment later, the rope was cut from my feet, and I gasped as the feeling returned to my legs. They removed the rope at my waist and pulled me to my feet. I stumbled and wobbled around like a drunken sailor, holding in the whimpers as the painful pins and needles shot up my legs. Alex half dragged me to a small room that was grimy but necessary. I repressed my shudder.
“There,” he grunted.
“My hands,” I said quietly. “I need my hands.”
He hesitated, then took a knife from his belt and cut through it. “You attack me or do anything stupid, I won’t hesitate to hurt you.”
I only nodded.
He left, shutting the door behind him. “You have five minutes.”
I made the most of it. I emptied my bladder, splashed the cold water from the tap on my face, using my shirt to dry it. I looked around at the empty room. There was nothing to tell me where I was, not even a window. But from what I had seen in the short trip down the hall, it was a small, deserted warehouse.
Alex flung open the door, grabbing my arm. He dragged me back to the room, pushing me into the chair.
“May I have some water?” I asked. The water in the bathroom was rusty and smelled funny. The cold on my face helped wake me up, but I wasn’t going to drink it.
He looked at the man I assumed was Ivan, who nodded. A moment later, a lukewarm bottle was shoved into my hand. I struggled to open it, then sipped at the contents, not wanting to drink too fast and throw up. I was also stalling for time. They had moved the chair, and I could see the label better on the discarded box. Sterling, it said. I had no idea what it was, but it was a clue.
Ivan stood in front of me. Far enough away I couldn’t touch him, but close enough I could see the deadly intent in his eyes. “Tie her back up.”
My hands were tied behind me again.
“We are going to talk to Egan now. You are going to tell him to do what I say.”
“And if I don’t?”
He turned his phone to me, showing me a picture. “He is in his apartment, waiting for me to contact him. The building is set to explode on my command. You tell him no, he is dead. You will be of no more use to me. So therefore, you, too, will be dead.”
I broke out in a sweat, feeling the color draining from my face.
They had Egan’s apartment building rigged? How could I warn him? How could I help him?
I began to shake, my emotions getting the better of me.
They turned on the lights, the glare hitting my eyes and making me wince.
“Let us begin,” Ivan said.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Egan
I downed another coffee, my head aching, my shoulders tight. Julian and Matteo were on one side of the room, Damien and I were side by side, running programs, searching for clues. Marcus made a pile of sandwiches, insisting I eat to keep up my strength. Then he joined Julian and Matteo.
I made a noise of distress as I found yet more of the crimes Ivan and his people had perpetrated. His entire crew needed to be eliminated from the face of the earth. Damien squeezed my shoulder in silent sympathy.
“I’m sorry,” I murmured, meeting his eyes. “I failed her. I didn’t protect her. I wanted to send her to you, but she insisted on staying. I should have listened to my gut.”
“We didn’t know who you were dealing with or what they were capable of, Egan. And I know Sofia. She is stubborn.” He shook his head. “We had no idea she was on their radar.”
“They played it well. And I was too confident. I still don’t know what they want.”
My phone rang, and I grabbed it. “I think it’s him.”
Damien tapped on his machine. “Okay. We’ll stay quiet.”
I answered. “Ivan.”
His chuckle was loud. “How quickly you pick up this time.”
“I want proof of life. Now.”
He sighed and sent me a link, which I clicked. A video feed began, and I glanced at Damien, who nodded that he was trying to trace the call. Everyone was using their computers to run different software to track the call. I had to keep them on the line as long as possible.