Total pages in book: 142
Estimated words: 133849 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 669(@200wpm)___ 535(@250wpm)___ 446(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 133849 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 669(@200wpm)___ 535(@250wpm)___ 446(@300wpm)
The hallway was empty, though she saw a man coming from the lounge.
“Nicole? You okay?” Case Taggart was dressed in dark leathers as he strode down the hallway. “I can get Josh for you.”
No words came out of her mouth. Nothing smart. Nothing to throw him off the fact that something was terribly wrong. Full-on, pulse-pounding panic fully took over, and she couldn’t hear anything beyond her heart threatening to beat out of her chest.
It was everything she’d feared, and she couldn’t face them. She couldn’t look into their eyes as their love turned to disgust.
She couldn’t go to jail because she knew damn well she wouldn’t ever make it to trial. If she went to jail, they would come after her because they couldn’t let her tell the truth. Ted wouldn’t risk it.
Nic ran, feet pounding against the carpet that covered this part of the club.
She heard someone shout her name, but she had one goal in all the world right now. Get downstairs. Get to her friend. Heather would get her out of here.
How was Heather here? How did Heather know?
The questions were a distant bell ringing, lost amid the panic. The elevator was in front of her, but Case was behind her. She couldn’t wait so she sprinted for the stairs.
How many stairs? Three flights? Four? She nearly stumbled but held on to the railing.
Josh and Grim had gone up to their suite. The dungeon was on two of the lower levels of the building. The rest were living spaces and guest suites. They would be at least ten flights up since she remembered the spectacular views of the city and the Colorado River. She’d stood there hours before, and the world felt like it was starting to make sense again.
Now she was back in the real world, and it was nothing but fear and chaos.
Her breath heaved in her chest as she made it to the first floor and burst through.
The lights of the lobby nearly blinded her after the low light of the stairwell. Or maybe it was the anxiety attack creeping along the edges of her consciousness. The lobby was an elegant construction, with marbled floors and a big welcome desk. The man on duty looked up from his high-tech computer, his eyes flaring.
“Ma’am?”
All she could see was the doors. She could get through the doors and run. She wouldn’t stop this time. If Heather wasn’t there, she would keep running.
There was nothing for her. Nothing at all.
She’d almost made it to the door when all the air fled her lungs as a big arm clotheslined her, dragging her back from what briefly felt like freedom.
“I’m afraid not,” a deep voice said. “Time to face the music.”
Fear choked her, and she pushed against the arm.
“Mr. Dawson.” The lobby attendant approached like he was dealing with a dangerous wild animal. “Should I call the police? Does Mr. Taggart know what’s going on?”
Dawson. The Dawsons knew. Heather had told her, and she hadn’t been fast enough.
“I’ll make that call later, Glen,” the man behind her said. “And there’s no need to contact Case. We’re going to ask Ms…Mason a few questions. That’s all. We’re taking her to a place where we can talk.”
And suddenly she was turned and facing another man. He was tall and built, with deep blue eyes and dark hair. He looked her over with a frown, though his words were meant for her attacker. “After all these years, you finally learn, brother.” He turned Glen’s way. “You do need to call Mr. Barnes-Fleetwood and Mr. Burch. We’re going to all sit down and have a talk and then we’ll decide what to do with our little Miss Murder.”
Her stomach churned. It was her every nightmare made real. They knew. They all knew. “Please. Please let me go. I won’t bother Josh or Grim anymore. I’ll disappear.”
How had she made this mistake again? Did she never learn?
The man shook his head. “Can’t do it.”
The elevator doors opened and Case Taggart strode out, a fierce look on his face. “What the hell is happening, Chase? Are you running some kind of op in my fucking club?”
“What they’re doing is making a huge mistake and getting in the middle of my op,” a familiar voice said. “Which I never planned to run in your club. I thought she would be safe here, Taggart. Let the girl go.”
“Holy shit.” Case’s jaw actually dropped. “Solo?”
Heather was true to her word. She’d gotten in the building, but she looked totally different than her casual, happy friend. Her blonde hair was pulled back, and she was in all black. “I don’t go by that name anymore.”
“Shit,” the man behind her said. His voice dropped to a whisper. “Look, Nicole, I need you to call off your friend. I didn’t realize you had a bodyguard.” He took a step back, dragging her with him as he spoke to Heather. “We’re all going to sit down and talk this situation out. My name is Ben Dawson and that’s my brother Chase. We seem to have walked into something we don’t understand.”