Total pages in book: 58
Estimated words: 56875 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 284(@200wpm)___ 228(@250wpm)___ 190(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 56875 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 284(@200wpm)___ 228(@250wpm)___ 190(@300wpm)
“And how will he do that?” She held up my bracelet. “With this? I saw it as I was tying your hands, and I know your overly protective lover gave it to you. I put it in a blocking device in the car, and this room is protected, so it doesn’t work if he put a tracker in it.”
My heart sank.
She studied it. “Pretty thing. I think I’ll keep it.”
“No, it’s mine.”
She shook her head, looking at it. “I think it goes with my outfit.” She tried to tug it over her wrist, but it was too small.
She yanked on it impatiently, and I got upset. “Stop it—you’ll break it!” I pleaded. Then an idea struck. “I’ll tell you how to open it. Just be careful with it.”
“How?” she demanded.
I tamped down my nerves. “You have to press the toggle twice and hold it each time. It, ah, unlocks it.”
She frowned, fussing with it. “It still didn’t open!”
“Maybe it jammed when you took it off me. Try again.”
She did, and nothing happened. In anger, she flung it at me, hitting me in the face with it, narrowly missing my eye. “Cheap piece of crap.” She stormed away.
Juan watched her, somehow enjoying her ire. “You bruised my little doll.”
I took a deep breath, my hopes soaring. Because as she flung it at me, I saw a small flash of light. I prayed it meant what I thought it did. That somehow my idea would work and Niall could find me.
The hope gave me courage.
“I am not your little doll,” I spat.
He glared at me, strolling close and bending over to meet my eyes. “Your time away has made you bold.” His eyes were cold and menacing as he crowded me into the wall. I refused to back down this time.
“Get used to it,” I replied.
He slapped me, the sound of his hit loud in the room. Pain exploded in my cheek, and I had to shut my eyes and bite back my scream.
He was furious when I made no noise. He started yelling, screaming in my face, but I remained still, my eyes firmly shut, picturing Niall killing him. Slowly.
Juan pushed me down, dragging me over the rough carpet, the fibers biting into my bound arms and hands. He threw me into the closet, still screaming, slamming the door. I lay on the floor, panting and terrified, but the door remained shut. I could hear his curses fading, and I realized he had left the room, Heidi’s voice trailing off as well as she followed him. I lifted my head, my cheek throbbing. Caught on my sweater was my bracelet. Ignoring the fresh agony that tore through my hands, I managed to struggle upright, and I used my teeth to grab the collar of my sweater, shaking the bracelet loose. I shifted and rolled, biting back my pain and wriggling on the floor until I felt the bracelet in my hand and I got the toggle where I needed it.
Then I started to press. Every few moments, I repeated it.
“Please, Niall. Hear me. Find me.”
NIALL
I was out of the car before Rory brought it to a screeching halt. I raced to the elevator, Finn on my heels. In the security room, we were greeted with serious faces.
“What?” I demanded.
Evan clicked on the screen. “Watch.”
I saw Anna leave the front desk and again as she left the accounting area and headed to the elevator. She looked up, greeting someone, and they got into the elevator. The feed switched, and I narrowed my eyes.
“It’s that woman,” I mumbled. “Heidi, I think.”
“Yes.”
The feeds switched again, and Anna walked down the hall to what I assumed was Heidi’s room. They appeared to be chatting, and Anna looked relaxed. They walked in, and I glanced Evan’s way. “What next?”
“Keep your eyes on the screen. There’s a time jump.”
Heidi walked out of the room, rolling a suitcase. She waited by the elevator, smiling at someone getting off on her floor then stepping in, and the door closed behind her.
“Where is Anna?” I asked.
Had she stayed in Heidi’s room?
Evan didn’t respond. He cut to the main floor, and I watched as Heidi stopped at the front desk, spoke with Una, then headed out the front door. A car waited, the same one as the other day, only this time, the driver got out and helped her stow the bag in the trunk. I frowned, staring at the screen. He still had a beard, but his hair wasn’t long. And the suit jacket he wore was too big—he was much slimmer than I had originally thought.
Clarity hit me, and I turned to Evan.
“It was shortly before that when the signal died,” he confirmed. “It came back as the car started to move, then disappeared again.”
“She’s in the suitcase,” I said, stunned and horrified. “They stuffed her in a suitcase and took her out of here with everyone watching.”