The smile falls offmylips.
Because it’snotLuca.
The man standing there in a crappy ill-fitting suit, wiping blood from his knuckles, has a mottled birthmark on his face and is staring at me with revenge inhiseyes.
Shit.
ChapterFifteen
Some people think feminism is a movement to crush men’sspirits.
I like to think of it as more of a personalhobby.
Delilah Sinclair, describing her extracurricularactivities.
Itrymy best to get away. Ireallydo.
It doesn’tgowell.
The last thing I see is a flash of purple, the instant before my head is slammed against the jellyfish tank. The blow knocks me out cold. I’m not sure how long I’m unconscious but when I come to, ears still ringing from the impact, I’m hanging facedown, being dragged by the wrists and ankles through a dirty hallway with all the gentleness of a field hand hauling haybales.
Wherever they’ve taken me has a cave-like feel — high-ceilinged, dark, dank. There’s a wet, stale smell permeating the air. Mildew and stagnant water. The walls drip with moisture, the floor below me is damp withpuddles.
I turn my head a tiny bit to the left, not wanting to reveal I’m awake, and see several old scuba tanks and a few bait bins, the kinds trainers use to pass out mackerel to the penguins and sea lions atfeedingtime.
I’m still in theaquarium.
My heart pounds erratically. I try to hear their murmured conversation over the roaring pulse betweenmyears.
“I told you to bring her out the side door, the basement wasn’t part of the plan,” Cueball’s saying. “Now we’ll have to go around and get the car. We can’t exactly drag her across the mainparkinglot.”
Eggplant sounds exasperated. “No choice. There were two guards stationed at the side door. Couldn’t get outthatway.”
“Lot of security, for a damnwedding.”
“Tell me about it. Bumped into at least three security details patrolling the site on my way to grab her. Got around two. The third wasn’t so easy tosidestep.”
“Did he see you?” Cueball asksnervously.
“Relax. He’s not seeing much of anything, by this point.” He laughs. “My stiletto blade in his sideguaranteedthat.”
My heart clenches. One of the Knox Investigations guys is hurt, badly.Maybedead.
Please, don’t let it be Luca.Please.
“Why do they have so much security? These people rich orsomething?”
“For her sake, better hope so. If her brother doesn’t come up with any cash to settle his loan, she’s gonna need someone else willing to pay the boss on her behalf.Otherwise…”
“Maybe we should leave her. Try the parent angle again. Or his ex-girlfriend. From what I can tell, Sinclair isn’t even close tothisgirl.”
“She’s hissister.”
“So? I hate my sister,” Cueballmurmurs.
“Don’t tell me you’re backing out, Grafton. Boss won’t be happy to hear you left me high and dry to handle thisalone.”
“I’m not! But I’ve been watching these guys all day — they’re highly trained. Personal security, surveillance, you name it. If they catch us, we’refucked.”