then the knife sliced through the rope at her ankles. "I'm afraid this will smart," he whispered before gently peeling the tape off her mouth.
She barely felt the sting. The second the tape loosened, she hissed, "It's a trap! Get out!"
He chuckled, soft and low. "Leo and Vic are indisposed. By the time they wake up, we'll be long gone." Silent as a stalking cat, he glided to Peter, cut his ropes and then returned. He squatted, cupping her chin in his hand. His eyes narrowed. "Did they hurt you?"
"No. But I can't move."
"Give it a minute." He began to massage her shoulders.
"I walked right into their trap." Burning blood surged painfully into her arms, and her muscles clenched in agony. "This is all my fault."
"The fault is mine." He lifted her chin, holding her gaze. "I knew this was a trap from the bug in Leo's office. I should have told you I had no intention of honoring the meet. I planned to do a little recon and set a trap of my own." His gentle fingers slid to her elbows. "Can you move your arms now?"
Ignoring the pain, she gingerly raised her arms. "But Peter saw—"
"Damn it!" Gabe grabbed her hands, holding them palm up.
She stared in dismay at her shredded wrists. At the blood trickling in obscene scarlet trails down her arms. "I tried to get loose. I had to warn you—"
He swore violently and creatively as he stripped off his jacket, yanked his T-shirt over his head, and then used his knife to cut the fabric into strips.
"Really, it doesn't hurt all that much," she lied as he tenderly bound the throbbing wounds.
A growl rumbled low in his throat "If I had time, I'd kill the bastards. Lucky for them, getting you out of here is my top priority." He helped her to her feet. "One sec." Like a shadow, he cat-footed to the door.
Peter crept to her side.
"Are you all right?" she whispered.
He nodded.
Gabe gestured from the doorway. "All clear. Let's bug out."
Her knees weak with relief, she took a step toward him. Toward freedom.
Peter's arm snaked around her neck and yanked her backward. A cold gun barrel pressed against her temple. "I'm afraid not."
Through a shocked haze, she saw Gabe freeze. His bare torso tensed to steel. "If you want to live, turn her loose." His voice dropped, low and deadly. "Now."
"Peter, wh-what are you doing?" she managed to stammer.
"I should take my grieving lover act to Hollywood," he gloated. "Oscar material. You two played into my hands like pawns on a chessboard." The arm around her neck tightened. "Drop your weapons, Cousin Val, and have a seat."
A muscle twitched in Gabe's clenched jaw. The knife thudded to the floor, point down. Fingers splayed, he pulled the gun from his waistband and slowly eased it down beside the knife. Expressionless, he stalked to the chair and sat.
Peter thrust a rope at her. "Tie him. And do a good job, so I don't have to shoot him."
On shaking legs, she stumbled forward to kneel at Gabe's feet. She tried to be gentle, but fear for his life made her obey Peter's command to tie him tightly. "I don't understand. You told me to call the police, and you watched me try to summon help on the cell phone."
Peter shifted, keeping her between him and Gabe. "If you had called the cops, Vic would have arrived. Of course that's not his real name. But he is a real cop. And I wouldn't have let you complete the cell call. Luckily, the battery was dead. Having you rush to the rescue was much easier than dragging you aboard unconscious. One way or another, you'd have ended up as bait."
A betrayal worthy of Judas. She swallowed down a wave of nausea. After Gabe's ankles were bound, she moved behind him to tie his wrists. "I thought we were friends."
"Friendship pales next to getting out from under Leo's thumb. Not to mention the money. When you and Val stuck your noses in, you provided me with the perfect opportunity. With Leo occupied by Val's interference, Vic and I planned a hostile takeover. We pretended I was helping you, then we turned the tables. I'll own the whole operation. With inside information from my position at the bank, I'll make millions. Nobody can touch me."
Gabe tensed. "Release Tessa. Name your price."
Peter smirked. "Cousin Val, with the mysterious contacts. We'll discuss that later."
While Peter was distracted by Gabe's offer, she slid