The Mogul and the Muscle - Claire Kingsley Page 0,91

motioned for Nicholas to duck into the kitchen and get down. I stepped through the open doorway and took cover where I could still see who was coming.

The sound of his breathing came first. Whoever he was, he was in a hurry. Shoes pounded against the floor.

As soon as he came around the corner, I darted into action. Sprang out of the kitchen and had him laid out on the ground, pinned down, my hand around his throat, before he had any idea what had hit him.

Bobby fucking Spencer.

“Fuck,” he said, his voice a strangled croak with the grip I had on his neck. He grabbed my wrist, but he didn’t thrash or try to get me off him. “You gotta help her. She’s upstairs. They’re going to kill her.”

I loosened my grip by a fraction. “Talk.”

He took a gasping breath. “I was going for help. Can’t call the cops. How did you find us?”

“Where is she?” I growled.

“Upstairs. Penthouse. Dude, I didn’t know they were going to kill her. I swear to god, that wasn’t part of the plan.”

“The Russians?”

“Yeah.”

“Is he here?” I asked, emphasizing the word he. If Bobby had met him, he’d know who I meant.

Fear flashed across his face. “Yeah. I don’t know where. He had to go take a call or something.”

I glanced up at Nicholas. He stared down at me, resolve in his eyes.

“Is Inda with her?” he asked.

Bobby nodded—as much as he could with me pinning him to the ground. “Yeah, but that was a mistake. They were only supposed to grab Cameron.”

I got up, hauling Bobby to his feet by the front of his shirt. He grabbed his throat and coughed.

“Help me keep an eye on him,” I said to Nicholas.

“What?” Bobby asked. “Why? No, it’s cool man, I’ll just go.”

“Nope.” I grabbed the back of his neck and steered him into the kitchen.

“What are we going to do with him?” Nicholas asked.

“Don’t know yet. But I want him where I can see him.” I pushed Bobby forward. “And don’t test me, you little prick, or I start breaking things, starting with the parts of your body you care about the most.”

Bobby nodded. “Okay, fine. Just don’t hurt me. I swear, I didn’t want to kill anyone. I didn’t think she’d get hurt.”

Nicholas paused by one of the stainless steel work surfaces and grabbed a large cast iron skillet. Picking it up, he tested the weight in his hand, then raised his eyebrows at me.

I nodded and pushed Bobby again. “Where is she?”

“This way.”

We went back the way Bobby had come running. Just past the kitchen entrance, something on the ground caught a glint of light.

Something red.

Cameron’s shoe.

I jogged forward and picked it up. I could just see the spot where I’d inserted the tiny tracking device. She’d never known it was there.

Those sexy red heels of hers were about to save her life.

Everyone else in this building? They were in big fucking trouble.

34

Cameron

The more I struggled against the ropes, the more it hurt. But I couldn’t just sit here doing nothing. I twisted my wrists, wincing as the ropes rubbed against my raw skin.

“Don’t you know some secret Israeli escape technique?” I whispered.

“No,” she whispered back. “I don’t think that’s a thing.”

“Damn. Inda, I have a confession.”

She raised her eyebrows. “You want to confess something to me?”

I nodded.

“Okay, what?”

“Sometimes I talk Nicholas into secretly making me food that’s not in your meal plan,” I said. “Especially key lime tarts. And then I lie to you about it when you ask me if I’m sneaking sugar.”

She looked at me like I was crazy and laughed softly. “You know how weird it is for you to say that right now, don’t you?”

“Yeah, I do.”

“Are we going to get out of here?” she asked, her voice suddenly subdued.

“Yes. We’re definitely getting out of here.”

Jude was going to find us. I had no idea how. But I knew he would. I knew it in the deepest part of my soul.

And I was too stubborn to give up.

The lights went out, making me gasp, and the door to the suite slammed shut, surrounding us with sudden darkness. I looked around, straining to see. The henchmen spoke to each other—directions, commands, I didn’t know; I couldn’t understand them. Shuffling footsteps moved through the room.

Someone grunted, like they’d been hit in the gut. They grunted again, followed by a thud. Then a second of silence.

My eyes were starting to adjust to the dark, but it was still hard