had come quicker than I'd anticipated. I only prayed I was ready.
The elevator stopped, dinged, drawing my attention. The doors opened wide. I drew in a deep breath -
calm, stay calm, this has to be believable - and sailed into the hallway. Six-eighteen was to the left, so I squared my shoulders and followed the proper path.
When I found myself standing in front of the door, my mouth dried. But I didn't hesitate. I raised my fist, ready to knock. In the end, I didn't have to. The door swung open on its own to reveal one of the brothers. Only one. I knew, however, that the others were close by.
He smiled at me, guilt deep in his dark eyes, and waved me in. He was not the one with freckles. "I didn't think you'd come."
"Well, you have information I need. Right?" I strode past him, very aware I was walking into a trap and that giving him my back was foolish. But I didn't want him to know I knew what was going on.
In the center of the room, I took a swift inventory of my surroundings. Small, as dingy as the room Rome and I had rented, with one king-size bed, a mini-fridge, a recliner and a lamp that towered over it.
"Why don't you - "
Before I finished my sentence, a pair of hands grabbed each of my forearms. They were hot and moist.
Another of the brothers had appeared.
I released a "surprised" gasp as I switched my attention between them. "What's going on? What are you doing? Let me go." Convincing? Not really. I'd have to step it up a notch.
"I'm sorry about this," the first said, and he sounded like he meant it.
Not as sorry as you're going to be.
"We've got her." In a snap, all eleven brothers were crammed inside the room. Good. I wouldn't have to chase any down. I heard the door shut, the lock turn.
A few of the brothers moved in front of me. They, too, looked remorseful.
"Why are you doing this?" I asked through gritted teeth, though I already knew the answer.
Two gazed down at his feet. "Money. We've got a lot of mouths to feed, and Desert Gall is paying one million dollars for your capture."
One mil? Wow. Who knew I was worth that much? Then again, as the head of a company like Big Rocky, Candace Bright must have billions at her disposal. Maybe I should be insulted the bounty on my head wasn't higher.
"We never thought we'd be the ones to succeed," one of them said. "You're always protected, always surrounded, and everyone who's gone after you has failed. But your friend Cody was able to lure you here, and then an old friend of ours called and told us where and when you'd be hitting town. We simply followed you. It was easier than we'd ever dreamed."
"You really think you'll be paid once you turn me over?"
All eleven nodded.
"Of course," Eight said. "Desert Gall would be known as a reneger if she didn't." And pride was everything to Desert Gal. Jean-Luc hadn't lied about that. "Why does she want me?" I tried to pull from their clasp but they held tight. "Why not just kill me?" Maybe she'd told them why her mystery dad liked me so much.
"Who knows? Desert Gal's not exactly the type who likes to answer questions."
"Maybe she wants to recruit you to her team."
Wasn't that always the case?
"Now, enough talking. Someone tie her down."
Time for me to do my thing. I prayed, again, that it worked. "Do you have my friend, too? The one who took me to the club?" Apparently, only the leader had hidden him, so only the leader knew where he was. A precaution they'd taken, and had needed, though they didn't know it yet. They would.
"No need for you to worry about that. Someone get a gag, too."
"Just knock her out."
"Desert Gall won't want to wait to talk to her."
I allowed fearful thoughts to play through my mind. Fearful thoughts that brought a sense of desperation with them, as well as love.
Rome - tortured. There was the fear. Lexis and Sherridan - killed if I couldn't reach them. There was the desperation. All of us together - at my wedding. There was the love.
I was summoning the wind. Seemed like the wrong power to use right now, but I had a plan.
As they attempted to knot my wrists together, a breeze kicked up in the room, scattering the papers