“Help yourself, easier to lock you up.”
I bite the inside of my cheek. “Anything for you, killer.”
She shoves me, and I hop to my feet, offering her a hand. She doesn’t take it. A poor loser, but I don’t mind.
“I’ll sleep on the couch,” she says.
I give her a condescending smile. “That’s cute. But no. You take my bedroomwith nowindows, and I’ll take the living room with the door and security system.”
“You really think I’ll run? I’m going to be right here when my partner shows up to arrest you.” She crosses her arms, but there’s a tell in the slight tilt of her chin.
I don’t believe her. My guess is she didn’t have time to finish the call before she was attacked. If shedidfinish that call, I don’t want to stick around here and wait to be arrested. But if shedidn’tfinish it, that means she might leave. I can’t let that happen.
I cross my arms over my chest. “I guess we’ll see, won’t we? But just so you know, if you walk out that door without me, you forfeit the treasure and me as your prisoner.”
“Not if I discover your little treasure first.”
I rub my hands together. “Was that a challenge, Agent Cruz?”
She flicks her hair over her shoulder. “No offense, but I don’t find you much of a challenger.” She spins on her heels, heading for the bathroom.
I smirk at her retreating figure. She has no idea what she’s done.
Chapter 13
Serena
I’m in big trouble.And more than just the obvious. Liam’s stupid plan accomplished far more than he even realizes. I was attacked in a freaking bathroom before I could tell Caleb anything of value. I’ll have to pray he can connect the dots quickly, then find me and get me out of here.
I knew Liam had a plan earlier tonight. Which was why I devised my own after I was attacked in the bathroom. I’d let the man ‘kidnap’ me, drag me free from the restaurant, where I’d then gain the upper hand and disappear with his vehicle. Without Liam. It was stupidly simple. And somehow Liam still ruined it.
Because I can’t be here anymore. It’s not safe. I heard the man on the phone as he dragged me from the restaurant. “I got her.” That man wasn’t there for Liam. I can’t stick around and wait for him to find me again.
I splash some water on my face at the bathroom sink, once, then twice. I open the cupboard to find a clean face towel, but… What’s that?
Sleeping pills. I bite my bottom lip as I roll the pill bottle in my hands. When one door closes, another truly does open.
I dump three onto the counter and crush them with a ceramic figurine on the vanity. I brush the powder onto a piece of toilet paper and fold it up tight, then tuck it into my waistband.
I yawn loudly as I walk down the hall to the kitchen.
“Do you have tea?” I ask Liam, barely glancing in his direction. He’s sitting at the computer typing furiously, but he stops when I enter.
“You want tea?” His voice is almost accusatory.
“I like to drink it every night before bed. Helps me relax.” Never in my life have I done something so ridiculous as to drink tea before bed. The only relaxation technique I perform is to dismantle and reassemble my gun ten times in a row with my eyes closed. It works wonders.
Liam raises a brow as he wanders into the kitchen. “Really? And which flavor is your favorite?”
“Ros—Lavender.” That’s a tea, right?
“I have lavender. It’s not my favorite, though.” He pulls out a kettle, filling it with water. “I’ll make us some.”
“It’s okay, it looked like you were busy.” I step up next to him and try to take the kettle.
“I insist.” He uses his other hand to pry mine off. “Nothing like tea to help you sleep.”
My neck burns. He can’t know? Surely he can’t. Yet somehow the man knows everything, and it’s infuriating.
