Harper waved her hand dismissively. “Whatever. I don’t care. We both know how this will go, August. I give it half an hour,tops, and your phone will ring, and off you’ll go.” She made a little running gesture with her fingers. Then, with a sad shake of her head, she turned on her heel. “Enjoy the party while you can.”
“I don’t have my phone on me,” he called to her retreating back but she just waved a hand over her head.
He’d been determined to see his plan through, and to avoid interruptions, he’d left all of his devices in the truck he was still driving.
Wandering over to the gift table, he took in the colorfully wrapped packages. His was the smallest, but he’d wager it was the most expensive. His assistant had shown him the lovely two-carat diamond earrings he’d picked out before he’d wrapped the box. It was a gift meant to impress and August made sure to place it right in front.
Somebody let out a short, startled scream and he jerked around. He expected to see one of the ruffians causing trouble not a team of armed soldiers in full tactical gear rushing the venue.
“August Cleary!”
He froze in disbelief and the next thing he knew, he was being shoved face-down on the ground as his arms were wrenched behind his back with so much force he thought they were trying to dislocate his shoulders.
“What is the meaning of this?!”
He felt the zip ties tighten painfully around his wrists before he was jerked roughly back up to his feet. Everyone was staring at him, open-mouthed, a few were even taking pictures, maybe even video, with their phones.
“I demand to know what this is about!”
The soldiers ignored him, dragging him off.
“Release me! I know my rights!”
As they continued to haul him bodily away, he yelled, “Harper! Call my lawyer!”
Moments later, he was thrown into the back of a black van, surrounded by stone-faced soldiers who refused to tell him anything.
Katherine sat on the couch in a daze as the conversation drifted around her. She wasn’t sure what they were talking about, she hadn’t been able to focus much, her thoughts too scattered, but she was grateful the girls were with her. She didn’t want to be alone. Logically, she knew she was safe here, but logic wasn’t really playing a role right now.
She kept reliving the moment Kong was shot, the sight of him lying on the ground somehow merging with the dead body in thetrunk, the psychotic glint in her captor’s eyes. She shivered and rubbed at the goosebumps on her arms.
“Let me get you another blanket.”
Katherine wasn’t sure who had said it but she felt the couch shift under her as one of the women got up. A moment later, she felt the weight of another blanket being settled around her shoulders.
Tears prickled behind her eyes and she felt one of them spill over, tracking a hot path down her cheek. These friends of hers were so good to her. They’d stayed with her and helped her into the shower. Paige, she remembered, had gotten in with her, clothes and all, to help her remove the filth of that psycho’s touch. Then they’d helped dry her, helped her into some warm clothes, and walked her into the living room where they’d wrapped her in a blanket and tended her injuries before they’d pressed a glass of wine into her hands. They never asked for any details of what had happened, they’d simply stayed with her.
She didn’t know how long she’d been sitting there, numb to her surroundings, but a scent hit her nose that finally woke her up. They must have grabbed the blanket from the bed. It smelled like Kong.
Kong.Panic suddenly gripped her in a chokehold. She needed to see him to make sure she hadn’t dreamt that he was still alive.
Clumsily, she lurched to her feet, the forgotten wine glass dropping from her hand but Perrin somehow managed to catch it before it could hit the floor.
“Where’s Kong?” She looked around the apartment frantically. “Where is he?”
She was petrified they’d tell her he was dead.
The women all stood and Lynx held up a phone. “I’ll call him. Right now.”
“He’s alive?” Her eyes skittered from one face to another, searching for the truth.Kong on the ground, not moving, his white shirt stained with blood…
Jayla’s arm came around her. “Yes, hon. He’s alive. He’s fine. He had to interrogate a prisoner, but he’ll come.”
She didn’t bother to stifle her sob as her tears fell fast and heavy. Alive. He was alive. He’d come for her. It hadn’t been a dream. Her knees went weak and Jayla helped her back down to the couch.
“I’m putting you on speaker, Kong,” Lynx said. “Talk to Katherine. She needs to hear your voice.”
“Katherine? Love?”
