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“I need you to stay calm,” Heather said over the line. “TheDawsons aren’t people to fuck with. They won’t play by anyone’s rules but theirown. I’m on my way in. Meet me in the lobby and I’ll get you out of there.”
“You’re here?” It was relief in the moment. She wasn’tthinking about anything but the fact that there might be a way out. Unlessthey’d already called the cops. “I don’t want to get you in trouble.”
“Don’t worry about me,” Heather said, and she could hearcars moving in the background. “Meet me downstairs. Grab what you can and don’tstop for anything.”
She was already in motion. If she had time, she would changeout of the stupid silky gown that had made her feel sexy mere moments before.Now she realized how vulnerable it made her. “You need a card to get in.”
“Trust me.” There was a deep confidence in Heather’s tone.“I can get in. Go, Nic. Go now, and leave the phone. They’re probably trackingyou.”
Was that why Harlow had lingered? She’d read enough suspensebooks to know the dumbass heroine usually got her phone tagged. Tears blurredthe world as she dropped her phone and stepped out of her heels. She couldn’trun in them. But her sneakers would take a while to tie, and panic was stirringinside her.
With only her purse, bare feet on the hardwoods, she rushedout of the locker room. Please don’t let them be waiting. Please.
The hallway was empty, though she saw a man coming from thelounge.
“Nicole? You okay?” Case Taggart was dressed in darkleathers as he strode down the hallway. “I can get Josh for you.”
No words came out of her mouth. Nothing smart. Nothing tothrow him off the fact that something was terribly wrong. Full-on,pulse-pounding panic fully took over, and she couldn’t hear anything beyond herheart threatening to beat out of her chest.
It was everything she’d feared, and she couldn’t face them.She couldn’t look into their eyes as their love turned to disgust.
She couldn’t go to jail because she knew damn well shewouldn’t ever make it to trial. If she went to jail, they would come after herbecause they couldn’t let her tell the truth. Ted wouldn’t risk it.
Nic ran, feet pounding against the carpet that covered thispart of the club.
She heard someone shout her name, but she had one goal inall the world right now. Get downstairs. Get to her friend. Heather would gether out of here.
How was Heather here? How did Heather know?
The questions were a distant bell ringing, lost amid thepanic. The elevator was in front of her, but Case was behind her. She couldn’twait so she sprinted for the stairs.
How many stairs? Three flights? Four? She nearly stumbledbut held on to the railing.
Josh and Grim had gone up to their suite. The dungeon was ontwo of the lower levels of the building. The rest were living spaces and guestsuites. They would be at least ten flights up since she remembered thespectacular views of the city and the Colorado River. She’d stood there hoursbefore, and the world felt like it was starting to make sense again.
Now she was back in the real world, and it was nothing butfear and chaos.
Her breath heaved in her chest as she made it to the firstfloor and burst through.
The lights of the lobby nearly blinded her after the lowlight of the stairwell. Or maybe it was the anxiety attack creeping along theedges of her consciousness. The lobby was an elegant construction, with marbledfloors and a big welcome desk. The man on duty looked up from his high-techcomputer, his eyes flaring.
“Ma’am?”
All she could see was the doors. She could get through thedoors and run. She wouldn’t stop this time. If Heather wasn’t there, she wouldkeep running.
There was nothing for her. Nothing at all.
She’d almost made it to the door when all the air fled herlungs as a big arm clotheslined her, dragging her back from what briefly feltlike freedom.
“I’m afraid not,” a deep voice said. “Time to face themusic.”
Fear choked her, and she pushed against the arm.
“Mr. Dawson.” The lobby attendant approached like he wasdealing with a dangerous wild animal. “Should I call the police? Does Mr.Taggart know what’s going on?”
Dawson. The Dawsons knew. Heather had told her, and shehadn’t been fast enough.
“I’ll make that call later, Glen,” the man behind her said.“And there’s no need to contact Case. We’re going to ask Ms…Masona few questions. That’s all. We’re taking her to a place where we can talk.”
