Page 119 of Freeing Lark

His eyes tracked her. “I’ll be here.”

Lark followed Wren down the hallway. She didn’t worry. Cormac had positioned himself where he could see the entrance to the restroom without making it obvious he was guarding her. He’d probably look like another bored guest waiting for his date.

The restroom was quieter than the ballroom. Wren stepped inside first. Lark followed. The door swung shut behind them.

Inside, Wren was washing her hands. “So,” she said, “what do you think of the flowers?”

Lark smiled faintly. “They’re beautiful.”

“You don’t sound convinced.”

“I’m trying to decide whether I hate the flowers or the fact that the Whitmore’s spent more on them than I make in a year.”

Wren laughed. Then the stall door opened. Lark glanced toward the mirror, a man stepped up beside her. Aside from the fact that he shouldn’t be there in the women’s room, something about him immediately felt wrong.

Before she could turn, another man emerged from behind Wren. Her sister screamed. The first men lunged for them, cutting off the scream before it could gain ground. Lark twisted away, driving her elbow backward. It connected with something solid. The man grunted. She grabbed Wren’s hand and ran for the door.

The second man caught Wren around the waist, pulling her away, allowing the other man to regain ground and grab Lark again. She kicked violently, catching him in the shin. “Get off me!”

Wren fought too, clawing at the man’s face. Then a hand clamped over Lark’s mouth. She bit down. The man swore. And then she heard his voice. “Hold still.”

Everything inside her went cold. She knew that voice. Her body stopped fighting for half a heartbeat. The island. The gun against her head. The fifth man. The one she’d never gotten a good look at. But she’d heard his voice.

“You,” she gasped against the hand covering her mouth.

His eyes narrowed. “That’s right. You caused me a lot of problems.”

Panic exploded through her. She fought harder. She kicked. Twisted. Bit. Anything to get free.

She couldn’t let him take her again. Not this time.

“Cor—!” The man jerked her backward, choking off her cry for help. A sharp sting struck the side of her neck. Lark gasped. She reached for the spot. Her fingers came away trembling. A needle. Her vision immediately began to blur.

“No…” She tried to scream. The room tilted.

Wren’s voice sounded distant. “Lark!”

Lark fought to stay conscious. She thought of Cormac. He was just down the hall. He would come. He would find her. The edges of her vision darkened.

The last thing she heard was the fifth man’s voice. “Move. We’ve got maybe thirty seconds before somebody notices.”

Then everything disappeared.

CHAPTER 38

Outside, Cormac checked his watch. Three minutes. Lark had been gone three minutes.

He glanced toward the restroom hallway. Still nothing. He wasn’t worried. Not yet.

A couple passed between him and the entrance, blocking his view for a moment. When they moved, the hallway was empty. His instincts prickled. He pushed away from the wall.

“Lark?” No answer. He walked toward the restroom entrance. The door stood slightly ajar. His pulse kicked.

He pushed it open to find the space empty. His gaze swept the room. Two purses sat abandoned near the sinks. Wren’s was one of them. Lark’s was the other.

Cormac’s blood went cold. “Overwatch.”

Flint answered immediately. “Hoot?”