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"You broke into my home and rushed at me in the dark. What did you expect? A fruit basket?"

The armed man approaches, and I shut up before I earn another slap. Being brave won't help if I'm dead.

Valentina picks up her phone. "I sent Lorenzo proof I had you the moment you arrived. Now he'll give me what I deserve."

She puts the call on speaker. Enzo answers on the second ring.

"Valentina. Where is Bridget?"

His voice nearly undoes me. I'm furious with him, but God, I want to hear him say my name.

"She's right here," Valentina says. "For now."

"Let me speak to her."

She holds the phone toward me. "Go on. Tell him you're having a wonderful time."

"Enzo?"

"Bridget." The change in his voice is immediate. "Sweetheart, are you hurt?"

My cheek throbs and my wrists feel raw. "I'm alive."

I hear him take a breath. "Listen carefully. I'm coming for you."

Valentina pulls the phone away. "Not until we agree on my settlement."

"Tell me what you want."

She lists the houses, accounts, cash, and continuing payments. Enzo doesn't interrupt.

"Fine," he says.

Valentina blinks. "Fine?"

"You can have it. All of it. You want my personal properties and the money? I'll sign. But Bridget leaves that building unharmed."

He doesn't bargain. He'll surrender it all for me.

"I want the papers tonight," she says. "No promises."

"My attorney's office can prepare the documents. You'll get signed agreements and the transfers arranged properly. I'm bringing Rocco, a representative from the office, and one security man. You get your witnesses. I get Bridget."

"Come alone."

"No. If you want binding documents, you need someone who knows what he's putting in front of us."

There's a long pause before she agrees. Enzo speaks once more, his voice quiet enough that everybody stops moving to listen.

"Don't let anybody touch her again, Valentina."

Before ending the call, Valentina gives him the warehouse address and exactly one hour to get here. She lowers the phone, looking almost delighted. "Do you know how much you're worth, little librarian?"

"Apparently more than the entire library budget." The joke comes out thin. I'm too frightened to make it funny. Now all I can do is sit tied to this damn chair while the minutes crawl by, wondering whether Enzo can really make good on everything he just promised.

She's gotten Enzo to agree to everything she wants, and nothing suggests she intends to release me once he signs.

Headlights sweep the windows. My captor stands behind me, the driver waits by the door, and Valentina arranges her demands on the table.