Vicious Kings by Eva Ashwood

Author:Eva Ashwood [Ashwood, Eva]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-04-07T05:00:00+00:00

12

Grace

The phone rings once.

Twice.

Three times.

My heart beats faster with each ring, and my hope fades as I listen to the endless dialing. I hadn’t even considered that Brian wouldn’t pick up. He’s been my saving grace, my knight in shining armor. The one I’ve pinned all my hopes on.

If I can’t get through to him, I could try calling the police, but that’s a risk in and of itself. There are plenty of dirty cops in this city, and if they tell the syndicate I called for help, I’m as good as dead.

“Hello?” A deep voice cuts through the darkness of my thoughts.

My heart drops to my stomach in an instant, and I’m so thankful to hear a voice—his voice—that my words get stuck in my throat.

Precious seconds, Grace. You’re wasting precious seconds.

“It’s me, Brian.” My voice is choked with emotion and so quiet I’m afraid he won’t even be able to hear me. “It’s Grace.”

“Grace! Holy shit, baby, are you okay—”

“Listen to me,” I whisper quickly. “Just listen. I don’t have long, so don’t ask questions or interrupt me.”

“Okay.” I can hear the worry and strain in his tone, but just like I hoped he would, he immediately drops into cop mode. He knows how to stay calm in a crisis, and I’ve never been more fucking grateful for that.

“I’m in Chicago. I saw the city when we were driving in, but they took a burner route, so I don’t know my exact location.”

“Who? Who took you?” For a second, his voice cracks with emotion, and I’m no longer talking to the calm police officer, but to my terrified fiancé. “I thought you were dead, Grace. Fuck, I thought you were gone forever.”

“I’m not. I’m alive.” Tears burn the backs of my eyes. “I’ll find a way back to you. I promise. I don’t know exactly where I am, but I’ll try to find out. I’ll call you as soon as—”

There’s a heavy knock on the door, followed by Lucas’s voice. “What the fuck is the hold up in there?” he calls. “We don’t have all day, Grace.”

“Shit.” I glance at the door again, praying Lucas can’t hear me. “The Novak Syndicate. That’s who took me. I have to go.”

“Wait, tell me—”

I quickly hang up the phone without saying goodbye and flush the toilet even though I haven’t used it. Hitting the end call button was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do, but the comfort of hearing Brian’s voice will all be for nothing if Lucas finds me with this phone.

“Should I be worried about you?” Lucas’s words are filled with suspicion. He knocks again, a sharp rap of his knuckles against the wood. “Grace?”

“No!” I call out as I scan the bathroom for hiding spots.

There’s nothing that I can see, and panic is starting to creep through my body, making me freeze up. I know that if he’s suspicious now, he’s going to search the bathroom when he comes in. If he finds it, I don’t even want to imagine what will happen to me.

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