Room Eight

SAPPHIRE

Ishould have never called them, but I can’t ignore the way my body hums hours after talking with Lev.

Ha. Talking. It’s fair to say there’s a conflict of interest between my body and my brain. That man flicked my worries aside by using my body against me and my brain says I need to be mad at myself for giving in. Damn accent and his commanding tone. That wicked combination does embarrassing things to my free will.

I push up from my computer. I am at Club Genesis hunkered over the details from Riot’s canceled contract as of three days ago.

No one has spotted her in over a week and the trails are ice cold.

The Savage brother is not going to like that news. Thank God I won't be the one delivering it.

I grab my diet coke and laptop. I shut down the other systems and walk toward the exit. The place is quiet and for once there’s not a runner waiting for me to hand out money.

That will make what I need to do easier.

Tomorrow I’ll ready the payment Riot moved to my escrow to be returned. Wait, no. Harlon or one of the other men can do that. I head back to my desk and scribble a note on a piece of paper and leave it on my keyboard for them to find. Let that keep them busy while I make a new life in Buenos Aires. Get my party on in one of their Carnivals. Soak up some culture. Learn a new language.

Or maybe I should change sides and head to the other side of the globe. I’ve always wondered if Norway is as cold as the brochures make it look. I like the winter. Probably warmer than this windy place.

“You have a minute?”

I look up from my note to see my receptionist clutching a phone to her chest.

“Hey, yeah. What’s up, Lexi? I’m on my way out.”

“There’s a caller on line three. Says he couldn’t get through on your line. He has urgent information.”

Giving me little choice, she hands me the headset. “Constantine.” Deep down fear has my patience gripped in its death clutches so I don’t bother trying to find any to spare for the person on the other end.

“You’re a hard bitch to get in touch with.”

“On purpose,” I quip on autopilot. I don’t take the harsh language personally anymore. Crass is a trait every runner I have dealt with has. It’s like a package deal. This one is called Cougar. Why? Who the fuck knows?

“What do you have?”

“The chick on the Savage contract has been spotted in the Southern Alliance’s territory.”

“Shit. That contract is terminated. You know not to waste time on dead contracts.” I rub the spot between my brows to fight off an impending headache.

“Yeah. True. But this is different after what I found out.”

There’s the sound of gears grinding through the line before he comes back on. “I can go in but the price will be 2 million more. Hazardous pay.”

Cold fury grips me. “You don’t get to tell me what you will be paid, runner. You don’t make the rules here. I’ll tell you. And you will get not a penny more than stated on the contract for a complete job. If and only if I can get the client to come back on after all you slackers couldn’t track down a single woman in a single city. Understood, runner?”

There’s a long pause and more gear grinding.

“You’re a tough bitch, too. Yikes. Okay, sure. I like you, blue eyes. I’ll be in contact.”

“I’m flattered.” For fuck’s sake why do people have to make this job hard?

I kill the call and drop the phone off at the front desk and head for the elevator. “If Harlon comes looking for me, tell him I stepped out, please.”

Lexi chases after me but stops short of getting on the elevator. “When should you be back?”

With the Southern Alliance hunting me? Never. But I can’t say that. “Later.” I wave bye as the doors shut. Instead of heading to the underground parking, I stop on the first floor and exit through the front lobby of the club.

I flip the stiff, high collar of my blouse high and tuck my chin to my chest. A Constantine always stands out. I don’t know why I try to keep a low profile. The fewer people who know which direction I went the better. I push through the front revolving door and let my hair slide over the left side of my face.

Luckily the doorman is busy helping someone understand Club Genesis is not open to the random public. Eyes turn my way, but I keep my focus deadhead. Shivers of anticipation, fear, and anxiety make me falter in my steps. Someone is watching me. I don’t know how I know I just do, like the prey knowing the wolves are circling.

One foot in front of the other carries me to the end of the block. I know a phone call will have Raphe here early for me, but the less witness I have the better. I just need to disappear for a couple of days. Get my head straight and gather the courage to talk with Harlon.

He’s going to be disappointed in me, but I don’t think he’ll put a bullet between my eyes. At least I hope not. It would probably be a good idea to have Belle with me as a buffer when I come clean about my actions. Then she can help me find a new job.

Maybe I’ll go to New York City with her after all.

I’m so lost in my head that I fail to see or hear the black SUV skid to a stop until it is too late. I slam my hands over my mouth and nose, but nothing blocks the stench of burned rubber filling my nostrils. A hood is shoved over my head and the world turns black.

Large, rough hands grab me by the arms and I’m weightless until I’m inside the cool confines of the metal box on wheels racing down the road.

My heart races. Blood rushes through my veins. I’m jostled left then right by more people entering the vehicle.

There’s no escape.

* * *

Elyah

“Iknow who you are.” The snarl in her voice has my cock going rigid. Tonight should be interesting. We are in Gregor’s downstairs condo a few floors below mine so the noise doesn’t bother my father.

Lev is on her left and Gregor to her right while I kneel in front of her checking the ties around her wrists. She put up a good fight once the shock wore off and left us no choice but to use our backup plan of tying her up.

Lev grinned the whole fucking time.

“Good,” my friend growls with arrogance. “Then you know I was telling you the truth when I told you we would enforce the contract. Why didn’t you believe us?”

Lev traces the tip of his finger over the swells of her breasts causing her to jerk away. The sight of her swaying breasts has me wanting a taste. But we have more important things to take care of first than what my dick wants.

“I know why she didn’t believe you. She wanted the option taken out of her hands. Being family to the head of the Northern Alliance places her in the worst possible position. It’s easier this way.”

“Liar. You know what you’re talking about.”

“You sure about that, Sapphire?”

Lev was right. We should have kidnapped her the same night we claimed her at Club Sin.

I finger the ends of Sapphire’s hair and she jerks out of my touch.

“Krasivaya malen'kaya ptichka v kletke. Plach' o nas, milaya.”

“Get off me. You know I don’t understand.” I left the bag on her head as we carried her into our private elevator and dropped her in the middle of Gregor’s bedroom. It’s large and cool with floor-to-ceiling windows that offer a bird’s eye view over our empire. And the perfect cell for our little flitty bird eager to escape.

“Quiet, malyshka.” I fuse strength and dominance into my tone and her back might back ramrod straight but she stills against the rope at her wrists.

“Let me go. Just let me leave. I can’t be pregnant anyway. Let’s just cancel the contract and I’ll go my way, you go yours.”

I laugh.

“You beg so well.” Gregor fists the ends of the black hood and yanks it off her head. Brunette tumbles over the white silk of her blouse and she’s the spitting image of a raging angel.