I could call Doc. He was a few hours away, but he’d come if he needed to. Better to be safe than sorry when it came to such precious cargo, I decided.
I pulled out my phone and dialed.
Chapter 6
Evangeline
I drifted in darkness, knowing that something was wrong but not quite caring. On some level, I knew this wasn’t normal sleep. I felt heavy and complacent, like the time I’d had pneumonia in high school and had to take a cough syrup with codeine in it.
My eyes opened briefly. I saw rich green wallpaper with ornate black vines and gold and dark red flowers woven through it. It was dark in the room, but a faint light gleamed off the dark wood trim. And in the corner, a man was watching me.
No. Not a man. A shark. The shark. The great white shark.
He radiated power and strength from his broad shoulders and handsome face. He shifted slightly in the heavy leather chair he was sitting in, and I noticed the gold of his watch, thick wrist, and strong-looking hand where it rested on the armrest.
For some reason, I wasn’t afraid.
My eyes fluttered closed again.
It was the dryness in my throat that finally woke me.
I frowned at the strange sensation. I shifted in my bed and realized, no, this bed was much firmer than my dorm mattress or my bed back home. I slid easily on the silky sheets.
My eyes snapped open. I looked around, momentarily stunned by my surroundings. I’d never been in a room like this. I’d never even seen a room like this, except in the movies.
Every inch of the room oozed luxury and money. Not just money. Old-school wealth.
Dark, gleaming wood floors, massive windows with mullioned glass panes, extraordinary wallpaper that I vaguely remembered seeing the night before, brocade curtains that framed heavy wood blinds. The center window was open slightly to let in fresh air. I could see that it was dark outside.
Just getting dark or just getting light? I wondered, realizing I had no idea what time of day or night it might be. I didn’t know what day it was, or where I was, or how I had gotten there. I didn’t like this feeling. I was so disoriented it almost hurt.
“You’re awake.”
My eyes snapped to the corner. The man I had seen in the bar the night before sat there. I stared at him, noting with relief that he was fully dressed. I looked down at myself.
So was I.
I was under the covers, but my clothes were still on. My purse was on the bedside table. My shoes sat neatly by the side of the bed.
Nothing bad happened. Nothing bad happened. Nothing bad happened, I repeated in my head.
But there was a tiny part of me that wondered why nothing had happened.
“Where am I?” I asked, surprised by the breathy quality of my voice. I coughed a little, realizing how dry my throat was. I suddenly understood the expression ‘dry as a bone’.
He was on his feet in an instant, sitting on the edge of the bed and taking a clean glass from the bedside. I watched as he cracked open a bottle of luxury spring water and poured some for me. I took it gratefully, still wondering where I was, who he was, and how I had gotten there.
“Drink. I’ll explain.”
He was close. Too close for a stranger. But for some reason, I didn’t mind. He smelled faintly of cigars and pine trees. He smelled warm.
Not to mention, the guy was movie star gorgeous. Normally, I didn’t care about things like that. But he wasn’t hard to look at, that was for sure.
“You went to a lounge last night. Do you remember?”
I nodded. I’d gone with Sara. Where was Sara?
My eyes widened in panic.
“Is Sara all right?”
He gave me a small smile.
“As far as I know. She left you there to go off with some guy.”
I frowned. That didn’t sound like her. Then again, she had been looking for a guy. I remembered her peeling off to get to know someone better after the first couple of drinks. I’d only had the one. I frowned, wondering if I still had enough money for the bookstore. I didn’t remember paying for my drink. I mentally shrugged, realizing I couldn’t do anything for Sara, anyway. I hoped things had worked out for her.
“Oh, okay.”
“Okay?” He raised an eyebrow and I noticed again how gorgeous his eyes were. “She left you there and somebody put something in your drink.”
“My . . .” I stared at my glass, and he took it, taking a sip. Then he turned the glass and handed it back to me.
Now that is a gentleman, I thought dazedly. I bet he carries a handkerchief.
“There were a couple of guys by the bar. One of them dosed you.”