The Dark Elite (The Dark Elite 1)

“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.

My hands shake as I yank open the cabinet under the sink. Several spare rolls of toilet paper sit at the back of the cabinet, and I shove the phone into the middle of one roll, concealing it inside. I stack another roll on top, then close the cabinet and stand quickly, bracing my hands on the counter top just as the door swings open and Lucas barges in.

“What the hell?” I shriek. My racing heart is enough to make my expression believable, as if I can’t believe he just did that.

“You’re taking too fucking long.” He storms into the bathroom, filling the small room with his presence.

“I was just peeing—” I try to take a step back, getting him out of my personal space.

“Sure.”

He pokes around the bathroom, and I distract myself by washing my hands, thankful I found the hiding spot I did. I use every ounce of effort not to look down at the cabinet, flicking subtle glances at Lucas as he searches the bathroom. He checks all the obvious places, including under the lid of the toilet, but he doesn’t look that closely at the toilet paper rolls.

“Remind me to lock the door next time.” I shoot him a glare and skirt past him to leave the bathroom.

His reflexes are quick though. He catches hold of my arm before I make it more than a few steps into the bedroom, dragging me back easily. I try to wrench out of his grip, but he holds me tightly, pulling me closer to his body.

“What are you hiding, Grace?” He stares at me with narrowed eyes.

“I’m not hiding anything,” I protest, trying to pull away from him again.

“How do I know that?”

“Because it’s the fucking truth.” I strain harder against his tight grasp. “Now let me go.”

“Oh, and I should just take your word for it?” he counters. “Why should I trust you? I know what you’re capable of, even if you hide it all behind an innocent facade.”

“Fine.” I glare up at him. “Don’t fucking trust me. Why would any of you believe me about anything? Hale doesn’t believe a word I say, so why should I be surprised that you don’t either?”

He snorts. “Now you’re catchin’ on to how things work, princess.”

With those words, he tugs me closer to him. Then he begins to roughly pat down my body, sliding his hands over my arms, my waist, my hips. My breath catches in my throat as he moves them down my legs, starting at my upper thighs and sliding over my jeans, leaving trails of heat in their wake.