I felt rather than saw the shadow behind me and twisted around. But there was no one there.
I glanced down at my phone, one bar of service. Bloody fantastic.
You are not alone in here. Just call for your team. You're not alone. You're not alone.
I kept repeating that mantra to myself hoping that the information would sink in that I had family here. I wasn't going to be murdered in the history stacks where no one would find my body for days.
That was the last thing I needed. Bridge would surely resurrect me then kill me all over again, slowly while he gloated over being right.
I frowned taking several more steps. My phone vibrated in my hand and I glanced down.
Unknown: Almost there.
With a scowl, I picked up my pace and started running. When I heard a clatter to my right, I made another sharp turn. And in the middle of the stack, I found a book. A history of England's secret societies. I frowned at that. When the phone rang, I picked it up. "I don't want to play games with you anymore."
The voice modulator came on again, and I stopped, trying to listen and pinpoint the voice. "You didn't come alone. Smart, but also not smart. I'm not exposing myself yet.”
"But you say you want to help me. I can't follow you if you don't give me something to work with.”
Off in the distance, I heard a door opening, and on the phone I heard the telltale squeal of one of the heavy fire doors opening.
I took off running.
"You don't understand,” the voice on the phone said. “This isn't a game. It's life and death, and you are playing with fire. You've always been playing with fire. I've given you everything I can. If this isn't enough, then you'll never get him. And we'll all be at his mercy eventually.”
“That's not enough. You have to give me more."
"I don't have to do anything. I've risked enough.”
I was out of breath as I ran to the door and glanced out. There was no one in the other hall. Fuck. Fuck. fuck I turned around and scowled as I pushed open the door. Where the fuck did he go?
I wasn't sure why my spidey sense had failed me, where all that time I’d spent honing my bullshit detection had gone, but when the hand clamped over my mouth and a heavy body pressed against me, I seized. It took me too many seconds to realize what was happening, too many frozen moments. And even once I finally moved, my actions weren’t the fluid movements of a warrior. Instead, I thrashed and bucked.
A strong arm clamped even tighter around my waist. "Hush now, love.” His voice was still modulated, but there was a hint of familiarity. Fuck. Where were my fucking guards? Shit.
"I told you to come alone.”
"I did.”
"Liar. Next time don't come with a guard. Or a friend.”
He loosened his hand to let me speak again, and I struggled against his grip. "You're going to stay here just like this. I'm going to go the other way, and you're not going to follow. If you do, I have access to you at any time. At any time I can have you killed. Stop trying to find out who I am. Either you want my help to do this properly and take Middleton down, or you don't. But if you don't, people are going to die. I'm not the one you need to worry about.”
I bucked in his grip again and his arm tightened. "Nod. Tell me you understand.”
I nodded immediately, and then his hand loosened on my mouth. I could barely speak. I was dragging my breath in ragged, short bursts. "Who are you?"
"We're not doing that. Since you can't be bothered to pay attention to the rules, I'm sorry I have to do this.”
Something slipped around my wrists, and I squealed, trying to dislodge him. But he was bigger and stronger. And the way he had me wedged against the door, there was no room to move. When he stepped back slightly, I glanced down at my hands. He'd zip-tied me. "What the fuck?”
Before I could say anything else, something hit me on the back of the neck, and my vision started to cloud. The dizziness hit first. Nausea followed afterward like its twin, racing toward my central nervous system to put me out. I tried to fight unconsciousness because I needed to see. I needed to remember. But even as my legs gave out and my body was commanding my brain to shut down, I turned my head slightly. All I could see was his back. He was wearing a white shirt, fitted gray trousers, and a baseball hat. Fuck. But there was something so familiar about the way that he walked. And that was all I remembered before everything went gray.
Twenty-Three
Bridge
I didn’t relax after getting my security update on Emma. What the hell was she doing at the library? She had security, so I shouldn’t worry. But when it came to her, I was always on edge. Especially as her jaunt to Windsor had yielded nothing. I hadn’t expected much, but I’d been hopeful.
Since we had no other leads, I decided to pump the one source who would tell me the truth if I asked for information. After my round of morning meetings, I checked the traffic and headed to the Shard where Fredericka Zicks was set to have tea with her daughter.
I didn't want to give the old lady any reason to turn me down because I needed answers. And right now, with Emma in the crosshairs, I would do just about anything to help to figure out a way around this. Because that hollow feeling in my chest of worrying that something was happening to her wouldn't go away. And the pressure only felt tighter and tighter as the days went on with no movement and no real tangible moves I could make. I had the car drop me at the Shard and told Daniel to keep making a loop until I called him. I hoped this would be quick. I really did. I was directed to the elevator and let out on the floor of the restaurant. An overeager hostess approached me with a wide smile.
"Good afternoon sir. How can I help you?"
"I'm meeting some friends for tea."
She smiled. "What's the name?"
She eyed me appreciatively, and I knew what that meant. I waited to feel something, anything, except nope, dead. While she was beautiful, she wasn't Emma. And since marrying Emma, that raging storm of anger and self-destruction had seemed to dissipate. Replaced by something firm and rock solid. Something I could hold onto, something that could shatter me but in a completely different way.
She showed me to the back of the restaurant, and everywhere I turned I was met by chrome and steel and marble. Crystal chandeliers above, beautiful lighting, opulence, wealth. There would be no cheap burger on the menu in this place.
Granted, I hadn't been that kid in so long, looking for the cheapest way to take a date out. Or to surprise Mum with a night where she didn't have to cook. When I approached, Old Lady Zicks was facing my direction, and she cocked her head with a slight smile. "Mr. Edgerton! What a pleasant surprise.”
Her daughter whipped around and gave me a surprised smile too. "Well, hello."
"Ladies, I'm so sorry to interrupt your lunch. Fredericka, I know you're with your daughter, but I was hoping I could get a few moments of your time."
Angelica pushed to stand, and I shook my head. "I don't want to interrupt you."
She laughed. "But you did. So this must be urgent. Let me just go make a phone call.”
When Angelica was gone, I took her seat. Fredericka raised a brow. "Don't tell me now that you finally have my business you think it's too much for you. Need a strong woman to wield it? Your bride seems strong enough to take over the Zicks account. Let her have it. Think of it as a wedding gift."