25. Brynn
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Brynn
Cole left the seminar room. I watched his back from my peripheral vision, even though I acted like I only had eyes for Garon Westwick.
Here we go , I thought.
I sat in my chair as a few other seminar attendees asked Westwick questions. The head of Stillwater listened and answered politely. Always the gentleman, at least when people were watching. But his gaze kept sliding to me, giving me a sly, knowing smile.
When every other straggler had vanished, Westwick sauntered across the room. “And now it’s just us, Brianna. I’m glad you decided to take me up on my offer of advice.”
I stood up, glancing demurely at the carpet. It had shoe prints and stray crumbs scattered over it. “Me too.”
“Cameron’s on a business call now, yes? He won’t be looking for you?”
“He thinks I’m with Molly and her husband. I’ve been thinking a lot about what you said the other night. About Cameron not being the best manager?”
Westwick reached me. He put his fingers under my chin, and it took so much willpower not to push him away. Soon , I repeated, just like I’d told Cole before he left.
“You deserve someone who’ll be in your corner.”
Movement near the doors. It was Ryker. He lifted an eyebrow at Westwick, who shook his head. Buying us some privacy, I assumed.
Ryker shut the doors to the seminar room, leaving Westwick and me alone. I smiled, my mind tracking the minutes that had passed. Cole would’ve made it to our room by now. Given River the all-clear for our diversion. Less than ten minutes until the fire alarm sprinklers triggered.
Somehow, ten minutes hadn’t seemed like such a long time during our planning.
Chairs were set up in long rows for the seminar audience. Westwick gestured for me to take one, and he sat beside me. Draped an arm over my chair, sitting close. My small drawstring purse lay at my feet.
“Luckily, I know a lot of people in all kinds of industries. I could connect you with a top-notch talent agency.” He touched my shoulder. His fingers dug in. I hid my inner cringe. “The man who had dinner with me last night, Eric Masterson, could help as well. He’s actually running for the US Senate. He has even more contacts than me. In all sorts of places.”
“Oh?” I hadn’t expected him to bring up Masterson. “I was wondering about him after I saw him with you. Running for Senate? That’s so impressive.”
Westwick’s grip on my shoulder got tighter. I didn’t miss the fact that it was inches from the bruises Ryker had left on my skin, though the sleeve of my dress covered those. “Eric noticed you as well. So have I. You’re a beautiful girl, Brianna. I’m sure you realize that. Girls like you always know their effect on men.”
Ugh, what I wouldn’t give to pull the knife from my holster. Just so that I could see a flash of fear on his disgusting face instead of that leer.
I killed time by rambling about my lifestyle brand, my goals for my business. Westwick nodded along like he was listening. But with every minute that passed, he edged closer, leaning into my space as his touch grew more insistent.
Just a few minutes until the diversion. I could handle this. I was fine.
I kept talking, and he interrupted me mid-sentence. “This room isn’t very cozy, is it? We should go somewhere more comfortable. We’ve only got a couple of hours until dinner. Might as well make the most of it.”
I smiled, quick to jump up to standing. Anything to get the man’s slimy touch away from me, even for a moment. I grabbed the long strap of my purse. “Sure. Let’s go.”
He led the way through the double doors and into the hallway. But to my shock, Donovan Ryker wasn’t here. I’d assumed he was guarding the entrance to the room to give his boss privacy.
Where the heck was the bodyguard?
I dragged my feet as we walked down the hall. We were going toward the employee side of the building, which was convenient. Not far from the door leading to the roof. But aside from that, I had no idea where Westwick was taking me.
Any moment the sprinklers would go off. The passage of the seconds ticked by in my head.
A siren wailed, followed by the word Fire . Westwick cursed as a sprinkler suddenly rained icy water. I shrieked, even though I wanted to cheer. I grabbed his arm. “I know where we can go!” I shouted. “Come on!”
“No, this way.” Westwick hustled me further down that same hallway, opposite the direction I wanted to go .
“Wait.” I dug in my feet, pointing toward the exit. We had to get to the roof access. “I know the perfect spot, I promise.”
When he turned to me now, water streaming down his face, the man’s expression was hard. “I said this way , Brianna. Learn to fucking listen.”
My mind worked fast. How bad of a setback was this? I could keep resisting, but then the plan would be toast. Of course, if I didn’t get him to the roof, the plan was also shot.
Either way, I had to make a decision. I still had the flash drive with the virus. Should I comply? Go with him and try to upload it on his phone?
I didn’t hear the door open a few feet away over the noise of the siren. But the movement on my periphery drew my focus.
Ryker stood there in the open doorway.
I went for the knife concealed under my dress. The bodyguard lunged at me. Grabbed my wrists. I kicked him hard in the knee. When his grip on my arm loosened, I aimed a punch at his throat. Ryker’s eyes widened in shock.
But someone else’s arms closed around me from behind. A hand covered my mouth. I bit it and screamed. The sound of the siren, and now shouts of other guests in nearby hallways, drowned me out. Large hands shoved me into the doorway Ryker had stepped out of.
I was in a laundry room. Washers and dryers, carts full of sheets and towels. Immediately I spun, my knife now in my fist. “Let me out of here!” Ryker was there in the doorway along with Manning. Westwick stood behind them in the hallway, looking on.
Manning came forward. I slashed with the knife. The knife blade opened a gash across his palm, and the man shrieked. But Ryker was quick to come at me next, attacking at high speed. I’d lost the element of surprise. He knew I was a real threat. So he didn’t hold back .
Ryker slammed me against a washing machine. He twisted my wrist at an angle. Tingly numbness shot through my fingers, and my knife fell to the floor. “Enough,” he said in my ear. “Or you won’t like what happens.”
“Try me, asshole,” I taunted.
When I kicked again, he was ready with a brutal shove. My breath left me as I smacked flat on my back on the concrete. While I was still stunned, Ryker flipped me and secured my wrists with some kind of plastic cuffs. I tried to kick my legs, but he got my ankles bound. A gag went in my mouth, followed by tape to hold it in place.
“I told you, boss,” Ryker said. “This one’s not what she seems. The trouble’s not worth it. We should get rid of her.”
“ No .” Westwick’s tone was sharp and ruthless. “I want her. She’s mine. Go find out what the hell is happening with this sprinkler nonsense. This is screwing my entire evening.”
“I will. Sir, I realize you wanted to stay through dinner, but if the fire department responds?—”
“No, you’re right,” Westwick said. “We need to get her out of here sooner. I’ll find the other seminar attendees and give them my apologies. Take care of the rest of it.” The head of Stillwater stormed from the laundry room.
Ryker turned to the other guard. “Manning, make sure she’s secured and then go help O’Hanlon with Clay. I’ll be back here to get her.”
“Yes, boss.” Manning bent to drag me away from the door. Then both he and Ryker left me there. But they would return before long.
Cole was on the roof. If I could get out of here, I’d be able to warn him. But how?
The sprinklers and alarm suddenly shut off. But everything was sopping wet, which I could use to my advantage. The cuffs were tight, but there was a small amount of give. If I could get them loose enough to slide an arm free …
Then I realized I could do even better. My wrists were bound behind my back, but I could scrunch up my body into a ball and bring my arms around to my front.
It wasn’t easy. My shoulders and elbows creaked from the effort. But finally I got my hands past my butt and around my legs. I brought my hands up and pulled at the tape over my mouth. Spit out the gag. Right away I used my teeth on the plastic cuffs at my wrists.
A small tear opened at the edge of the plastic. I kept working at it. Come on, come on. My heart was up in my throat, thumping in my ears.
Footsteps in the hall. Voices.
The door opened. Ryker . He cursed when he saw what I was up to. “You really are trouble.” Ryker’s boots met my sight-line where I lay on the ground. I screamed, but he bent to shove the gag back in my mouth and fix the tape. “Makes me wonder if you had something to do with this fire alarm glitch. But that would mean you’re a very smart woman, and I don’t believe that. I think you’re a foolish little girl who thought she could get close to Garon. Make use of him. You did some damage with that knife you brought along. But you have no idea who you’re really dealing with.”
I glared up at the man, gritting my teeth around the gag. So he didn’t know my real identity or my mission. If Cole could get to me…
“Nobody’s coming for you,” he said, as if he could see the hopeful thoughts running through my brain. “Get that through your head, Brianna. Your jealous boyfriend? O’Hanlon and Manning already tracked him down. Cameron’s dead. Who knows, maybe you’ll be thanking us.”
No . He was lying.
Ryker smiled. First time I’d ever seen that expression on the man’s face. “He was up on the roof, of all places. Cameron liked to play the tough guy. He even had a gun. Two of you both put up a decent fight. But in the end, Cameron went down easy.”
I’m going to watch you die , I said through my eyes. And I’m going to enjoy it .
He angled his head, studying me like a bug under a microscope. But he’d forgotten about my arms. They were still bound, but in front of me. My hands shot up, claws going straight for his eyes. My nails scraped his skin before he shoved me down and pinned me, his face an ugly scowl.
“I’m not supposed to damage the merchandise, but there’s plenty I can do to cause pain that won’t leave a mark. Trust me, you’re going to find out.”
The door to the hallway opened again, and a new face looked in. It was that hotel clerk. Lance . I shouted around my gag. But he didn’t look the least bit surprised to see me there.
Lance was sweating. Breathing hard. “The van is waiting for the dry-cleaning pickup. The driver’s antsy because of the false alarm. We diverted the fire department before they got here, but the van driver says he’s not going to stay much longer.”
“Then get over here. Hold her.”
Lance crossed the room and tried to keep my shoulders down, while Ryker pulled something from his pocket. A needle. I struggled against both of them as Ryker stuck the sharp point into my skin. But he wasn’t injecting me with anything.
He was drawing my blood into a vial. What the hell?
Ryker withdrew the needle. The vial of my blood disappeared into his pocket. A bag went over my head, and everything went dark.