Chapter 53
“Nala…” The voice was far away, threatening to break at any moment. “ Nala!”
The haze was too hard to navigate. Nala wanted to respond, but she was so groggy that it made more sense to sleep forever. No, Mam, I don’t want to go to school… dumb chemistry test today… I know Tasha said she would help me study… but she was busy….
“NALA!”
She was on the floor, untied, but unable to move. Whoever untied her pulled her up and hoisted her over an arm. Nala recognized the soft fabric of a Stanford sweatshirt and the scent of expensive perfume.
“Ven?”
“Don’t,” she whispered. “Don’t inhale. Don’t make me inhale…”
She jangled the door handle. When it wouldn’t work, she stepped back, raised her foot, and took it down with one heavy kick. Nala felt it all vibrate through her floppy body.
Fresh air hit her. She didn’t realize she needed fresh air, yet she awoke from her dreamworld and sat up with a start. Before she could tumble to Xan Ravenwood’s hallway floor, however, Varen put a firm hand on the small of her back and took in the biggest gulp of air Nala ever heard a woman inhale.
“What happened?” Nala’s brain was still fuzzy, but with Varen with her, everything was okay, right? Wait…
Varen?
“Oh my God, what are you doing here?”
Finally, Varen tentatively stood Nala up on her own. “Don’t make any sudden moves. You were poisoned.”
“Huh?”
“He pumped a shitton of carbon monoxide into that room. I got in through the window. Climbed in from outside… was not easy.”
“What? How did you know I was here?”
“GPS on your phone, darling.”
If she had the energy, Nala would be more enraged. “What!”
“Let’s not argue right now.” Varen grabbed her again. Nala’s stomach did somersaults as she watched the carpet rush by beneath her eyes. “We’re getting’ caught within…”
“Halt!”
Varen stopped in her tracks, clutching Nala as if she were her most precious possession.
Footsteps thumped against the carpet. When Varen quickly turned around, Nala caught sight of the armed guards – four of them. From the sounds of the footsteps behind her again, she guessed more were coming down from the other end of the hall.
“You’re surrounded!”
Nala waited. For gunshots. For a bomb. Something. Yet all that happened was the feeling of Varen’s breathing and the sounds of footsteps thumping against the ground.
“Take them into the salon.”
Varen was forced to release Nala, who was still woozy, but what choice did they have, when at least ten of Xan Ravenwood’s security personnel surrounded them?
“I said the salon.”
She heard that man’s voice but had no time to think about it as she and Varen were herded into another room. Larger than the office, but still not quite big enough for the number of people forcing themselves inside. Nala stared into the bleak, black darkness and held her breath.
“Both of you better fucking kneel right now.”
Nala knew that voice. It made her bristle, all the way down to her knees, while her hands went tight behind her head.
Varen followed suit, her face grim. She looked at Nala.
Apologetic. No regrets. Loving. Yeah, I know.
We’re gonna die, but I love you too. Romantic.
Nala smiled at her. It was the least she could do for running away.
Hawk thumped into the room, her clunky tracking bracelet on her ankle making her walk with a strange gait.
Great. Lot easier to kill when the victims came to her instead of her having to go to them.
“These are the fuckers who got me arrested!”
She cackled, taking a gun from one of the armed guards.
“My only debate is figuring out which one I want to kill first!”
The barrel of the gun pointed at Nala.
“Do I kill the obnoxious child and make our heroine cry because this is the second time I took away the only thing she looooooved?” The gun switched to Varen. “Or do I put you out of your misery first so the girl can find out that there are no happy endings? Either way, one of you has to die first.”
Both of them remained silent, although their eyes never left the other’s. “I love you,” Nala mouthed, as she heard the gun click. “I’m not scared.”
That was a lie. Her body trembled. Her throat was dry. Her knees were sore against this carpet. Her body was prepared to fight for its life, but with so many people in the room, it was impossible. Plus, they all had guns.
Varen nodded. “I love you, too,” she said.
“Fucking piss off with this smarmy shit.”
Nala knew that the gun was pointed at her. Hawk wanted to torture Varen with her new girlfriend’s death. It was her style.
She waited.
And waited.
Finally, a gun went off.