Chapter 19

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Madeline went on less exuberantly. "You may do what you like with me. It doesn't matter anymore." She looked at me, venom pouring from her eyes. "Look at her." She cried. "You can't honestly tell me she's worth a tenth of those diamonds!"

My head rose at this new knowledge. So that's what the shipment was. Diamonds.

Kael walked slowly around the table as she yelled, his look becoming more calculated and tense. Even though he scared me, I was somewhat relieved. He probably wasn't going to accept her trade if she was making him angry.

He looked down at her. "I told you we were finished. And I told your employers what would happen if they pursued us further. You ignored both warnings." His chin tilted slightly, his silky voice haunting. "What's your plan, Madeline? You know we only ever play on my terms." She glared darkly; she was obviously furious that he hadn't agreed to her deal. He shook his head. "Get her out of here," he growled as he turned away.

"Don't be a fool!" She yelled desperately, "you can still fix this. Gideon will never know it was you who let us have her. We're prepared to offer you thirty percent." When he didn't respond her number increased significantly. "Fifty percent! How can you say no?"

She was still shouting, swearing at him when the door was finally closed. I didn't understand how I was more valuable than a diamond shipment, but I couldn't be more relieved. Twisting my hair around to the side of my neck, I looked to Higgins and Kael. I was ready to be out of this cave and back to my room. Time to process traumatic events like this worked to calm me like no other therapy could.

Higgins shook his head. "Too bad about that one, sir. She really did have much promise when she started. Will there be anything else this evening?" I couldn't help staring at the man. He sounded as if he were offering dessert. "We will resume questioning in the morning." He touched his ear, nodding as if the person on the other end could see him. "Good. Sounds like she came alone. All clear on the grounds." To my surprise, his surly face sported a smile, directed at me and he said, "Very nice to meet you, by the way."

I nodded my head, and mumbled something unintelligible. Shaken and exhausted, I was not feeling sociable at all.

Kael raised his hand, halting the exchange of pleasantries, "No, nothing else right now. I'll be back in half an hour, Higg."

Higgins nodded. "Alright then." He was looking at me. I assumed he was head of security and I his greatest nightmare.

At last, Kael and I retreated to the main house. We passed through the entryway on our way back to the stairs. I glanced at my father's portrait, resenting him even more for the business he had gotten himself into, despising Kael for being too thick to find a way out of it. It wouldn't matter if I had been raised by the man. He could have sent me to the best schools and loved me my whole life. The moment I learned his true vocation, I would have run away from him. No amount of persuasion or brainwashing could alter a person's character so completely, I was certain. A deep twisted perception of the world was essential to stay in this business.

We reached the top of the stairs and Kael stopped. I ignored him, walking toward my room. He was probably headed back downstairs to debrief. I had some debriefing of my own to do once I was safely in my room alone.

"Harper." Kael called to me in a whisper. I turned at my door, promising myself I would be in my bed soon. My look conveyed my wearing patience. I made sure of it.

He didn't respond but indicated with his head in the opposite direction to my room. Satisfied that I would follow, he started down the hall. My shoulders sagged against my bedroom door and I longed for the solitude inside. How could I be so close, but still not allowed to rest? I followed. He stopped at the far end of the hall at a pair of large double doors.

I looked at the doors perplexed. "Is it still not safe?" I asked. "What's this?"

"Another room." He tilted his head toward the doors. "To be safe, you take my room. Not only more secure, but no one would look there."

My eyes widened. "Where are you going to sleep?" I started to back away. Everything in me told me this was not a good idea. Despite his upright actions towards me thus far, I knew deep down he was a twisted criminal. No matter how naïve, I must never forget that.

"It's not like that Harper. I won't be up in the main house again until morning, I promise." When I made no move to go through the doors, he reached over and unlatched them himself. He tried to explain. "You're safe, but if somehow there was a break in, they wouldn't want to wake me, you see?"

I looked toward the room, not wanting to go in. The more I considered his logic, it did make sense. They may check my room or even Garrett's, but they wouldn't want to awaken the sleeping dragon.

"Fine," I said at last, "but I know what you really are. I swear, Kael, If you so much as walk in here unannounced..." My shaking voice sounded surprisingly threatening. The moment I was in that room I was going to find a weapon and keep it by my side the entire night.

Kael didn't seem offended. Instead, he seemed to consider my words as he walked me into the room with a firm hand on my upper back. As he turned to leave, he looked back, "there's a gun in the top drawer of the nightstand if you need it." With that, he was gone.

I stood in silence for a moment, taking in my surroundings. Curiosity outweighed my exhaustion. His room was massive, at least twice the size of my guest room. There was a sitting area, an office area, and a massive four poster bed. I saw an attached bath and closet on the other side of the room. I walked over to the bed, feeling awkward to be using someone else's bed. Three small steps sat at the bedside to assist in getting up into the bed which seemed a whole story off the ground. I checked the nightstand. He hadn't lied yet; there was a gun. I considered taking it but decided against it. I wasn't exactly sure how one worked, and it was probably best not to touch it unless absolutely necessary.

Initially, I preoccupied myself with the laptop in the office area. I sent Maria a quick email in response to her lengthy account of their travels thus far. She required reassurances that I was safe and well, though I felt some dishonesty in my confirmation. Work had sent me numerous messages regarding the manuscript I had recently abandoned. I ciphered through them quickly before conducting an exhaustive search for information based on the credit card I had stolen with little result. After what was probably hours of research, my distracted eyes fell on the bookshelf to my right. I saw a few titles and I smiled, knowing they had been published at our office and edited by me. Continuing down the row of books were more and more titles I recognized. Standing up, I frowned. The whole shelf was not only filled with books that had come from our printing house, but also that I had personally edited. Kael had said my father had kept tabs on me. Close tabs apparently. I followed the titles down the row. Alphabetically organized, the shelf completed all of the works I had touched in my post college career. An impressive collection however troubling the thought of being stalked may be.

A distant noise brought me sharply back from my revelry. Barely audible, I heard the distinct moan of the stairwell floor boards. I stood and walked to my door, listening intently. At the top of the stairs, they grew louder. The footsteps were headed this way. I made a quick assessment of my options. Searching frantically, I could find no visible lock on his door.

Next, I went to the nightstand, removing the gun. Pulling the trigger was all I knew about using the weapon. Perhaps there was something about a safety button as well. I prayed it wasn't engaged. The steps were audible now without a need for straining my ears. I briefly considered hiding but, when no spot immediately presented itself, I dove into the bed and pulled up the covers. Yes, such a defense was hopeless, but my options were limited.

I took a moment to strategize. If my attacker thought I was asleep, he would be startled when I pulled a gun on him. Ironically, my strategy hadn't changed much from when I was a small, scared orphan, praying not to be beaten as a result of someone's drunken rage.

I kept my hand on the weapon, stashed safely under my pillow. As I had feared, the steps stopped directly outside my door. Every muscle in my body tense, I tried to slow my rapid breathing. I kept watch of the door through slits in my eyelids. The door opened slowly, silently. A dark figure came into the room, ensuring the door closed without a sound.


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