She peeked up at me from underneath her eyelashes. “No, not really. And I just took a week off work, so no one is even going to miss me until next week.”
She appeared to miss the actual reasons behind my questions, and I was glad to have my privacy intact.
I squeezed her hard again, bringing her right up against my chest. “Vacationing somewhere fun?”
She huffed, and her body relaxed the last few millimeters against my hold. If I had a better imagination, I’d pretend we were out in the grass beside a lake, spending a sunny afternoon together rather than prisoners on our way to what would probably be death for at least one of us.
“No vacation. I had too much unused vacation time, and if I didn’t start using it, I’d lose it at the end of the year. That didn’t mean I bought a plane ticket to somewhere. I had big plans to clean my kitchen and catch up on the last season of Supernatural.”
I laughed. She’d been ready to watch TV, and I was looking for a pair of designer jeans. “Life just got a lot more interesting, huh?”
“Truthfully? I preferred the mundane.”
“Well, hopefully you get back to it as quickly as possible because I just decided we’re about to escape.”
She jerked, repositioning herself to stare at me as we talked. “What? You said we had to wait for your brother.”
I cringed. “I was slightly optimistic,” I lied.
Corbin would come for us, but by the time my brother made it here, we’d already be gone. I’d make sure of it. Besides, it might take Corbin days to find me and then rally Ridge’s troops for a rescue.
By then Bernard might have already determined I wasn’t the twin he wanted. He might use me for ransom, but who knew what his plans were for Imogen? The man was sick and twisted, and he was deeply involved in the sex trade. Even the Grandmaster didn’t want to claim him any longer. That said more about Bernard than anything else.
I refused to take any risk with her safety. The moment Imogen crawled into my arms, she became my responsibility. Honestly, it may have happened earlier.
This wasn’t my brother’s time to shine. It was mine. I’d save the day and the girl along with it.
CHAPTER 3
IMOGEN
Cyrus leaned up against the thin bars separating us from freedom. He turned his head from side to side, glancing in every direction and trying to survey the larger room where they stashed us. No one had been by since I woke up.
“I definitely think the boat is smaller than I first assumed,” he said when he turned from his lookout point.
I nodded, but inside I didn’t feel as enthusiastic. What did it matter if we were on a big boat or a small boat? We were on a boat with no idea where we were.
At least a full day had passed since Cyrus originally said we’d escape, but it seemed so much longer.
Time stretched out and then fell in on itself when there was nothing to do, no food to eat, and sleep came haphazardly. We had no blankets or pillows to rest on, and even when I tried to catch a few minutes here or there, I always woke up in a panic. Turned out it was difficult to fall asleep when you were worried you’d be dead at any minute.
Life as a nurse meant I faced death daily, but never my own. It was a completely different heart-pounding experience when my head rested on the chopping block. If I made it out of this alive, I’d never again begrudge anyone who spent their stay in the hospital complaining. They were safe, surrounded by medical staff, and comfortable enough to complain. It was a privilege.
Cyrus and I didn’t talk about escape often since his initial comment. Instead, we discussed everything else. Our childhoods, schools, life dreams, even stories of our first kisses. The striking man had quite a history, if his tales were to be believed.
In the time we spent getting to know one another, no one brought us food or water. The more my stomach growled, the more positive of our escape Cyrus grew, but it didn’t do any good. I had too much medical training to ignore the facts. I’d slept two times since the last time I peed or even had the urge. It happened in the corner of our little prison as Cyrus turned his back and faced the other direction.
The conditions were disgusting, and it was one of the most embarrassing things I’d ever had to do in my life. Funny how you forget the fact you’re kidnapped when you had to pee next to a man you found attractive.
But it was also concerning because while it’d been quite a few hours since I’d had the urge to use the bathroom, Cyrus hadn’t at all. He didn’t mention the last time they brought him any liquids, and I didn’t want to ask and learn the true severity of our situation.
We could survive without food for a while, but we needed water. Soon.
Cyrus returned to his position at the bars, and because I’d spent so much time secluded with him, I noticed the moment he froze.
“See anything good?” I asked, lacking the strength or concern to get up and check for myself.
He turned to face me fully, his expression so radiant I actually smiled without meaning to. “Our escape.”
