Even now, he looked very little worse for wear, despite all the Night Herons had done to hold him accountable for killing thousands.Natalie wasn’t generally prone to violence, but the urge to choke him with her bare hands made her fingers twitch.
He sighed, a gratifying sound of exasperation.“Tell me, Natalie.Who do you work with?”
“Nope.”She leaned back in her seat.“Where’s Erik?”
“Maybe I tossed him overboard.”
Something hot and spiky rushed her veins and her stomach tensed, but she managed not to react outwardly.Forcing her jaw to relax, she cocked her head and studied the older man.“That would be foolish.How do you plan to bargain for information if you have nothing to trade?”
“There’s stillyourlife, which seems very much in my hands at this moment.”He gave her a repulsive smile.
Fear surged down her spine, but she ignored it, sitting up straighter.“And yet, if you kill me, you’ll never get the information you’re so desperate for.”She gave him her own smug look and raised an eyebrow.“Where.Is.My.Brother?”
“Where is my money?”
She shrugged and held his gaze, not even blinking, for an interminable amount of time.Honestly, for such a gross man, he should look more evil—beady eyes?Fangs?—and less like a middle-aged doofus.
Finally, lips tight, he looked up at the hulking man who’d ferried her over from the speed boat and gave him a slight nod.Waiting, she and Wallace sat in tense silence, swaying slightly as the yacht cut through the ocean swells, accompanied only by the low rumble of the engines beneath them.
She’d counted to a hundred nearly four times before her brother finally appeared at the top of the stairs from the lower deck.Her heart constricted at the sight of him, rumpled, dark circles under his eyes, T-shirt and shorts covered in unidentifiable stains.His floppy brown hair had become matted to his head, and yellowing bruises covered what she could see of his arms.
“Natty?”He lurched forward, immediately bouncing back toward the goon who apparently held his restraints.
She shuddered in sympathy at the thought of being tied up.Jumping to her feet, she dropped the blanket as she rushed toward him.He smelled like sweat and vomit, but she fought a rush of nausea and gave him a gentle hug.“Are you okay?”She stepped back to look at him and shook her head.“I mean, of course you’re not okay, but…?”How to finish that question?She already regretting asking.
“No serious injuries.”Erik’s gaze strayed to Wallace—who’d been watching their reunion without comment—and his blue eyes sparked with hatred.“I’ve been tied up in the crew quarters puking my guts out for days, but they did give me food and water.”His normally rich voice came out scratchy and strained.“Pretty sure it was laced with a sedative or something.”
He looked back at her with something like wonder and whispered, “I can’t believe you’re really alive.God, Nat.After we got word…it was…awful.”Tears glistened in his eyes, triggering a prickling in her nose that made her look away.
“I know.I’m so sorry.”Hooking a thumb over her shoulder, she said, “Blame this guy.”
Wallace harrumphed.“I told you that was a mistake.”
Ignoring him, she said, “Now, the trick is to stay alive.”She leaned in and stage whispered, “Kinda wishing we’d learned to swim right about now.”
Her brother might’ve been injured and exhausted, but the former breaststroke champ didn’t miss a beat.“I’d say it’s fucking tragic.”
Their captor’s eyes narrowed.“Enough with the reunion.Both of you, sit down.”He waved at the guard, who tugged Erik toward the seat across from her and pointed his chin at the small sofa she’d vacated.
Erik gingerly sat, wincing when the goon tugged him back against his bound hands.
Nat’s fingers curled into fists, but she didn’t move.She couldn’t take Wallace and his lackey in a fight, but she had other methods for causing chaos.
“Okay.”Wallace stood with his hands on his hips.“Now talk.”
“Yeah, right.If you think I’ll give you anything before I see him safe and sound back on land, you’re delusional.”
The henchman pulled a gun and held it to her brother’s temple.
A knot lodged in Nat’s throat.Fuck.She had to throw her captors off balance without getting Erik killed.She sat on her hands to keep herself from doing something that would endanger them both, and focused on not hyperventilating.
“If anyone’s delusional here, it’s you.”Wallace looked at her almost pityingly.“You’re not in a position to bargain, little lady.”
Little lady?What era was this condescending asshole from, anyway?
“Lear,” he said, looking at his guard.“Let’s take this outside.If things get messy, I don’t want to ruin the upholstery.”
Things were not going to plan, so Ford took a page out of Natalie’s book and tried to focus on something else.
