While her approach was admittedly on the unconventional side, the plan she’d constructed had worked like a charm. She was alive, unharmed, and in the exact position she’d not only expected but had also hoped for. The only thing left to do was wait.
As she did, Kaamisha studied her surroundings. She was in a bedroom, as was evident by the queen-sized bed to her right. Carpet the color of deep orange, yellow, and various shades of red covered the floor beneath her bound feet.
Looking left, she noted a large wooden dresser with five long drawers for storage. Its dark finish was worn in many places indicating its long-standing use.
From where she sat, the top appeared barren, unlike the nightstand next to the bed. A single lamp placed on top of the small piece of furniture offered a dim, almost amber glow in the otherwise unlit room.
Kaamisha smiled inside—since the tape prevented her from being able to actually smile—feeling appreciative of the low lighting. It allowed her to see without feelingblinded or exacerbating the dull aching still present in her head.
“Fine. I’ll check.”
A deep voice sounded from the other room, pulling her attention away from the lamp. The chair she’d been tied to had been placed in the middle of the room, and Kaamisha sat facing the door that had been left closed.
Her eyes fell to the metal knob just as it started to turn. Her heart pumped harder inside her chest as a mixture of uncertainty and anticipation made its way through her veins.
The door began to open, and she straightened her spine. Fear had no place in this room. Not when she’d purposely put herself in a position to be taken. After all, if they’d wanted her dead…
A set of dark eyes met hers as Donovan Braddock stepped into the room. Kaamisha’s lungs froze momentarily as they held each other’s gazes.
Dark. Deadly. More than ready to kill.
That was the look staring back at her now. And the man it belonged to…
Positively mouthwatering.
He took a broad step forward, and then another…and another. Stopping directly in front of where she sat, he reached out and unceremoniously ripped the tape free from her face.
Kaamisha winced slightly but refused to call out from the stinging pain. Instead, she greeted him with a schooled expression and a smile.
“Hello, Donovan.” Her voice sounded a tad rough. “Nice to see you again.”
Rather than respond to her, he balled up the strip of silver tape and tossed it into a small trash can located on the floor next to the dresser.
“She’s awake.” He hollered back to his team from over one of his deliciously broad shoulders.
That was it. Nothing more was said to his men or to her. When the other four members of Eagle’s Nest Securities joined him, Kaamisha understood why.
He was waiting for them to begin.
“Quite the team player, aren’t you?” she challenged. “Funny. I pegged you as more the lone-wolf type.”
A muscle in the side of Donovan’s rugged jaw twitched. It was the only reaction he gave.
“Cut the crap, Kaamisha.” The man she recognized as Archer Nash spoke up next as he brought himself closer. “We know it was you, so why don’t you save us all some time and?—”
“Call me Kam.” She purposefully interrupted his little speech. “All my friends do.”
“We’re not your fucking friends,” Donovan growled. The look on his face was positively lethal.
Refusing to let down her calm and collected mask, Kaamisha simply released an exaggerated sigh. “Pity. I hear you can never have too many of those.”
“That supposed to be some sort of dig against the man you killed?” Another Eagle’s Nest operative shot forward.
Early thirties. Brown hair that was a bit longer on top. Pretty blue eyes that were looking back at her as if she were pure evil.
Chase Boyer.
She gave the young former SEAL a sad smile. “I would never disrespect your friend’s honor by making light of the fact that he is dead.”
