Page 146 of Wedded to the Enemy

We break apart to find her standing in the doorway, her expression apologetic but tense.

“I hate to interrupt,” she says, flattening her apron, “but you’ve got a visitor. He insisted. Said it was urgent.”

Ronan is already rising from his chair, his entire vibe hardening. “Clan business?”

“Not this time.” Oona slowly shakes her head. “Actually, the visitor’s for Simone.”

She steps aside, and my stomach drops.

Senator Banks stands on the threshold of the terrace, his face drawn in worry. He looks like he’s aged ten years since I last saw him, his shirt uncharacteristically wrinkled as if he grabbed it from a hamper. In his hands is a crumpled piece of paper.

I’m on my feet before I realize I’ve moved. “Senator Banks? What’s wrong? It’s Chantal, isn’t it? What’s happened?”

He crosses the terrace toward us, his gait more of a sleepwalk than his usual confident one. Each step is stilted and uncoordinated, as if he can’t believe he’s awake and not in some nightmare.

“I… I received this in the mail this morning,” he stammers, holding out the paper for me to take. Ronan appears at my shoulder to read over me. “It’s a ransom letter. Chantal’s been taken. Someone’skidnappedmy daughter.”

TO BE CONTINUED…