Page 87 of Her Noble Protector

“What the fuck is going on around here?” she demanded to know. Before he had a chance to answer, she bent down and shoved her face into the man who was just pushing himself off of Cami. “Get your ass up off the floor.”

This was not the camo-wearing Maria from the jungle. This Maria was wearing a navy blue pinstriped business suit with a short skirt, four-inch high heels, and had a huge Gucci bag hanging from her arm. As soon as the giant man got up, Maria kicked at Lisa’s friend with the tip of her red high-heeled shoe. “Did you kill her?”

He shook his head. “No, just tackled her.”

Maria prodded at her again and Cami moaned, then Maria smiled. “Maybe I’ll start with her.” She walked farther into the room, rounding past the sofa, and plopped her handbag onto the coffee table.

“Somebody turn off that noise.” She waved her hand toward the television.

The TV was turned off as Lisa watched Maria pull things out of the oversized leather bag. Maria pulled out a ball-gag first, then she casually threw a skein of nylon rope down onto the coffee table. Lisa pulled her feet up off the floor and curled them underneath herself on the couch.

“And I couldn’t forget this, now could I?” Maria asked as she pulled out a long, sharp, curved knife. She ran her thumb against the edge and smiled. “Ah, Lisa, we’re going to have so much fun today and tomorrow.”

A loud hiss filled the air, then a deluge of water poured down from the ceiling. “Ow!” Maria yelled as she dropped the knife. Lisa hoped like hell she’d sliced herself. She heard a crash behind her—it sounded like the door was being broken open—but then Maria was pointing a gun at her. Lisa twisted her head around to try to see what was going on, but the water coming from the overhead sprinklers was making it impossible.

She heard gunshots, then felt the sofa cushion beside her jump. She dived to the floor, damned if she would make it easy for Maria to kill her. Lisa screeched when somebody landed on top of her. “Stay down,” a man yelled into her ear. It sounded like Ezio.

“How many?” she heard Raiden shout above all the noise.

“Three men and Maria,” Ezio yelled back.

“We’re clear,” Raiden shouted. “Where’s Lisa?”

“Cami? Jesus, God. Talk to me.” Lisa heard Nic’s voice drowning out all the other noises in the room, but she couldn’t hear Cami responding.

“Get off of me,” Lisa pushed at Ezio. “How’s Cami?” she demanded to know.

One moment Ezio was on top of her, then he was ripped off and Raiden was standing over her, pulling her into his arms.

“Where’s Cami?” She couldn’t see Raiden’s expression; water was streaming down his face. “Tell me where Cami is. He knocked her to the ground.”

“Are you hurt?” Raiden’s voice was hoarse. His hands were moving up and down her arms, then he palmed her jaw where she’d been hit. “Baby, how badly are you hurt?” He sounded agonized.

Lisa reached up and grabbed his face with both of her hands. “I’m fine. I promise you, I’m fine. How’s Cami?”

Raiden pulled her into his arms and shoved her face into his neck. Lisa couldn’t tell which one of them was trembling more.

“Cami’s going to be fine,” Ezio said behind her head.

Ezio!

Lisa tried to pull out of Raiden’s arms, but he wouldn’t let go. How could Ezio be up and moving when she thought he was going to bleed out and die on the floor?

“Let’s move the women to the lobby and wait for the ambulances,” Max shouted. “Zed and Asher, you stay up here with me to coordinate with the police.”

“Raiden, let me go, I need to see if Cami is all right,” she insisted.

“Goddammit, she’s fine! You’re the one that was kidnapped again by a psychotic bitch with a knife fetish.” Lisa wouldn’t have thought it was possible, but Raiden pulled her even closer.

“But—”

The sprinklers shut off and Raiden lifted her chin so he could look at her. “Lisa, you’ve got to give me this, I’m begging you. Please just let me hold you for one damned minute. I thought I might not get here in time. I thought I might never get to hold you again.”

She looked into his agonized eyes and started to cry. Her arms twined around his neck. “I’m here, Raiden. I’m all right,” she whispered.

“Thank God.”

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