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“I don’t mean to be rude,” she said, “but like I mentioned earlier, Jordan is probably wondering where I am. So, if you’ll excuse me?” She made to push past him but Gerald stepped into her path, raising his knife.

“And asImentioned earlier, my son can wait,” Marcus returned. “Why don’t you have a seat so that we can become… better acquainted.” He leaned casually against the desk—his desk, she presumed—and indicated for her to sit.

“I’d rather not, thank you,” she told him, crossing her arms.

Apparently that was the wrong answer, because Gerald growled and took a step forward.

“Touch me and I swear I’ll scream,” Alex said. Her insides were fluttering with fear, but on the outside she maintained a steely resolve, determined not to let them see how freaked out she really was. She didn’t even know if screaming would do any good, since they were quite a distance from the ballroom and it was unlikely anyone would hear her. But she wasn’t going to stand there and be a complete pushover.

Marcus actually laughed. It was a chilling sound, and not at all comforting.

“Dear girl, we mean you no harm,” he said, smiling at her. Like his laugh, the expression was unnatural, and didn’t match the look in his hard blue eyes.

“Then why won’t you let me leave?” she pressed. “You have a house full of guests downstairs, remember? Shouldn’t you be getting back to them?”

“My wife is entertaining them,” he said, unconcerned. “I would be remiss in my duties as a father if I ignored an opportunity to get to know one of my son’s friends.”

“Perhaps there are other fatherly duties you would do better to concentrate on,” Alex said before she could stop herself. She regretted the words immediately, and she bit down on her tongue to keep from saying anything more, but the damage was already done. The effect of her statement was almost tangible; she could practically feel the room drop in temperature as the tension rocketed skywards.

Marcus pushed off from the desk and was in front of her before she could take a breath. “What did you say to me?”

She took a step back, bumping into Gerald who stood too close behind her. “I—I—”

“Do you know who I am?” he whispered, his voice soft and deadly. “How dare you speak to me in such a way?”

She couldn’t say anything, mostly because she wasn’t sure which question to answer first, but also because she was too distracted by Gerald’s blade, which was mere inches away from her spinal cord.

When she remained silent, Marcus nodded to Gerald and she felt the tattooed man’s arm snake around her stomach while his other hand moved to hold the knife at the base of her neck. The sharp blade pressed against her jugular, freezing her to the spot.

“Answer me!” Marcus ordered.

“Don’t you think you’re going a little overboard?” Alex managed to croak out, but even that slight movement caused the blade to prick into her skin. She couldn’t keep her body from trembling in response, which only increased the pressure of the knife against her flesh.

Irrationally, she found that she was furious with her Combat teacher for failing to prepare her for such a situation. Even if Karter hadn’t turned her into a kung fu master, she still might have learned enough self-defence to get out of her current predicament in one piece.

“If I apologise for insulting your parenting skills, will you let me go?” Alex finally asked. Her emotions were shot—she was afraid, but she was also angry. What they were doing to her was not cool, and she couldn’t contain her natural reaction of unchecked sarcasm. “I promise to sound like I mean it.”

Gerald tightened his grip and she felt a painful sting as the blade cut deeper into her skin, causing a drop of blood to dribble down her neck.

“You do realise that people are going to wonder how I got that in the bathroom?” she hissed at Marcus, strangely emboldened as a result of the cut. “I doubt they’ll accept the excuse thatI fell.”

“Only two people would notice, and neither would have reason to believe you,” Marcus said. “And if they did, they could be taken care of just as easily.”

Alex paled at his implied threat. He wouldn’t really hurt Jordan and Bear… would he?

“Neither of them will know about it at all if you don’t make it back to the ballroom,” Gerald whispered into her ear. He tightened his grip on the blade even more, causing another drop of warm liquid to trickle down her skin.

Fear and anger continued to brew within Alex, both emotions demanding her attention. She wasn’t sure whether to rage, scream, or cry. Her body felt clammy and tense, her muscles were coiled and ready for action. But she couldn’t do anything, not while she was trapped in Gerald’s arms.

“Look, I don’t—” Alex wasn’t even sure what she was going to say, but it didn’t matter since her words were interrupted.

“Ah, Alexandra, here you are.”

The voice shocked her as much as it did the two men holding her captive. They both jumped away from her and turned towards the new arrival.

Alex couldn’t help but gape at Darrius, who was standing in the doorway exuding an aura of safety and comfort.

“What an…unexpectedsurprise,” Marcus said smoothly, hiding Gerald from view so that the tattooed man could move his knife out of sight. “However did you get in here, old man?”