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Brilliant blue eyes glittered with concern on the other side.
“I’ve almost convinced her to call the police,” Nathalie whispered.
“Let me in.”
“She’s too freaked out right now. You saw how she reacted to your presence. Please? A few more minutes?”
Ryder gave a reluctant nod, but his expression telegraphed displeasure.
“I love you,” Nathalie added. Because who knew if she’d ever see him again? She closed the door before her face gave away the fear burning a hole in her lungs.
Her captor gestured with his weapon for her to walk in front of him and Angie. “I love you. How touching.” He shoved Nathalie toward the sliding glass door. “Open it.”
A soft breeze ruffled her hair as she pulled open the glass. Now that she was standing here, she could just make out the top of a ladder leaning on the other side of the black iron railing.
They were two stories up.
Surely he didn’t mean to—
Her thought splintered on a gasp as the man raised his weapon and brought the butt of the gun down on Angie’s temple. She crumpled in his arms.
Nathalie took a half-step forward and froze. The barrel of the gun was now aimed directly at her as the blond lowered Angie’s prone form onto the carpet next to the oak pedestal table.
From a pocket on his cargo pants, he withdrew a small toy figure dressed in blue with red boots and a red molded cape. “A present for your bodyguard.” The man’s boyish grin felt morbidly out of place. He dropped the figure next to Angie’s body.
“Angie.” Indignation overrode fear. Nathalie tried to kneel to check on the girl.
A rough hand intercepted her. “She’ll be fine.” The stranger yanked her onto the concrete balcony. “Get on the ladder or I’ll toss you over the side onto the bushes.”
She looked down. Two stories didn’t seem that high until you were in danger of falling. “I’ll get you whatever you want if you let me and Angie go. Money? A working copy of my design? Name it.”
“Shut up and move.” Cold metal pressed into the base of her skull.
Her heart hammering in her throat, she swung one leg, then the other, over the railing. Without looking down, she felt around with her foot until she located the top step of the ladder.
The blond vaulted over the railing with an ease she envied and placed his feet two steps below hers, pinning her to the ladder with his body. His gun jammed into her ribs. “One step at a time, luv. Quickly now.”
One step down, then another. Nathalie peered into the first-floor apartment windows, hoping someone would notice and call the police.
Luck wasn’t on her side.
When they reached the bottom, he pulled her across the short grassy area to the row of cars parked nearby. Her captor stopped in front of an older model silver Toyota Corolla with a dented front tire well.
Angie’s car.
He opened the door and popped the trunk.
“Oh, no—” There was no way. She tried to jerk away, but his tight grip held her in place. Before she could blink, he had her front plastered to the side of the car, his body caging her from behind, his arm around her neck.
Squeezing.
Adrenaline flooded her veins.
She tried throwing back her elbows. Stomping his feet.
Panic made her movements sloppy.
“That’s ok, pet. I don’t need your cooperation.” His lips caressed her temple, his pelvis grinding into the curves of her backside. “Hmmm. I can see why my mate is so eager to fuck you. Maybe he’ll share.”