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“Huh? No! Black smoked. That’s when... Never mind. We made it so that we could find you. Boss, I don’t know how much she knows about that side of things.”

The magical side. The demonic side.I don’t say anything. Playing stupid seems safer here.

“Well, no matter. The man is fine, he’s in the store. Now—”

I shout over him, continuing with my stupid motif, apparently. “They could be lying. You think I’m going to trust kidnappers and terrorists? I want to speak to him, and then I’ll call Powell.”

“Bossy bitch. Shut her up.”

“Yes, sir.”

I feel the punch coming before it connects. I drop sideways just as it glances off my temple, pretending to be a senseless heap.

That ought to buy me some time. Since they don’t seem to know that Reggie is actually my personalsecurity, they probably left him alone. That means he’ll come for me.

I know it in my heart. Reggie will come for me, and he’ll never let me out of his sight again. I’m fine with that. I don’t want to let him out of my sight, either.

As I lie in a huddle on the bed, I get to eavesdrop.

“Where is he now? This Reggie Gray?”

“I doubt if he’d still be at the storenow. He’ll have realized his wife is missing. He has probably called the police.”

The second thug rustles something. “She has two phones.”

“One of them must have the husband’s number.”

“Stop talking in front of her.”

They haven’t turned off the speaker, which I guess makes sense, seeing as there are two of them that need to hear Estrada’s instructions.

“She’s out cold, boss. When I hit, they stay down.”

I try not to smirk or move, even though my arm is twisted under me and I’m desperate to take the pressure off of it.

Why am I being so brave? I shouldn’t be brave. I’m going into shock, that’s it.

Or... I’m waiting.

Because Reggie already told me that he could find me no matter how well WITSEC hid me. I’m sure these goons are no match for him. These knuckleheads probably didn’t even take me that far. They didn’t know they were dealing with Reginald Gray. They thought he was just Mr. Joe Normal, hapless second husband.

“Get her husband on the phone, then have her call Powell.”

“What about after that?”

“We’ll keep her under wraps for a few days to make sure Matteo is released.” There’s a pause. “I have a boat nearby. I’ll send it up the river today. You’ll put the bodies on it, and they’ll take it from there.”

So much for not panicking.

Don’t come for me, Reggie. You’ll get hurt.

The tears are back, and I can’t stop them. I could have been the one woman who never hurt him. I could have been the woman who admitted she loved him back as hard and fast as he loved her. We could have run together.

Now, he’s going to lose me or lose his life.

I WAS SMART ENOUGHto get Powell’s direct number, and I dial it as I sit in the car, heart beating out of my chest and adrenaline higher than it’s ever been in my life. Higher than the first time I smuggled children to safety, in more pain than my first bullet, first blast, first anything.

Because she is my first love. Only love.