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“I insist.”
He nods, and Dome Head and Toad each grab one of my arms again. “You don’t have to manhandle me,” I snap, twisting in their steel grips. “I can walk perfectly fine on my own, thank you very mu—”
Torres pushes a button on the side of a tall glass case and it opens. It reminds me of one of those pneumatic tubes at a bank drive-through. The kind they use to transport money and other small items between the customer’s car and the bank teller. But it’s much bigger.
“I recently became the owner of an ancient tribal mask, and I was planning to display it in here. But now I have a much better idea.”
I try to take a step back, not liking the strange, almost rabid look in his eyes, but two pairs of hands tighten so hard on myupper arms, I can’t move. There’s no doubt I’m going to have bruises tomorrow. That is, if tomorrow comes. Because I’m in a hell of a lot of trouble today.
“Put her inside,” he orders, and my heart sinks.
“No!” I fight against my captors, pulling and twisting, but to no avail. They shove me up onto the slightly raised platform and inside the tube.
“I’m sure you’re aware that certain things rust,” Torres continues casually, “and as a collector of precious items, I can’t have that. Eventually, all metals, with the exception of precious metals, will corrode. In order to prevent that, I’ve had these spectacular de-oxygenated chambers designed.”
Oh, no.
“They act as a vacuum, keeping my prizes intact and perfectly preserved. I’ve also ensured the glass is fire-resistant and bulletproof. In other words, Ms. McGrath, the moment I shut this door, you will be completely sealed off. Your oxygen levels will slowly deplete, but don’t worry, you won’t die from running out of air. You’ll die from carbon dioxide poisoning, the byproduct of your own respiration.”
I try to step out, but Torres’ strong hand pushes me back inside.
“I’m so glad I didn’t start cutting your body parts off. Death by hypoxia will be so much more rewarding. The question is, will your body still decompose and become a sludgy pile? Or will it dry up from lack of oxygen and moisture? Maybe you’ll be the first mummy I acquire.”
Fuck me. This is not good.
“I think you will be my favorite prize yet,” he whispers excitedly, and I can’t help but cringe. “The truth is, I’ve been growing bored with acquiring the same old treasures. Look around, I have everything I could ever want.”
His pitch-black gaze pierces straight through me, and I try not to react, but it’s as though someone just walked over my grave. A shiver runs down my spine.
“Exceptyou,” he adds, his voice edged with a perverse thrill.
Oh, God. Once this door closes, it won’t be long before I suffocate. My CO2 will start accumulating and this entire container will become toxic fast. I might have what? Thirty minutes before this floor-to-ceiling tube becomes my coffin?
“Things could’ve ended so differently,” he murmurs, voice tinged with regret. “It’s too bad you chose to love a thief.” He pushes a button and the door starts to close. “You have, at most, twenty minutes to contemplate that. Goodbye, Ms. McGrath.”
My mind whirls as I watch him punch in a four-digit code, locking me securely inside. Torres contacted Knox maybe twenty minutes ago? Depending on any number of variables, he and his crew might not even get here for another ten minutes. That leaves them ten minutes or less to breach the estate, subdue the guards, find this room, figure out the code to open it and then, finally, unlock this chamber, which also has a code only Torres knows.
I’m going to die.
No! How can this be happening? I’m not ready to die. Not when I’ve only just met a man who makes my heart and body sing. Fear made me run, and I was an idiot for letting it take control. Knox is nothing like Shane.
Forcing myself to remain calm, to control my breathing, I watch Torres smirk then walk out, flanked by his goons.
Knox is coming,I remind myself. And once he gets me out of here, I have some groveling to do.
Because it’s all so clear to me now. I’m falling in love with him. Stupid, crazy, can’t-deny-it love. The kind that lets me know I can’t live without him. As absurd as that seems, it’s a fact. Yes, it’s been a whirlwind, but no one chooses to be in love. Love chooses you. And maybe it’s inconvenient and impractical—hell, we don’t even live in the same city—but love doesn’t ask permission. It simply connects two people in a way they’ve never connected with another person before.
And I feel that with Knox to the depths of my soul. When he looks at me, touches me, I know he’s my other half—the piece I’ve been missing for so long. The piece I was scared I’d never find.
We still have a lot to learn about each other, and I’m so ready. One day, we’re going to know each other completely, from top to bottom, inside and out, the good and the bad. It might not always be mind-blowing passion and a dangerous adventure. Some days it might simply be sitting on the couch and watching a movie. Regardless of his trademark confidence and endless swagger, I know he isn’t perfect. Neither am I. And we’re going to discover things about each other that might be dark and haunting. But that’s okay, too.
I’m ready to try. It’s been a very long time since I’ve been able to say that.
A thief came along and stole my heart. Now I just hope and pray I’ll have the chance to make things right. To tell him I’m not scared anymore, and I want to give things a shot.
I lay my palms on the cool glass and close my eyes, hoping against hope he’s already here, storming the compound.
Please.