Page 62

Eden

I was sitting down on the couch again by the time the door swung open, and Bishop and Knight walked back into the room. I jumped up when they appeared and threw out my hand toward the tv screen.

“We’re both on the news. Chester reported me missing.” The lack of reaction from either man told me they already knew. “When were you going to tell me?”

“I’ve only just found out myself,” Bishop said.

“What do I do? People are looking for me! He might already know where I am. What if someone at the diner saw us and called their hotline?”

“They probably did. The only thing that’s changed is instead of not knowing if or when Dulvaney would turn up, we now know he will and soon.”

I stared at him. He was so calm, so unruffled, where I was ready to bolt at the slightest sound. My stomach churned, the butterflies turning to hornets in my stomach, spinning and twisting. I felt like I was going to vomit.

“I need to use the bathroom.”

“Door on the right,” Bishop pointed toward one of the two on the opposite wall to the room he’d just come out of, and I dashed across the room.

“No, wait. Don’t—” Knight’s voice reached me as I threw open the door. “Fuck.”

I stopped, and it took a moment or two for what I was seeing to register in my brain. I blinked, rubbed my eyes, blinked again, but the image didn’t change.

Voices sounded behind me, followed by footsteps but I didn’t take my eyes off the figure on the floor beside the radiator.

“Knight,” Bishop said from close behind me. “Why is there a woman chained to the radiator in your bathroom?” His hand closed over my shoulder and drew me away so he could take my place.

Knight cleared his throat. “Funny story, really.”

“You’ve kidnapped someone?” I whirled to face him. “What kind of man are you?”

Bishop’s hand stretched out and wrapped around my arm, grip tight. “Settle down, Eden. Knight, explain.”

“It’s not really kidnapping when they break into your apartment.” Knight shoved a hand through his hair, raking it back from his face. “It’s more ….” His head rocked back and forth. “Well, it’s more a case of delaying their escape, isn’t it?”

I twisted back to peer into the bathroom again. The girl on the floor lifted her head, her lips twisting into a sneer. “Fucking asshole.” Her voice was raspy, low, and full of venom.

“You’re the intruder here, not me.” It sounded like it wasn’t the first time he’d said that.

Bishop blew out a breath. “D’you know what? I don’t want to know. Come on, Eden. We need to get back to the house.”

“You’re just going to leave her there?”

“It’s none of our business.”

“But—”

“Knight has it handled. If he needs help, he’ll ask for it.”

“I don’t need help.” He pulled the door closed, sealing the woman back inside. “I only locked her in there because you were coming over.”

“Where have you been keeping her?”

“Radiator in here.” He jerked his chin across the room.

“How long has she been here?” Bishop asked.

“Couple of days. Caught her trying to break through the balcony window. She hasn’t said anything yet, so I don’t know who paid her or what she’s here to steal. But I’ll wear her down.”

“Okay, well if you need any help with that, let me know. We’re going back to the house. Deacon is on his way. I’ve had him keeping an eye on Dulvaney.” He released my arm and pressed his palm against my back. “Let’s go.”

I let him steer me toward the door and out into the hallway beyond.

“If anything else comes up, I’ll call you,” Knight said. “But I think I’ve uncovered everything you need already.”

Bishop nodded, and less than a minute later we were in the elevator traveling down to the entrance hall.

“You weren’t surprised by the girl in the bathroom, were you?” I said when the doors opened.

“I didn’t expect him to have a girl handcuffed to the radiator, if that’s what you mean. But him dealing with an intruder that way isn’t a surprise, no. Knight guards his privacy and his computer systems ruthlessly. If she’s been sent to steal something, he won’t stop until he finds out what it is and who sent her.”

“Will he hurt her?”

His head turned toward me, and his eyes tracked over my face. “In a normal world, it’s easy to say a man should never hurt a woman. And I stand by that sentiment wholeheartedly. But the world we live in isn’t black and white, Eden. And there are circumstances where it becomes difficult to distinguish between right and wrong.”

“That didn’t answer my question.”

“Because I can’t answer it. I don’t know what he will do. Knight is the least violent amongst us, he prefers his computers and own company over spending time with people, but he will protect what’s his by whatever means he deems necessary. If he needs to hurt her to stay safe, then I have no doubt he will do it. But he will do everything he can not to cross that line.”