Page 104 of The Prize

His head fell forward; dazed.

And then I saw the gun with the barrel pressed directly on Tobias’s temple.

“Put the barrel in his mouth if he speaks.” Eli waved his order. “That should work.”

I suppressed a sob and threw Tobias a reassuring glance that we were going to be okay, all we had to do was stay calm until Abby got here with backup. If I could just convey this to him.

Tobias squeezed his eyes shut in frustration. “Don’t touch her.”

“Unless you want to eat metal, shut the fuck up, Wilder.” Eli sauntered back toward me. “I have so many questions and something tells me you know the answers.”

“Listen, Eli—” Tobias sucked his bleeding lip. “She has nothing to do with this. I hired her to help me with tonight’s event. Let her go.”

The man holding the gun hit Tobias’s face with it and almost knocked him out.

“Don’t,” I cried.

“It’s time to track down my Titian.” Eli loomed over me.

My back struck the wall as he neared and I felt that nausea returning. I tried to breathe against my dread of that gun. “I’ll find your Titian.” My voice cracked with emotion. “I promise.”

Tobias struggled against his captors.

“If he moves again, shoot him.” Eli turned back to me. “Don’t worry, it has a silencer. Tell me who owns thisMona Lisa?”

“We went through his emissary.”

“Name?”

“I can put you in touch with his staff—”

“Can you put me in touch with Icon?”

“I...I think so.”

“Well, we know he’s in New York. The FBI are looking for him here. Huntly Pierre are on his tail. He’s here. And there’s a rumor you’re in contact with him.”

I shook my head. “I don’t...”

“Okay, shoot the fucker.” Eli turned and flicked the order to kill Tobias.

“Wait!” Blood roared in my ears. “I can get a message to him.”

Eli calmly waved his hand. “Hold off.” He turned back to me. “Who is he?”

I shook my head. “I can contact him. I will.”

“Well, that’s fantastic. This is what I want. Get Icon to steal me thatMona Lisain there.” He pointed in the direction of The Rose Club. “Tell him to deliver her to my room at 7:00 a.m. We’ll have breakfast and chat about all things art related. By the end of tomorrow Icon will be working for me.”

I threw a glance at Tobias. “Please, let him go.”

Eli looked fierce. “If Icon fails to turn up with that painting, Wilder dies.”

“No!”

Eli smirked. “Wanna see your boyfriend again? Alive? It’s best we throw that detail in.”

“I can get you money.”