Page 105 of The Prize

“I thought you were a researcher, Zara? Have you no idea who you’re dealing with? We are the wealthiest family in America.” Eli turned to his men. “Can you make sure he doesn’t make a scene?”

They went for Tobias and attacked him, knocking him out cold. I bolted toward him but my head jolted painfully when Eli grabbed my hair and dragged me back. He slammed me against the wall and my legs buckled beneath me as I leaned on it with panic-drenched breaths causing waves of dizziness.

“Everyone out.” Eli barked the order.

“No, you can’t,” I screeched.

Tobias was dragged out with his feet trailing behind him and I ran to stop them but two of Eli’s men blocked my path.

I was alone with Eli.

He slammed me against the wall and a jolt of pain reverberated through my skull. “I know where you live, Zara. Where you work. I know your weakness is Wilder.”

I turned away. “I’ll do anything. Please, don’t hurt him.”

He pulled my focus to his dark gaze and his eyes were as cold and black as a shark’s. “If you tell the FBI about this, Wilder dies. If you tell your friends at Huntly Pierre, he dies. If Icon fails to bring me theMona Lisa...you get the gist.” He tipped up my chin. “I look forward to spending more time with you, Zara Leighton.”

He took a sideways step and left.

I flew after him, scooping my purse from the floor and following him into the hallway—one of Eli’s men blocked my way.

I couldn’t speak, couldn’t think straight, all I saw was that brutal image of Tobias with a gun in his mouth. I tried to sidestep around the man. He shoved me backward knocking me to the floor and I dropped my purse and the catch flew open. I grabbed it and hugged it to my chest, staring up at him.

“7:00 a.m., have Icon come to The Marlborough Suite with the painting,” he said. “Don’t fuck it up.”

He headed off down the hallway and I clambered up before anyone saw me. In a daze, I headed back to my room, no longer caring about that claustrophobic box I had to endure to get there. All I could think of was Eli’s threat and if I told anyone...

Digging my fingernails into my palms to focus, I should have listened to Tobias, should have realized Eli would do anything to own the rarest of paintings. He’d never have risked losing a bid in an auction room.

The chill from the air-conditioning hit me when I reached my hotel room. I dropped my purse and key card to the floor, ran to the bathroom and dry heaved into the sink. I was being asked to achieve the impossible to save him. Tobias had arranged the presentation. My name wasn’t on the paperwork. I couldn’t imagine what had to be done to get to that painting in The Rose Club. The security I’d have to get past was going to be impossible.

I dabbed my face with a napkin and caught my reflection in the mirror—pure terror etched so deep it would never leave.

I’m coming for you, Tobias,I sent a silent message to him. Hold on.

Stay alive.

Exhaling a shaky breath, I headed out of the bathroom—

Abby was in the drawing room. “You okay?”

I coughed past the taste of bitterness and my brain ran through every scenario; every word, every physical signal had to be carefully mundane so as not to arouse suspicion.

“I heard you,” she said.

Panic fluttered in my chest. “Oh?”

“Throwing up.” She came toward me and rested her palm on my forehead. “How are you doing?”

“Fine.”

“You took off your wire?”

I glanced at my open purse with the wires sticking out. “I’m in for the night.”

She knelt and scooped my purse off the floor, pulled out the wire and placed it on the coffee table. She opened my purse farther and peered in. She pulled out Tobias’s gold penthouse key card.

“For the gym.” I headed over to the minibar and found a bottle of water in there and offered it to her, trying to suppress this trembling. “Want one?”