Page 37 of West Bound

“How?”

“That part I’m still working out.”

“You kidnapped me without a plan?” She’s indignant at the idea.

“There was a plan. It wasn’t fully formed quite yet.”

“That sounds ill-conceived.”

“Says the woman who started tying me up and torturing me without one.”

“Touché. But I don’t see any way I could help you get the relics back. Wherever he has them, I don’t know. And if you think I’ll make a good trade, I can promise you his projects always interested him more than I did. He won’t care whathappens to me if the alternative means giving up something important to him like that.”

“No. But your husband might.”

“Doubtful.”

“Isn’t that his thing? He’s known for making deals, right?”

“Deals that benefit him. And he won’t cross my father. As awful as he is, Corey’s terrified of him. I think it’s likely the only reason he ceded ground and let me go stay at the convent,” she explains.

That just raises more questions. Corey and the governor must have some other agreements going on behind the scenes. Zephyrine was traded for something. Her father might not care about her as a person, but he knew she was a bargaining chip. She’s smart and gorgeous. He wouldn’t have given her up easily. Corey must have given him something he wanted in return.

“Your father cares about appearances though, right? He’ll want to make sure it at least appears like he’s a good father when he finds out his daughter is missing. I doubt he’ll want it getting out that she’s being held for ransom. Least of all when the people holding her are people looking for revenge because he’s a thief and a murderer.”

“Murderer?”

I nod. “And still actively trying. Just this past summer, he tried to have my entire family killed. Right alongside our friends and innocent bystanders. At a wedding, no less.”

Her face pales, and her eyes hit the plate in front of her as she drops her fork. “Ah. Now I see why you told me your friends might want me dead.”

“You’re beginning to see, yeah.” I lean back in my chair, wrapping my arm around the backrest. “But I won’t let them do anything to hurt you. I just want to make sure he never hurts my family again. I’m not above using his daughter to do that,obviously. But given your situation, I figure maybe there’s a way we both get something out of this we want.”

“Like?”

“Like we get you your annulment and maybe your money back for starters.”

“For starters? I don’t know how you’d manage either of those. I tried. It was impossible.” She gives me a doubtful look, and it’s obvious I’m not winning her over easily.

“I’m good at the impossible.” I press my hand to my chest and tilt my head. “I faked being a priest well enough that the abbess had me holding English confession. I hadn’t been in a church since I was seven.”

I earn a small smile for that one. “Well, that is impressive.”

“So let me worry about the details of how we pull off the impossible. You just tell me what you want.”

“I’d be happy with the annulment. The money back would be a bonus. But I won’t sell my soul for them. They’ll be worthless to me if I do.”

“I don’t want your soul, sweetheart. Your body will do just fine.”

Her eyes dart up to mine, a tinge of curiosity in them until she sees the smirk on my face.

“Crude.” She purses her lips in disappointment at my teasing.

“If you think that’s crude, you should hear the things nuns admit to when they’re on their knees in the confessional.” I press my luck, and that earns me the toss of a scrambled egg directly at my head. “Hey now! I grew up with three siblings and a whole mess of ranch hands’ kids. You won’t win a food fight with me.”

“I won’t win anything when you don’t fight fair.” She motions to her captive state.

“Well… we got a deal yet? The annulment and the money for information and anything that’ll help me put pressure on your father?”