Page 147 of When Hearts Surrender

“Belle. You need to come with me now. There’s no time.” His eyes are bloodshot, the dark circles under his eyes even more pronounced than last time. He has a full beard on his face and looks nothing like the charismatic friend I used to know.

Danger. Something’s off.

Fear rips into me as I try to skirt around him and get to the fourth floor, where I can call for help.

“W-What are you doing here, Cole? How did you know where I was? How did you even get in?”

He lets me pass as I hurry down the rest of the stairs. I feel the heat of his eyes on my back and every instinct inside me tells me to run, that I’m in danger.

“I don’t have time to explain right now. I snuck in and saw you up here from the ground. It’s a long story. But you need to come with me.”

“No. I won’t go anywhere with you until you tell me what’s going on. Why did you leave me in front of the ER the other day? Why did you disappear?”

I whirl around and face him, watching his handsome face darken, his nostrils flaring in the dim light. Slowly, I back away, my hand reaching for the doorknob of the stairwell door behind me.

Stay calm, Belle. Ask questions, but don’t antagonize him.

Twisting my lips into a shaky smile, I add, “I-I’ve been worried about you, Cole. You can tell me what’s going on, right?”

His face softens, and he swallows, his Adam’s apple bobbing in his throat.

I grab hold of the doorknob and twist.

Thank God it isn’t locked.

“Oh Belle, I have so much to tell you. It’s not what you think it is, trust me. I’m just trying—”

His eyes widen in shock and I open my mouth to ask him what he’s not telling me when I feel it.

A tight clamp on my shoulder followed by a sharp pinch of a needle jamming into my neck.

Everything fades into darkness.

Chapter 54

Someone’s pounding on mydoor. The ruckus jolts my attention away from the canvas in front of me. Ever since the accident, I’ve been desperate to finish the portrait I started of her. Now, as I wait for her answer, to see if she’ll give me a second chance, painting this portrait has been the only thing keeping me sane.

The doorknob rattles and I turn off the music playing from the surround sound system in my suite within The Orchid. The room falls into an eerie silence and unease curls in my gut.

Before I reach the marble foyer, the front door flies open and in strides Elias, his normally calm face flashing with rare emotion, his hair in disarray. He’s clutching a thin metal rod in his hand and some electrical device.

“Did you just pick open my door? What the fuck is going on?” This is all off brand for him, the silent, unruffled assassin.

He storms in. “It was either that or breaking it down, and I didn’t think you’d appreciate that. We need to leave. My men have spotted Cole.”

“What?”

“Cole Whelan. They saw him sneaking into the estate just now and they called me. They haven’t seen him leave yet, so I presume he’s still there.”

“Fuck!” My blood runs cold. For the past few days, I’d ask Elias to put men outside the estate just in case someone attempts to hurt Belle again.

I grab my keys and rush out the door, with Elias right behind me. I dial Belle’s number, but it goes directly to voicemail. I try again three more times, then call Morris and the rest of the staff. All direct to voicemail.

Fuck. Shit. Shit. Shit.I call the on-site security team and no one picks up. They always pick up—someone must’ve taken them out.

“Can you get your men inside?” I ask.

Elias shakes his head. “Someone set the alarms and locked the place up after Cole snuck in. My men tried to get in, and unless we use brute force, it’d be impossible. Your place is like a fortress. Can you disarm the alarm remotely?”

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