Page 58 of Captive Lies

“I know, and I can’t fault any of them for feeling that way, but I didn’t ask for this. I told Grant I was a bad bet. I know I don’t have the right to be mad at him. His mother is in critical condition.” I suppressed a sob that threatened to escape. “But he made me hope,” I choked. “He gave me hope that we were going to makeit.”

“Hey,” Andy nudged me. “Stop that. There’s always hope,Blaire.”

I wiped the tears from my face. Looking up the night sky, I shook my head. “Every hope I have is for Amelia to make it. I keep none for myself,” I turned to look at my one and only friend at the moment. “Can you take me back to Grant’splace?”

“You’re leaving, aren’t you?” Andysaid.

I understood what he meant. I was packing my things and leaving Grant forgood.

“Yes,” I answered. “Even if it turns out to be white supremacists, I can see now how my link to the ROC will always come between us.” Misery burned my eyes again. “I’ll need your number, so I can find out how Amelia is doing. God, I hope she’ll befine.”

We walked to the parking lot and reached Andy’s car. “It’s okay to change your mind, you know,” he said, glancing at the ERentrance.

“I shouldn’t have come back,” I said with regret. “Now I’m sure ofit.”

We were about to get into the vehicle when a black van screeched behind us. The side door slid open and three men in ski masks jumpedout.

“Run!” I screamed as I kicked the first man who came at me. My damned dress restricted my movements and I only caught histhigh.

“Blaire!” Andy yelled as he tried to punch the man who confrontedhim.

My assailant was huge and as he reached toward me, I scooted under his arm and elbowed him. He grunted and shook off my strike. “Run,Andy!”

I heard a muffled pop and, to my horror, Andy crumpled to the ground. “No!” I couldn’t have a death on my conscience in addition to Amelia’sinjuries.

I gave up thestruggle.

Oneverything.

Just take me and killme.

I’m already dead insideanyway.

Everyone will be betteroff.

“Time to go home, Paulina.” My captor spoke in Russian. I felt a needle prick my skin and I welcomed the drug. Maybe I wouldn’t wakeup.

I’m tired ofrunning.

These were my last thoughts before blackness claimedme.

22

Grant

Grant watchedhis father sink to a chair as the neurosurgeon left them. His mother was out of surgery. She was going to be fine. Their group had been moved to a special waiting room away from the general one because reporters started showing up. They’d been in their own private hell for four hours.Christ.

The epidural hematoma was not as serious as first diagnosed although they did have to perform surgery to relieve pressure to thebrain.

“Thank God. Thank God,” the senator muttered. Grant had a hand on his father’s shoulder and his other arm around Val who was quietly crying in relief. He had to be the rock for his father and sister, so he had blocked out Blaire’s anguished face. He could imagine the guilt she was carrying, but he couldn’t go to her, not when his family needed him more. He didn’t even remember his words to her in the ER. He’d been lost in the horrifying possibility that he could lose his mother because he had chosen to fall in love with Blaire. He couldn’t deal with hertoo.

“Hey, she’s going to be okay now, Val,” Grant murmured as he kissed the top of his sister’shead.

“Oh, Teddy, I thought we were going to lose her forsure.”

“She’s a fighter,” the senator said, reaching out to Val. Grant handed his sister to his dad. His mother was not out of critical condition yet because of the probability of complications, and there was a possibility she may require a secondary operation. She was in recovery right now. As they waited to see her, he knew he needed to call Blaire and let her know his mother was out of surgery and the prognosis was good. It wasn’t a smart idea for her to come to the hospital just yet, not when he had no clue where his father’s head was regarding his woman. Val—he knew without a doubt how she felt about Blaire, but he’d handle that soon enough. They weren’t sure if it was the ROC or the neo Nazis who were responsible. It could even have been a freakaccident.

He frowned when he stepped into the hallway to see cops crawling about in the waiting room. His dad’s security detail was guarding their private room, but his men were nowhere insight.

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