Page 84 of Fury

Even as she took a step back, Hollyn registered two giant men standing behind Leila like club bouncers on steroids. Dressed in solid black, they matched Leila. Death squad.

Not good. When the flight part of her instincts finally seized her, Hollyn spun and tried to dart around Archie.

In a flash, he had her. Restrained her.

She kicked. Tried to yank free. “Let me go!”

Powerful hands wrapped around her flailing arms in a vise grip. Halted her efforts to get away. One of the bouncers crushed her back against his granitelike chest.

Leila sauntered forward, eying the tablet in her hands. “Seems your entourage lost track of you.” Brown eyes lifting, she clicked her tongue, then cocked her head to the side. “I have to hand it to you guys, though—didn’t think the team would split up. It would have been my preference that you all remain at the hotel. Fewer loose ends to tie up separately.”

Hollyn swallowed. “So sorry to disappoint you.”

“Your boyfriend sure thinks he’s on the right track.” Leila turned the device around, revealing a live feed of Davis and Fury moving down an Emirates Palace hallway.

Davis, get out of there!

This couldn’t be happening.

“What’s this all about?” Hollyn demanded. She wished more than anything that she’d never gotten out of the vehicle to chase Archie. That she’d listened to Benn. Until the team found her, she’d have to bluff her way through this. Delay them . . . talk. Theywouldfind her . . . right?

“Oh, come,” Leila said, wrinkling her nose. “You’re a smart cookie. You tell me.”

Anger pulsed through Hollyn’s veins. The last thing she wanted to do was entertain or comply with anything this woman said. But each word bought her time. “The lab, the missiles. . . myparents.” She choked out the last word.

Leila didn’t even have the decency to look regretful. Instead, she shrugged. “Collateral damage. I gave your dad the chance to hand over what I wanted before anyone got hurt.” She ambled forward. “I know you aren’t biologically related to Ansel, but you sure have his thick head.” She sniffed. “Do you know what he did with my offer? He refused. Refused!” Another shrug, this time with pursed lips. “What happened next was on him. Not me.”

“You can’t be serious!” How had sheeverbeen fooled about who Leila really was? “Does that logic really work in your twisted brain? You’re psychotic, killing innocent people.”

The woman rolled her eyes. “Oh please. I did what I had to do.” She tapped the screen in her hands. “And I’llkeepdoing what I have to do. You should keep that in mind.”

The threat was far from empty. After a few more taps on the device, Leila nodded to Bouncers One and Two, and they forced Hollyn down the hallway.

Digging her heels in, she fought their manhandling, afraid she wouldn’t come back from wherever they were taking her. “Where are we going?” If she was going to die, she didn’t want to do it being a doormat. “Tell me!”

“I hardly think I answer to you.”

It was strange that she didn’t seem to have an issue with divulging anything. Eerily so. And if she kept Leila talking and distracted, it might delay . . . whatever was coming. At least long enough for Benn and Glace to find her.Please, find me. Please, bethatgood.

Bouncer Two punched open a door to a flight of stairs, and Bouncer One wrangled her toward the concrete fire well.

Hollyn stuck her boot against the jamb and shoved backward.

Bouncer One stumbled, but it was more like the leaning tower of Pisa—he wasn’t going down. Not easily, anyway.

Bouncer Two was there and grabbed her legs. Secured them. Together, the bouncers moved into the fire well.

Hollyn let out a screech that echoed up and down the concrete jungle of wrought iron and mildew. Desperately hoped someone heard it. Anyone. She hauled in a breath to scream again.

A hand clamped over her mouth. It was smelly and clammy. The thought of where his hand had been made her squirm. Struggling to breathe, she bit his palm. He nearly dropped her, and Hollyn realized that hadn’t been nearly as smart of a move as she’d thought. If she’d fallen . . . she could’ve cracked her skull.

Something cold and hard pressed against her temple. Still captive in Bouncer Ones’s arms, she stilled. Peered to the side, sickened when she saw the fire in Leila’s eyes . . . just past the gun.

“Be a good girl now?”

Bouncers One and Two set her down almost like they were waiting for her to make a move and get herself killed.

Hollyn wanted to rail, argue. But . . . this was a delay. She gave a faint nod. Hoped this gave Benn and Glace time to get closer. And Fury . . . if they got him here, he could track her, right? She needed to leave a scent. How could she make it really clear for him?

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