Page 48 of Sinner's Secret

She recoiled. The bastard had gotten his rocks off watching her sleep.

Nika kept her gaze on the doorway to the room, but no one else appeared. She needed time, to study her location and formulate a plan to escape. She had to make them believe she was broken, compliant, and wait for her chance to strike.

She allowed tears to roll down her face, real enough thanks to the pain, discomfort, and stress. By the time her tears dried up, she had a splitting headache and she’d discovered at least three probable video cameras with a clear view of the bed.

Nika wasn’t sure how long it was until nightfall, a couple of hours at least. She huddled on the bed, her knees drawn up tight to her chest and watched the doorway. The movement of people and faint voices were audible outside the room, but she couldn’t tell how many people were talking or where they were. At least a handful, maybe more.

She scratched her neck, running her fingers over the tiny scar caused when they’d implanted the RFID tag under her skin two months ago at the beginning of her team’s operation. Only the scar didn’t feel right. Wet? She pulled her hand away to look at it. Blood covered her fingers.

Oh fuck.

She probed some more and confirmed it. The tag had been removed.

When had they done it? While she was still in transit or after they’d arrived at this location?

The removal of the tracking device, the threats the guy in the suit delivered, and the information he’d known made one thing abundantly clear. She was on her own. With a buyer who wanted her specifically for some reason she couldn’t fathom.

Well, fuck’em. She was not going to behave.

She’d always fought her own battles, and thanks to training in martial arts since she was five years old, was no stranger to bruises and black eyes.

All she needed was an opportunity.

She’d rather die than become whatever disgusting object they wanted her to be anyway. She needed to wait, to rest, and to prepare herself for whatever came next.

Daylight faded into evening. People moved around outside her room, but no one came close enough for her to see them. She tried to look out the window, but she was too far away to see anything but far away high rises and an overcast sky. The buildings were familiar though, so they hadn’t taken her out of the city. Yet.

Given the angle of what she could see, she was probably in an apartment building. An older one, given the state of the room.

Thirst scratched at her throat, but she wasn’t about to call attention to herself by asking for water or to use the bathroom. She had plenty to think about besides escape.

Someone in the NYPD had betrayed her, and she wanted to get her hands on them and beat them until they explained why.

Baz had been right. Her operation had been doomed from the start. Whose idea had it been for her to pose as a waitress? It hadn’t been hers or Smith’s. It had come from lieutenant Thomas, but he’d spoken like it had come from higher up than that.

The lieutenant had liked it. A lot.

The memory of her father’s voice whispered into her head, “You always have options. They might not look like very good ones, but you always have them. Never give control to someone you don’t trust.”

Somewhere along the way, she’d trusted the wrong person. Maybe it was the lieutenant, maybe it wasn’t. When she figured out who it was, she was going to give them a few unpleasant options.

Finally, after sunset, the same suited man stepped through the doorway. In his hands was some clothing. Teddy stood behind him, his beady eyes on her body.

“Have you figured out where you are yet?” The suited man asked.

She took her time answering. “Still in New York, I think.”

“Say goodbye to your life, Detective Johansen.” He gave her a cold smile and opened his mouth to add something more, but a crash from somewhere else in the apartment interrupted him. It sounded like someone dropped a bunch of dishes on the floor. A thump and groan followed it.

The suited man turned to frown somewhere to his left. “Teddy, please check to see if those ham-handed louts need any assistance.”

Teddy left without a word.

The guy in the suit tossed the clothing at her. “Put this on.”

She lifted her handcuffed wrist as high as it would go. “But—”

A scream cut her off. A man’s scream. High pitched. It ended abruptly.

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