Page 128 of Coerced Queen

He nods at the man who brought us in.“Get their bags.”

The man jerks the straps from our arms and throws the bags at another one who catches them in mid-air.While the man dumps our handbags on a trestle table and unzips them, I catalogue the weapons.Raphael has a gun in his waistband.The rest of the men have automatic rifles.

“Clear,” the man says, leaving our bags open on the table.

I’m surprised they don’t destroy our phones.It can only mean two things.Either they want Saverio to find us because they set a trap, or we’ll be dead before my husband can get here.Neither option is what I hoped for.It makes me break out in a cold sweat beneath my puffy jacket.Bile pushes up in my throat.

Not now.

Please don’t get sick now.

“Strip,” Raphael says.

Having expected it, I don’t flinch.I kick off my sneakers and remove my clothes until I’m standing in front of him in nothing but my black underwear set.It’s cold, but I hardly register the freezing temperature.

Raphael drags a leering gaze over me.“Pat her down.”

I glare at him.“It’s pretty damn obvious I’m not hiding any weapons.Where’s my daughter?”

He only smiles as two men come forward.Lifting my chin, I hold Raphael’s gaze as I raise my arms, allowing one of the men to search me.He goes as far as checking inside my bra and slipping a hand between my legs.

When he straightens with a smirk, I say, “You’re going to regret that.”

He only grins wider.

Livy suffers the same treatment.She strips down to gray winter undies and bears the prodding and patting.When that’s finally done and we reach for our clothes, Raphael shakes his head with a click of his tongue.

“Let her get dressed,” I say, shivering despite not feeling the cold.“I’m not sending her back outside in her underwear.”

He consents with a jut of his chin.

While Livy hurriedly pulls on her tracksuit and sneakers, I face Raphael squarely.“Where’s my daughter?I want to see her.”

“Where’s the video?”

“On a USB key in my bag, but you’ll only get the Cloud password where the backups are stored once Livy and Claire drive away from here.”

A slow smile curves his lips.“You have some brains in that pretty head of yours after all.”He turns to one of the men at his back with a wordless instruction.

The man disappears through a door on the side.I reach for my sweater again, but Raphael barks, “Leave it.”

Fine.I let the men get their fill, giving Raphael a cutting look.

A moment later, the man returns.At first, it appears as if he holds nothing but a scrunched-up blanket.My heart nearly tears from my chest as he carries the small pink bundle toward Livy.

I hold my breath, clenching my hands so hard my knuckles hurt.He unceremoniously dumps the bundle in Livy’s arms.I reach for it, the weight reassuring as my pulse continues to skyrocket.I nearly burst into tears of relief when I pull away the edges to reveal my baby’s face.Her eyes are closed in a deep sleep.

This isn’t normal.

Claire doesn’t sleep like this.

Shooting Raphael another glare, I feel her pulse.

“Don’t worry,” he drawls.“She’s alive.”

Her pulse is strong.“What did you do to her?”

Livy cradles Claire against her chest.

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