Page 117 of Don't Look Back

He slapped her arm away, the numbing blow radiated up and down her arm, and the shard fell from her fingers.

He grabbed the front of her dress, catching the pendant along with the sangria-stained bodice and pulled her up, lifting her from the floor until even her feet were dangling.

He was far stronger than she’d imagined. She kicked out, but had no leverage. She was like a cartoon character, flailing, as he held her aloft.

Her dress tore. She slipped from his hand. The pendant chain remained in his grip and went taut before it gave under her weight as she fell to the bed of broken glass.

She looked up to see Reuben clutching the pendant as he stood above her.

He shoved the necklace into his pocket, then kicked her in the ribs. She curled into a ball, no longer thinking of counter maneuvers. Instinct said to protect ribs and vital organs.

He kicked her again. “Oh, how I’ve fantasized about this, baby sister. And to think I almost cheated myself of this moment when I ordered Benny to snatch you.”

ChapterFifty-Two

The moment Reuben smashed Kira’s phone, Rand told Vicki he was done with as much calm as he could muster. He couldn’t let on to Laskin, who was most certainly monitoring him, that he’d been listening in on Kira the entire time.

It took every ounce of self-control for him to calmly pack up the computer and organize his files. No sense of the urgency he was feeling showed in his movements.

Did Laskin know what was happening in the gallery? Freya had checked the security camera feeds on the network and didn’t find cameras in the room full of priceless art. But then, it was a private home, not a museum. Plus, it was clear Reuben believed their conversation was private. He’d certainly admitted to things he didn’t want Grigory to know.

Rand crossed to the door when he heard the sound of shattering glass through his headphones. He didn’t lose stride. Assuming Kira would be safer in Laskin’s household as opposed to Kulik’s had been an epic fuckup. But then, they hadn’t known Laskin would leave the siblings alone, or that Kira would learn enough from their conversation to make herself a clear and present danger to Reuben.

He reached for the doorknob and yanked it down. It didn’t budge.

He was locked in.

He hesitated. It was imperative that his activities of the last two hours remain secret if he and Kira were going to leave this house alive. He could save Kira, but only if he stuck to his role.

He kicked at the door and cursed. “Funny fucking joke, asshole.” He directed his voice down the hall, toward the office where Grigory’s flunky worked.

He kicked at the knob again then spotted the flunky through the window as he ran toward the conference room door. He was almost there when Rand’s fourth kick shattered the frame and the door slammed open. Splinters of wood sprayed the hall and man.

“What the fuck? Mr. Laskin will—” He ran out of words as he took in the damage.

“If you didn’t want me to break the door, you shouldn’t have locked me in.”

“What kind of asshole destroys a door like that? I gave you my cell number!”

“Thiskind of asshole. What were you thinking, locking me in?”

“You shouldn’t have been in the tech room! And the maid doesn’t belong in this hall!”

Rand was glad to confirm the guy had acted on his own. He probably thought he was being clever in locking the door. Nadia out. Rand in.

Think again, asshole.

“Oneof us is Grigory’s guest. The other is his tool. Guess which one you are?”

Rand would feel bad if the guy didn’t work for a murdering prick. But also, he’d locked Rand in a conference room when Kira needed him. He pushed him aside, perhaps putting a little unnecessary force in the motion, and continued down the hall.

He’d tuned out the sounds while dealing with man and door, but he vaguely remembered hearing Reuben express delight at hurting his sister.

The house was massive, and Kira was at the far end from the office wing. He wanted to run. Could he run?

Laskin didn’t have a camera on him now.

In his ear, Freya said, “Her phone is dead and the pendant camera and mic just went down. I don’t know where she is.”

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