Page 4 of The Rebel King

“Yeah, of course, you’re right.”

“And Wallace is there with her.”

“Should that make me feel better?” I stand and walk around to lean against the corner of my desk. “That she’s in a jungle with her ex?”

Kimba shifts her bag on her shoulder and levels me with a glance that is half amused, half exasperated. “You’re kidding, right? You know she and Wallace are—”

“I know they used to date. Not fake date like she let me believe this time, but dated for real.”

“That was years ago, and it didn’t last long.”

“Yeah, you’re right.” I shake my head. “Maybe I’m just paranoid. Something feels…off.”

When you put yourself in perilous situations often enough, your survival instincts become better honed, and you learn to trust them.

“Well, nothing’s off,” Kimba says. “Believe me. I’ve been throughseven of these trips now with Wallace and Lennix. They’re fine. Oh! I have one last thing I forgot to tell you.”

Her phone rings, and she glances at the screen. “Just gimme a sec. It’s Viv.”

She answers. “Hey, Viv. I’m in a meeting. Lemme call you right—”

Her brows bunch, but she chuckles. “Damn, V. Slow down. I can’t understand a word you’re saying.”

Kimba’s frown deepens, her expression going from amused to confused to horrified in a matter of seconds. A gulp moves the muscles of her throat, and she draws a shaky breath. “Who? Who has Wallace?”

That niggling intuition that’s bothered me for days flares into a full-blown sick feeling. I stride over to stand right beside her. I know I’m too close, crowding her, but I need to hear exactly what’s being said.

“Who has him?” I ask. “Is Lennix okay?”

“I-I…” Kimba closes her eyes and presses her hand to her forehead. “V, I don’t understand.”

“Kimba, what the hell? Is Nix okay?”

“Viv, I’m gonna put you on speaker.” Kimba pulls the phone from her ear, taps the screen, and turns it faceup. “Maxim’s here with me.”

“Maxim, hey.” Vivienne’s wobbly voice comes over speaker. “I’m sorry I’m all over the place. I just—” Her voice breaks on a sob.

“Vivienne, can you tell me what’s happened?” I try to keep my voice level. “Who has Wallace? What’s going on?”

“My… My parents got a call about an hour ago from CamTech.”

“Who’s that?” I demand.

“It’s the lab Wallace works for,” Kimba says.

“Yeah, they called to say they’d received a video,” Vivienne continues, her breath thinning, distressed.

“What kind of video?” I ask.

“A ransom video,” Vivienne says. “A group in Costa Rica has taken Wallace hostage.”

“And Lennix?” I force the words out. There’s a good chance she wasn’t with him at the time. She may be safe.

God, please let her be safe.

But something in my gut twists like it already knows the answer.

Vivienne’s distress is palpable even over the phone, even before she answers. “They have her, too.”

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