Page 39 of Capturing Victory

The rest of Ivan’s security team were locked outside the store. She had to work fast if she wanted to escape before he managed to organize them. Men shouted all around her, but she ignored them, put her head down and worked, her fingers flying across the computer’s keyboard. She quickly and easily hacked into the Tiffany’s security system and made sure all access to the building was denied to Ivan’s men while checking on her own escape routes, then catalogued a plan B and C just in case she was cut off. She was in the process of hacking into the security systems for the other shops in the building when she was wrenched away from the computer. She lost her balance and fell hard against the counter, cutting her arm when she reached out, touching the jagged glass.

She looked up in surprise. She’d completely forgotten about the salesman. He’d jumped out of the way so quickly, she hadn’t thought him brave enough to step in when she began reigning chaos. He was frowning and wringing his hands at the mess she’d made, his wire-rimmed glasses askew on his long nose, his suit somewhat ruffled. She was about to slap him silly and get back to her hack job when a shot rang out. She shrieked and jumped back, slamming into a stunned Ndari as the salesman went down in a spray of blood.

Jaya whipped around to stare at Ivan whose gun was now aimed at the store security guard. The guard’s face was leached of all colour and he was holding his hands up, no weapons visible. Though the gates separated them, they didn’t stop bullets from flying around the store.

“No one touches her,” Ivan growled, his furious gaze still glued to Jaya. “Are we clear?”

No one answered for a moment as stunned silence continued to hold everyone immobile. Then Keane said, “Yes, boss.” He reached toward the shaking store security guard, who he was locked in with and took the gun from his holster. “I’ll just be taking this so you ain’t tempted.”

Ndari continued to clutch Jaya’s arm, her fingernails digging into the skin, her breathing harsh in Jaya’s ear. Jaya could feel blood dripping freely down her arm from where she was cut but she couldn’t seem to move. Couldn’t tear her eyes from Ivan’s cool, angry gaze. In one rash act she’d changed everything. Now there was nowhere to go but forward, because if he got his hands on her he was going to lock her up tighter than ever. Tracking chips, electrocution bracelets and armed guards would be the least of her problems.

“What next, Jaya,” he said coldly, setting his hands on the counter next to the engagement rings. The gun clicked as it hit the glass. She could almost see the vibration go up his arm as fury ripped through him, but he held it in check, knowing there was nothing he could do to her now while they were separated by the gates and he was unwilling to put a bullet in her. “It’s your move.”

Chapter Twenty-Three

Jaya ignored him and turned back to the computer, typing as fast as she could, knowing that she was losing precious seconds. Ivan was just as quick witted as she. The more time he had to work the problem, the less likely she would be able to escape. She glanced up to see him speaking rapidly into his phone, his voice short and clipped. Another glance through the Tiffany’s window showed his men separating, one going left and the other right to cover the other exits. It was a fair bet that he would have more of his men on their way from the high-rise.

“Oh my god, Jaya!” Ndari exclaimed weakly. “Look at your arm.”

Jaya didn’t respond, instead hunching her shoulders over the store computer. She pounded her fist against the counter in frustration. “Come on you piece of shit!” She glanced at the other salesman, the one Ivan hadn’t killed yet. “Tell your boss, that guy Miguel or whatever, that he needs to upgrade your system. This one is slower than a turtle racing to its own death.”

The guy opened his mouth to respond, but when Ivan’s head swiveled toward him, he ducked behind the case of engagement rings and hid. Ndari pulled the scarf from her neck and began wrapping it around Jaya’s arm, tucking the ends in. Jaya ignored her, gritting her teeth against the pain as she continued to work. Seconds later she got what she wanted. A hiss sounded from above them and water began spraying all over the jewellery cases. She laughed out loud at her success, only mildly annoyed at how long it took to hack the system. She cocked her head to the side. Yup, she could hear screams and shouts coming from the other stores. She’d tripped the fire system across the entire building.

“Very clever, Jaya.” Ivan’s deep voice reached through the misty spray.

She glanced up and gave him a cocky grin. “Have a nice life, Ivan. Hopefully we won’t run into each other again.” She turned on her heel and sprinted for the side door that would now grant her access to the inside of the strip mall. She’d tripped the release when she hit the fire alarm. It was a safety precaution so no one would get trapped in a burning building.

“Don’t you touch that fucking door!” Ivan shouted after her. She heard the sound of shattering glass just as she rounded the corner to the back office and assumed he must have finally lost his temper.

She was reaching for the door when she heard Keane yell, “Go with her Princess and don’t you let her out of your sight.”

“Okay, but I refuse to take responsibility when she’s like this. Like a feral cat or something, you just can’t please her. I mean I thought the tiara looked amazing!”

Jaya peeked through the side door and didn’t see any of Ivan’s men running. She hadn’t expected them to be on the inside of the shopping centre anyway. He would have sent them to cover the back entrance, not expecting this escape route. She’d hadn’t seen it on the building blueprints but had been relatively certain it would exist when they’d passed the outdoor shopping centre. She’d helped Katie Pullman, cat burglar extraordinaire, and many others pull off enough heists that she knew how most buildings were set up.

She tried her best to blend in with the crowd, which wouldn’t have been easy, due to Ivan’s insistence on her always wearing traditional sari’s, except everyone around her was soaking wet. No one paid any attention to her, despite her strangely wrapped bleeding arm and the shouting tiara-wearing princess trailing after her.

She stumbled against a good-looking man who was trying to shelter under the awning of an upscale sandwich bistro. Sliding her hand into his jacket, she lowered her lashes and murmured an apology, making sure to thrust her soaking wet cleavage and swath of bared belly out. He was polite enough to glance down at the assets she was so kindly putting on display. He grinned and assured her that he was perfectly fine. He opened his mouth to say something else but Jaya spun away from him, running in the opposite direction, an irate princess hot on her heels.

The lovely high-end stores were now pretty much empty. She would be quickly caught by either Ivan or one of his men if she didn’t leave the vicinity immediately. She took about five more steps when Ndari caught up with her, careful to take hold of her good arm. She was smart enough not to stop Jaya. Instead, she simply held on for the ride and ran with her.

“Where are we off to, my dearest tiara buddy?” Ndari puffed from beside her, nearly losing her footing as the heel of her stiletto skidded along the wet marble floor. Jaya caught her and then, thinking fast, pushed Ndari into another store. Swarovski’s jewellery store. Apparently Tiffany’s had some competition in the shopping complex. Ndari gasped and reached out to grab hold of something. Unfortunately, she took hold of a display case full of diamond bracelets, which went crashing to the floor in a shower of sparkles. Two security guards converged on her while Jaya mouthed ‘sorry’ and began running.

She knew that the main exits were going to be monitored by now, so that left the roof or the parking garage. She decided against the roof since she wouldn’t be able to get off quickly enough. She would have to go to the parking garage. She hurtled toward the stairs leading down, hitting the door so hard it hammered against the wall. There were no sprinklers in the stairwell because the heavy doors were fire resistant. Her waterlogged shoes squished as she ran down the stairs and she had to remind herself to slow down lest she slip on the concrete and hurt herself. Then who would Ivan murder in bloody revenge for hurting her? She snickered hysterically at that thought as she shoved the basement door open and ran into the parking area.

Perfect! There was a nice selection of fancy cars to choose from and no uppity owners to get annoyed with her need to steal one. Though she dearly wanted to go with the aqua blue Lamborghini, she decided perhaps something a little more understated would be more likely to help her escape. So, channeling her ex-employer’s wife, Riley Hart, she set about hot-wiring a cute little Maserati. She didn’t have any practical experience, but after getting to know Katie’s little pack of misfits, she’d decided to learn. It didn’t take her long to get into the car and disable the alarm. Though it did take several precious minutes for her to overcome the electronic operation before she finally got the engine to turn over.

“Yes!” she shouted, sitting upright in the seat, her arm shaking with weakness. The scarf was soaked through with blood. She put the car in gear and hit the gas, racing forward through the dim tunnel-like underground garage. She was about to reach for the seatbelt when a shadowy figure stepped out in front of the car.

“Fuck!” she shouted slamming her foot down on the brake. She wasn’t used to driving a vehicle of any kind, but especially not standard transmission and she stalled the car. She was thrown into the steering wheel, the impact knocking the breath from her. She pushed herself back and glanced fearfully up, knowing exactly who would be standing in front of her stolen car.

Ivan stood tall and solid, his legs spread, his eyes focused entirely on Jaya through the windshield of the Maserati. He’d discarded his suit jacket. He looked breathtaking, his soaking wet shirt plastered to the muscles of his chest, his dark hair slicked back like he’d run a frustrated hand through the wet mass. His thick eyebrows were lowered as though permanently set in a frown. What stole Jaya’s breath wasn’t the sheer masculine beauty she faced with. It was the empty holster tucked against his side, the gun held in his fist, ready to fire and the look in his eyes that told her that her latest escape attempt would end in severe punishment.

Next to Ivan, held tight with his hand wrapped around her arm was Ndari. His gun was pressed against her temple. Gone was the usual playfulness on Ndari’s face. There was now only terror and the acceptance that a very dangerous man with the intention of murdering her held her. Jaya’s eyes met Ndari’s and tears spilled from her lashes. They both knew Ivan could reach Jaya and get her from the car if he wanted. There was no way she could start the engine again before he was able to get her out and back into his custody. No, this was punishment for her flight. He’d tested her and she’d failed, leaving the moment the cage door opened.

She screamed and reached out for her friend, begging him not to do it. She turned to claw at the door, attempting to get to them, knowing it wouldn’t be in time.

Something banged against the car making Jaya jump. Her eyes flew open and she stared up at the horrific tableau in front of her. Ivan still held Ndari, but he’d dropped his gun hand and slammed it against the hood of the car. His face was ice cold, but his eyes were a raging inferno of anger.

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