Page 124 of The Assignment: Room 3

A hand wraps around my bicep. “Nice dress… Helena.” Cold dread takes root in the pit of my stomach, my body freezes in place, and I cling to Gracie. All the pieces of the puzzle suddenly fall into place.It’s him.I’d know that voice anywhere. It’s haunted my dreams for years.

I turn to see the devil himself staring back at me with those cold, dead eyes.

Michael.

“Did you miss me, sweetheart?” His grip tightens.

“Gracie, why don’t you…” He cuts me off before I can tell Gracie to go and see the lobby security guards. With Flex’s concerns about our safety, I usually have a security detail with me at all times, but I was planning on meeting Flex here, so I told my bodyguard to take the rest of the day off. I left him outside this building, and I have no idea if he’s still there. Probably not.

How can I stall Michael or signal to one of the building security guards? I’m paralyzed with terror. I thought this nightmare was behind me, but it’s only just begun.

“Please, let her go. Don’t hurt her. She’s innocent in all this. Please, I’m begging you.”

“You always were pathetic. I need our little cherub.”

“H…” I’m about to scream bloody murder. Someone will help us.

He drops my arm and, within seconds, has Gracie’s hand in his and a blade paused at her side. “I would keep your mouth shut, princess. You wouldn’t want my hand to slip.”

Tears stream down my face, but I’m trying to stay calm forGracie. If she starts fussing about the stranger holding her life in his hands, we’re fucked.

“Fine. Promise you won’t hurt her, and I’ll go wherever you want. I will do whatever you want.” I’m running a million scenarios over in my head. Can I just stall long enough for Flex to get here? Can I get a message to him?

My phone is in my pocket. It’s my best chance of alerting him. Slipping my hand into my pocket, I pull it out just enough to call his phone before slipping it back into my pocket and hope to God that he knows something’s wrong.

“Hurry up, Helena. I don’t have all day.”

Please hear me. Please hear me.

“I have a bodyguard outside. You can’t get out of here without drawing attention.”

“Sorry to tell you, but he’s gone.”

“This is where I work, Michael. We’re meeting…”

“Your Richie-rich boyfriend. Yeah, we’ll be gone by the time he gets here.”

“I’ll go with you, Michael, but let Gracie come to me. She’s scared.”

“Why would she be afraid of her own daddy?” The word is repugnant on his lips.

“What do you want from me?”

“Revenge. I just want to prove a point. You embarrassed me when you left. You tarnished my fucking reputation. I’m going to restore it.”

“To what? The sickest fuckboy drug dealer in Seattle.”

“Exactly. You should be proud. When you left, I had to work harder to make sure everyone else understood that I am not a man you want to cross. I diversified. I built a fucking empire. You serve so many purposes for me.”

“So what, you kill me to make an example? No one will even remember me at this point.”

“Walk out the door and into the blue car idling outside.”

“Give me Gracie.”

He gives me that one small concession. I quickly pull her up into my arms. “Mommy, why are we leaving? Fex isn’t here yet.”

“Can you be a good girl for Mommy and play the silent game?”

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