Page 56 of Whispered Desire

“Attrape-la!”

I barely block one of the men as he shoves me into the door frame. His friend quickly follows with an uncapped needle in his hand, and pure fear sends adrenaline pumping through my veins.

I can’t breathe.

My chest hurts.

Am I having a heart attack?

I want to kick and shout and cry for Mathias, but the moment I attempt to call for help, the prick of a needle slides into my neck.

For a second, everything is crystal clear and in slow motion—my kidnappers hauling me undetected into the emergency stairwell, being thrown in the trunk of a maroon car.

Then, everything goes dark.

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

MATHIAS

“This bastard deserves what’s coming to him,” Luca mutters, checking his watch for the third time. Petit and his cronies are late, and it’s pissing us off.

“Sir,” Nathaniel, the head of our security detail for the meeting, approaches with a tablet. “We have confirmation that Petit is here and in the elevator, but there’s been a development.” He turns the tablet my way to reveal Petit, a contingent of bodyguards, and a familiar woman in the middle of them, leaning heavily on one guard.

“What the fuck? How the hell did he get Allison?”

“Shit!” Luca bangs his fist against the table as Jonah straightens in his seat.

“Looks like two men drugged her guards’ breakfast and knocked on her door. She opened it without issue, which is when they injected a paralytic.”

The screen switches to play a video from the hotel’s security camera aimed at the suite we share. Two men in black. Allie opening the door without hesitation. The hired thugs barging through to shove a needle in her neck.

When she’s safe in my arms again, I’m going to redden her ass for not checking the peephole… again. Just like our first meeting at her apartment.

I turn away from the video.

I can’t watch any more or the calm demeanor I need to deal with Petit and save Allison will be completely unreachable.

Fuck, fuck,fuck.

My renowned composure has never been more necessary, yet I feel it cracking with each second Allie’s not safe in my arms.

The ding of the elevator rings through the air, signaling Petit’s arrival. Forcing a nonchalant, stony facade, I nod and wave Nathaniel back.

This cordial meeting is about to get a whole lot bloodier. Good thing we cleared the building in preparation for today. We didn’t want civilian employees caught in potential crossfire, and I’m glad I did one thing right today.

Because I failed to protect Allie.

“Bonjour, Mathias.” Petit grins as he saunters into the room with Allie in tow.God, she looks so vulnerable between those two meatheads he has manhandling her.

He thinks he has the upper hand, but it’s only a matter of time before we turn the tables on him. I just have to figure out how before Allie becomes collateral damage.

“Father,” I say smoothly. I refuse to give him the satisfaction of knowing he surprised me.

“You’ve been busy lately. Too busy to introduce your paramour, hmm?” Petit gestures to Allie. She’s groggy as one of his men roughly pushes her into a leather seat, forcing me to bite my tongue hard enough to bleed to prevent a growl of warning.

“This is a business meeting, not a social call. Should I have brought Denise or Veronica?” The mention of my father’s two mistresses causes a boom of laughter.

“Those women are a dime a dozen as you Americans would say. But this one…” He jerks Allie’s chin his way. “She matters to you, doesn’t she, son? You’ve installed her in Conrad’s old manor like a proper wife.”

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