Page 1 of Abducted

CHAPTER 1

Abead ofsweat broke out on his brow, and he wiped it away with his sleeve. Despite the cool air, he was roasting in his black camouflage gear. She should be home and in bed by now. Last Saturday night she’d been home by midnight, and even earlier on other nights of the week that he’d conducted surveillance. His pulse beat steadily against his eardrums with impatience. It didn’t matter. He’d be waiting for her when she decided to come home. There was no chance in hell he was backing out of this job now. Headlights cut through the night as a car pulled up to the front gate.

Determination tensed his muscles, and his lips curved.

It’s about damn time.

The passenger door opened. He sunk lower in the shadows, pressing his back against the outside of the garage.

He was out of sight, but still had a direct view of his target. Satisfaction brought his breath to a steady pace. Once she got inside, he’d give her some time to fall asleep, and then he’d make his move.

Her delicious bare leg stepped out of the car, revealing a barely-there miniscule dress. She laughed hysterically and pitched forward, nearly doing a face-plant on the pavement.

He closed his eyes and shook his head. Just great. She was wasted.

CHAPTER 2

“Shit.” The spikeof her five-inch pump caught on the foot well as she stepped out of the car. She grabbed the car door for support and righted herself.

“Go to bed. You’re drunk,” teased Carly from the driver’s seat. Lana tugged the hem of her tight minidress and leaned back into the car.

“Am not.” She stuck out her tongue, then grinned and shut the car door. She’d only had a glass or two of champagne the entire time they’d been at the nightclub, and was completely sober now. Well, mostly anyway.

The cool midnight air caressed her exposed skin. She waved good-bye as she approached the property gate, punched in the code, and waited as the wrought-iron hinges swung open. The stamped concrete drive split into two like the long tongue of a snake. One direction led off to the main house and wrapped itself around the mountainous stone fountain. The other path stretched to the guesthouse, where she lived. The isolation from the main house granted her the privacy she needed from her father and stepmother.

Her high heels scuffed against the slick concrete as she strode down the mouth of the one-hundred-foot drive. Patio stones dotted the grass off the drive to the guesthouse beyond the pool. A line of bushes and tall shrubs peppered the front of the guesthouse.

Thunder rumbled from the sky, and a raindrop plopped on her forehead. The fountain in the backyard gurgled as water rushed over the massive stones to collect at the pool beneath. In the daylight, the sounds from the fountain were calming, but tonight it was too loud. Too invasive. The smell of moisture hung in the air from the rain earlier. It was chilly, but a coat would have clashed with her outfit.

She opened up her rhinestone-encrusted clutch to fish out her house keys. A movement out of the corner of her eye made her feet hitch. She grasped her keys in her fist and scanned the yard around her. The breeze kicked up and rustled the leaves overhead.

Just the wind.

Large elm trees and strategically groomed shrubs decorated the grounds. Tonight, the brooding mosaic of shapes gave her the creeps. The Mediterranean-style monstrous house hovered behind her. One lone light on the main level switched off like a creature closing its eye. Anne, the maid, would be the only one home.

Once she disappeared into the back, Carly backed out of the drive. The headlights sliced through the night before vanishing. The sensor light above her head flickered before going out. Her spine stiffened. She stepped through the grass and onto the patio stones, the safety of the guesthouse only feet away. Soon she would be in her cozy warm bed.

Carly dropping her off was a sour reminder that she still lived under the household of her parents and her lack of independence. At least in the guesthouse, she was concealed from their scrutiny and could come and go as she pleased. Thankfully, this weekend they were away for one of her father’s business meetings in Monaco. He wouldn’t find out until later in the week that she’d gone out tonight.

A shiver raced up her spine as the chilly breeze disturbed the placidity of the night. It was darker than usual. A cloud crept over the moon, shielding it against its will. The obscurity of its glow rippled in warning. The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end.

Someone was watching her.

Her throat closed. Razor-sharp fear bit into her. Her eyes darted around the shadowed yard in search of a predator. Tall, freshly groomed shrubs swayed in the breeze. Goose bumps raced over her flesh. Paranoia bubbled up in her throat and threatened to strangle her.

She braced for the attack, but it didn’t come.

Get a grip, Lana.

She stabbed her key into the lock and swung the door open. Inside the house, her hand sought the light switch and flicked it on. She slammed the door, her fingers fumbling as she snapped the lock shut.

She was too old to be getting spooked.

At least for tonight, the closeness of the main house was a slight comfort.

She raced from room to room and flicked on every light.

Empty.

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