Page 8 of Take the Sub and Run

“Branch…” Andrei’s chuckle was low and almost threatening. “Yes, you could say that.”

“It looks very normal.” Sofie looked around again, curiosity muting some of her arousal.

“You expect us to keep the spanking benches down here, where anyone can see them?” He gestured to the wall of windows that looked out onto the parking lot.

“No, I guess not. But it looks like an office.”

“It was.”

Directly in front of them was a curved counter that looked like a reception desk. Behind that was a break in the tall lobby wall. She could just make out two elevators and a door marked with the stairs symbol.

“This club isn’t ready yet, but there’s enough done that Landon decided this is where we’d bring Colette once he found her.” He pressed on her back, and Sofie took a step forward.

Guided by the pressure of his hand, she skirted the reception desk and slipped through an open security gate that blocked off access to the elevators.

“You came to help him? Or to arrest her since he can’t do it anymore?”

Her kidnapper went still, hand moving from her back to her elbow as he turned her to face him. “What do you mean by that?”

“I mean, Landon is no longer with Interpol.”

His eyes narrowed, and his expression made her swallow hard in fear. “And how do you know that, Angel?”

“I heard him say it.”

His expression lightened, lips curved in a cruel smile as he looked her up and down. “That’s right.” He stepped closer, grabbing her hips as she tried to take a step back.

“Tip your head,” he commanded.

“I…what?”

Rather than answer, he pinched her chin the way he had back in the museum, forcing her face up and to the side. His other hand brushed her hair—which had been carefully styled in an asymmetrical style—behind her ear.

A second later, he pulled the small earpiece from her ear. Sofie took shallow breaths, staring unseeing at the floor indicator above the closest elevator as he traced the curve of her ear with his fingertip before gently flicking the dangling diamond earring she wore.

“Are these stolen?” He flicked the earring again.

“No, they’re Colette’s.”

“Which means yes, they probably are stolen.” His fingers skimmed down the side of her neck, and Sofie sucked in a shocked breath. She felt that simple touch all over, and it made her nipples tighten further.

Need like she’d never known gripped her, making her feel reckless. She’d started the night out ready for excitement and adventure, and those desires required at least some recklessness. But this? This was something else. Something more, because the need growing inside her felt like it was bigger than anything else—her sense of reason, her self-preservation.

She swallowed hard, her eyes closed as he released her chin.

“I need to get you upstairs,” he all but purred, and she loved the way everything he said sounded like a threat. It made her afraid and aroused at the same time.

But there was one thing she needed.

“What’s your name?”

The startled silence had her opening her eyes, blinking up at him.

“My…”

“Your name. I can’t keep mentally referring to you as my kidnapper.”

That startled a laugh out of him, and oh, it was a wonderful sound. The corners of his eyes crinkled just a little, his lower lip—fuller than his upper lip—curving in a way that made her want to suck on it.

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