Page 154 of Here and Now
There are no buildings that are our height, and there’s a film on the windows so you can’t see us—trust me, I’ve tried.
This location was chosen for a reason.
Since they’ve been after me for six years, I can be assured they’ve planned in great detail.
What will be my downfall is that the book is not in my possession. No matter how much they’ve searched through the things in my house, they won’t find it.
I’m praying that a bargaining chip is what saves Kai.
Kai and I eat the food. They brought me a burger, and he has chicken nuggets.
No one has spoken to me yet. It’s been a lot of grunts and hiding faces. It’s the opposite of what Quinn warned me about when we discussed a capture. He said if they really planned to kill me, they wouldn’t hide faces. They’d look me dead in the eye because there would be nothing for them to fear.
We haven’t had that. It makes me both nervous and hopeful.
The door lock clicks again and opens and I reach for Kai, pulling him against me.
Then the senator and two other men walk in. The senator’s brown eyes meet mine without trying to hide anything.
“Hello, Penelope, we’ve been looking for you for a long time.”
thirty-three
Penelope
“Idon’t have the book,” I repeat.
“We know you have it,” Anthony says with frustration. “Edward would’ve had a contingency, and he told me where the book was, but it wasn’t there. You were the only one he would’ve said anything to.”
Playing dumb is what I’m going for as long as I can. All day they’ve asked the same things, and I’ve given the same answers.
“I don’t have this book you keep talking about. I don’t even know what kind of a book? I mean, maybe I have it and I don’t know? Maybe I took it when I left Edward—by accident.”
Anthony’s jaw clenches. “Penelope, don’t play games. I really would hate to bring your son in here and see if we can make you talk.”
My stomach drops. I hoped I could keep this up for at least another day, but if ... if they hurt him. If they threaten to hurt him ... I can’t do it. I ... I can’t.
I do my best to school my emotions and shake my head. “Why? He doesn’t know anything, and I don’t either. Why are you doing this? Why?”
A hard slap across my face causes my head to whip to the side. Fuck, that hurt. Immediately my hand flies to the spot the bodyguard hit.
“You know why!”
I rub the tender skin, biting back the tears. My time is running out. I’m not going to be able to stall much more, and I’m terrified.
They’ll use Kai.
I know they will.
“You keep saying you want this book, but you won’t tell me anything about it.”
The senator, who has been quiet through the entire process, pushes off the desk and walks toward me and turns to his bodyguard. “Let’s show some restraint and not hit a woman, shall we?”
Good cop.
Bad cop.
Got it.
