Page 22 of Hidden Dane
They walked onto a main street that was cleaner and more well-kept than any other city she’d ever been in. She chuckled. “Seriously, does no one in your world challenge you?”
Henry watched the crowd and took out his phone like he’d use it as a weapon.
“Not like you.” Dane pressed his hand on her back, getting her attention toward a car at the intersection.
She turned toward him and looked into his eyes. Memories of his lips on hers raced through her. Her pulse grew faster as she stood on her tiptoes to be taller as she said, “I see that.”
Her eyelids fluttered closed and his arms held her tight.
A moment later he kissed her and the world faded.
So much so that everything went dark.
A second later, or so it seemed, her eyes fluttered open. She had a pounding headache on the back of her skull.
The air smelled like dust and putrid water and made her nose twitch. This wasn’t the street. It was too dark and as her gaze focused in on black walls, until her flesh crawled and cigarette breath wafted into her nose. She turned to face up and realized she was lying on the ground with Ted leaning over her, tugging at her necklace. Her skin burned from his not so gentle grab, and instinct took over. She still had her pocketbook with her. She jolted upwards and sat fast though he pressed against her neck.
Emily reached for his wrist. Ted almost broke the clasp of her necklace, but she knocked him off of her, and he bolted.
Her reactions were dulled from the splitting pain in her head. Dane sat beside her and jumped to his feet, offering his hand to her as she asked, “Where are we?”
“I don’t know.”
She brushed dirt off her exposed legs..
Ted was on the other end of the area, near the beam of light above his head, which illuminated the gun he had pointed at them.
She whispered but her voice echoed as she said, “Where’s Henry?”
“Good question.” Dane stepped forward to protect her.
In this small dark space—a chamber of some kind, and Ted having a gun, the move was sweet but wouldn’t save her.
If Ted fired once, he might get them both, and they’d be dead.
Ted motioned with the gun toward Dane as he asked, “Did you think I was going to let you and Emily Mira go so easily, Uriel? Or should I call you Dane Pearce?”
Dane stood in front of her. “Let her go.”
“Until this latest adventure of ours, I never threatened you before,Dane.” Ted’s aim was steady. “Tell you what, I’ll let you both go if I get the necklace and earrings.”
Emily instantly reached for her necklace and said, “Done.”
“Don’t.” Dane answered back.
She held her breath as her bluff might not work, but she tossed the chain of gold blossoms at Ted, wishing she could share the truth with Dane as she reached for her earrings. “Look, this jewelry isn’t worth your life, or mine.”
She lobbed one earring and unfastened the last.
Ted pocketed the jewels. “Finally Miss Mira, you make sense.”
Dane shook his head. “Emily, don’t.”
“Here.” She tossed the last earring.
The real jewels were in her bra, and the fake Ted had was a perfect replica. Would it get him inside the bank? She hoped to bargain for their lives now for a chance to stop him later.
Ted flashed a light in the darkness toward a ladder as he held the gun at them. “Both of you. Good luck.”
