Page 77 of Being Bold
“Where’s the file, Miss Coleman?”
She blinked at his abrupt change of subject. “I don’t have it here, but I can show you where it is.”
Mr. Dao uncrossed his legs and leaned forward. “I’m tired of being toyed with, Selene. If you don’t have the microchip, then you can come with me. I have another appointment in the city this evening.” He grinned at her with enough malice to make her blood run cold. “Maybe watching what Sentient Shadow can do will incentivize you to tell me where that file is.”
She gasped. Was he planning a demonstration here? Had Yumi been wrong about Taipei?
Before she could ask, his guard—i.e., Bo—yanked her to her feet. Instead of shoving her away, this time he held her close. She tried to remain stiff when her body wanted to lean into him.
Mr. Dao had turned away, but he suddenly spun toward her. The quickness of the movement made her jerk against Bo’s hold. “Perhaps there’s another form of persuasion we might try.”
Her heart skipped a beat, then hammered with the speed of a bullet train at the look on Mr. Dao’s face. If she managed to live through this, it would haunt her nightmares for sure.
His eyes moved past her as he said, “I don’t believe I’ve shown you the terrace.”
Chapter 21
Selene
Considering the below-freezing temperature and that they were 700 feet in the air, Selene would rathernotsee Mr. Dao’s terrace. She glanced up at Bo, wondering what the plan was, but she stood too close to read his expression. It made her swallow a groan. Now would be a great time to develop ESP because she had no idea what he wanted her to do.
Dao’s voice broke into her thoughts. “If you didn’t trust me to hold up my end of the deal, why did you risk coming?” She glanced at him and squirmed. He squinted as if he were trying to see inside her head. “What are you after, Miss Coleman?”
Getting rid of you.
Worried he’d somehow find the reason she couldn’t voice, she started to fidget, twisting her hands together and rubbing them against her coat. Why was she sweaty all of a sudden?
When it was clear she wouldn’t give him an answer, Mr. Dao scowled. “Take her,” he barked the command at Bo with a wave toward the terrace door.
She turned in Bo’s grip as he started walking her away. They’d almost reached the door when Mr. Dao yelled, “Stop! Guards!”
Shit!He must’ve noticed Bo wasn’t one of his men for hire.
Selene froze, then stumbled because Bo tried to keep moving, leading her to the terrace.
At the sound of a gun cocking, he muttered under his breath, “Damn it.”
“Bo,” she whispered, clinging to his arm, terrified and wondering what they would do now.
He glanced at her, the grim expression on his face adding to the fear choking her. “Stay behind me.”
Her eyes filled with tears, but she nodded. Then he turned, shielding her as he raised a gun and faced Mr. Dao. She peeked around Bo’s arm. Three men had joined the CEO after his shout. All in dark suits and all with weapons trained on Bo. She gulped. Where the hell was TOP?
“Ah, the janitor, wasn’t it?” Mr. Dao asked with a creepy smile. “Who are you?”
Romeo’s voice filled her ear. “Dao’s snakes are crawling all over this fucking building. I’m pinned down. Can someone get to Bo and Selene?”
Everyone on the team responded in the negative, all dealing with the same problem. Her stomach churned, knowing help wasnoton its way. Mr. Dao had more muscle than they’d anticipated.
This is not going well.
She knew Bo heard TOP, too, because his body became even more tense. His shoulders were a taught line, blocking her vision.
When Bo said nothing, Mr. Dao’s tone went from conversational to dictatorial. “Move away from her, now.”
“Not happening, asshole,” Bo growled in response.
“So he does speak.” She peeked again and saw Mr. Dao wearing the smile that made her whole body clench with fear. “If you refuse, these men will make you.”
