Page 80 of Hunted Hearts
Her stomach bottomed out.
Buzz.
She almost dropped the item vibrating in her hand. The screen lit up with a picture.
Juliette’s eyes blurred for a moment. It was one of the orphans—Emil. Sweet, dimpled Emil with the crooked tooth and the laugh that always came too late. He was supposed to be adopted by a family in the Netherlands in the coming month. She would fund the therapy that he would require after he was settled. She’d spoken to him just two months ago.
Her lungs squeezed as she read the message attached to the photo.
Your bodyguard’s getting too deep. Finding out too much.
Exit through the back door if you want the boy to live.
For a second, the world narrowed to that single line of text.
Juliette couldn’t think. Couldn’t breathe.
Then she was moving. She snatched up her violin.
Her hands were clumsy as she fumbled with the lock. She didn’t have much time if she was going to save the child. Emil’s face was burned into her mind, and every second she delayed could cost him.
She pressed her hand to the door, hesitating.
She could go to Theo. He’d stop her. He’d take the phone, make a plan and alert the Black Heart Security team.
But they—whoevertheywere—had already warned her. This was personal now. They knew Theo was closing in. They were trying to shut him down.
If she didn’t comply, they might kill Emil just to prove they could. Clearly they would go to any lengths to make her stop drawing attention to the charity.
She didn’t have time. She had to act.
She slipped out the corridor, making a break for the back door into the night.
The cool air slapped her cheeks. The alley was dimly lit, a far cry from the glowing windows of the resort and the elegant guests sipping champagne inside.
Gripping her violin tight, she scanned the area, straining to hear any noise coming from the disruption that took Theo away from her, but the night was silent except for an idling engine.
There. A black limo in the shadows.
Her steps slowed, and her legs locked as her body told her to run. The car was only ten steps away from her, but Theo’s voice in her head told her to freeze, to stay away.
The passenger window rolled down.
She couldn’t see the man’s face—only the brim of a wide hat that shadowed his features. But she heard the voice.
“You’re making the right choice, Juliette.”
“I brought this.” Her voice shook as she stepped closer, holding up the case. “It’s worth a lot. Please, take it. Let the boy go.”
He didn’t move.
“We need to talk.”
“Take the violin. Let Emil go!”
The back door opened.
Her instincts screamed.
