Page 14 of Devil's Embrace
Her face hardened with renewed determination."If you hurt her—"
"You're not in a position to make threats."
"It's not a threat.It's a promise.Hurt my daughter, and I'll make you pay, no matter what it costs me."
I assessed her with new interest.Most people begged for their own lives when facing me.This woman thought only of her child.It was...unexpected.
"Your loyalty is admirable.Misplaced in your current situation, but admirable nonetheless."
"Please."Her voice cracked."She's just a little girl.She doesn't understand what's happening."
I glanced at the child, who had gone quiet, her blue eyes wide with exhaustion and fear."Vincent will take her to the blue room.It has a proper bed and adjoining bathroom.You will be taken to a separate room for questioning."
"No!"Emory surged forward, only to be caught by Marco's quick reflexes."No, you can't!Mina!"
The child began crying again at her mother's distress, reaching out with renewed desperation.
I nodded to Vincent, who turned and carried the struggling child toward the east wing.Emory's scream of protest echoed through the foyer, bouncing off marble and crystal to create a symphony of maternal anguish that even I found difficult to ignore.
"Your cooperation ensures her safety," I reminded Emory coldly as Marco restrained her."Remember that."
She fixed me with a gaze so filled with hatred it could have cut glass."I'll remember everything.Every second of this.Every word.Every face."
I met her gaze without flinching."Good.Then you'll also remember that your daughter's wellbeing depends entirely on you."
As Marco led her away in the opposite direction from her daughter, I remained in the foyer, considering the unexpected complications this Halloween night had brought.Emory Scott was not what I had expected.Not a simpering victim, not a broken hostage, but a mother with the ferocity of a lioness.
Interesting.Potentially useful.Definitely dangerous.
I pulled out my phone, scrolling to my uncle Mateo's number.It was time to report this development… on my terms, in a way that would serve my purposes.After all, every complication could become an opportunity, with the right handling.
Chapter Five
Emory
I woke with a gasp, my head pounding as if someone had taken a hammer to my skull.Disoriented, I blinked at the unfamiliar ceiling—ornate crown molding, soft recessed lighting that hurt my eyes.This wasn't my bedroom.This wasn't my apartment.For one blessed moment, confusion reigned before memory crashed back—the alley, the murder, the man with ice-cold eyes forcing us into his car.Mina.Where was Mina?
"Mina!"I bolted upright, immediately regretting the sudden movement as pain exploded behind my eyes.The room spun violently, forcing me to grip the silken bedsheets to keep from falling back.
It felt as if someone had drugged me.I didn't remember it happening, but the cottony feeling in my mouth and the way my limbs seemed disconnected from my brain made me think someone had slipped me something.After they'd taken my daughter away.After they'd dragged me screaming down a different hallway.
My stomach lurched with fear and nausea as I forced my eyes to focus on my surroundings.The bedroom was larger than my entire apartment and decorated in rich creams and dark blues.Morning light filtered through heavy drapes that didn't quite meet in the middle.A crystal chandelier hung overhead, and the bed I sat on was king-sized, with a carved wooden headboard that probably cost more than my car.
My wrists caught my attention next.The zip ties were gone, replaced by angry red welts and dried blood where the plastic had cut into my skin during my struggle.Someone had removed them while I was unconscious—the thought of unknown hands on me while I couldn't defend myself sent a fresh wave of panic through my body.
Where was my baby?Was she scared?Was she hurt?The thought of her alone and crying for me was unbearable.
I swung my legs off the bed, fighting another wave of dizziness.I was still wearing my clothes from Halloween night—jeans and a light sweater, both dirty and wrinkled from the struggle in the alley.The cat ears were long gone.I glanced around the room, looking for a door, a window, any means of escape.
The sound of a lock turning froze me in place.I tensed, ready to fight despite the throbbing in my head, despite knowing I stood no chance against the man I'd seen murder someone with such cold efficiency.
The door swung open, and he entered.Luca Moretti.In daylight, he was even more imposing—tall and muscular, his presence filling the spacious room instantly.He wore another impeccable suit, this one navy blue, with a light blue shirt open at the collar.No trace of the previous night's violence showed on his person.He looked like he'd stepped out of a business magazine, not like someone who had kidnapped a mother and child after murdering a man.
"You're awake."His deep voice resonated in the quiet room.He carried a glass of water in one hand and what looked like pills in the other.
I stood shakily, backing away until my legs hit the bed frame."Where is my daughter?"My voice came out stronger than I expected, fueled by a maternal fear that overpowered even my throbbing headache.
He crossed the room with measured steps, placing the water and pills on the nightstand."Mina is fine.For now."
