Page 6 of Stitched Up in You
The thought of not leaving here alive sends my knees shaking, but the slight crinkle in meathead number one’s gaze gives me hope. Something tells me he wouldn’t be so nice if he were leading me to my death. Right?
One of them clears their throat, and it takes every bit of courage that flows within me, but I manage to take a step toward the elevator for all I know leading to hell, without being made to do it.
My brow furrows at the lack of numbers and buttons on the elevator lift. There are only two, which can only mean this is a private elevator and parking garage. The expensive limo, bodyguards, and obvious money being thrown around is not giving me the warm fuzzies.
Nervousness eats at my insides when one of the goons presses the top button and the doors close. “If I promise to be good, do you think I could get these off?” I ask, figuring what’s the harm.
But they both ignore me, acting as I never spoke at all, sending the metal on my wrists clanking again as I fidget in place.
And when they finally open again, my jaw drops.
The room has floor to ceiling windows overlooking a massive city, but it’s the larger-than-life man seated at the desk that has my mouth unhinged.
I blink twice and turn to gape up at the muscled men that kidnapped me in a new light. They were bringing me tohim?!
My head whips back around to stare.Oh my god. I just liked and reposted something witty this man said this morning.
I pinch myself and regret it immediately when pain radiates up my arm. And holy shit, I’m not dreaming.
“Why didn’t you tell me it was Frank Stein that wanted to chat with me?” I mutter out of the corner of my mouth. I assume that’s who I’m here for when the big man himself is seated at a large desk, one of the many opulent pieces of furniture situated around the expensive room.
My gosh he’s a big boy, I think to myself as I lock eyes with him.
Heat effuses my face when my feet try to move too fast to get to him but stumble, sending the meatheads grabbing for my arms to right me. This has got to be some sort of huge misunderstanding. It’s the only thing that remotely makes sense.
Excitement thrums in my middle at the idea of meeting the biggest celebrity businessman in America, maybe even the world.
“You’re really Frank Stein.” The words come out like an accusation, because it sounds preposterous to say aloud, but there he sits. Oh my gosh, I’m in Frank Stein’s office. I pat at my hair and try to straighten my jacket, ignoring the clank of metal and hoping I at least look somewhat presentable.
Talbot’s is the premier global e-commerce corporation in the world, but it’s known far and wide Frank Stein has hands in anything that makes money, and lately Talbot’s new skincare line is making headlines everywhere. The man has his fingers in every industry there is.
Oh my gosh, I must be in New York then.
He doesn’t respond and instead swivels his head toward the goons. A frown creases my brow as I glance around the office. I would for sure think that a man like Frank Stein would have some cool décor, but it looks more like an art deco guy took over his decorating.
“In the flesh,” he rumbles, his low voice doing some tingly things to my downstairs.
A thrill goes up my spine when the billionaire meets my gaze. This is for real!
It’s also obvious I’m not dreaming because if I were, Edgar Allan Paw would be here.
At that thought, I rush toward him, uncaring about the cuffs or anything else. “Oh my gosh, you have to help me get my cat,” I blurt.
FRANK N. STEIN
It took longer than expected to locate the infuriating human, but she’s here now and she will fix what she fucked. I glance at the short red-headed woman, taking in her attire of a simple pink sweater and leggings as she pushes her glasses up her face.
She doesn’t look capable of what she’s done, but the ghouls are never wrong, and looks can be deceiving.
“He’s at the vet in Atlanta and I can get you the address. I had no idea they were bringing me toyou, or I wouldn’t have fought them so hard. Why am I here anyway?” she babbles, her teeth coming out to nibble at the corner of her mouth, her cheeks stained a rosy pink.
I raise a brow at Nero and Bruno, twin ghouls in my personal detail sent to obtain one Bernadette Crenshaw, a human, to get back the information she stole from my company. Pushing to my feet slowly, I ignore the sharp intake of breath from the miniscule female I plan on destroying before the day is done.
My gaze flicks between them as I try to gauge the situation and I notice the lightness of the cuffs at her wrists. They must think she’s the culprit I’m after about as much as I do. I glance over the woman again.
After listening to this female’s whining for the barest second, it’s hard to believe her a criminal mastermind capable of infiltrating my security, but it’s possible she could be working for whoever is attacking our supplies, which wouldn’t surprise me.
“I’m sure I can have someone see to yourcat,” I state, noticing how Nero avoids my gaze. It’s not as if one human takes actual effort to subdue, which makes me wonder why they bothered with the cuffs at all.
