Page 35 of Room Ten: Put on a Show

Then my training took over and I was on the move. I drew my pistol, crouching into a defensive position. I felt sick as I stepped over Baron’s body when all I wanted to do was check for a pulse. But I had to scan the immediate area for threats first.

After the kitchen was clear, I returned to Baron’s side. His eyes fluttered open with a groan.

“Kenna.”

I fished my phone out of my pocket and pressed it into his hand.

“Call the police. Then call an ambulance. You look like hell, buddy. What happened?”

Baron brought a hand up to touch his bloodied head. The four-inch gash would need stitches.

“Intruder,” he rasped. “Came out of the dark. Tried to stab me…but when that didn’t work, the fucker hit me over the head.”

He tried to push himself up but I placed a hand on his good shoulder, easing him back down to the floor.

“I need to go with you,” he said. “Kenna—”

“You’re in no condition to move. I’ll take care of her, I promise. And don’t even think about pulling that damn knife out of your shoulder until the medics arrive, do you hear me?”

Baron gritted his teeth with pain and frustration but he nodded. To take down a man of Baron’s size, strength, and skills was disconcerting. This intruder must have been planning his ambush for a while and knew what he was doing.

It pained me to leave Baron behind. I wanted to stay with him—my mentor, my coworker, my friend—while he was bleeding and in pain. But I had to get to Kenna before the intruder did.

Tightening my grip on my pistol, I made my way through the kitchen. Down the corridor to Kenna’s room. Her door was open, a thin sliver of light spilling across the floor.

Voices, low and hushed, emanated from inside.

“Get your fucking hands off me, you freak,” Kenna hissed.

I was too late. She—our Kenna, our beautiful, fiery, sexy Kenna was in danger. And he wastouchingher. My blood boiled with rage and darkness clouded the edges of my vision.

I kicked the door fully open and stepped into the room, gun raised. Standing near the window as if they’d been expecting me were Kenna and the intruder. He had a revolver pressed to her temple and his other arm locked around her middle.

And I recognized him.

Two weeks ago, at Club Sin, when Baron and I had escorted Kenna to her rendezvous with Troy. This same man had lingered outside with a small crowd of onlookers, taking advantage of the anonymity that so many people offered.

Baron had picked him out of the crowd though, tagged him as a possible threat. Then he’d scurried off like a little rat when he realized that Baron and I saw him.

The man dipped his chin as if he was going to kiss Kenna’s shoulder and grinned.

“There he is. Bodyguard number two. It’s good of you to join us. Shall we go around the room and introduce ourselves?”

I tore my gaze away from the intruder for a moment and glanced at Kenna. I saw no blood, no bruises, no obvious signs of harm. She was in his arms though, and his hand was splayed across her abdomen in a territorial gesture, as if he owned her. In her short, thin silk nightgown, Kenna looked as fragile as a butterfly wing. A spark of fear flashed in her eyes but she was pissed, too, judging by the way she strained against the intruder’s hold.

“Fine,” he said, obviously annoyed. “If no one is willing to break the ice, I’ll go first. The star of the show is Kenna, of course. I’m Perry Weeks, a devoted and loyal fan of Kenna’s for years. I know her better than anyone. And…what about you?”

“Let her go,” I said with a razor-sharp edge of menace in my voice.

Perry shook his head.

“No, no, no. You don’t get it. I’m the one calling the shots. You do what I say and you obey me.”

He punctuated his words by tightening his grip on Kenna until she winced. She sucked her lower lip between her teeth and squeezed her eyes shut. Every muscle in my body tensed, seeing her in pain, seeing her under the control of someone who wanted to hurt her, kill her.

Baron would have been able to handle this situation better than me. I didn’t have the tact to stroke this guy’s ego in order to lower his guard. All I wanted to do was get Kenna away from him so I could rip him apart with my bare hands.

“Tell me your name,” Perry barked.

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