Page 17 of Witness Protection

“You’re your father’s daughter.”

Her eyes filled with angry tears. She wouldn’t cry and give his asshole the satisfaction. “I’m nothing like my father! And you’re no better than him if you kill me. Think about that.”

He smirked for just a second, then rummaged through a duffel bag on the table. He pulled out a pair of cuffs and a length of chain. Her heart raced, the adrenaline rush making her dizzy.

She needed Hawk to make everything better.

“This way,” he said. Once inside the bathroom, he handcuffed her hands in front of her and linked the chain, securing it around the pedestal of the sink before locking it. “It may not be what you’re used to, princess, but a toilet and water is more than you deserve.”

He closed the door behind him, leaving her in the dark bathroom.

“Fuck you!” she shouted once alone.

She sat down on the closed toilet seat. The scent of disinfectant irritated her nose. How would Hawk find her here? What did this man plan to do with her? Why hadn’t he killed her yet? So many thoughts clouded her head. She could hear the contempt he had for her in his voice. He didn’t even know her, judging her because she was a Morenov. She wasn’t a murderer. In fact, she had nothing to do with her father’s illegal business. If anything, Sophia was a victim herself, a prisoner in her own home. This stranger had already tried and convicted her based on her father, and she hated his judgment.

Sophia was grieving, still processing the feelings of hurt and resentment she had for her father. Her time with him had run out, so there was no chance to fix things, no chance to make amends. It was all this stranger’s fault.

She lifted her arms, the heavy chains clattering, reminding her of criminals in the old castle dungeons. But this was no fairy tale, and no prince in shining armor was coming to the rescue. She should have known her life would end this way. Her father kept her locked away so his enemies couldn’t use her in retaliation. Why did they care about her now that he was gone?

Sophia wanted to get out of this alive, but there was no reasoning with this man. He hated her, and if she was still breathing, he probably planned something worse than death.

****

“Where the fuck are you?” Hawk shouted when Vlad’s answering machine clicked on for the tenth time. He wasn’t in the coffee shop, and he’d stopped answering his cellphone. Hawk hoped he hadn’t skipped out for a piece of pussy after asking him to meet up. After twenty minutes, he left the shop, looking to the right and left of the street.

How had he found his location in the first place?

If Vlad had found him, anyone could.

When he peered up to the penthouse suite of the hotel next to him, his thoughts went right to Sophia. They were supposed to watch a movie together, but his self-control around her was shot. He’d crossed the line and couldn’t let it happen again. Sophia had cracked through his barriers, and he’d changed everything between them. How could she trust him again after he’d given into his desires?

It was so easy to forget the outside world when they were holed up alone together.

Things were getting too domestic between them. These breaks were becoming essential to his sanity. If he stayed locked up with her twenty-four-seven, Hawk was sure he’d lose his heart. Probably already had.

Sophia was too off-limits for him to even have such impure thoughts. Vasily would be rolling over in his grave if he knew the things swirling in Hawk’s head.

He’d be giving Vlad shit later, but he wasn’t going to wait another minute. Sophia had been alone long enough. He made his way up the elevator of the hotel, back to the suite. They’d been on lock down for days. Tomorrow he’d check them out and decide what to do next.

The suite was quiet. He wondered if Sophia had decided to go to bed and skip the late-night movie.

He gently pushed open the door to check on her, but the light was on and she wasn’t there. “Sophia?”

Her brush was on the floor and the blankets were bunched up on one side. He bent down and picked up the brush, smelling her strawberry shampoo. Hawk frowned, not liking where this was going. The bathroom was still humid from a shower, so she couldn’t have been gone long.

“Sophia!” He checked the rest of the suite, nausea setting in when he realized she was nowhere to be found. Maybe she’d gone to look for him. Taken a walk for a change of scenery.

He knew it was bullshit.

She wouldn’t have left on her own, not after he told her to stay inside.

Hawk took a deep breath. He was probably overreacting.

His cell rang. “Yeah,” he shouted.

“It’s me. I’m calling from a clinic. The bastard shot me. He’s going after Sophia,” said Vlad.

He dropped his arm to the side, the phone still in his hand. The impossible reality took shape, and it terrified him to the core. How would he find her? The killer wasn’t there to play games, just level the playing field. He didn’t want a prisoner. He wanted Sophia dead.

---