Chapter 56

chapter

fifty-six

Gage glanced around. Then, on a whim, he pulled Nia toward a door in the same room they’d climbed into. He opened it.

A closet.

This would work.

He pushed her inside the musty space. Moved a few boxes. Positioned her behind them. As he closed the door, he moved in himself.

“Shouldn’t we have run farther?” she whispered, her breath brushing his cheek.

“That’s what they’ll think we’re going to do. That’s why we’re hiding here instead.”

“Do you really think this is going to work?”

“I have some experience with these things,” he told her quietly. “You’re just going to have to trust me.”

Gage hoped and prayed his idea paid off.

They didn’t have time to talk anymore.

Voices sounded in the room.

Footsteps echoed on the wooden floors.

There were at least two men. Could they be the same two men who’d been in Rob’s place earlier? Gage wasn’t sure.

“Where’d they go?” one of them yelled.

“You go left, I’ll go right,” another man responded. “Find them! Who knows what that little tramp said.”

Little tramp? Were they talking about Brittany?

Nia’s fingers dug into his arm as she stood behind him, listening also.

Seconds later, their footsteps scattered away.

But he needed to be sure they were gone.

He couldn’t risk much. Not with Nia with him.

As they stood there in the dark, he was all too aware of her presence. Of her hands clutching his arm. Of her shallow breathing. Of the subtle smell of lilacs wafting from her.

Where had the scent even come from? She didn’t have her normal toiletries with her.

It didn’t matter. He liked the fragrance.

But this wasn’t the time to think about it.

After several minutes of silence, Nia whispered, “What now?”

“Just a couple more seconds.” Gage needed to be sure that those guys were far away.

If he’d been in those men’s shoes, he would have probably separated like they did. Covered more ground. Searched the second floor. Then gone to the other floors to search as well.

That was what Gage was banking on.

Finally, enough time had passed that he felt like they could move.

“You ready?” he whispered to Nia.

“I . . . think so. I mean, yes. I’m ready.”

“Follow my lead. You’re going to have to trust me.”

“Okay.” Nia’s voice cracked. “I do.”

Then Gage opened the closet door.

Nia didn’t know what Gage was doing. But she really did feel as if she could trust him. So far, he’d kept her safe.

He opened the door and glanced around.

Then he pulled her back toward the window they’d entered the building through.

Smart thinking.

He led her outside. Paused on the platform. Glanced around.

Then he quietly led her to the bottom of the staircase.

Once they hit the ground, they darted from the alley and onto the street.

The gunmen’s car was still parked at the entrance of the space.

With no one inside.

They ran in the opposite direction.

Nia’s heart nearly pounded out of control as the sidewalk and buildings blurred past. All she could think about was finding safety.

They just needed to make it back to the hotel. She needed to recalculate. To think everything through.

To figure out who might be behind this.

She’d thought at first that maybe it was Darius or Brittany. But now Darius was seriously injured, if he was even still alive. And Brittany . . .

Nia shivered at the memory.

But Cormac truly seemed like a victim here as well.

Whoever was behind this had enough money to hire those men to come after them. And they knew about the technology business. Knew that Rob was developing an app.

So who could it be?

That was what they needed to figure out.

But, first, she and Gage needed to get out of sight.