Risky Obsession (Wolf Security #3)

18. Lacey/Tory

CHAPTER 18

Lacey/ Tory

I n the fancy bathroom, I removed the brace from my hand to examine my injury. The bruising on my fingers had faded and the swelling was a lot less than last time I’d checked. I turned on the faucet, and my hand trembled as the water gushed over my fingers.

My gaze shifted to the tattoo on my right wrist. It was a constant reminder of who I was beneath the scars and the bruises. Lacey Brooks, survivor, fighter, and now fake treasure-hunting partner to Kane Devlin—the man who was playing havoc with my emotions.

My first boyfriend had done the same, but I’d been young and naive and couldn’t see through his evil manipulation.

I was older. Smarter. Wiser, and yet here I was tangled in another web of lies and deceit. Except this time, the man involved wasn’t a manipulative bastard. Kane had a way of unraveling the walls I’d built around myself, and I felt so damn vulnerable around him, like a giddy teenager.

Each time he touched me, his fingers lingered on my skin as if he knew he was fueling a dangerous flame that threatened to consume me whole.

As the warm water trickled down my fingers, I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, trying to steady my racing heart. The ghosts of my past mistakes bore down on me, adding more weight to the burden of guilt that I carried every day.

I flexed my fingers, testing the limits of my healing bones, and gasped as each movement sent jolts of pain through my hand. The physical pain was nothing compared to the turmoil in my heart.

I was torn between duty and desire.

How the hell did I get into this mess?

I stared at my reflection, trying to steady my thoughts. Kane leaving after our argument like he did, left me feeling like a ticking time bomb, waiting for the inevitable explosion.

Where was he? After he’d gone, I’d tried to have a good sleep, but the three hours I’d laid down on the luxurious bed had provided a broken nap at best.

I thought Kane would be back by now, and without my phone, I had absolutely no way to contact him. I didn’t want to ask at reception if anyone knew where he was. We had already attracted enough attention with our disheveled appearance when we arrived.

“He’ll be back,” I whispered to myself as uncertainty swirled inside me.

Satisfied that I’d moved my fingers enough for one day, I turned off the faucet, letting the water droplets slide off my hands before reaching for a towel. As I dried my hands, I strolled back to the bedroom to check the clock on the bedside stand for the umpteenth time.

“Where are you, Kane?” I murmured.

We were running out of time to get ready for the gala, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong.

Had he run into Gunter? No, Gunter was the guest speaker at the ball, so he would be busy getting ready. Had Kane run into the asshole who’d attacked us?

God, I hoped not. We should have stayed together.

Heaving a sigh, I returned to the massive bathroom and turned on the shower faucets. I had to believe he was coming back, and that we were still on track to go to the gala. As I waited for the water to turn warm, I stripped out of my clothes and damned the massive mirror over the basin.

The horrific bruises on my body were like a painful reminder of the brutal life I’d escaped and the person I used to be. My torso was a potpourri of purples, dark blues, and yellow. At least none of these marks would leave souvenirs of the attacks that instigated them.

Unlike the knife wound in my back.

Thank God Kane hadn’t seen that scar. I was already running out of ways to avoid his questions .

I stepped into the shower, and using the provided bottles, I washed and shampooed my hair, and shaved my legs. Trying to use just one hand made everything take longer, and yet even after I’d finished my shower and dried off, Kane still hadn’t returned.

Standing naked at the basin, despite the injuries that marred my appearance, there was a fire in my eyes that no one could extinguish. As I prepared for the gala ball, using the hotel’s hair dryer and styling wand, I reminded myself that tonight was about doing my job for Aria. I had a role to play in finding this gold, and I was going to do a damn good job of it.

I fluffed my hair so a few loose strands framed my face. With my hair done and looking much better than I’d styled it in years, possibly ever, I added the only makeup I had with me, tinted sunscreen as a foundation, and a touch of lipstick.

I pulled on my underpants, but I didn’t have a bra suitable for the ball gown. Hopefully, the boned corset would be enough to keep my boobs in place. I slipped on the dress, and as I did up the side zipper, the silky fabric contoured my body perfectly. It was like this dress was made for me.

Glancing in the mirror, I barely recognized the woman in the reflection. I smiled. The bruising on my cheek was concealed by the foundation, and the chaos that had been churning through my mind was gone. I felt good, and I looked better.

For some crazy reason, I hoped Kane liked my appearance.

That thought dragged me back ten years, to a time when I was so desperate to have Axel like me that I would have done anything to please him. And I’d done some really stupid things–illegal things, and things that hurt the people who loved me. But the worst part was, I changed who I was to please Axel. I still couldn’t believe how stupid I was.

Kane was different. I wanted to please him. I wanted him to like me.

I had a feeling he already did, but it wasn’t the real me that he liked. It was Tory Parmenter, treasure hunter.

Yanking my gaze from the mirror, I strode to the enormous window, and with each stride, my leg swept out from the flowing skirt, revealing my flesh to the top of my thigh. Thank goodness I didn’t have any bruises on my left leg.

The sound of my breathing filled the silence as I scanned the courtyard below for any sign of Kane. A swift breeze shook the branches on the tree outside and cast leaves into the air. It looked cold out there, reminding me that I didn’t have a lovely jacket for tonight.

“Where are you, Kane?” I whispered, my breath fogging up the glass.

A drumbeat of uncertainty echoed through me.

What if he doesn’t come back? Oh God, what if he’s planning to go to the ball without me?

Clenching my fists, I glanced at the clock again.

If he’s not back in ten minutes, I’m going to the gala alone.

The door rattled. Steeling myself, I stood with the window as my backdrop, and my damn heart pounded as I waited for his eyes to sweep my way.

The door swung open, and Kane took four steps into the room before his gaze found me. He seemed at a loss for words and his jaw hung open in surprise. “Holy smokes, you look absolutely stunning.”

My heart fluttered. “Thank you.” Warmth spread through my chest.

He strolled toward me. Devouring me with his gaze, he tossed a suit bag and a few other bags onto the bed.

“Turn around,” he said.

Letting out a shaky breath I stepped from the window and did a slow turn. But when I turned back to face him, he frowned.

“What?” I blurted, running my good hand over my bodice.

“There’s something missing.”

Glancing down, I ran my hands over my hips. “No there isn’t.”

He grabbed a bag off the bed and strode to the velvet-padded seat in front of the mirror. “Take a seat.”

I hated his demand, and yet I also liked this take-charge side of Kane.

Rolling my eyes, I walked forward and when his gaze fell to my skirt where my leg escaped from the fabric, his eyes dazzled.

As I sat in the chair facing the mirror, he rested a bag and a blue velvet box on the dresser.

“I found something for you.” His voice was tinged with eagerness. “I hope you like it. Open it.”

I peeled open the case and my breath caught. Nestled within the velvet lining was a stunning necklace adorned with delicate silver links and shimmering blue sapphires that seemed to mimic the depths of the ocean. A matching pair of dangling earrings lay at the edge of the box.

I ran my finger over the necklace. “Kane, this is beautiful.” I released a shaky breath. “Please tell me you didn’t pay a fortune for?— ”

“They were a bargain.” He lifted the necklace from the box. “May I?”

Swallowing hard, I nodded.

He draped the necklace around my neck, and as the heavy weight touched my skin, my heart did a delightful dance.

He returned his gaze to me in the mirror, and a spectacular grin lit up his face. “Did I choose well?”

“It’s magnificent.” Just like you. “Thank you.”

A delicious wave of intimacy wrapped around me like a silky cloak. It was like the whole world held its breath, waiting to see which one of us broke the spell.

Oh God. Am I falling for him?

“Glad you like it.” He tapped his hands on my bare shoulder. “My turn to get ready.”

I reached up and gripped his hand on my shoulder. “Kane, we need to talk about what happened earlier.”

His eyes displayed a flicker of annoyance. “Not now we don’t. I need to get ready.” He refused to look at me as he marched to the bathroom, bags in hand, and closed the door.

Frustration bubbled inside me. I wanted to clear the air between us before we went out.

My gaze fell on the necklace reflected in the mirror. How much did he pay for this? Hundreds? Thousands?

Oh jeez. Please don’t make it thousands.

I removed one of the earrings from the box. It was a simple tear-drop design with a single blue sapphire that matched the necklace. I threaded both earrings into my ears. Wow. I had never looked this beautiful in my life. But it wasn’t just the jewelry and dress; I had a glow about me that I hadn’t noticed before.

I peered into the bag Kane had left on the table. Inside was a silver clutch bag.

Huh, he’s thought of everything.

Kane’s whistling in the bathroom echoed to me, and a smile danced across my lips. It was like we were a married couple, getting ready to go out. Not relative strangers.

As I sat on the edge of the bed and strapped on my silver high heels, I remembered I hadn’t put my hand brace back on. The blue plastic brace would ruin my outfit, and it would be a distinguishing feature. We needed to blend in, not stand out.

The damn strap on my left shoe was impossible to do up. Conceding I would need Kane’s help, I sat back on the bed with my legs dangling over the side and waited for him to emerge.

My thoughts drifted to Gunter. Did he know about the attack on us last night? I believed he did. How would he react when he saw us?

The bathroom door swung open, and Kane stepped out wearing a black tuxedo.

Holy wow. He’s spectacular.

The crisp lines of the expensive suit showed off his broad shoulders and toned figure. His sandy-blond hair was perfectly styled, and the hint of a smile curved his lips. Unlike me, he looked like a man born to wear clothes like that.

“What do you think?” He spread his arms wide. “Do you approve?”

My heart somersaulted as he locked eyes with me.

Hell, yes, I approved.

I cleared my throat. “You scrub up okay.”

“Oh, really?” He chuckled. “Likewise to you. We look perfect together.”

His gaze buried deep into my soul, and my never-ending lies crashed through me like a tsunami.

“Kane, we need to talk.”

He drifted over me like a spring breeze. “Here, let me help you with that.” He took the stiletto dangling from my fingertip and knelt before me.

A heatwave raced through me as he cupped my heel and glided the shoe onto my foot. The name Cinderella sprinted through my mind as he fastened the delicate strap above my ankle bone.

“There you go, princess.” He stood grinning like a buffoon.

I shuddered. “I’m not a princess.”

“You are tonight.”

A little piece of me shriveled inside.

He hooked his elbow. “Shall we go to the ball?”

“We need to talk.”

“No, we need to get moving. Oh, I found a bag for you.” He marched to the dresser. “And before you ask, it was the bargain price of just thirty euro.” He pulled the clutch from the bag .

“Thank you.” I strolled to him, forcing my brain out of the chaos eating my insides and onto my mission. Smiling at him, I accepted the clutch and added my lipstick to the white satin interior.

He curled my good hand through his elbow. “Shall we?”

“We shall.”

As we strode to the door, I made a vow, that after tonight, no matter what the consequences, I would tell him who I really was.

Tonight, I was Tory, Kane’s princess. Tomorrow, I would be Lacey, the cop who had been lying to him since the moment we’d met.

My chest nearly caved at the thought of revealing the real me.

We arrived at the hotel lobby, and a man in a red suit coat led us outside to where our car was waiting. Stars dotted the night sky.

As Kane drove us out the grand entrance, his divine scent graced me, and my damn insides tingled. It was going to be a long night.

“So,” I said, forcing my body to behave, “are you going to tell me how we’re going to get into the ball without tickets?”

In the dashboard lights, his eyes looked more green than blue. “We’ll pretend we left our tickets at home. I’ll blame you.”

“Why me?”

“Because you’re the one carrying an empty purse.”

“They’re not going to fall for that old trick. They’ll have a list with names on it, surely.”

“You could blame me instead and make a scene. You’re good at that.”

“Ha, ha. Still doesn’t get us in without our names on the list. Maybe there’s a back entrance?”

“There could be.” He nodded ahead. “We’re coming up to the venue now.”

The enormous castle was lit with massive spotlights and against the blackness of night, it was like something from a fairy tale.

Following instructions from ushers, Kane drove the car toward a parking lot and took the space next to a silver Bentley that was polished to perfection.

We climbed out, and Kane took my hand. “Remember, we belong here, so smile.”

I forced a smile as we strolled toward the grand entrance. I had no idea what was wrong with me. I’d been in situations that were a thousand times more stressful than this one. Convincing myself that it was because I felt so out of place in this fancy outfit, and not because Kane looked so damn good in his, I turned my attention to the castle. I tugged on his arm. “The castle has a moat.”

“Yes, we talked about that.”

“The map we bought in Gunter’s shop showed a castle with a moat.”

“It’s not this one. The one on the map was near the Black Forest.” He frowned at me. “There are plenty of castles in Europe with moats still around them.”

“I know, but the one on the map had a hand-drawn lion next to it. I forgot to look at it when we were studying that map again. Do you think that’s what Gunter saw?”

He fiddled with a gold cufflink on his shirt sleeve. “Don’t know. We’ll ask him when we bail up the slimy bastard.”

I grinned, but the smile dropped from my face when I noticed two guards standing on either side of the grand stone arch at the entrance to the bridge over the moat. “Provided we get past those guys,” I whispered.

“We will.” Kane’s confidence was unwavering.

Maybe he was used to things going his way.

As we merged in with the crowd approaching the entrance, my outfit proved to be slightly underwhelming compared to the lavish ballgowns worn by some of the other women. Many wore fur coats or shawls draped over their shoulders. I would give anything to have one of them at the moment, provided they weren’t real fur. Diamonds and precious jewels were on full display, and I was so grateful Kane had bought my jewelry. I would never have chosen something so lavish.

The woman at the jewelry shop had said that Baroness Sophia van der Hausen had required extra security because of the jewelry she planned to wear. Were the women around me also worried?

This event would be a major drawcard for a skilled thief.

I searched the crowd for more security guards. Once the guests passed through the grand entrance, they walked across the moat bridge. On the other side of the bridge, four more guards flanked the grand wooden doors. In front of them were a couple of immaculately dressed staff members, checking tickets and marking off names on a clipboard.

A wave of dread washed over me.

We will not get through.

“Kane.” I squeezed my hand around his arm .

“Yes, princess?”

“Hey. Cut that out,” I hissed. “Listen, there is no way we’ll get past those guards.”

“We’ll be fine.”

His confidence was beginning to piss me off.

Two couples ahead of us was a man in a tuxedo that virtually matched Kane’s. He looked to be in his fifties, or maybe sixties, but the young woman on his arm couldn’t be any older than twenty-five. Maybe she felt me staring at her because she turned to glance at me over the fur shawl across her shoulders, and her large pregnant belly, draped in a red satin dress, stood out like a beach ball. Her gaze lingered on me, and I wondered if she could tell that I didn’t belong on such an exclusive guest list.

As she turned back to the front, she waved an elegant fan across her face, possibly trying to cool an internal heatwave.

I was the opposite. If we didn’t get inside soon, I was going to have frostbite on my nipples.

As we inched forward with the crowd, the guards studied every guest. The staff checked every ticket. The pregnant woman fanned and fanned.

“Kane, I have an idea.”

He glanced down at me. “Okay, what’s that?”

“Once we get near the entrance, I’m going to pretend to be sick,” I whispered. “We’ll say we need a doctor.”

“They still might make us wait outside.”

“What if I pass out, and you make a scene, demanding to go inside?”

His gaze held mine like he was processing my idea. “You’d need to be convincing.”

If only he knew. “I could pretend to faint.”

“That could work.”

“Make sure you catch me.”

“Of course.”

My heart pounded wildly as we neared the first set of guards. Yet they let us through after some serious scrutiny and we stepped onto the bridge.

“Can you believe this place?” Kane asked, his voice filled with wonder. “This bridge must be four hundred years old.”

The man in front of us turned. “You’re close. Three hundred and eighty-one years. ”

Kane nudged us closer to them. “Really? What else do you know about this castle?”

The gorgeous middle-aged woman on his arm turned to me and smiled. “Now you’ve opened the floodgates.” She rolled her eyes at the man beside her. “You won’t be able to stop my husband now. He loves ancient architecture.”

I giggled. “My hubby is the same. I just feel so lucky to be here. I never imagined I’d attend a gala ball in a place like this.”

“Oh.” The woman’s eyes lit up. “Your first time?”

“Yes, and probably my last for a while.” I ran my hand over my stomach. “We’re having our first baby.”

I felt Kane’s gaze swoop to me.

“How lovely.” The woman smiled, and it was so genuine, I hated myself all over again for my lies.

We shuffled to the middle of the curve in the bridge, and the frigid wind whistled through the thick steel cables holding the bridge in place freezing me to my core. Towering spires reached for the sky at either end of the castle, and I wondered if armed guards were watching us from their vantage point.

“How far along are you?” the woman asked.

“Only nine weeks. And I’ve been so sick. I wasn’t sure I would make it tonight. It’s hard to believe something so tiny could make me feel so dizzy.”

We shuffled forward again, starting our downward approach to the check-in station.

The woman nodded. “I know that feeling. I was like that for all six of my children.”

“Six?”

“Yes. It’s his fault.” She grinned at her husband.

He chuckled. “It takes two, my dear.”

Guilt clawed at my insides over my deceit to this lovely couple. We stepped closer to the guards, and they scanned the crowd like hungry hawks.

Trying to ignore the churning in my stomach from both nerves and my lies, I made a show of glancing up at the intricate stone carving above the entrance to the castle. I stumbled dramatically, clutching my stomach. “Oh, I don’t feel?—”

I let my legs collapse beneath me .

Kane caught me. “Tory.”

I let out a weak moan and crumbled completely. Kane swooped me into his arms.

“Oh, my goodness,” the woman said.

“Oh no. Babe. Babe.” Kane’s frantic cries were convincing.

“Is she okay?” the woman asked.

“No. We need a doctor,” Kane cried.

“Let them through,” the man said.

Kane clutched me to his body, and I curled my injured hand into his chest as he marched forward.

“Let them through,” a man hollered.

I kept my eyes shut, focusing on remaining limp in Kane’s arms.

“My wife fainted. She’s pregnant. I need to get her inside and lay her down.”

His heart raced against my ear, and his intoxicating scent was like being embraced by a lover.

Men with gruff voices spoke in German, making it impossible to follow their conversation.

“Your tickets, please?” a woman said with obvious reluctance.

“Please, she’s pregnant,” Kane said.

“Let her through, for goodness’ sake.” The woman who I’d been talking to must have followed us.

Kane squeezed me tighter, his steps quick and purposeful as we left the noisy crowd. The air changed from cool to warm with scents of rich perfumes or maybe flowers.

A distant murmur of music and the clinking of glasses drifted to us as Kane’s shoes thumped on what I imagined was a marble floor.

As all sounds except his shoes petered out, Kane carried me deeper into the castle. The temptation to open my eyes was excruciating.

A creak sounded, and I imagined a large wooden door opening. Kane lowered me onto a soft cushion, rolling me onto my side, maybe so I could see the door.

He placed his hand on my forehead. “Here you go, sweetheart. The doctor will be here soon.”

I moaned. Shit. I did not want to see a doctor.

I fluttered my eyes. “Kane.”

“Yes, babe, just keep still.”

I rolled my eyes, faking dizziness. Another man was in the room.

“Can I . . .” I made a gurgling noise. “Can I have a glass of water, please?”

“Yes. Yes.” Kane turned to the guard. “Please, can you get her a glass of water?”

The guard squinted at us. “Someone will bring water.”

Shit. He’s not buying any of our story.

“What happened?” I moaned like I had a bellyache.

“You passed out, babe. That’s all. You’re okay?” The concern in Kane’s eyes messed with my brain.

“Where are your tickets?” the guard asked.

I moaned louder.

“Are you okay?” Kane asked me, ignoring the guard’s demand.

I smacked my lips together, stalling for time.

“Are you going to be sick?” Kane rubbed his hand on my arm.

My clutch was digging into my back. It gave me an idea. I exhaled and poked my tongue out. “I don’t know. I need to sit up.”

As Kane helped me to sit, I pushed the bag around to my back.

“I have the tickets in my bag. My pills are in there, too.” I faked searching for my bag at my side. “My bag? Where is it?”

Kane looked startled.

“Oh, God. My rings. I put them in my bag because my fingers are all swollen. Look!” I showed my hand with the injured fingers to the guard. “Where’s my bag? You need to find it. It has my diamond rings.”

Kane jumped to his feet. “Christ. We need to find her bag. It’s a silver clutch. Where did you have it, babe?”

“On the bridge. Please. I was talking to Baroness Sophia van der Hausen yesterday and she told me to be careful here.”

The guard’s eyes shot open. “Baroness Hausen?”

“Yes. We spoke yesterday. She was so worried about security here.”

The guard aimed his finger at Kane. “Stay here.”

He raced out the door. His heavy footfalls tracked his departure.

Kane peered out the doorway after the departing guard. When he swung his gaze back to me, his grin was spectacular.

“Let’s get out of here.” Grabbing my bag, I slid off the bench. Holding hands, we inched toward the door and after checking the corridor was empty, we sprinted in the opposite direction the guard had gone .

Adrenaline pumped through me as we raced past large ornate tapestries and statues wearing ancient suits of armor.

The frantic beat of our shoes on the marble floor echoed with distant laughter and music.

I let Kane lead the way, and after racing through a labyrinth of passages without being detected, we neared what seemed to be a dead-end corridor. Ahead of us, a door was slightly ajar, and a sliver of golden light spilled into the hallway. Kane yanked me inside and we did a quick scan to confirm we were alone.

The walls were lined with overloaded bookshelves, and dark-leather sofas filled the floor space.

He shot me a glance. “You good?”

“Yeah, but we don’t have much time before they realize we’re gone.”

“I know. We need to get into that crowd. You really were amazing back there, Tory.”

Before I could respond, he cupped my cheeks and planted his lips on mine.

My heart melted, but my head screamed at me to push him away. I pressed my hands to his chest. “Let’s focus on finding Gunter.”

“Roger that.” He grabbed my right hand.

I yelped and pulled my hand free.

“Shit! Sorry.” His expression crumbled. “Where’s your brace?”

“It didn’t go with my dress. I’m okay.”

“Crazy woman.” His eyes were a fascinating cocktail of admiration and desire.

My damn heart did little flips. Dragging my gaze from his, I cupped my damaged hand to my chest and reached for him with my other hand. “Let’s go.”

He pressed our palms together and as we slipped out of the room, the distant sound of thundering footsteps stood out from the murmurs of a crowd.

“They’re coming,” I whispered.

He led me along the corridor to a set of double doors. When he cracked them open, I pushed in beside him to peer into the next room. We’d found the grand ballroom.

“Remember, blend in. Act like we belong here.” He gripped my hand, and we stepped through to the ballroom where elegantly dressed guests mingled beneath shimmering chandeliers. Some danced in front of the four-piece band, but the hum of conversation and music did little to drown out my thumping heartbeat.

As we pushed through the crowd, Kane grabbed two glasses of champagne from a passing waiter and handed one to me. We paused, facing each other, and as we sipped our drink, we each looked in opposite directions.

“You see Gunter?” Kane asked.

“Not yet.”

Three guards stood across the room, but none of them looked nervous. Yet.

A white fur shawl was draped over a chair next to me. Ensuring nobody was watching, I slipped it off the back of the chair and then hooked my hand around Kane’s arm to lure him away.

I held my glass toward him. “Hold this.”

He took the glass, then his jaw dropped as I pulled on the shawl. “You sneaky little thing. Good idea, though.”

“Thanks. It’s all right for you. Just about every man is in a black tuxedo.”

The shawl had a rhinestone pin to hook the sides together. I removed the identifying jewelry from view, and as I attached it to the end of the shawl, my mind flashed back to seventeen-year-old me who had stolen grocery items for cheap thrills.

God, I’m awful.

I took my glass off Kane and drank my champagne in one go.

“You okay?” Kane asked.

“Yeah. I just feel bad about this.” I tugged the shawl, adjusting it over my shoulders. “Let’s get closer to the front tables. Maybe Gunter is up that way.”

As the band picked up a lively tune, Kane pressed his hand to my lower back, guiding me through the ballroom toward the round tables in front of the dance floor.

A guard to the right of the band scanned the crowd with watchful intensity. His gaze shifted to me, and I forced myself to look at him like I had nothing to fear. After several thumping heartbeats, he dragged his gaze away and I could breathe again.

As we approached a group of dignitaries engaged in animated discussion, I finally laid eyes on Gunter. “Found him. Right-hand table. He’s in a black tuxedo with a red bow tie.”

“Got him. Good work.” Kane squeezed my hand in the crook of his elbow, and I bit back the pain in my fingers. “Let’s go over this way.”

He guided me to a large pillar and when a waiter approached, we plucked a couple of canapes off a tray and turned back toward the crowd.

The guard I’d seen a moment ago was gone. I searched for him, and when I found him striding toward another guard, a surge of adrenaline shot through me. The first guard spoke to the second guard before they both spun back to the crowd. Their expression was no longer just watchful. It was lethal.

“Shit, Kane. Those guards are looking for us.”

“Just relax. Smile and try to laugh at some of my comments. Nobody suspects a gorgeous woman who smiles.”

“Really? That’s your theory?” I forced a laugh.

“Now you’re getting the hang of it.” He sipped his champagne.

Kane had balls of steel.

Gunter nodded at the other men at his table, then tugging down his jacket, he strode away, weaving through the twirling couples on the dancefloor.

“Here we go.” Kane pressed his hand to my lower back again and we followed Gunter.

As we crossed the room, I smiled and said hello to people I didn’t know, and my stomach twisted into tight little knots. Keeping up my charade, I glanced back to see if the guards had caught our movements, but they weren’t where I last saw them.

“Shit.” I tugged Kane’s arm. “The guards are gone.”

“Yes. They moved to the other side of the room. Keep on Gunter’s tail.”

The pressure of being caught clawed at my chest, but the touch of Kane’s hand on my back was more comforting than I anticipated.

Gunter reached the far end of the ballroom, and his black coat disappeared from view as he stepped into the passage.

“He’s going to the restrooms,” I said.

“Yep, this is our chance.”

We stepped into the dimly lit corridor. At least a dozen elegantly dressed women and men in stiff suits mingled in the hallway.

“Dammit,” Kane hissed. “We’re not going to bail up Gunter in this area.”

“I have an idea.”

Kane’s eye twinkled. “I’m listening.”

“When he comes out, you need to block him from walking away.”

“Roger that.”

As we waited outside the men’s restroom door, trying not to look conspicuous, I peered farther down the hallway at several closed doors. Hopefully, we could get Gunter into one of them.

I fished into my bag for my lipstick. My heart pounded as I removed the lid and glided lipstick onto my lips.

Gunter emerged from the restroom.

Kane strode right into him, just about bowling him over. “Sorry about that.”

I jabbed my capped lipstick into Gunter’s lower back and leaned into his ear. “I have a gun aimed at your kidney.”

Gunter gasped and tried to look at me.

“Keep your eyes straight,” I hissed, surprised and equally terrified by how convincing I was. “If you draw attention to us, I will shoot you. Nod if you understand.”

Gunter wildly nodded.

“Good. We’re going to walk together down this passage.” I nudged the lipstick into his back.

“What do you want?” he asked, voice low.

I shoved him. “Move.”

Gunter stumbled forward and glanced over his shoulder. His eyes flared when he saw Kane. “You!” His jaw dropped.

“Shut up and move.” Kane’s tone was manly and mean.

And totally sexy.

Gunter’s shoulders shuddered and as we ushered him down the dimly lit hallway, my heart hammered to a wild beat. I was supposed to be a cop, upholding the law, and in the space of ten minutes, I’d committed theft and abduction at gunpoint.

I am going to hell!

As if we planned it, Kane and I walked Gunter past several rooms before I nodded at a door that was slightly ajar.

“In there.” I pressed the lipstick into Gunter’s back .

Kane pushed open the door, and I gave Gunter a shove in his back. The room was dark, and a faint glow came from a massive window with heavy velvet curtains draped to either side casting shadows across stacks of boxes along one wall. Kane locked the door behind us.

“What do you want?” Gunter’s voice wavered.

“We want answers.” Kane pulled a chair out from a large wooden desk. “Sit.”

As Gunter shuffled to the seat, I shoved the lipstick away before he saw I wasn’t actually armed.

Kane grabbed Gunter’s biceps and forced him onto the seat. “Start talking!”

“I don’t know anything.” His voice elevated a few notches.

I joined Kane’s side. “Who are you working for?”

“Nobody. I’m a guest speaker at this gala, that’s all.”

“You saw something on our map. What was it?”

His bushy eyebrows thumped together. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

I pulled out another chair and sitting opposite him, I gave him a sympathetic smile. “Gunter, here’s what we know. We showed you a map yesterday and you saw something on it that made your eyes light up. You closed your shop and followed us to find out where we went. Then you hired someone to kill us and steal the map from us.”

“What?” His eyes grew enormous. “I never hired anyone to kill you. I’d never do that!”

“We were attacked by a man who tried to steal my map.” Kane’s tone was firm and commanding.

“I don’t know anything about that,” Gunter stuttered. “I swear.”

“Who did you tell about us?” I asked.

Gunter’s knuckles bulged as he clasped his hands in his lap.

Kane leaned on the desk, getting in Gunter’s face. “Who did you tell about us?”

Gunter shook his head, and he twisted his hands into knots.

“What did you see on the map?” I asked.

He clenched his jaw.

“Gunter, I was an interrogation specialist in the military,” Kane said with incredible restraint. “You need to understand that I have punishing ways to make you talk. We can either ask you politely, or things can get very bloody. You have ten seconds to decide.”

Gunter shuddered. “I don’t know anything. I swear.”

“Eight seconds.”

“I can’t tell you. He’ll kill me and my wife.”

“Five seconds.”

“You don’t understand.”

“Two seconds, Gunter.”

“Okay.” He raised his hands. “Just, just step back.” He let out a rushed breath.

“Who is he?” I asked in the sweetest voice I could muster.

“He said his name was John Smith.” Gunter’s shoulders sagged. “He’s Australian. Like you.”

Australian! My thoughts bounced all over the place.

Kane tugged his phone from his pocket, swiped through the screen, and then kicked Gunter’s foot. “Is this him?”

Gunter peered at the screen. “I never met him.”

“How did he contact you?”

“He . . . he rang me.”

“When?” Kane barked.

“What did he say?” I asked, keeping my tone softer.

“He said if a man and woman from Australia come into my shop looking for a map, I had to call him.”

“Why?” I asked.

“He didn’t say.”

I glanced at Kane. “When did he call?”

“Saturday morning.”

“Why you?”

“I don’t know.” Gunter’s huge eyes flitted from me to Kane.

“After you saw us, what did you do?”

“I rang him.”

“On what number?”

“I wrote it on a note, but I . . . I threw it away.”

“Why?” Kane said through clenched teeth.

“I don’t know.”

“Why did you do what he asked?” I said, offering a soft smile.

Gunter’s eyes swooped from me to Kane.

“Why?” Kane barked.

Gunter shuddered.

I leaned forward. “Gunter, why did you tell him about us? We didn’t do anything to hurt you. Why did you want to hurt us?”

“I didn’t. I swear.”

“But you did. He attacked us.”

“I didn’t know he was going to do that. He said he wanted to talk to you that’s all, I swear.”

“And what did you want?”

His face went so pale that the spider veins on his nose looked like a disease.

“Answer me.” Kane’s scowl was terrifying.

Gunter’s chin quivered. “I wanted . . .”

Kane gripped Gunter’s shoulder. “What did you want?”

Gunter shook so much his jowls shivered. “Your map.”

“Why?”

“Because of the lion.”

My heart skipped a beat. “The one drawn on the map?”

His gaze darted from me to Kane.

“Tell us!” Kane kicked his foot again.

“You don’t know. Oh wow.” Gunter’s jaw dropped. “You don’t know.”

“What don’t we know?”

Gunter’s gaze fell to the floor.

“Gunter.” I eased forward on the chair. “We know about Goering’s gold and the lion emblem.”

His eyes brightened. “I can help you find it?”

“How?” I said.

“No!” Kane barked at the same time.

I glared at Kane.

Shouts rang down the hallway.

Gunter’s eyes shot to the closed door.

“Don’t even think about it,” Kane hissed. “What did you see on my map?”

Gunter sucked air through his nostrils. “The teeth.”

“What teeth?”

The shouts got louder outside the door.

“We need to go,” I said .

“Help!” Gunter yelled.

Kane slapped his hand over Gunter’s mouth, pinning him in position.

“Help,” Gunter mumbled through Kane’s hand.

“Find something to tie him up,” Kane said.

I unhooked the satin rope holding the curtain open, and the heavy drape fell across the window, darkening the room. As I raced back to Kane, the commotion in the hallway grew louder.

Gunter groaned as I pulled his hands behind his back and tied his wrists to the chair.

“We need to get out of here.” I glared at Kane.

Kane leaned into Gunter’s ear. “Are the teeth on the map a clue to the missing gold bars from the train?”

Gunter’s nostrils flared as he tried to breathe.

Heavy boots sounded outside.

Panic surged through me.

“We have to go!” I clutched Kane’s arm.

Kane shook his head, fury raging in his eyes.

The door rattled.

“Help.”

Kane suppressed Gunter’s muffled cry with his hand.

I expected the door to burst inward.

We all held our breath.

Outside the door, the sounds of footsteps running started again.

We got lucky. I doubted we would dodge a second attempt at that door. I raced to the window, praying it was a way to escape.

“Answer me and you’ll never see us again,” Kane said to Gunter. “If you don’t, you will be forever looking over your shoulder.”

I pulled up the window latch and pushed on the heavy wooden frame. The old hinges creaked as the chilly night air rushed in. “We have to go.” I peered down and my stomach churned. A small ledge jutted out three feet below the windowsill. Then the wall went straight down twenty feet to the moat that surrounded the castle.

I searched for another option. There wasn’t one. The moat was about fifteen feet wide and was hemmed in with a lush grassy embankment. Beyond that was the paddock where the cars had been parked for the gala event .

I yanked off my stilettos so hard, I broke the strap on the left shoe, then I tossed them out the window.

“Answer me.” Kane pressed all his weight on the hand over Gunter’s mouth.

Finally, Gunter nodded. “It is a clue.” His voice muffled through Kane’s hand.

Kane nodded at me. “Go.”

Shit. Shit. I hoisted myself onto the ledge and peered at Gunter. The raw fear blazing in his eyes scraped at my sanity.

“Help! Help!” Gunter’s cries were barely audible through Kane’s hand.

My heart hammered in my chest.

Kane tugged Gunter’s bow tie from around his neck and stuffed it into Gunter’s mouth, cutting off his cries.

Oh jeez. We’re both going to hell.

I swung my leg over the windowsill and the bricks scraped against my palms as I lowered to the ledge, making sure my skirt didn’t catch on the rough surface. This ledge better lead to another window.

Kane followed behind me, his long legs reaching the ledge easier than mine.

“What do we do now?” I blurted.

“Jump,” he said.