“There’s no need to be shy.” Soren sounded much closer. Less than five paces away. “I’ll see you undressed soon enough…”
Gideon didn’t like the way Rune tensed at those words.
In a few seconds, Soren would pull back this curtain, hoping to sneak inside. And when he did, he’d find Gideon already in here.
“Soren,” Rune tried again. “You know it’s bad luck to—”
The prince grabbed the curtain.
Gideon seized Rune’s pistol and pressed it to her head. She stiffened against him.
Soren flung back the curtain. At the sight inside the fitting room, the cocky smile on his face melted into shock.
“Do exactly as I say,” Gideon snarled. “Or I’ll put a bullet in yourdarling’stiny head.”
FOURTEENGIDEON
“YOU.”SOREN’S LIP CURLEDat the sight of Gideon. But he was all teeth and no bite. Gideon had what Soren wanted; Gideon, therefore, was the one with all the power here.
“That’s right.” Gideon slid his arm around Rune’s waist, pulling her tight against him. An eerie calmness settled like a blanket over him. “Unless you’d like your bride-to-be’s brains splattered against the wall, you’ll do as I say.”
The stunned prince looked from Gideon to Rune to the gun.
“Lock the front door,” said Gideon.
The words sank in. Soren snapped out of his shock and did as Gideon commanded, striding toward the front door and locking it. Making no move to alert the guards out front.
Gideon nudged Rune from the fitting room, keeping the revolver pressed to her head.
“All of you.” He nodded to Soren, the shop matron, and the gaggle of customers—who now looked like a flock of frightened birds. “Get behind the front counter.”
As they obeyed, Gideon backed toward the rear of the shop, taking Rune with him.
Under her breath, Rune whispered: “Left.The door is to yourleft.”
She hadn’t struggled when he took her hostage. As if she sensed his plan the moment he put it in motion. As if she were handing him the reins, letting him steer them out of this.
Gideon found the door. He pressed his shoulders against it.
“If you come after us,” he called to Soren, “I’ll kill her.”
Pushing the door open, Gideon dragged Rune out. It slammed shut behind them.
The sun beat down, blinding him for a second.
“I have a hotel room,” he said, letting Rune go. Pulling the fedora off his head, he chucked it in the nearby refuse bin. “We can go there until I figure out a plan.”
“I already have a plan.”
Rune pulled out of his grip and turned toward the bin. Two suitcases were hidden behind it.
“Give me my gun back,” she said. “You’ll need both hands to carry these.”
Gideon frowned as she dragged them out. Had she packed these and planted them here? But that would mean…
“Now, Gideon. They’ll be on us in seconds.”
“Is that theprince’sluggage?”
