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He walked down the short aisle and took a seat somewhere in the front. Kat eased into her seat marginally, pretending to gaze out the window while she kept alert to what was happening around her.
It was a long flight. Despite fighting her fatigue, she fell asleep, and when she woke, it was dark outside. She wished she’d worn a watch so she could tell how much time had passed. She hadn’t removed her coat, but she was shivering. It was cold.
A long time later, they were still steady on course, and she needed the bathroom badly. She had no choice but to call Mark, who hadn’t been back to check on her.
He walked to her seat with an indifferent expression. “What do you want?”
“I need to use the bathroom,” she said.
He took her arm, pushed her to the back, and opened the toilet cabin door. When she exited a few minutes later, he stood waiting, ready to take her back to her seat. Without a word, he pushed a bottle of water into her hands.
Not long after that, the pressure in her ears told her they were descending.
Mark appeared next to her seat. “Put on your safety belt.” When she’d obeyed, he said, “I’m going to blindfold you.” He showed her a black cloth and tapped her head to indicate he wanted her to lean forward.
She sat quietly while he tied the fabric over her eyes. At least he wasn’t tying her up or cuffing her.
After a smooth landing, Mark took her arm and pulled her to her feet. Treading carefully, she followed him to the front, her heart beating in her throat. As soon as the door of the plane opened, a blast of hot, humid air assaulted her. She was too hot in her coat now, but didn’t dare utter a word. No one spoke during the transit from the plane to the next transport medium, which turned out to be a car.
The inside of the vehicle was cooler. The AC was probably on full blast. She listened for sounds, anything that could tell her something about her location, but all she could hear was the soft hum of the engine and the crunch of the wheels on the tarmac, and then there was only the sound of the air fanning through the AC. At least with no one speaking she could count in her head, trying to figure out for how long they were driving. It wasn’t easy, but she guessed they had to have traveled no more than fifteen minutes before they pulled to a stop.
The door opened and hot air washed over her again. This time, she was dragged from the car and up a path that sounded under her heels. Mark kept his hand firmly on her arm. The other men’s footsteps fell around them. They stopped. A buzz and a click sounded, and then she was guided forward again. The air was cool. She was inside a building. She walked for a short while before Mark turned her left and stopped. A knock fell on a door. When it opened with a creak, Mark shoved her over the threshold. The door shut behind her. Was she alone or was Mark with her?
When nothing happened for several seconds, she tentatively reached for the blindfold.
“You can take it off now,” a female voice said.
The sound made Kat jump. She pulled the blindfold over her head and blinked several times for her eyes to adjust to the light. She stood in a bedroom, but her priority was focusing on the person facing her rather than exploring the environment.
As her eyes focused, she recognized the journalist she’d met at the Valentine’s Ball in Santiago. The brunette stood on the opposite side of the room with her arms crossed. She was dressed in skinny jeans, a red sweater, and heels.
“Good flight?” Vanessa asked. Without waiting for an answer, she waved an arm around the space. “This will be your room for the next six months. Make yourself at home.” Approaching Kat, she scrutinized her. “Whatever does Lann see in you?”
As she rounded Kat, Kat cupped her stomach protectively.
“What kind of mother would give away her child to save herself?” Vanessa asked with an ugly smile.
Kat didn’t answer. She simply followed Vanessa’s movements with her gaze.
Stopping abruptly, Vanessa grabbed a fistful of Kat’s hair. “If I ask you a question, you’ll answer.”
Kat fixed the brunette with a stare. “Go to hell.”
Vanessa narrowed her eyes. “I’d be careful if I were you. Just because he wants the child and won’t hurt you now, don’t think he won’t let me have my way when your job is done.”
“Are you going to kill me?”
“No,” a male voice said from the door.
Kat spun around. She hadn’t heard the door open. A tall, blond man with almond-colored eyes and a handsome face stood in the frame, appraising her. He was wearing a black suit and silver tie.
