AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Also like yesterday, I sent Teagon a text, informing her that I was headed out to lunch.
“What sounds good?” Linc asked as we exited the building.
“Um…anything is fine…” I checked my phone when I didn’t get a response from Teagon. She always responded within seconds. I suppose she could be in the loo, but even then, she responded.
“Everything okay?”
I scratched my forehead, studying my phone and willing the three little dots to appear and ease my mind. When they didn’t, I bit my lower lip. “I’m sorry to do this to you two days in a row, but I need to run home and check on something.”
“Would you like me to go with you?”
Still no dots. What in the bloody hell?
“Kensington?”
“I’m sorry, what?”
“I asked if you wanted me to go with you?”
“No, no. It’s fine, I’m sure. Go on and get lunch, and I’ll meet you back at the office.”
“You’re certain?”
“Quite,” I answered, still studying my phone.
“Can I get you a cab?”
“That would be great, thanks.” The hair on the back of my neck stood up. Something was wrong; I could feel it. Maybe she’d slipped in the shower and hit her head. Or maybe it was as simple as she’d been called to a meeting at MI6 and couldn’t answer her phone. That’s probably all it was. But wouldn’t she have sent a text, telling me so?
“Here you go,” said Linc, holding the door of the cab open for me. “You’re certain you don’t want me to come along?” he asked again.
“No, but thanks so much. I’ll see you later.” I gave the driver my address, and as he sped away from the building, I realized I’d probably just made it really bloody hard for whomever was on my detail today to keep up with me. I turned around, but didn’t see any cabs following directly behind. “Fuck,” I muttered under my breath.
When the driver pulled up to my grandparents’ house—mine now, it was hard to remember that—I handed him a few euros and raced to the front door. Chills went up and down my spine when I put my hand on the knob and it opened. I didn’t hear the alarm beeping either. Something was very wrong.
“Teagon?” I called out. “Hello?” I was about to turn around and walk back out when a hand went over my mouth.
“Kenzie, édesem, I’ve been waiting for you.”
I almost wretched, hearing Konstantine’s voice.
“Where is Teagon?” I cried when he moved his hand.
“Your friend? She and I hadn’t met, Kenzie. Why is that? Do you think I’m not good enough to meet your friends?”
“Where is she, Konstantine?” I tried to move my head, but he’d moved his hand to my throat, and his grip was too tight. “Tell me where she is, or—”
He gripped harder, cutting off my windpipe, just like he had that night in the hotel room.
“You’ve made things very, very difficult for me, Kenzie. You know this, yes?”
“I…” It was impossible to try to talk. I grabbed at his fingers, trying to loosen his hold on me. I was losing strength quickly, and soon I’d lose consciousness. I was beginning to see black spots and feeling dizzy when I heard a commotion at the front door.
“Konstantine, let her go!” I heard Rile yell.
Konstantine’s grip loosened. Not enough for me to get away, but I could breathe. I cried out when he jammed something into my side.
“Come closer and I’ll kill her. Don’t think I won’t.” He turned so I was staring directly at Cortez. Konstantine moved his arm around my neck and tightened his grip. He shoved whatever was at my side in harder. “I know you. You’re one of Otto’s men,” he shouted. “My fucking cousin won’t give up. You tell him that she is mine. I’ll kill her before I let him get his hands on her,” he screeched.
