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I blinked in surprise. I knew he was around because I’d seen him downstairs in the gym once Coach had pointed him out, but I was surprised to hear him on the phone.
“I’m alone right now,” I replied, so damn tired that I wanted it all over with.
“I’m downstairs and we need to get you out of here and back to New York.”
“I can’t go anywhere. I can’t risk Evie.”
“Dammit, Stryker. You’re both as bad as the other. Evie is only going ahead with the wedding because Declan promised her to let you go after the fight. She bargained the marriage for you. She thinks he’s going to let you walk away and go back to your father. But that’s a lie. Declan won’t let you go and the fight tomorrow isn’t officially sanctioned, which means anything goes. They make their own rules. You hear what I’m saying? You know what that means.”
I’d never fought in an unsanctioned fight, but I’d heard about them. It was one way for Declan to end things with an enemy or someone who’d crossed him. Lots of blood would be spilled.
“I hear you. What do you want me to do, Carter?”
“I want to get you out of there, and I need for you to trust me. If not for yourself, then trust me because Evie needs our help.”
My hand clenched around the phone. “I’ll do anything I can to protect her.”
“Okay, I’m going to come up for you. Be ready.” The phone went dead. I let it drop back to the desk.
Be ready. Ready for what?
Seconds later, I dashed into the bedroom and quickly changed into jeans, and a clean T-shirt. I fastened my sneakers, pulled a sweatshirt on, grabbed my cap and went to wait in the room.
A knock at the door had me looking through the security hole before I yanked it open to admit Carter.
“We need to go before one of them gets ahold of Patrick or Declan.” Carter looked up and down the corridor. “Let’s go.”
I followed behind him and found that I wasn’t surprised when he shoved me into the elevator.
“I got them to the lobby. Told them Declan was checking in and had sent me up to watch you while they went and helped him. It won’t take long for them to realize it was bullshit.”
He stopped the elevator on four.
Again, I followed him. This time we ran up two floors and got in the elevator again.
Carter grinned, and watched something on his cell. “Look.” He turned it to me and I saw the lobby. “I planted a small camera down there so I could make sure the coast was clear.” He grinned. “It worked.”
As the doors opened, Carter looked out and then indicated we were still in the clear. “We’re going to walk straight out of here and into the black SUV that’s sitting directly outside.”
I nodded.
My heart beat rapidly as I placed one foot in front of the other toward the exit. The doors loomed closer and tempted me to run, which Carter obviously sensed.
“Hold on. We’re good.”
I didn’t know where his confidence came from because I was so fucking scared that I’d be caught and taken back to hell.
Outside, I breathed in the smell of freedom and followed Carter into the SUV. The minute the door closed, we were being driven away from the hotel.
Yanking my cap off, I wiped the sweat from my forehead and sat back breathing heavily while I watched Carter chat to the guy driving the SUV.
I presumed he was a friend of Carter’s and that I hadn’t jumped into more hell.
As we left the city behind us, Carter settled back and watched me. “Whatever you’re thinking, stop. You’re safe now and Evie will be soon. I have something to tell you about me and the private jet we have waiting to get us back to New York.” He turned away and faced the way we travelled. “You, more than anyone, are aware that sometimes things aren’t as they seem, and neither are people. Me included. My real name is Carter Thompson, and I have a story to tell you…
Evie
MY MOTHER DROVE ME crazy with her constant chatter about the wedding that was happening tomorrow. My father had looked sad when I’d arrived, and after a tight hug, he’d kissed my forehead and left the house.
