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Her eyes connected with his, and she nodded.
“If you’ll come with us, please,” he paused to give Bradshaw a look. “I’m sure the guns won’t be necessary.
Bradshaw lowered his weapon, and she came forward.
Shannon took a deep breath and tried to stay calm as Nicklaus’s two goons led her into the estate’s library. There were tall bookcases, a fireplace off to the left and a bank of windows behind the massive carved desk.
Nicklaus was sitting in the chair, leaning back, his hand at his chin, stroking. He appeared to be deep in thought. His eyes flicked up as she was led into the room, and for just a moment she noted the look of astonishment on his face before he quickly hid it. He rose to his feet.
Shannon looked him in the eye. “I’m here, Nicklaus. It’s what you wanted. You won. Now let her go.”
Nicklaus smiled, looking Shannon up and down. “You’re looking well, Shannon, luv. Although you have been keeping company with some rather undesirable ruffians. Really, my dear, you chose the very dregs of society this time.”
Her spine straightened, and her chin came up. “The company was preferable to the company I’m in now.” She watched the corner of his mouth pull up, and then his eyes slid to a door she hadn’t noticed off to her left.
Shannon’s gaze followed his to see a man enter pulling a woman with him. Her eyes moved passed the man to the woman. Angel! Her hands were bound behind her back. My God, she didn’t look well. Her eyes flew back to Nicklaus. “What…what did you do to her?”
His eyes met hers. “Just gave her a little something to keep her in line.”
Her eyes narrowed at him. “More of your drugs, Nick? Is that the only way women can stand your company? When you drug them?” She watched his eyes flare with the heat of anger. Turning her attention back to Angel, she asked, “Angel, are you all right? Did they hurt you?”
Angel’s head lifted to Shannon, her eyes trying to focus. “I’m…I’m okay. You shouldn’t have come, Shannon.”
“I had to,” she whispered back. “I’m so sorry, Angel. I never wanted you to be hurt in this-”
Her eyes swung back to Nicklaus, full of fury. “Don’t you dare hurt her.”
“Well, I hope I won’t have to, luv. But then, that all depends on you.”
“I’m here. You won, you asshole! You don’t need her anymore!” She could see in his face the rage take over and realized too late that she’d made a grave mistake in letting her emotions rule her mouth. She should have remembered how talking back to him, especially swearing at him was a major trigger for his wrath.
“Enough!” Nicklaus snapped. He looked at the man holding Angel and jerked his head toward the door. “Get rid of her. Make sure they never find the body.”
Shannon glanced over, and then her head spun back to Nicklaus, noting that the head of one of the men standing next to her also jerked toward Nicklaus in surprise. “What?” Shannon shrieked. “Nick, no, please. Don’t do this. I’m sorry I said that. I’m here. I won’t cause you anymore trouble, I swear. Just let her go.”
Nicklaus’s hooded gaze cut to her. “That’s very true, Shannon, you’ve caused me all the trouble I intend to stand for.”
The man dragged Angel out the door, and one of the men that had escorted her inside, the one that had pulled the g
un on her, followed him out.
Shannon flung herself forward, her hands planted palms down on the desktop. “Nicklaus, please. I’m begging you, don’t do this!”
“I better go make sure those two idiots don’t fuck this up,” the other man that escorted her in said. Shannon’s eyes swung to him, studying him a moment, their eyes connecting before hers broke away and returned to Nicklaus who nodded at the man.
“Yes, perhaps that would be best, Tate. See to it.”
“Please, Nick. You don’t have to do this. Please!”
The man called Tate moved quickly out the door.
Tate climbed into the backseat of the car, where Carter held a now blindfolded and gagged Angel. “Change of plans. We’re letting her go.”
“What? You’re shittin’ me?”
“Boss changed his mind.”
“Never seen that happen before,” Carter answered skeptically.
