Page 71 of Top Secret Cowboy


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Bronte was just wiggling her tight shapewear over her hips when a familiar voice made her blood run cold.

“Bronte! I know it’s you. Get out here. We need to talk before that guy suspects me and rips my head off.”

Bronte’s fingers convulsed on the tight elastic material. Her heart was doing backflips, and her stomach threatened to rebel.

No. It couldn’t be. Itcouldn’tbe Angelica in the same restroom with her.

But who else could it be? She knew that voice. She’d spent countless late nights discussing business strategies and giggling over the missteps they made early on in Artemis.

How did she get past Jace?

Had he just let the woman waltz into the bathroom? Maybe her intuition about people reallywasoff. She’d loved Angelica and was betrayed. Now the man who promised to protect her—let this happen.

Quickly, she yanked the underwear up and let her gown fall to her ankles. Sweat broke out on her face and throat. What exactly was she walking into? Should she act poised or scream her head off for Jace?

With her heart in her mouth, she slowly slid the metal door lock to the side and cracked the door open.

Angelica stood in front of her, wearing a server uniform. She’d bleached her hair from its usual warm brown hue to an ashy gray-blonde that made her skin appear pasty.

Bronte sliced a look at the door. “I can have help in here in less than a second. Don’t try anything!”

Angelica stepped closer and pitched her voice low. “Bronte, please listen to me. I didn’t want to betray you. You have to believe me. I love Artemis just as much as you do.”

Not understanding, she shook her head. “Then why?” The pain she rarely let anyone see when it came to Angelica’s treachery echoed in her voice.

“I didn’t have a choice. My life was on the line!”

“Speaking of that—I received your bloody shirt in a box! Why aren’t you dead?”

“Look, there isn’t much time to explain.”

“No, there isn’t! You’re about to lose your freedom!” Bronte took a step toward the door.

Angelica grabbed her arm and spun her back. Bronte glared at her. They were equal in height but she was wearing heels and Angelica wasn’t, so she had a few inches to glower down at her ex-partner.

Angelica stank of fear. “I was at a bar to meet a guy I met on a dating app. We’d been chatting for a while and I thought he was worth meeting in a public spot. We had a drink and talked. Nothing more happened between us. But I only remember leaving the bar that night—everything else is wiped from my memory. I woke up in a hotel room with gauze around my arm.”

Bronte looked at her hard. “Gauze?”

“A bandage. Someone took my blood. I don’t know what they did with it!”

“I do! I just told you I received your bloody Artemis shirt. I thought you were dead.”

A thud sounded from outside the bathroom door. Panic blasted through Bronte and she whirled to leave, but a sharp sting in her own arm was the last thing she registered.

ChapterFourteen

Jace’s gut was telling him to break into that bathroom and drag Bronte out of this place. But a glance around the empty hallway told him that everything was just fine.

He checked his phone. What was taking her so long? Then he remembered that women sometimes had to deal with difficult undergarments when going to the restroom. He’d give her two more minutes and then he was going in there.

Jaren’s voice projected into his ear. “I’ve got the car. Where are you?”

“Bronte had to use the restroom.”

“Shit. Okay, just hurry. I don’t have an easy feeling.”

“Neither do I.” He raked his fingers through his hair and leaned close to the door, listening for the sound of running water to indicate Bronte was finishing up.

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