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Others?Kaiya thought. Who else had NSH ordered to be taken? As scenarios of death and destruction played in her mind on unwitting American and Australian citizens, Cox removed a white handkerchief from his pants pocket and wiped off the blood, handing the bloody material to Allambee.
“Take your friend out of here and dispose of him.” Before Allambee could move, Cox grabbed the front of his shirt. “Make sure he’s not found. If he is?—”
“Yes, Mr. Cox,” Allambee stammered, his voice shaking, his eyes tearing. Bending down, he dragged Billy out of the warehouse.
Through all of this, Mickey had been inching back toward the door. “Don’t leave without settling your debt, Mickey,” Cox said. Mickey stopped moving and swallowed hard. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a wad of cash, money he’d just gotten from ratting out the crime lord. How ironic was that?
“It’s all there.” It was clear he didn’t want to approach Cox too closely, but he had no choice. Glancing at her, he gave her a steady, reassuring look that the moment he got out of there, he was going to alert her department.
Talk about being in a really bad place and at a very bad time.
Mickey extended his hand and Cox retrieved the money from his palm. He pocketed it without counting it. “I’m sure it's all there. You wouldn’tstiffme.”
Before Mickey could draw his arm back, Cox grabbed his wrist. “I can’t let you leave just yet. Let’s see what our copper has to say.”
Oh, God. He suspected it was Mickey who had informed on him. She clenched her jaw against defending Mickey. If she said one word, made one move that showed she cared about what happened to him, Cox would know for sure.
“Get another chair and make him comfortable.” He took off his overcoat, then his suit coat, and started to roll up the sleeves of his once pristine white shirt that was now flecked with Billy’s blood. He came over to her and backhanded her across the face. “Just a little opener before we get down to business.” His grin was pure evil. “Close the door, while we have a little chat with Agent Pawar with the pretty eyes.”
8
Rose’s eyes popped open,and her stomach rolled heavily. She fought her way out of bed and ran for her bathroom, hitting the door so hard it banged against the wall. She made it to the toilet just in time to empty her stomach contents into the bowl. She panted at the unpleasant sensation, then felt someone gather up her hair as she heaved again.
She rested there for a moment, making sure she wasn’t going to lose it again, then when her stomach quieted down to a dull roar, she flushed. She sat back on her haunches, her elbow braced on the edge of the tub, supporting her head, and she felt as if all the blood in her face had drained away.
The sound of water made her head lift, and she saw Karasu at the sink running a washcloth under the water and then twisting the excess out. Celeste was in the doorway, her face pinched in concern.
Karasu crouched down and sent the warm washcloth over her face.
“You know I can do that,” Rose said solemnly.
“You can do a lot of things, Wonder Woman, sans the outfit and the lasso.”
“Yeah, I wish,” Rose said.
“We could use an invisible jet right about now,” Celeste said.
They all chuckled.
Karasu gently pushed back her hair, then wiped her face again, a smile forming as Rose closed her eyes, feeling on the edge of tears. This was so unlike her. “But I’m doing this for you right now, lady.” There was Karasu’s tough love tone.
She had to face her stark reality. She counted back in her head, then opened her eyes, the fizzling sensation turning into a cold rush. She should have known.
Suddenly so shaky, she wasn’t sure her legs were going to hold her, she reclined against the back of the tub.
Something had gone wrong, even though they had been careful.
She was pregnant.
She was going to have Christopher “Iceman” Snow’s baby. She couldn’t believe it. Elation washed through her in one fantastic rush, and she started to tremble all over. She drew up her knees and rested her forehead against them, so weak from shock that she felt lightheaded.
A baby. She couldn’t be more thrilled—or more scared. She wished Iceman was here. She would feel so much better about her chances of getting out of here alive with Karasu and Celeste if she just had some idea that they were searching for them.
Of course, he was looking for her. That was the hormone imbalance talking.
Her husband, Preacher, and GQ would never stop looking for them.
“So, what’s going on here?” Celeste asked, leaning against the doorframe. You have a stomach bug?”
