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She’d wanted to bury him.
How could she know that he’d manage to free himself and the government wouldn’t even let her know that he was out.
“You knew I’d come back for you, right?”
She lifted her head and met his triumphant gaze. “I would have expected a bullet to the back of my head.” Cygny looked at the room around her, the art, the art buyers, and the security teams. “This is quite a fancy set up.” When she met his gaze again, she let some of her frustration bleed out in a smile. “Or was this all to draw me out. You taught me a lot about hiding in plain site, boss. I bet you didn’t expect me to continue learning after I sent you to jail.”
His hands fisted at his sides and she kept her features neutral so she wouldn’t goad him into complete and utter rage. At least not yet.
She’d figure things out soon. Until then, she had to keep him off balance.
Cygny had kept learning after she left Homeland Security.
She just didn’t know if she’d grown enough or would his experience be too much for her to overcome?
* * *
Gettingup onto his knees made him feel as week as a newborn puppy. It was progress, but he couldn’t seem to get all of his limbs working together.
Time seemed to race and crawl at the same time. He wanted to get back inside, but he also felt like it would be better to find a way to signal their team. He just didn’t know if the energy he had left was enough to do both.
Helena had it out for Cygny. Her sister.
He knew that the revelation would shock Cygny. It was going to knock her back.
The last thing he wanted was for Cygny to be alone when she found out that not only did she have a sister, but the man who had used her was her father.
Leo told her that he had her six.
And he did.
He had to get inside first.
Leo managed to get a leg under him, but he couldn’t feel his toes and had no idea if it would support him when he got up. His hands felt the same way as he braced himself to make his attempt to get up on his feet. It wasn’t about if he could make it happen, he would have to make it happen.
He needed to.
Because he couldn’t imagine what it would be like without her.
He’d do whatever it took not to find out.
* * *
The distinctive heelstrikes coming down the hallway made Cygny’s heart kick up as Helena stepped inside the room and took her place beside Nicholas.
That’s when it clicked into place.
“You’re his daughter.”
Helena tossed her head and set her hands on her hips. “Good, you can see the resemblance.”
“It’s easy to see with the two of you standing beside each other.” Cygny felt bile coat the back of her tongue as she saw Nicholas’ cold assessing look of his daughter. “Why are you doing this?”
“That’s what I would like to know.” Helena’s voice was sharp, but she kept her gaze away from her father. “He doesn’t need you.”
“No,” Cygny shook her head, “he doesn’t.”
“This is about your defiance, Cygny.” The way he said her name made her feel dirty, as if he’d touched yet another part of her life and left his mark behind. “This is about showing you that your betrayal can’t be left unpunished.”
One of the other buyers had about enough. “So what? We’re just here for shits and giggles?”
Nicholas turned in his direction and nailed the man with a look.
The man didn’t seem to understand the danger he was in when he glared right back. “Are we going to have the sale? Or have I wasted my time?”
“Wasted your time?” Nicholas gestured at the art on the wall. “What do you call the opportunity to see, up close and personal, these amazing works of art? Isn’t it worth the flight to see these master canvases up close? I’ve seen the video footage of this room, Mister Helstrom. You had your hands all over the pieces. You should thank me for that alone.”
Cygny heard a shift in Nicolas’ voice and she stepped forward, drawing his attention onto herself.
“Let them go.”
Nicholas turned his head toward her with a slow, measured look. “Is that an order?”
“No,” she shook her head and gestured at Mister Helstrom. “He’s not a part of this. You’ve said that this is to punish me. Then do that, let them go and then you can concentrate on me.”
She could tell he was considering her words and she had to hold back the hopeful look that was welling up inside of her.
Nicolas turned to look at the guard closest to him, the one beside the door. Before he could give his order, Mister Helstrom proved that he couldn’t read the room at all.
“I’m not leaving until you allow us to bid for the pieces.”
Cygny started to speak, but Nicholas held up a hand and the look in his eyes gave her pause.
“So you refuse to leave.”
No, it wasn’t a question.
But Mister Helstrom didn’t seem to be able to tell the difference.
“I want what you promised us. I want to bid on the pieces.”
Nicholas folded his arms and smiled at the gentleman. Cygny felt the waves of malice coming from the older man, but Mister Helstrom had already made up his mind. He’d mimicked Nicholas, folding his arms over his chest as if it was just another negotiation tactic.
Helstrom may be rich, but he was also hell at reading body language.
Nicolas gestured at the room. “Do you have your eye on one in particular?”
