“Who else would I be with?” My reply was sharp, the change in his tone affecting mine.

“I see. And are you two still just… friends?” There was no mistaking his meaning or the leashed anger in his words now.

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” I snapped, guilt hitting me hard. I knew exactly what he meant. “What do you care if I’m in Vegas with Kade or what we do here? In case you’ve forgotten, Blane, you and I broke up.”

“That doesn’t mean I stopped loving you. I just never imagined you’d come between Kade and me like this.”

“That’s not fair,” I said. “You know that’s the last thing I ever wanted. None of this would have even happened if you had listened to me instead of your uncle.”

“Don’t bring my uncle into this—he has nothing to do with it.”

“Bullshit!” I exploded. “He has everything to do with it! He tried to buy me off months ago to stop dating you, and when that didn’t work, he made up an affair between me and Kade that you never should have believed!” I was yelling now, seething with anger. “So don’t you dare try and take the high road, Blane! The blame for all of this is staring you right in the mirror.”

I ended the call, trying to get my boiling emotions under control. I was so angry and yet devastated. I buried my face in my hands.

Kade’s hands on my shoulders weren’t a surprise and I didn’t resist as he pulled my body toward his chest to envelop me in his arms. His skin was warm against my cheek and he smoothed my hair as I cried.

I was struck by how wrong this was, crying on Kade’s shoulder about Blane, and forced myself to stop. As cruel as Blane had been, he’d been right. It wasn’t going to get any better between them while I was still in the picture.

“Kade, I can’t,” I said thickly, looking up at him. “We can’t. This”—I motioned between us—“can’t happen. Things will never be right between you and Blane so long as I’m around.”

“Is that what he told you?” His eyes were intense, even in the dim light, his expression grave.

“It’s what I know,” I said. “And you know it, too.” I moved to get off his lap, but he stopped me, holding me close.

“I don’t care,” Kade said fiercely. “Stay with me. Just a little longer. You’ve been happy with me—could be happy with me. Just give us some more time.”

His plea tore at me. I felt like I was standing on a precipice that held nothing but empty days and nights ahead of me, endless stretches filled with loneliness and despair. I had to let Kade go or risk the two of them being estranged forever.

Could we have just a little more time? Kade was right—I’d been the closest to content and happy in the past twenty-four hours with him than at any other time in the past three months. And I didn’t want to give that up. Not yet. It was selfish of me, but I wanted just a little more happy, something to tide me over in the bleak near future that awaited me.

I gave a reluctant nod. “But you have to promise me that this won’t go any further. I won’t drive an even bigger wedge between you and Blane.”

Kade kissed me, his palms cradling my face. “I promise,” he murmured against my lips. I clung to him. His kisses were like a forbidden drug, comforting and sensual. His desire for me was a heady thing.

I allowed him to lead me back to his bed, where he again laid me down spoon style, his arm draped across my waist.

“Go to sleep,” he murmured into my ear. His hand rhythmically stroked my hair, relaxing my tense body.

My eyes were heavy and I sighed, exhaustion and the emotional turmoil taking their toll. I felt safe and protected, cherished even, in Kade’s arms. I yearned to close my eyes and wish all my problems away. But nothing’s that easy.

* * *

When I woke again I was still in Kade’s arms. I turned to look at him, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. He was awake.

“Did you sleep?” I asked.

“No.”

“Why not? Are you all right?”

“Why would I waste the time I have with you sleeping?” he asked with a lopsided smile. “I’ll sleep when I’m dead.”

I didn’t smile. That remark may have been a joke for anyone else, but for Kade it had been a near reality too many times for me to find it funny.

I brushed my lips across his chest before pulling away. My eyes felt like sandpaper and I really wanted to brush my teeth. I rolled out of bed and walked to the bathroom, feeling Kade’s eyes on me the whole way.

I showered, wrapping myself in a towel afterward. My clothes were in the other bedroom, but when I left Kade’s to head that way, I smelled coffee and changed direction to peek into the living room.

Kade had thrown on a pair of jeans and was setting a tray on the dining table. He must have sensed my presence, because he turned around.

“Hungry?” he asked. The way his eyes raked me from head to toe told me he had more than food on the brain.

I had to be strong. What had happened last night—and I shivered just thinking about it—couldn’t happen again, not if I wanted to be able to live with myself afterward.

“Is there coffee?”

“Of course.” His smirk clearly signaled that he knew I had to have my coffee. He poured a cup and handed it to me.

“What time is it?” I asked, adding sugar and cream to the steaming cup.

“Almost noon.”

I about dropped the cup. “Seriously?” I hadn’t slept that well or that long in months, which explained why I actually felt rested this morning, even after the middle-of-the-night phone call with Blane.

Blane. My thoughts skittered away from him. I couldn’t think about him right now, wouldn’t ruin the moment by dwelling on how horrible our conversation had gone last night.

“I’m going to take a shower,” Kade said. “You eat and get dressed. Let’s go have some fun.” His eyes widened suggestively, the way he said “fun” making it sound like an endeavor of the utmost importance.

I wasn’t hungry but drank more coffee while I dressed and blow-dried my hair. Guilt gnawed at me even as I tried not to think about all of it.

I should be on a plane home. I shouldn’t have agreed to stay. Blane knows I’m here, knows who I’m with.…

The coffee cup slipped from my shaking fingers and shattered on the marble sink. Coffee and porcelain went everywhere, including on me.

“Shit,” I cursed under my breath. I didn’t want Kade to see. He was so pleased I was staying, I couldn’t let him know the guilt I felt. It didn’t matter if I was happy with Kade, had been so thrilled to see him turn up on my doorstep. I was a selfish brat to still be there. But I couldn’t leave. I promised him I’d stay.

I needed a drink.

I walked into the living room, listening to the distant sound of Kade’s shower running. The bar had plenty of vodka and I reached for a bottle, then grabbed a glass.

Crap. No ice.

Taking one of the room keys and the ice bucket, I stopped by the door to Kade’s bathroom.

“I’m going to get some ice!” I called out. I wasn’t sure whether he heard me or not, but I’d be back in a few minutes anyway. Grabbing one of his white shirts, I took off my stained cami and pulled it on, tying the tails so it wouldn’t be so long on me.

I padded down the thickly carpeted hallway in my bare feet, wishing I’d checked out the room’s welcome packet so I knew where to find ice. Surely it couldn’t be far.…

But damned if I wasn’t wrong. I searched what felt like the whole floor and was about to give up. A detour down one last corridor and I was done—I’d drink bourbon instead.

I turned a corner, then stopped short. There, not twenty feet in front of me, was David. Looked like he’d gotten untied without a problem.

He spotted me and I didn’t know what to do. Should I say hello or was there some other proper protocol for this particular situation? Did Hallmark make a card for it? Then David did something that made me rethink that.

Raising a tiny walkie-talkie to his mouth, he said, “Found her. Floor thirty. Northeast corridor.”

I dropped the bucket and ran.

I chanced a glance behind me to see that David was in pursuit, and gaining. I’d gone quite a ways from our room and the identical hallways were a maze. Panic made me confused and I made a wrong turn. Backtracking wasn’t an option, so I kept going.

Looking behind me again, I didn’t see David. I slowed. Had I lost him?

Frantically struggling to get my bearings, I turned down another long corridor and ran right into David.

“Leaving me tied to the bed was a bad idea,” he hissed.

Before I could say or do anything, he hit me, his fist slamming into my cheek with enough force to knock me to the ground. Pain exploded in my head and then, mercifully, everything went dark.

* * *

When I regained consciousness, I wished I hadn’t. My head throbbed and I could feel that my face was swollen. One eye wouldn’t open all the way.

Raising my head, I realized I was tied to a chair. Each of my wrists was tied to an arm of it and each ankle to a chair leg. Nice.

Looking around, I realized I was in an office of some sort. There was a desk and a couch, both in mahogany and red leather. It reminded me a little of Blane’s office, very professional, which was why it was so disconcerting to feel the ropes chafing my skin. The windows made it clear that it was still daytime, but also that I was no longer in our hotel. The view was different.

The door opened and I jerked my head around, then bit back a groan. Shouldn’t have moved so fast.

David walked in, followed by the two other big guys from last night. They wore suits, but that did nothing to make them look more civilized. They were the muscle.

“Glad to see you’re awake,” David said, moving to stand in front of me.

“You really hold a grudge,” I replied, meeting his eyes. “If I’d known you’d do this just because I tied you up and didn’t screw you, I’d have gone all Lorena Bobbitt on you.”

David’s eyes narrowed. “Don’t be ridiculous, stupid girl. I don’t give a damn about you. That little trick Dennon pulled last night has my bosses breathing down my neck. I want the money back.”

“You knew when you hired him what his fee was,” I countered. “It’s bad business not to pay someone for a job.”

“I knew his fee, but he was supposed to fail,” David hissed. “Now I’m out four million dollars with no fucking idea of how he got in.”

“He’s going to show you,” I said. “That’s part of the deal.”

“You’re right—he is going to show me,” David sneered. “And he’s going to give the money back. You’re insurance against that.”

“That’s why I’m here?” I asked. “You’re planning to threaten him with me?”

David’s smile was cold. “Go after the Achilles’ heel and even the smartest of them will fall.”

“You have no idea who you’re dealing with, do you.” It wasn’t a question. Somehow I doubted Kade had provided much of a résumé to this guy. “Taking me was a big mistake.”

David turned away, ignoring me as he looked at his cell phone. “Don’t worry, sweetheart. We won’t rough you up too much, just a little if he doesn’t cooperate. But we’ll know here shortly.”

“You’ve already told him that you have me?” I asked, panicking. “Are you insane?”

David glanced my way with a frown. “I don’t appreciate your tone or insinuation,” he said.

“You don’t understand,” I said. “You’ve got to listen to me. Let me go. Now. If he comes here, he’ll kill you.”

For a moment, I thought David understood, then he laughed outright. “A hacker’s going to kill me? Good God, I must have walloped you a bit hard if you think a computer geek is capable of that.”

My eyes slid shut in dismay. Kade was trying to turn over a new leaf and this asshole was going to screw it all up. “Please,” I said, opening my eyes, “you have to listen to me.”

David ignored me now, still on his phone. He headed for the door.

“Let me go!” I yelled. “Please!”

The door shut behind him.

Well, shit.

I sat there for I don’t know how long, waiting. The ropes were too thick to break and I rubbed my wrists and ankles raw trying. The chair was too heavy for me to scoot to the desk to reach the phone or look for scissors. I was well and truly screwed.

The sun went down and the lights on the Strip came on. My back ached and my mouth was bone dry. I was starving, my stomach cramping with hunger pangs, and I tried not to think about how badly I had to pee. I knew Kade would come, hopefully sooner rather than later, and when he did it wouldn’t be pretty.