Chapter 1 - THE MEN AT THE DOOR
“They’re coming in.”
Victor Castle pulled me away from the entrance just as the lock clicked.
My heartbeat slammed against my ribs.
“What do we do?”
His gray eyes swept the suite.
Then he pointed toward the bedroom.
“Act like you belong here.”
“That is not a plan.”
“It is for the next thirty seconds.”
The door opened.
Three men entered wearing Chicago Police jackets.
But Victor had been right.
Something was wrong.
No radios.
No body cameras.
No hesitation.
The first man scanned the room like someone searching for a target, not protecting a victim.
Victor had already tucked his gun beneath a pillow.
Then he pulled me against him.
His bare chest was warm and slick with blood.
I nearly screamed.
He lowered his face toward mine.
“Pretend you’re furious with me.”
I whispered, “That part won’t be difficult.”
The first intruder entered the bedroom.
“Mr. Castle?”
Victor looked irritated.
“What?”
The man’s eyes moved toward me.
I forced myself to cross my arms.
“This is humiliating,” I snapped. “I told you not to call anyone.”
Victor stared at me.
For one second, he almost smiled.
The fake officer frowned.
“Ma’am, are you all right?”
“No. I’m at a charity gala downstairs, and this idiot decided bleeding all over a hotel room was somehow romantic.”
Victor’s eyebrows lifted.
I kept going.
“He ruined my blazer.”
The man studied us.
Then another intruder whispered something near the doorway.
The first man looked toward Victor’s side.
Blood was seeping through the makeshift bandage.
“You need medical attention.”
Victor smiled without warmth.
“I have my own doctor.”
Silence.
Then the man stepped closer.
Too close.
Victor’s entire body tensed.
I noticed the attacker’s hand move toward his jacket.
So did Victor.
Before anyone could react, the hotel fire alarm screamed.
Red lights flashed.
The intruders looked toward the hall.
Victor grabbed my wrist.
“Now.”
We ran through the bedroom.
Behind the curtain was a service door.
I didn’t ask how he knew.
We slipped into a narrow maintenance corridor just as shouting exploded inside the suite.
My stockinged feet slapped against cold concrete.
Victor stumbled.
I caught him.
He was heavier than I expected.
“Keep moving.”
“You’re bleeding everywhere!”
“I noticed.”
We reached a service stairwell.
He locked the door behind us.
Then leaned against the wall.
For the first time, the feared Victor Castle looked weak.
I pulled my phone from my skirt pocket.
“I’m calling hotel security.”
“No.”
I stared.
“Those men are trying to kill you.”
“They have someone inside security.”
My stomach dropped.
“How do you know?”
Victor looked toward my gala badge.
Then said:
“Because the charity event downstairs was created to get me into this hotel.”
I froze.
“What?”
He reached into his trouser pocket.
Then handed me a folded donor list.
At the top was my company logo.
Luminara Events.
Beneath it were the names of the gala’s secret sponsors.
One name had been circled in red.
BROOKS FOUNDATION.
I stared.
“That’s impossible.”
Victor’s face hardened.
“Hazel, who is Nathan Brooks?”
My throat tightened.
“My father.”
Victor closed his eyes.
Then whispered:
“Your father has been dead for fourteen years.”
I stopped breathing.
May you like
Because he was right.
And somehow, a foundation in my dead father’s name had paid for the gala where someone was trying to murder Victor Castle.
