Falling with Grace - Page 184

She nodded. “Since she came down for breakfast the first time. I noticed it then.”

I gave a slow nod. “So why didn’t he ask for her before now?”

“He…um…” Her shoulders tensed. “He wanted to…take her back, you know? To make a joke out of you.”

My hand formed a fist at my chest. “Well, he succeeded…with your help.”

“I’m sorry.” She gave a rueful shake of her head. “I didn’t have a choice.”

“There’s always a choice, Nadia.”Just like Grace…”Now, where did he take her?”

My knuckles cracked, and a darkness leached out into my muscles.

“Please, Elias.” Her knees bobbed up and down, her hands clasped between her thighs. The metal bracelets on her wrists jingled. “I love you. I didn’t want to keep reporting to him, but he got upset when I fed him false information. I had to give him something.”

“Hislocation, Nadia.”

“He’ll kill me.”

My lips curved into a sly grin. “Do you really think you’re leaving here alive?”

Tears dribbled down her flawless skin, her hair sticking to the remnants. She sniffled as she hunched over, her shoulders shaking.

“Let’s play his game then, shall we?” I raised my pistol and placed it on her knee.

Her hands shook as though she were up against a gyrating machine as she swiped her hair. “Elias…” Her broken words landed on a numbness that branched out like an infection. “Please…”

My finger curled around the thin metal trigger.

Bang.

Her screams ricocheted through my office.

Blood pooled beneath her high heels as my men burst into the office, guns drawn. The air filled with the erratic chaos of heavy breathing and the metallic scent of blood.

Her anguished cries had me stepping back and exhaling. “We’re fine. Be ready to leave at a moment’s notice.”

The men nodded, and I turned my attention back to Nadia.

Her hand wrapped around her knee, her fingers tainted crimson, viscous liquid poured from her nose, and tears stained her cheeks.

I pressed my pistol to her other leg. “His location, please.”

“He’s inEl Vergel.”

“The address?”

I grabbed a pen and a pad of paper from my desk and wrote it down as she stuttered.

“I’m sorry it had to end this way, Nadia.”

Javier stood, took the paper from my outstretched hand, and then disappeared through the office doors.

He’d moved her six hours away.

“Please understand, Elias.”

“I understand.” I sighed and sat back against the desk. “I understand you made the wrong choice, and there’s no honor in feeding him an innocent girl to save your own skin.”