Authors: Francis Ray
“That’s the idea, and I’ll enjoy it as well.”
He kissed the middle of her back, letting the tip of his tongue lightly graze her
skin. “I’ll make sure of it. Zipped.”
Her breath trembled over her parted lips. “Now, if my legs weren’t shaking.”
“You can sit while I put this on.”
She frowned on seeing the ankle holster. “I still think I’d like the one on my thigh
better.”
“Do you want to sit or stand?”
“One of these days you’re going to meet someone who can stare you down.” She lifted
the hem of her skirt and extended her right foot.
Rio knelt, slipped off her shoe, placed her foot on his leg and strapped on the ankle
holster. He stared up at her. “I hope you don’t have to even think about using the
gun, but if the time comes, don’t second-guess yourself, don’t try to reason, just
place the bullet where he won’t get up. Understand?”
He was worried again. “We have a date back here tonight. If necessary, I won’t hesitate.”
He slipped on her shoe, came to his feet. “You look beautiful.”
Her smile trembled. “Because I’m with you.”
He reached into his pockets. “Wear these. They have a transmitter. You won’t be able
to hear me, but I’ll be able to hear you in case you get separated from the men.”
Skylar gasped when she saw the emerald earrings. Oval in shape, they were at least
three inches long in a gold setting. “They’re exquisite.” And very expensive.
“I picked them up while I was in Chicago.”
Skylar blinked rapidly and put on the earrings. “If I ruin my mascara, I’m going to
be very annoyed with you.” She sniffed. “How do they look?”
“No one will be able to tell.”
She started to swat him before realizing she was looking for compliments and he was
concerned about her safety.
He reached for her door. “Ready?”
“Ready.” She preceded Rio into the hall, her skirt rustling. She had no idea what
the night might bring; she just prayed that when it was over, she and Rio would be
safe in each other’s arms.
She looped her arms through his as they went down the stairs. She had another surprise
waiting. A few steps from the bottom, one of the photographers she’d hired stepped
forward.
“One moment, please.”
Rio stopped and stared at her. He wasn’t pleased.
“Please turn this way, sir.”
“He’s taking everyone’s picture as they come downstairs, and of the children playing
upstairs,” Skylar said. “I’m giving the album to Mrs. Grayson, but I’m keeping ours
for myself. Now, please, look at the camera.”
“I don’t like my picture being taken.”
“I’ll make it up to you later, and that’s a promise.”
His expression stoic, Rio looked at the camera. The photographer took several rapid
shots. By the time they reached the bottom, her mother and grandparents were coming
though the front door. Skylar hurried to greet them.
“You look beautiful,” her mother said. “Those earrings are stunning. Where did you
find them?”
“I’ll tell you later,” Skylar evaded. “Why don’t I show you the auction room?”
“Let’s go,” her grandmother said, patting her small evening bag. “I’m ready to shop.”
Her husband laughed. “She checked twice to make sure the credit card was in her purse
before we left the hotel room, and once in the car coming here.”
“As if you’re not interested in that signed baseball,” his wife teased back.
Her grandfather turned to Rio. “I hope you’re coming with us. At least I won’t be
so outnumbered.”
Rio glanced at Skylar. “For all the good it will do. I’m learning that some women
don’t always play fair.”
“Took me two years of marriage to figure that out.” Her grandfather studied Rio. “Smart
man, Skylar.”
“I think so. This way.”
They weren’t in the auction room three minutes before the houseguests, led by Mrs.
Grayson, joined them. Introductions were made and then people wandered around the
room marveling at the various objects up for bid. Soon they were joined by newlyweds
Richard and Naomi Youngblood with their daughter, Kayla, as well as Richard’s cousin
Lance Saxton and his wife, Fallon. Patterson took Kayla, Naomi’s daughter, up to play
with the other children.
When the first guests arrived at six twenty-nine, everyone on duty was in their place
and Sierra, Blade, Mrs. Grayson, and Skylar were there to greet them. So was someone
to take their wraps, offer drinks, and show them to the auction room. People probably
thought the two men behind them were there for Blade and Sierra instead of for Skylar.
There was a steady stream of people afterward, all thankful to be invited, excited
about the auction, and marveling at the beauty of the castle. By seven, the hosts
decided to mingle. Skylar received compliments on the wonderful collection up for
bid, her gown, and her stunning earrings.
Every once in a while she’d catch a glimpse of Rio, but he seemed always to be moving
or watching. He didn’t even have time for a short dance with her on the ballroom floor.
She knew neither of them would eat and had already asked the caterer to leave food
for them in the refrigerator for later tonight. Afterward they’d feast on each other.
“Things are going very well,” Mrs. Grayson said.
Skylar started. Lost in her naughty thoughts about Rio, she hadn’t heard anyone approach.
“Yes, they are.”
“I knew you were the one to pull this off,” Mrs. Grayson went on to say.
“You and your students are a great help. They seem to be having fun.”
Mrs. Grayson warmly smiled. “They are. They’re my honors students. I’m so proud of
them. I’m hopeful that those who haven’t pushed themselves will want to strive to
do better once they hear about tonight. If this turns out the way I believe, this
could be a yearly event.”
Skylar agreed. “The last time I checked the minimum bid on anything was twenty-five
hundred and seventy-five dollars.”
Mrs. Grayson took her hands. “You’re a strong, resilient woman, Skylar. Your courage
served you well. I knew you were the one when I first saw you. You never know when
an act of kindness will change your life. By the way, lovely earrings. We’ll talk
later.”
Her heart thumping, Skylar watched Mrs. Grayson disappear into the crowd mingling
in the hall and touched her earrings.
I knew you were the one.
Skylar was no longer unsure. Mrs. Grayson had definitely been talking about Rio. She’d
been almost afraid to hope even with Mrs. Grayson’s comment about them being well
matched and the hair clip. She wanted to hug herself. Rio was all hers, just as soon
as she could change his mind about marriage.
“Ms. Dupree, this letter is for you.” Patterson handed her a small sealed envelope
on a silver tray and left.
Still thinking about what Mrs. Grayson meant, Skylar opened the letter. Her world
crashed. Her mouth dried. Her body trembled.
If you want to see Rio alive, ditch the bodyguards and come out the back door of the
solarium. Tell anyone and they’ll find a corpse.
Chapter 18
The note and envelope clutched in her trembling hand, Skylar whirled to Hendrix and
Marshall, working to keep her voice calm. “Please radio Rio. I need to speak with
him.”
Both men jerked their earpieces out at the same time. “Something’s interfering with
the signal.”
“It’s being jammed,” Hendrix said, his mouth tight, his gaze going to the letter.
“What did it say?”
“Personal.” She left the auction room and went into Blade’s office. “Rio, if you can
hear me, please call Blade’s private line.”
She stared at the phone on the desk. It remained silent. “Can you call the control
room and see if Rio is there?”
Marshall pulled out his cell phone, mumbled under his breath. “No go.”
“Blade’s phone is a landline,” Skylar told him, praying Rio was all right.
In seconds Marshall was talking to the control room. “Rio isn’t there. He’s isn’t
tagged, so we can’t locate him.”
“Find him now!”
Both men looked at the note in her hand. “Our orders were to stay with you.”
Opening the door, she quickly walked to the entrance of the auction room. “I’ll stay
here with the other men until you find him.”
“I don’t—”
“Find Rio and stop arguing with me,” she said tightly. “Now!”
“If anything happens to you, he’ll have our necks,” Hendrix told her.
“And if anything happens to him, you’ll have me to deal with,” she came back. “One
of you go notify Blade and Shane. The other, look for Rio.”
“Don’t worry, Skylar, we’ll find him. Let’s go, Marshall.” Hendrix went in search
of Shane and Blade, while Marshall left through the front door to search for Blade.
Skylar headed to the solarium at a slow walk when she wanted to run. The solarium’s
door was the only one in the castle that didn’t have one of Rio’s men, because it
only opened from the inside.
Cautiously, she opened the door and peered outside. The lights along the path were
out. Only the lights high above were on. Once she let go of the door, she’d be locked
out. “Rio, I don’t know if you can hear me, but I received a note that someone had
you. I’m to meet them outside the solarium.”
She waited a few moments, hoping for Rio to come through the door behind her. Nothing.
She considered getting out the gun, but reasoned that if someone did have Rio, they’d
have a gun as well and in the light she’d be a clear target. Or they’d threaten to
shoot him if she didn’t drop the gun. No, keeping it hidden was her best option.
“Keep coming or he dies,” ordered a cold, menacing voice.
Her heart slammed against her chest. She stepped outside, letting the door swing shut
behind her. Her skin prickled. She bit her lip. If she’d been had, Rio was safe and
she was the one in danger. Hoping the signals were no longer jammed, she said, “I’m
here as you wanted at the back entrance by the solarium. You can come out and bring
Rio with you.”
A man dressed in black, holding a Glock 17 with a silencer attached, stepped out of
the shadows. “Let’s go.”
Recognition dawned. “You’re the man from the restaurant, but you had a mustache.”
“If you would have cooperated then it would have saved a lot of people a lot of trouble.”
He didn’t have any bruises on his face; nor were his clothes disheveled. She couldn’t
imagine Rio being taken unaware. “I didn’t see you on the tape.”
“Reversible coat. Dark glasses.” He jerked his head. “Let’s go. A man wants to see
you.”
“I’m not going anywhere until I see Rio and know that he’s all right.”
“This gun says differently.”
“I know exactly what a gun can do to human flesh, but I’m still not moving. You said
a man wanted to see me. If he’d wanted me dead, we wouldn’t be talking.”
“I don’t like smart women.”
“And I wouldn’t like being dead. You wouldn’t like it, either.”
He frowned. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“My fiancé, Rio, would come after you and you’d die screaming.” She thought that a
gruesome touch. She must have heard or read it someplace.
The man’s dark eyes narrowed a bit. “That’s the dude with the ponytail. He broke Keith’s
wrist like a matchstick and shattered Joe’s knee.”
“And he referred to it as nothing much.” Skylar casually crossed her arms. “Just think
what he’d do to the man who dared harm the woman he loves.”
“You talk too much.” The man’s voice hardened.
She snatched her arms to her sides. She had to stall. “You would, too, if someone
was about to kill you. I came out to the back door by the solarium just as you said,
so I’m willing to talk. You didn’t keep your end of the bargain by showing me Rio.
However, I’m willing to negotiate. The man who hired you has money problems. I can
double, triple what he’s paying you.”
“He said you might try that.”
“Tennyson is sinking in debt. You should have checked.”
“I didn’t say Tennyson hired me.”
“If he hadn’t, you wouldn’t have repeated his name.”
He took a step closer and leveled the gun at the middle of her chest. “No more talk.
Move your butt over here, or we’re gonna test your theory about your boyfriend.”
“Fiancé.”
“Now.”
“This place is well guarded. How do you plan to take me?”
“That’s my secret. You can do it walking or unconscious,” he threatened.
If she went with him, she’d be going to her death. Skylar took a few wobbling steps.
“I’m so scared I can’t walk in these high heels.”
“Well, take them off. I’ve wasted enough time!” he snapped.
She started to bend and the door behind her burst open. She whirled, seeing Rio with
a gun, his face enraged. She accepted that part of the anger was aimed at her for
disobeying.
“Stop right there and toss the gun unless you want her to get a bullet.”
Rio tossed the gun. “Let her go.”
“Is that him?” the gunman asked Skylar.
“No, it’s Brazos, his brother. He looks mean, but he’s kind of slow,” Skylar lied.
Tennyson probably hated Rio for showing him up and Blade for destroying his business.
“I can tell.” He sneered. “He said if I popped that Rio dude and you saw it, I’d get
double.”
“I told you I’d pay triple.”
“Look, sister, shut the hell up and bring your butt over here before I put a bullet
in this dude’s stupid mug.” He frowned. “I wonder if I could do him instead. He’s
got a ponytail.”
“And I’d tell him the truth,” Skylar threatened.
“Not if you were dead.”
Rio took a menacing step closer.
“Do it. I’m just pissed and tired enough of her talking my head off, I’d do you for
free.”
“Don’t. They’re very close,” Skylar quickly told him. “I’m just going to take my shoes
off, like you suggested.”
“No.” Rio stepped in front of her. “She’s not going anywhere with you.”
“Move to one side,” the man ordered.
Skylar moved since she knew Rio wasn’t going to. “One shoe off.” She tossed the shoe
toward the gunman, but he never took his eyes from Rio. “Reaching for the next shoe.”