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Soft piano music flowed through Sylvia’s earbuds like gentle raindrops on a summer afternoon. The meditation music combined with the heat of the bath water seeping into her, made her drowsy. Drifting on the edge of sleep, her head tilted from side to side. For the first time in a long time, she felt totally at ease, no worries, and for once, her future seemed brighter than ever.
The entire time she had been confined inside her small cell on Mars, she missed sinking into a deep tub of water. The showers were better than nothing, but it was impossible to relax while standing up.
Her head bobbed slightly forward. Bubbles clung to her chin. She opened her eyes and noticed the man’s reflection in the wall mirror. Before she could scream, he dunked her under the water.
Sylvia thrashed her arms and held her breath.
The man released her for a moment. When she pushed herself out of the water, he slid his hands around her, yanking her toward him. Water sloshed onto the tile floor. His rough hands firmly cupped her breasts as he grabbed her. She tried to pry his hands off her, but she couldn’t budge him.
Adrenaline pumped through her. Rather than scream, Sylvia placed her feet onto the side of the tub and pushed off hard. Her unexpected thrust knocked the man off balance. He loosened his grip, trying to find footing, but the soapy water dripping off her body made the tile floor more slippery. His wet socks held no traction, and he fought to correct his balance.
She swung a swift elbow into his ribs, drawing a sharp groan from him. He released her to clutch his pain. She turned to see the anger stirring in his eyes, but then his eyes swept over her nude form. A smile curled on his lips.
“Who the hell are you?” she asked, trying to cover herself with her hands.
“Don’t worry your pretty head about it,” he replied. “I’d love to be your friend because you sure don’t want me to be your enemy.”
Sylvia turned, grabbed a towel, and covered her front.
“Ah, baby, don’t do that. I was liking the view.” His crackling voice was rough and annoyingly nasal when he spoke, grating on her nerves.
“Who are you?” Her face flushed red.
Lars lowered his hands and took a step toward her. “I was sent to take you into custody.”
“By whom?”
“Grayson. Who else? But, for a few little favors, I think I can let you escape. He wouldn’t need to know.” His hands rested on his belt, near the buckle.
Sylvia frowned. “No, thanks.”
“That’s the way you want it?”
She nodded.
Lars grinned. “I like it rough, too.”
He took another step toward her. She backed against the wall, and he came even closer. He had her cornered. His smile didn’t lessen and the lust in his eyes increased.
“Please, don’t,” she said, tightening her grip on the long plush towel.
When Lars was within arms length, he reached and grabbed the towel. He yanked with such force that her fingers ached. His eyes roamed up and down her body again.
The door opened.
Sylvia looked past Lars and noticed the woman enter. “Help?”
“Lars!” Morgan said. Her hands formed into tight fists.
Lars glanced over his shoulder, and Sylvia planted a swift knee to his groin. He clutched himself, and she raked her nails down the side of his face. Angered, he reached for her, but she moved to his side, inches from his reach. This time he slipped, and fell to his knees. Blood filled the sharp grooves she had carved down his cheek. He rushed toward her, grabbed her arm, but she tugged free. He lost his balance and slipped forward. She rammed a fist into his nose. Bones cracked. He groaned and blood flowed over his lips.
“Stand down, girl,” Morgan said.
Sylvia stared at her for a moment and noticed the woman didn’t have a visible weapon. The woman looked stronger than she and was intimidating. But the last thing Sylvia needed was to be taken into Grayson’s custody. She didn’t know if Carter and Magnus had been caught yet, but if they hadn’t, she needed to escape and warn them not to come to the hotel.
Lars wiped blood from his nose. He looked at Morgan. “Step outside and close the door. When I’m done with her, this bitch a little less hostile.”
Morgan shook her head. “Based on her breaking your nose in front of me, I’m afraid she’d kill you if I left you alone with her.”
“Five minutes, Morgan,” he replied, “and I can prove otherwise. Twenty minutes is preferable, but that’s me being greedy.”
“Not happening, Lars.” Morgan said. She tossed another towel to Sylvia. “Sylvia, come quietly with me and we’ll get your clothes. Lars won’t touch you. I promise.”
“You don’t know what Grayson will do to me,” Sylvia said. “I can’t let you take me to him.”
“I gave you a great offer so you wouldn’t have to,” Lars said.
Sylvia ignored him and wrapped the towel around herself. “Grayson might have me killed.”
Morgan shrugged. “I don’t know what Grayson will do, and frankly, I don’t care. We were hired to bring you in. That’s all I’m interested in . . . getting the money.”
“Please?”
Morgan shook her head. Her eyes were defiant, almost daring Sylvia to give her a reason to physically restrain her. The muscled woman stood partway inside the bathroom door. The door was open far enough, Sylvia reasoned, that if she rushed Morgan, she might shove Morgan through the door and be able to make a run for the outside hallway. If she could get to the elevator or the stairs, she might escape being taken into custody.
Lars wiped away more blood with the back of his hand and water splashed as he stood and stepped into a puddle, advancing toward her. He was now behind her.
She looked at Morgan. She’d rather make the bold attempt to forcefully thrust her way past Morgan than for Lars to place his grubby hands on her again. In strength Sylvia was at a disadvantage and outnumbered. What she needed was some kind of distraction, but nothing useful came to mind.
Sylvia turned slightly, so that she could keep an eye on Lars and Morgan at the same time. Lars took another step. Sylvia pointed a stern finger at him. “Back the hell away.”
“Lars,” Morgan said in a cold threatening tone.
While Morgan’s eyes and finger were trained on Lars, Sylvia bolted for the door. Morgan lowered herself with her legs spread shoulder length apart and her hands out to the side in a wrestling pose. Sylvia lowered her shoulder and head and struck Morgan full force.
Both Sylvia and Morgan tumbled into the hallway. Morgan’s eyes narrowed with rage, she bore her teeth, and with a viselike grip, she clamped a hand around Sylvia’s left wrist. Sylvia rolled and noticed Lars hurrying toward the hallway. Being sprawled out while fighting to pry herself free of Morgan’s hold, Sylvia realized she was fully exposing her nudeness to Lars, giving him a show that she never intended. In desperation, she tugged her left arm and pivoted, but Sylvia couldn’t break Morgan’s grip.
“Hold her,” Lars said, steadying himself inside the doorframe. He simply stood there and watched, not offering to help assist Morgan at all.
“Pervert,” Sylvia thought.
Sylvia rolled, pulling Morgan over her, but Morgan didn’t release her. Sylvia slugged the woman in the face twice; still Morgan didn’t let go. Instead, Morgan gripped both hands around Sylvia’s left wrist, pulled Sylvia to her feet, and swung Sylvia all the way around, crashing her into the wall. She pressed her weight against Sylvia and pinned.
“You’ve got spunk,” Morgan whispered in Sylvia’s ear. “But you’re not a match for me. If Grayson hadn’t insisted that we not hurt you, you wouldn’t be walking out. We’d be carrying you.”
Albert stepped around the corner with his 9mm raised.
“Where the hell have you been?” Morgan asked.
He gave her an odd glance. “I was setting the bugs and spy cameras for when the others show up. I figured the two of you shouldn’t have any problem taking her. Besides, Grayson was talking to me again.”
“Handcuffs?” she asked.
Albert reached to his back pocket and took out a set. He noticed Lars wiping blood from his face. He shook his head and handed the handcuffs to Morgan. “Here. I suggest you let her get dressed before you cuff her though.”
“You going to behave?” Morgan asked Sylvia.
Sylvia glanced toward Albert and saw the gun. She nodded.
“You’d best,” Morgan said, “because I’m hoping you give me one reason to get even.”
Morgan backed away from Sylvia. She turned with a swollen lip.
Albert winced. “She did this to the two of you? Or did Lars piss you off again.”
Morgan rolled her eyes. “Lars is still standing, ain’t he? Remember the last time?”
Albert nodded. “Yeah. He didn’t wake up for a few hours.”
“What else did Grayson want?”
“He asked me to see what belongings she had with her, but I couldn’t find anything,” Albert replied.
“That’s because I don’t have anything. I didn’t bring any belongings with me,” Sylvia said.
“Really?” Albert asked.
She nodded.
“Then how’d you manage to afford this suite?”
“Got lucky.”
Morgan laughed. “Lucky? Honey . . .”
Albert interrupted her. “Grayson’s under the impression that you pocketed some MarQuebes from Mars. Is that true?”
Sylvia shook her head, but her eyes indicated her fear and proved she was hiding something.
“Okay. Lie if you want to,” Albert said. “But understand Grayson has ways to find the truth. It’s really much better if you tell me where you stashed them.”
“I don’t have any of them. I never took them either.”
“How else could you afford this room?”
“I told you. I got lucky. I found a thousand dollar chip on the edge of the street and cashed it in.”
“Likely story,” Morgan said.
“It’s the truth,” Sylvia said, while she hurriedly dressed.
“So your accomplices have the gems?” Albert asked.
“I’ve told you all I am going to say. Take me to Grayson and let’s get this over with,” she replied.
Morgan held up the handcuffs with her right index finger, letting the cuffs dangle. “Put these on, but if you’re lying . . . Grayson will become even angrier.”
Sylvia placed her hands behind her back and turned so Morgan could tighten them around her wrists. She wanted to cry, but she wasn’t about to give these three bounty hunters the satisfaction. She’d face her punishment, but she refused to give Grayson any information that would aid him in finding Carter and Magnus.