Justine and Brooke left the room with the cart as if nothing had happened. Tamara and Russ went back to their room through the adjoining door, and Mitch joined them to do a quick update to ISAN. With my hands shaking, I held onto my dress and ran to the bathroom.

I fixed my hair to be presentable and slipped on my dress and tried to zip it back up. Unable to finish the rest, I decided to call Tamara when I heard a soft tap on the floor.

“Would you like my assistance? Or you can just stand there so I can stare at you a bit longer.”

Startled, I whirled toward the sound of a familiar, seductive voice. Sniper stood by the walk-in closet in a cool, relaxed manner with his hand braced on the door. His hair was slicked back, looking polished and debonair. My heart pummeled, but not in fear.

Was I crazy to be attracted to him? Mesmerized by the black tuxedo forming to his perfect body, I stared at him and wondered if I’d dreamed him up. His presence confirmed I hadn’t imagined him above the stairs earlier. Then I wondered if he’d come alone.

“How’d you know I was here?”

Unnerved, I gritted my teeth. He hadn’t heeded my warning to stay away. I should scream or plan an escape out of the bathroom, but I couldn’t move or think. His presence stirred my curiosity and I wanted answers, especially when the lunatic thought he knew me.

“It doesn’t concern you,” he said.

His nonchalant tone caused me to raise my voice. “The hell it doesn’t.”

“I’ll explain later.”

I scoffed. “Are you here to try to kidnap me again?”

I might not have Helix, but I had my heels and months of training backing me up. If there was one thing I was good at, it was bringing a person to their knees. Courage grew inside me and I dropped my dress.

Sniper snapped out of his stupor and his amber eyes grew darker. “Where are my manners? I admire the dress, but I like what you’re wearing now so much more.” He waggled his eyebrows. “You look absolutely beautiful tonight.”

No. Don’t say that.

I became breathless when he closed the gap between us. Why was I letting him? When Sniper raised his hand, I flinched. My heart galloped faster when he cupped my face and ran his thumb ever so tenderly along my cheek.

“I wish I could’ve been your date tonight. We could’ve danced together. Dancing with me always made you happy.”

I closed my eyes for several seconds, hypnotized by his voice, by his touch. I pictured us slow dancing, not because it had happened, but because I desperately wanted the happiness he described.

Then I came to my senses. Leaning into his caress, I pretended to enjoy it, which wasn’t hard. Moving slowly, I raised my knee ...

He stopped me from kneeing him between his legs. “Good try, but I know you too well.”

Sniper whipped me around before I even knew what had happened. Blood rushed to the spots his warm hands touched, and the scent of him spiraled around me. I peered up to see our paired reflection in the mirror. When my eyes met his, I became lost in time and space as I studied him. A second seemed like minutes.

Who are you? What do you want with me?

“Do you want to walk out of here with me willingly or do you want me to carry you out? Either way, you’re coming with me.” His flirtatious tone had vanished, replaced by something sharper.

“If you think you’re going to take me, you’re wrong. My team is in the other room. Leave before they come get me. If they find you holding me hostage, they’ll kill you. You better hurry. You’re running out of time.”

“I doubt that’ll happen. Besides, I’m not alone.” He twitched his lips. “We—”

“We?”

“My team. Look behind you.”

The two friends with him last time stepped out of the shadows. The girl wore a shimmering coral gown, and the guy sported a black tuxedo.

“Whoa.” The guy raised his hands, blocking his view of me. “When you said you wanted to strip her down, I didn’t think you meant literally.”

“Shut up, Ozzie. Just do it.”

Ozzie approached me. He raised his slightly trembling hands, but backed off. “Reyna, you do it. I can’t touch her.”

Grumbling, Reyna ran her hands down my body. “She’s clean.”

“Are you done? Had enough? So, have I.”

I kicked my heel upward and caught it with my left hand, then tapped it on the beige granite counter. After I whipped around, I grabbed Sniper and locked my arms around his neck, the plastic blade from my heel sticking close to his throat.

“Well done, Ava. Too bad you won’t be awake to celebrate your victory.” Sniper didn’t struggle or try to break my hold.

Did he plan to kill me?

“What do you mean?” I tightened my grip.

“You were dosed with a sleeping agent when I caressed your face. In the count of five, you’ll be in my arms.”

“You’re lying.” My heart leapt to the ceiling. My eyes darted wildly as I tightened my hold around his neck to the point of cutting off his air. “You don’t understand. I need to get back. I’m going to have a heart attack. I’m going to die. They’re going to trigger my chip. Are you not hearing me?”

“Three ... two ... one.”

When nothing happened, their stunned faces almost made me laugh, and I loosened my grip. In my desperation, I had rambled things that shouldn’t make sense to them, and I felt as if I had told them ISAN’s secrets. My team’s faces flashed in my mind—Brooke, Tamara, and Justine.

I’m a coward and an idiot. Think. Think. Do something. Now is your chance to escape.

But I couldn’t move. A part of me wanted to be taken, to see where they would take me, perhaps a place better than ISAN.

“It didn’t work.” Sniper cursed under his breath.

It was my chance to yell for help, but my tongue twisted in knots. I also found myself amused by their blunder.

“You’re supposed to start from sixty. It takes sixty seconds once it’s applied. But you’re not supposed to count out loud.” Ozzie rolled his eyes. “It’s not my fault you didn’t listen and made a fool out of yourself.”

“Sixty? What the freakin’ hell, Ozzie?” He roared and then shifted his attention to me. “So, Ava.” Sniper cleared his throat, rubbing the back of his head. “It seems like I miscalculated the time. You should be seeing the room spin by now. Don’t worry. I’ll catch you. I always do.”

I had made a terrible mistake by keeping quiet. Now, I was good as dead. Before I could part my lips, the room spun. My muscles slacked, my body swayed, and three blurry Snipers wavered. Then I felt a sting on my forearm, where my chip was lodged.

“I know the drill. That will deactivate the chip and the capsule. Though I highly doubt they would risk it with you. You’re too valuable to them.”

Ozzie’s words dragged out, and it sounded like a long, jumbled sound. An arm supported my back, and I knew I wouldn’t drop to the floor. Sniper’s arms? I fought so hard to stay awake, but darkness came swiftly and Sniper’s words chanted in my head.

Don’t worry. I’ll catch you. I always do.

“I got you. Whatever it takes,” was the last thing I heard before sleep beckoned.

* * *

I blinked my eyes open to a white ceiling. As I relaxed my muscles, a sense of serenity filled me. That only lasted for a second before I realized I should be looking at an energy-saving light panel turned on by my command. My memories of the night before crept in.

Oh God, how long had it been? I should have been dead from the cyanide. Why was I not dead? What do I do now? My training hadn’t covered getting captured.

Breathe. Don’t move. Stay calm. I wiggled my toes, ensuring I had use of my muscles, when something clicked. Shoes squeaked on the floor. I closed my eyes again and kept my breathing even.

“How long does it last?” Sniper asked.

“It should be out of her system by now, unless you did something I told you not to do, like apply double the amount.” Ozzie sounded aggravated.

I heard clicks with a rhythm like typing, but TABs didn’t make any sound when fingers touched the screen in mid-air.

I heard more clicks, but on the floor. Someone paced across. “Why don’t you get something to eat?” Reyna’s voice.

The sound of the chair rolling made me twitch. “I’ll sit,” Sniper said, his voice a lot closer than before. “Ozzie, go with Reyna and get something to eat. I’ll wait here.”

“You sure? Ava’s different. She’s stronger.”

“She’s knocked out. She can’t hurt me. I’ll be fine.”

“Okay. I’ll bring you something to eat, then.”

The tilt of the mattress indicated Sniper had sat. I gasped inwardly when I felt the heat from his closeness while he caressed strands of hair away from my face. Releasing soft moans, I pretended to have a nightmare as an excuse to kick off the light blanket covering me.

“Ava.” Sniper shook me lightly.

When I stopped moving, he did the same. Then I slowly opened my eyes. His features expressed sadness and happiness at the same time. Something about him made me pity him. He must be out of his mind to think he knew me. As a moment of silence stretched between us when I locked my eyes with his, I wondered, why me.

The sound of footsteps drove me into panic mode. I had to do it or I might never have the chance again. Sniper’s pensive stare—as if he was reaching into my soul or drawing up memories—gave me an advantage. Poor guy. It was going to suck for him when he finally realized he had made a huge mistake. He’d made another huge error by telling his friends he would be fine.

I jerked my butt up and pushed against the mattress with one foot to throw him off balance. Then I swung one leg over, and locked him between my knees. At the same time, I used my hands to trap his arms straight up from behind him, as his butt found the ground. His friends came back just in time to see it happen.

“Don’t take another step or I’ll snap his neck.”

Ozzie held out one hand, placing the tray on the counter with the other. The savory aroma drove me insane, and I wondered what they were serving. Missing dinner last night, possibly breakfast and lunch too, my stomach growled.

“Ava, you don’t want to do that.” Ozzie’s forehead creased with pained expression. “We’re not the bad guys here, okay? We could’ve tied you up, but we didn’t. See this plate? I brought back something for you to eat. I know you’re hungry. See?” He lowered the tray. “Ground beef, mashed potatoes, and corn. It’s canned corn. Actually, most of the stuff is canned, but you get the point.”

“You can relax,” Sniper said coolly, no worry in his voice.

If he was talking to his friends, he was crazy. I had him locked good and tight.

“Ava isn’t going to kill me. She thinks I’m hot.”

Prick.

He grunted when I squeezed my thighs tighter.

“What is it with guys and their egos? Rhett, you can be so arrogant. You deserve whatever is coming to you.” Reyna placed her tray down and picked up corn with her fingers, eating one kernel at a time.

“Rhett?” I squealed. “Your name is Rhett, not Sniper? You lied to me?” I squeezed tighter until his face reddened.

“No, I didn’t.” His voice came out as a horse whisper. “I can explain. Let me go or I’ll have to hurt you.”

Ozzie stuck out his hands, as if to stop whatever he thought would happen. “Wait, wait, wait. You like each other, remember? No violence. What the hell’s going on?”

“Sit down and eat, Ozzie.” Reyna giggled. “This is entertaining. We get dinner and a comedy show.”

I scowled. Bitch. You’re next.

“Last warning,” Sniper or Rhett, whoever he was, said, even though there was no escape for him. “You might have forgotten, but you don’t have Helix in your system anymore.”

How did he know about Helix? Oh God, had I rambled and disclosed information while I had been sedated?

“I dare you to try,” I said.

In a blink, I landed flat on my butt on the floor in front of Rhett. Pain shot up to my head. That freakin’ hurt! I let the sting run its course. Rhett had somehow placed his hands behind my neck when he lunged back to me, and then flipped me over. Luckily, he was nice enough to break my fall, or it would’ve been a lot worse.

Wait—nice enough? Pompous ass.

When he gave me his hand, I refused to take it. I crawled up to the mattress and laid back down. He wore an apologetic frown, but I didn’t care. He should feel bad for a lot of things he’d done to me.

“Let me go.” I rubbed at my legs still throbbing. “They’ll be searching for me, and when they find me—and they will—you’ll all be dead.”

“We know.” Reyna shoved ground beef into her mouth. “I mean the part about them trying to find you. But the thing is, they can’t. Our hideout is not on any radar. They don’t even know this place exists. It was a secret military base the president of the United States and his staff used during the natural disasters, and no one who knew about it is still alive.”

I didn’t know what to say. I didn’t know if anything she said was remotely true.

Rhett’s jaw clenched, and his nose flared. “Ozzie, stay here with Ava. Maybe she’ll eat when I’m gone. Reyna, come with me.”

Reyna got up, picked up her tray, and followed Rhett. When the door closed behind him, my muscles relaxed, and hunger pangs took over my stubbornness.