Switched by Helenkay Dimon Read Free Book Online Page B

around the next corner. In fact, he would bet there was at least one more guy close by because he doubted these guys worked solo and they had an odd number down.
    “Normally I would suggest we not exaggerate, but since three men have come after you in the span of a half hour, we need to assume you’re a potential victim here,” Aaron said.
    “Gee, do you think?”
    Royal held up a hand. “Except for the empty cartridges. That throws the whole scenario off.”
    “Not all of them are empty.” Aaron hated to break the physical connection with Risa and regretted it the minute he lifted his hand. He slipped out one of the cartridges he’d emptied in the bathroom and chucked it to Royal. “These went with the first attacker’s other gun, the one he pointed at us. They sure seem real.”
    Royal studied the bullet. “None of this makes sense.”
    “Shouldn’t we warn Angie?” Risa bit her bottom lip. “I mean, these guys want her, not me. She could be in real danger.”
    He didn’t want to scare her, not when they’d spent the past few minutes coming down from the adrenaline rush, but she had to be ready for the next guy who shoved a gun in her face, and Aaron feared there would be at least one more. “So long as they think you’re the one they want, Angie should be safe.”
    “Then I guess I drew the short straw on this one.”
    Royal nodded. “Unfortunately, yes.”
    “We need to split up.” Until Aaron knew what was happening throughout the building, just hopping on the elevator and taking a chance that no one would be there ready to fire was not an option. Not a feasible one anyway.
    “For the record, I’m sticking with you.” She eyed him as if daring them to disagree. “You ran into the bathroom and now you’re stuck with me.”
    “Agreed. You’re not leaving my side.” How he’d gone from forgetting to call her to not wanting to leave her, he wasn’t sure, but this went beyond offering protection.
    Her shoulders relaxed. “What are we going to do?”
    Aaron started with Royal. “Try the roof. See if you can get the phone or the comm to work. We’ll check the floor to make sure it’s clear.”
    She made a face. “Really? Because at this point I vote for hiding.”
    Though it was not his style and not his job, she needed reassurance and he’d give it to her. “It just might come to that.”

Chapter Six
    Angie paced around the small conference table. Five people in a twelve-by-twelve space and one of them a twenty-something with an attitude and a staring problem. Not her idea of fun.
    Being locked in a room with Lowell was one thing. They’d spent hours in hotels and even a few nights in his big house behind the high fence while Sonya was away. Right in her king-size bed, on those thousand-dollar sheets Angie knew the other woman had scoured the stores picking out.
    The memory of walking around naked in Lowell’s country estate made her smile. Hunting through the other woman’s closet, touching her clothes and trying on her jewelry had given her satisfaction. All those hours of exploring almost made putting up with Lowell’s mood swings worthwhile.
    It had been so tempting to take the rubies with her. Just slip them into her overnight bag and sneak them home. Heaven knew she’d earned them. Listening to Lowell. Being with Lowell. As far as Angie was concerned, her job was far harder and more taxing than that of wife.
    If only sleeping with the boss carried the same financial benefit. But she intended to rectify the deficiency as soon as she figured out what was happening right now.
    Mark Fineman stepped in front of her and handed her a glass of something she assumed was eggnog. “You seem pretty happy for someone being held in a room at a lame holiday party.”
    “I’ve had worse.”
    That went for the situation and the finance guy. He had just inched into his forties, but thanks to the marathon running he talked about incessantly and the countless hours in the gym, he possessed an