Ashley had tried to remember everything Cole had told her. She’d thankfully only barely inhaled the foul smell before holding her breath and going limp. She felt her body being lifted and carried outside. She assumed she’d been taken to the back alley since the smell of trash filled her nose.

She’d just been placed on a soft leather car seat when she chanced opening her eyes.

Seeing Niccolo Ricci in Luca’s office had been a shock. At first, she’d wondered why he’d given Luca the name of their teacher in Paris. When the cloth was slipped over her mouth, she realized he hadn’t wanted anyone to know his real name.

Whatever Niccolo’s intentions, Ashley was determined to escape him immediately. Just before the door was shut, she took her chance and kicked out. Hitting the car door with her feet, she felt one fragile heel snap. She kicked out again, this time sending the door into the man who’d grabbed her. He was a wall of a man, taller than Cole or Tom and as wide as any professional body builder she’d ever seen.

Still, she’d managed to catch him off guard and, when she’d kicked the door, had sent him tumbling onto the ground. Not wasting a second, she tossed off her shoes and sprinted towards the back door of the gallery.

Before reaching it, however, her arm was yanked behind her and she was pulled up tight against a hard body.

“Easy,” Niccolo hissed in her ear. “We’re just going to go for a quick drive,” he said, his accent changing from his normal Italian, growing thicker to where it almost sounded Russian. “You see my dear, I always get the things I want, and since first laying eyes on you, I’ve known what I’ve wanted.” He jerked her back towards the car as she fought him using several moves Cole had shown her. But Niccolo was too strong and pulled her arm further behind her back, causing pain to shoot up to her shoulder.

The giant man had gained his feet again and helped Niccolo shove her into the back of the dark car. He held her in place until Niccolo slid in next to her and locked the doors. She tried to think of a different way to escape, but so far, nothing was coming to mind. Then she remembered her cell phone tucked between her breasts. If she could get to it and call for help… all she had to do was stall Niccolo and play his game.

Taking several deep breaths, she tried to calm herself and get into character. She’d practiced enough roles with Amber that she was a half-decent actress herself. Hopefully, she was good enough to fool Niccolo.

Hoping the darkness of the car would hide her shaking, she crossed her legs, and glanced down at her bare feet.

“I really liked those shoes.” She pouted.

“I’ll buy you more,” he promised. This time, he didn’t even try to mask the thick Russian accent.

Her eyes turned to him and she forced a smile to form on her lips. “Is your name even Niccolo?” she asked softly.

“It was for a while,” he answered. “Max.” He knocked on the thick glass separating them from the driver. “Drive on.” The back of the car was much like a limo, minus the length. The soft leather spoke of wealth and even the suit Niccolo was wearing reeked of wealth. Whoever he was, it had always been clear that he had plenty of money to go around.

Niccolo opened a small compartment and pulled out two crystal glasses. “Champagne?” he asked her smoothly.

“I’ve had enough tonight,” she answered.

Still, he poured two glasses and handed her one. She thought for a moment of breaking it over his head, but then glanced forward and realized the massive man named Max was still in control of the vehicle, which was now speeding away from downtown Denver. How would she escape him?

She tucked the glass close to her instead. “Why kidnap me?” she asked.

“Such a terrible term, kidnap. I prefer acquire much better.” She felt her skin crawl. “My dear, you are going to join my collection.”

“You have a string of women you’ve… acquired?” she asked, causing him to chuckle.

“No, you are the first.” He sipped his drink, then nodded for her to do the same. Since he wasn’t going to give up, she put the glass to her lips and pretended to sip. He seemed satisfied and continued talking. “I have amassed an extensive collection of valuable things I desire—art, automobiles, homes, animals—each item valuable to me in its own way. Some unique, some invaluable, others…”—he ran a finger over her knee—“more desirable.” She felt her entire body shiver and crossed her legs away from him.

“And you think I’d just allow myself to be collected?” She tried to keep her tone natural, but panic was starting to surface.

“What makes you think you have any choice in the matter?” He smirked. “I may have toyed with you in Paris, but after seeing what you’re capable of… It’s now very clear where you belong. With me.”

“What I’m capable of?” She shook her head, not understanding.

“My dear, every piece in that gallery tonight was worth a hundred times your asking price. If one was able to control the flow of your works, one would be able to drive the market.”

“You think I’m going to paint for you?” She almost laughed, then remembered to stay in character. It was too light in the car for her to get to her cell phone, she just had to bide her time until she could get to it safely.

“You will paint for me,” he warned, his voice going deep. “In time you will see.” He sipped his drink. “We will make a wonderful team.”

“It was you,” she finally said as it dawned on her. “You hired those people to break into my house?”

He chuckled. “It was supposed to look like a burglary, but the fool Anton messed up and before he could gather the paintings, you returned.” His hand moved to her hair. “I regret that he hurt you.”

She tried to hold very still as he touched the spot where her stitches had been.

“When I hired Badumna and her team in Moscow, they assured me they could move my… collection safely and smoothly. Then she screwed up in Paris. They had no clue your man was the same one that had escaped her clutches in Paris. I didn’t know who he was or how close they were to finding me until after that night. It was sheer luck, actually, that I overheard one of my workers calling the FBI. Naturally, I went with Badumna when she took the snitch’s place to meet your man at Arc de Triomphe. Shooting him was like two birds with one stone—getting the FBI off my trail and clearing a path for you. But then Paris was no longer safe, and I had to leave.” His sneer turned into a smirk quickly. “But Badumna was determined to mark your man off of her list and when she heard that he had returned to Colorado and you were here, well, it was too good of a chance to pass up.”

“Why?” she shook her head, not understanding fully.

“Art, my pretty.” His hand dropped to beside her knee. “Some of the pieces I have… collected over the years are very rare.” His eyebrows rose slightly.

“You mean, you’ve stolen them?” Suddenly, everything was clear. All the art Cole and his team had been searching for in Paris. “The Storm on the Sea of Galilee, Rembrandt?”

“Yes,” he chuckled. “One of my favorites.”

“You’re the thief?” Realization dawned on her.

“Me?” He balked. “I would never get my hands dirty.” He shook his head in discouragement. “It is surprising how money can get you the things you want in life.”

“But… in Paris, you were an art student.”

“Yes.” He smiled. “Playing with the common people is a hobby of mine. It came as a great surprise to find such a rare gem in the fold.” His hand ran over her face again and she felt her stomach roll.

“Where is the art now?” she asked, her heart soaring at the thought of seeing the missing pieces.

Niccolo chuckled and laid his hand on her knee. “In time, my sweet, in time.”

Just then, the window between them and the driver slid down. “Boss, I think we have company,” the man said, just before the back of the car spun in an odd direction.

Ashley dropped her champagne glass and held onto the seat with both hands as the car spun in circles.

They were on the highway still and she watched in horror as lights flashed around them as the car spun uncontrollably on the dark pavement.

When the car came to a final stop, she was laying on the floor with shards of crystal digging into her hands and knees. Niccolo’s heavier body was pinning her down, keeping her from moving.

When the car door was yanked open, she cried out as Niccolo’s hand wrapped around her upper arm.

“Let her go.” She heard a growl and looked up to stare beyond the barrel of a gun, towards Cole.

His eyes were darker than she’d ever seen. He stood, unmoving, in the middle of the freeway as cars slammed on their brakes behind them. He’d removed his dinner jacket and the stark white of his dress shirt was like a beacon in the dark night. He’d removed his tie and his hair was windblown, as if he’d just run the entire way there.

“Cole!” She jerked her arm free and tried to crawl out towards him.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw movement and screamed just as Max threw himself at Cole. The pair went tumbling down onto the road and seemed to slide across the blacktop.

Cole’s shirt shredded away from his body as dark red colored the stark material. She must have screamed and kicked out, catching Niccolo off guard, because suddenly she was free of his grasp.

Jumping from the back of the car, she rushed towards Cole as they tumbled over the blacktop. She watched in horror as Max sat on top of him, slamming his fists into Cole’s body repetitively.

Traffic and cars were stopped completely now, their headlamps lighting up the horror scene in front of them. Several people yelled at the men to stop, but Max wasn’t letting up anytime soon. She rushed over and tried to pull the massive man off of Cole.

Then she felt it, the hilt of Cole’s gun under her bare feet. Reaching down, she picked it up and placed it against the bigger man’s temple.

“Stop!” she screamed. “Now!”

The man stilled, his fist raised in mid-air for another blow to Cole’s chest.

Cole smiled up at her, blood gushing from his nose and mouth.

“Get off him,” she said with a shaky voice. The larger man complied slowly.

Cole quickly got up and took the firearm from her. “Over there.” Cole motioned for the man to move towards the car. “Let’s go collect your boss.”

Ashley was a little shocked to see a very unconscious Niccolo in the back of the car. She must have kicked him hard enough to knock him out.

The sound of sirens had the first wave of shock rolling through her. “Sit down.” Someone tossed a blanket over her shoulders. “You’re in shock. I think your man has control of the situation now.”

---

Even though she fought him, Cole convinced Ashley to ride in the back of the ambulance to the hospital. He knew he looked a mess, but after a quick assessment, he’d walked away with only a split lip and a bloody nose. Maybe a few bruises on his ribs and pride, but nothing he hadn’t had before.

Ashley, however, had some serious cuts on her hands and knees from the accident.

He’d been lucky to see the car leave the alleyway when he’d rushed outside and even luckier when Tom had followed him and tossed his keys, pointing to his car a few feet from the edge of the street. It had taken him a while to find the dark car in traffic, but once he had, he’d known exactly what to do. Making sure the traffic was light enough that the PIT move wouldn’t cause any other cars to get in the way, he took his chance.

Seeing the car spin around and knowing that Ashley was trapped in it was the scariest moment in his life. Seeing her resting now, he was more thankful than he could have imagined.

RJ had met them as they were brought into the Denver ER, and Ashley and Cole filled him in on all the details about Niccolo. An hour later, they were both released. The police had questioned Cole, but RJ had flashed his badge and pulled the cops into the hallway, and they had disappeared shortly after.

Her family and his met them in the waiting room when they walked out.

He quickly filled them in, but explained that Ashley was tired, and he wanted to get her home to rest.

“Well, that was one way to end your first exhibit,” Tom joked as they walked to the parking lot.

“Shut up.” Amber slapped him playfully.

“I’m sorry about your car.” Cole frowned down at the fresh dent in the fender. “I just keep smashing your things.”

“That’s what insurance is for.” Tom shook his hand. “Besides, if it means that you keep Ashley safe, you can smash whatever you want of mine.” Cole chuckled, then groaned when his bruised ribs ached. “Come on, we’ll drop you off at home.”

The car ride back to Golden was quiet. Ashley rested her head on his shoulder the entire way. At one point he thought she had fallen asleep, but then she reached for his hand and he wrapped his arm around her and held onto her.

“Are you two sure you’re okay?” Amber asked, before they climbed out of the car.

“Yes,” they both said at the same time. Ashley smiled over at him.

“We are now.” Cole wrapped his arm around her and held on.

“Tomorrow.” Amber’s eyes narrowed. “Dinner, here, we’ll bring the food. You can tell all.”

“Agreed,” Ashley said quickly. “Night.” She turned, and he followed her into the house.

Locking the door behind him, he watched as she peeled off the sweater she’d borrowed from her sister to throw over her ruined silver dress. Then she shimmied out of the dress.

“It’s a shame,” he said, moving towards her. “I was so hoping to slide that thing off you slowly.”

She turned to him and tossed the dress into a trash can. “It’s ruined now.” She sighed and started walking towards him in only a pair of silver undies. The cuts and scratches on her body were covered in small white bandages slightly bigger than the piece of silk covering the rest of her. “Along with your shirt.” She used her bandaged hands and pulled his shirt off of his shoulders. “How does that feel?” she asked, running her hands over the road burns that covered his shoulders. They had bandaged them up, but he had pulled the cotton off in the car. It was no longer bleeding and the tape itched.

“Probably as bad as your cuts.” His hands took hers and carried them up to his lips. Placing a soft kiss there, he closed his eyes. “I thought I’d lost you.” He rested his forehead against hers.

“Me too.” She sighed.

Picking her up gently, he carried her upstairs and laid her down on the bed.

“Cole,” she whispered when he crawled in beside her and wrapped his arms around her.

“I just want to hold you,” he said into her hair, pulling her so close, he could feel her heart beat next to his. “Just let me hang onto you.” He hadn’t realized tears were sliding down his cheeks until she reached up and kissed them away.

“I love you,” she said, placing a kiss on his lips.

“I love you,” he replied. “I never want you to go through anything like that again.”

“No.” She smiled. “Nor you. This”—she motioned between them—“runs deeper than anything else.”

“Yes.” He placed a kiss on the tip of her nose.

“Do you think they’ll find the paintings?” she asked after a moment.

“If not, they won’t stop looking for them. If Niccolo wasn’t just showing off and really is the one who has them, then once they find the trail from Moscow, I’m sure we’ll have them.” He leaned back and smiled. “If so, there was mention of a reward.”

“None of that matters to me, only you.” She kissed him. “Knowing you’re safe and that you’re not going anywhere.”

“No, I’m staying right here and, with a little luck, we can start our new lives, together.

“Promise?” She ran a hand through his hair as he leaned in for a kiss.

“Forever,” he answered and kissed her.