Norah stood staring at herself in the floor-length mirror. From the outside looking, in she supposed you would see the fiancée of a wealthy charity benefactor. Someone who gratefully stood by her partner’s side and assisted him in his noble work.

This was not the truth, though. The truth was that she was trapped in a hell where she had to act the supportive fiancée to a man who would see her dead without a single hesitation if it suited him. A man who she envisioned driving a knife into.

Norah ground her teeth and smoothed the soft fabric of the red gown she wore and touched up her lipstick in the same color. She would play the part as long as it took for her to break free and get to Harley. For as long as it took for them both to break free.

The knock at her door had her turning and plastering a smile across her face.

“Atta girl.” Carl grunted appreciatively. “Keep that up and the boss will see to it that your cop is free.”

Norah fought the urge to roll her eyes as she walked past him. They both knew that was a lie. The second he didn’t need her cooperation anymore, Clayton would have Harley killed. Probably would make her watch, she thought, disgusted. Her goal was to get them both the hell out of there before that day came.

Clayton waited for her at the end of the hall, and she bit back the bile that rose every time she saw him.

“You look beautiful, darling,” he said, kissing her cheek lightly.

“Thank you.”

He fastened her bracelet on her wrist and then held his arm out. “Shall we? I am just dying to show you off tonight.”

Too bad that’s not literal, she thought to herself, and took his arm.

They descended the stairs, and as soon as they were in view of the guests, cheers broke out through the room. She plastered another fake smile on her face and moved to the edge of the crowd with Clayton.

A woman shoved a microphone in her face. “Tell me, Miss McNamara, how does it feel to be back in the open after that horrid attempt on your lives?”

“Surreal,” she said with a smile. “I’m just beyond grateful that the man I love wasn’t harmed.” She referred to Harley, but she knew that anyone watching her performance would believe she was speaking of the man next to her.

“How is your anxiety now?” a man asked. “Do you still have panic attacks?”

“I feel more calm and clear-headed than I have in a long time,” she answered kindly. At least that was the truth. She had a plan forming in her mind, and the idea of seeing the bastard next to her die had her smiling again.

“Have you picked a date for the wedding yet?”

“Not just yet,” Clayton answered for her. “We are taking our time and just enjoying being together right now. You never know how long you have left.” Clayton looked at her, and she recognized the threat in his words. He cupped her face and pressed his lips to hers in a kiss that had the reporters gushing about how perfect they were.

He pulled away and Norah smiled at the crowd, trying not to throw up all over them.

She answered questions and scanned the crowd until her eyes landed on an incredibly angry-looking Zach. He shook his head at her and downed the rest of his drink. Apparently he believed her performance as well.

Hope filled her, and she took a deep breath. Everything was going to be all right. He must have come with his captain as a show of faith. She was going to find him and explain everything as soon as she could. It looked like she and Harley might have just caught a lucky break.

---

NORAH FOLLOWED CLAYTON through the crowd, stopping to talk to various reporters and donors. Everyone was so happy to see them safe, grateful that they had managed to stick together during the tough times, blah, blah, blah.

All she could think about was finding Zach and getting herself and Harley the hell out of Clayton’s house.

She spotted him over by the bathroom and then turned to Clayton.

“Excuse me, honey. I need to use the restroom.”

“Hurry back,” Clayton said with a smile, and Norah rushed towards Zach. She walked past him to the end of the hall and turned, waiting for him to catch up.

“It must be exhausting to play two sides for as long as you did. Tell me, did Harley discover which team you were truly playing for? Did you kill him?” Zach spit out at her.

“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” Norah said in a loud whisper.

“Well then, future Mrs. Charitable Bastard, want to fill me in on what in the hell is going on?” He crossed his arms.

“It’s not what it looks like.”

“Then what the hell is it, Norah? Because from where I’m standing, you missed the money and status so damn much that you turned Harley over and went running back to your psychotic ex.”

Anger flashed through her eyes, and she ground her teeth together.

“Clayton’s men found us when we were trying to find a way in. He forced me to bring him the bracelet, and he said he is going to kill Harley if I don’t marry him.”

“And if you do? What happens to our boy then?”

“Clayton swears he will let him go, but I know he won’t.” Tears filled her eyes and she blinked them away. “I haven’t been able to get him out. He’s guarded twenty-four seven.”

“By how many?” Zach asked, a plan forming in his mind.

“Just one. He is chained in the basement.”

“Do they let you down there to see him?”

“Yes. Clayton thinks it’s good motivation.” She clenched her fists at her sides.

“Do you know where he is keeping the device that can read that?” he asked, gesturing to her bracelet.

“Yes. I saw him use it the other day. It’s in his office.”

“Okay, I have a plan.” Zach ran his hand over his face. “But we have to act fast.”

She nodded. “Tell me what to do.”

---

NORAH CREPT UPSTAIRS and into Clayton’s lavish office. She closed the door gently behind her and breathed a sigh of relief when no one came running up after her. Clayton didn’t seem to think she was capable of much, and she couldn’t wait for him to realize he had underestimated her.

She stared at his office for a moment. She remembered being so impressed when he had shown it to her the first time. His large mahogany desk had hand-carved designs in the legs, and the plush chairs that sat opposite of it had been where she had had spent some late nights reading while he worked on what he had told her was charity business.

Her hands clenched into fists at her sides. She had been such a fool to believe him. She crossed the room to his desk, moving quickly.

Zach was distracting him with questions downstairs, but she wanted out of his house as quickly as possible. She couldn’t wait to free Harley so they could get the bracelet and reader handed over to the authorities and finally take Clayton and Tom down.

She found the device and connector cable quickly and headed for the door, ready for the night to be over with.

---

“THERE’S MY BEAUTIFUL fiancée,” Clayton said when Norah crossed the room to where he and Zach were standing. “Enjoying the party, darling?” he asked, kissing her cheek.

“Yes, I am.” She smiled at him.

“I was just telling the nice detective that he will have to be on the lookout for a wedding invitation.”

“Yes, of course.” She kept her tone light and interested in order to hide the excitement behind it.

Clayton looked around Zach at Carl, who waved at him. “Excuse me,” he said lightly, and walked away.

Zach smiled at her. “Did you get it?” he whispered.

“I did.” She patted her clutch.

“Let’s go. Go on down to the basement, I’ll be right behind you.”

Norah nodded and ignored the anticipation. She had to be smart, not act any differently. She grabbed a plate of finger foods off a waiter’s tray and headed for the basement.

“Bringing me a snack?” A large man stood at the entrance to the basement, his arrogant face twisted into a smile.

“No. It’s for Harley.”

“Don’t know why you bother,” he said sarcastically.

“It’s called manners,” Zach said from behind her, and she moved out of the way just in time to avoid being in the middle of the fight.

“What the he—” the man started right before Zach’s fist collided with his face.

Norah had to be impressed as she watched Zach take the man down. He had easily outweighed the detective by at least fifty pounds, but Zach had him unconscious in a matter of seconds.

“We need to move fast,” he said as he dragged the guard’s body through the basement door.

“Norah?” Harley’s weak voice sounded from the corner and made Norah’s heart break a little. He looked so weak. New bruises covered his face, and his eyes were bloodshot.

“You look rough,” Zach said as he made quick work of the restraints.

“Thanks, man, good to see you too.” Harley tried to laugh, but it came out on a cough.

“Let’s get the hell out of here, shall we?”

The door burst open, and Norah grabbed the gun from the waistband of the unconscious guard’s pants.

“Not so fast,” Clayton said as he, Tom, Carl, and two other men walked into the room.

Norah trained her gun on Clayton. “You will let us leave or I swear I will put a hole in you,” she said. “I wouldn’t,” she warned one of the men as he reached for his weapon. “I’m a damn good shot, and I will have killed Clayton before you can even pull that weapon out.”

“You are really going to shoot me, Norah? With all the press currently enjoying our party upstairs?”

“Oh, I really will, Clayton.” She smiled angrily. “I have been looking forward to putting a bullet in you since the day I found out what a bastard you are.”

“Oh, please, Norah.” Tom dismissed her. “We all know you don’t have it in you to pull that trigger.”

He reached for his gun, and Norah pointed it at him and pulled the trigger. He cried out as the bullet ripped through his shoulder.

“Fuck!” Zach yelled, clearly impressed.

“You bitch!” Tom yelled, glaring at her.

“Reach for that gun again and it goes through your forehead.”

“Let them go,” Clayton growled, and moved out of the way.

“Clay—” Tom said, holding his arm.

“You heard what I said, Tom. Let them go. We don’t need any more gunshots going off, and we certainly don’t need you to have any more holes.” Norah watched as the men moved out of the way.

Once they were far enough away, she gestured for Zach and Harley to go in front of her, since Zach was holding most of Harley’s weight along with his own weapon. They passed by the men, and Norah walked slowly behind them.

Relief surged through her as they made their way outside. She turned to say something to Zach and felt arms grab her from behind.

“Not you, my lovely fiancée.” Norah felt the cool barrel pressed to her temple.

“Let her go!” both Harley and Zach yelled.

“No. You two can go, but know that you have nothing on me. Nothing. I run this city, and it will be only a matter of time before I find where you are holed up. If I catch your scent anywhere near me or my property again, I will put a bullet in her pretty head.” He pulled her closer and she threw her clutch at Harley.

“Something to remember me by,” she said as tears filled her eyes and she was pulled back into her own personal hell.

---

“GET IN THE fucking, car Harley,” Zach urged, pushing him into the passenger’s seat of his sedan.

“We can’t just leave her!”

“You think I don’t know that? The fucked-up truth is that if we go back there now, he is going to not only kill her, but us as well. We have no backup, and I doubt the eight rounds in my gun are going to do the trick against his dozens of men.”

“He is going to kill her, Zach. Regardless of what we do.”

“She is safe for tonight. The house is full of press, which means we at least have a few hours. Add to that the fact that if she goes missing it will make a huge stink for him, I think it’s safe to say we have at least forty-eight hours.”

“Why forty-eight hours?”

“Because that’s when he is going to be meeting to expand his business.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I played nice with my cap,” he said as he drove through Seattle and towards the safety of the house Gerry and Marissa were waiting at. “Got in on some of the information. As it turns out, Mathews is looking to expand his business to other countries and he has some sort of demonstration planned to show his new buddies his reach here in the U.S.”

“But you don’t know when or where?”

“The only thing we know is it’s going to be taking place in two days. I’m hoping the rest of what we need is in that clutch Norah tossed you.”

“What do you mean?” Harley opened the clutch and shook his head. Norah had given them the only thing that she might have used to bargain over. Once Clayton realized they were missing, she was done for.

He pulled out the bracelet and a little black device.