Free Absolution by Diane Alberts Page A

she
refused to whimper.
    “Now, here’s how it’s gonna work, sweet
cheeks. You follow me without a fight and look happy to be doing
so. Any word out of you, and he’s dead. Got it?”
    She nodded and mumbled a question into the
wall. He spun her by her hair until she faced him, and her back
rested against the rough stucco.
    “What did you say?” he rumbled.
    “I said, won’t it look odd for me to be
walking around in my pajamas in broad daylight?”
    He laughed. “Not my problem. They’ll just
think you’re a slob.”
    She spit in his face, smiling when he growled
and wiped his cheek clean using his free hand. He slapped her hard,
making the room tilt at an odd angle before her eyes. She flinched,
fighting the pain. The hell if she’d show him any weakness. The
bastard might kill her, but he wouldn’t break her.
    He released her hair but kept the knife at
her throat and brought the phone to his ear. “Pedro? Are you still
on his tail? Good. I’ll let you know when I secure her in the car.”
He turned to Eva and gave her a mockery of a grin. “Okay, your man
is still alive…for now. Come with me, and he’ll stay that way.”
    She hesitated. “How do I know you won’t kill
him?” She knew she would leave with him no matter what if it kept
Joseph safe, but she also needed to stall. The longer it took her
to get in his car, the less time she would be in his possession.
And the less time he would have to rape and mutilate her. “Why
should I trust you?”
    He laughed in her face and shoved her toward
the elevator. He jammed the down button with his free hand, yanking
on her hair in the process. She bit back a cry.
    “You don’t. And you can’t. But it’s the only
choice you have.”
    She tried not to think of Joseph being
attacked without his weapon as Antonio shoved her inside. She tried
not to picture him shot in the head like the men in her building
had been. All brains and blood—sightless eyes. She hit the button
for the bottom level with a shaky finger. Eva slipped her hands
behind her back in an attempt to hide her weakness from her captor.
Joseph would be all right. He’d survived war and countless
missions. He knew how to stay alive.
    And he’d save her before Antonio killed her.
She had to be brave and bide her time. The elevator opened, and
Antonio led her into the lobby and outside into the daylight. She
scanned the lobby, examining any men who lurked in corners. Maybe
Joseph would jump out and rescue her. When she realized she had no
one to help her, her heartbeat sped up.
    More time. She needed more time. Then he
would come. “I have to go to the bathroom,” she said in a rush.
    “Not a chance,” Antonio hissed in her
ear,
    “Would you rather I go on your car seat?” she
asked.
    “Do so and die. You are coming with me, now.
No breaks, no stalling. Or he’s dead.”
    He pushed toward a black car that awaited
them. Antonio grabbed her hair and shoved her face first into the
backseat. She tumbled inside, smacking her head on the seatbelt
clasp. Eva scrambled away from him, scooting until she rammed into
the rear passenger door. He seated himself beside her, his gaze
following all the way up the length of her bare legs. Caressing her
thigh, he pursed his lips.
    She flinched and shoved his hand off. “Don’t
touch me. And call off your man. I cooperated as I said I
would.”
    Antonio laughed and pounded on the headrest
in front of him to tell his driver to go. Once they pulled onto the
highway and accelerated, he picked up his phone and dialed a
number. “Pedro? We have her in the car.”
    Eva breathed a sigh of relief and sagged
against the seat. She’d done it. She’d saved Joseph from an ambush.
Antonio traced an invisible path from the bottom of her leg to the
top and inched her hem up further, peeking underneath. She slapped
his hand away once more and met his gaze.
    He smirked at her, digging his fingers into
her thigh until she squirmed. “You can kill him now, if you