Free Rewarded by Jo Davis Page A

call. “Santos is after you, me, and Anna. She’s not answering her cell.”
    “I left her a while ago, though I didn’t walk far.”
    Gray figured the poor bastard had been meandering in the area aimlessly, not really wanting to leave her, just as he would’ve done if the roles had been reversed. But he couldn’t dwell on that right now.
    “She’s probably still there, working late. Let’s go get her, and we’ll find a safe place for both of you.”
    They sprinted down the street, and Gray hoped she was still at the restaurant. He had to get to her before Santos did.
    If the bastard laid a finger on her, he was going to die.
    ***
    Anna hurried down the sidewalk, intent on getting home to Gray. She was thinking about how she’d do a striptease for him tonight. Maybe conjure up something naughty involving whipped cream.
    Which is why she didn’t see the shadow detach itself from a nearby building until it was too late.
    A man grabbed her and dragged her into the shadows, a hand going over her mouth, something small and hard pressed into her lower back. “Be quiet, Miss Claire. I’d hate for this to go off accidentally. Understand?” She nodded, pulse tripping. “Good. We’re going to walk back to your building, nice and casual, and go up to your restaurant. Scream and I’ll kill you, and anyone else who’s nearby.”
    In light of that threat, she didn’t make a sound as they began to walk. She shouldn’t have been surprised to see Petrov emerge from the shadows to join them, but somehow she was. Disappointment in the Russian surged through her, though she couldn’t understand it. He was a killer, for God’s sake!
    In the lobby, the surprised security guard called out to her. Before she could say a word, Petrov walked straight up to the man and knocked him out cold with the butt of his gun. The elevator ride was silent, but when they got to her restaurant, Santos ordered her into the dining area, instructing her to sit at a table.
    “Now what?” she asked.
    “I make a call,” Santos said coolly. “Then we wait.”
    ***
    As Gray and Delacruz rounded the corner and turned onto the street where the restaurant was located, his phone buzzed again. Thinking it was Simon, he slowed, then stopped to answer. But he didn’t recognize the number on the display.
    “Sloane.”
    “Ah, agent. Good. You are prompt. I like that.”
    His blood froze. “What do you want, Santos?”
    Beside him, Delacruz cursed.
    “I want you and Delacruz at Floor Fifty-Five, now. Come alone, or Anna dies.” The click sounded the end of the call.
    “Fuck!” Gray exploded. “He’s got Anna at the restaurant. He said for us to go alone or she dies.”
    “Are you going to listen to him?”
    “No. We need backup.”
    “But he said—”
    “I don’t care what he said. I’ve been doing this a long time, and we don’t deal with hostage-takers without letting someone know. I’ll call Simon and he’ll get a team moving.”
    After hesitating, Delacruz nodded. Gray didn’t need his damned permission, but he was glad the man was on board. Gray made a quick call to Simon, who promised to move a team in quickly.
    Once they reached the building, Gray took them around to the back.
    “Where are we going?” Joaquin asked.
    “Santos doesn’t know that I worked here undercover. There’s a service entrance down in the parking garage with an elevator that opens up in the back, past the kitchen. It’s how they get all their shipments in and out.”
    Delacruz grinned at that information. “Lead the way.”
    He took them through the parking garage to the service elevator. Punching the up button, they waited for the car to descend, then took it to the top floor.
    “Is this thing quiet?” asked Delacruz. It was a valid question.
    “Yeah. It’s in the back. People in the dining room can’t hear the hum of it going up and down or it would disturb their meals.”
    “Perfect.”
    At the top, the door slid open and they exited silently.