When Day Breaks

He didn’t trust Hancock as far as he could throw him, no matter that he’d actually been helpful to KGI’s cause in the past. And Sam wasn’t deluded enough to think that Hancock helped out of the goodness of his heart. The man always had his reasons for every move he made.

With a shake of his head, he called Joe and relayed the news to him. After listening to Joe mutter the same curses Sam had uttered himself upon receiving the news, they hung up, with Sam issuing the warning that although they could relax, they were not to stand completely down and to treat the situation as if there were still an existing threat to Eden.

They had only a short time left before Eden wrapped up and would be returning home. At that point, KGI could sign off, collect their paycheck and put another successful mission down in the books.

CHAPTER 32

EDEN hummed as she dressed for the launch party. With the relieving news that the threat to her had been eliminated, she felt lighter and carefree. She was in love. Even better, Swa

She hadn’t asked for details. Didn’t want them. And to Swa

She trusted Swa

Swa

No, it didn’t exactly meet the standards of the designer dress she was wearing, but she didn’t give one damn. She loved the necklace and she was wearing it, choosing it over the many jewels designers would kill for her to wear for the event.

She had just finished securing the clasp when she heard her hotel door open. Frowning, she stuck her head out the bedroom door, her hand covering her chest where the necklace pendent rested, prepared to reprimand Swa

Smiling, Eden walked farther into the living area. “There’s nothing I need. In fact, I’m just about to leave if you want to give me five minutes and then come back.”

Even as she said it, a prickle slithered down her spine because she remembered that Joe had arranged for them not to have maid service during their stay. Swa

But perhaps now that a threat no longer existed they had relaxed their restrictions. She’d have to ask Swa

“It is no problem, miss,” the maid said in a heavily accented voice. “I just leave you new towels and give you turn-down service so when you return everything is perfect, yes?”

As the maid spoke, she closed the distance between herself and Eden, a warm smile on her face. She had darker skin, but Eden couldn’t place the accent. It sounded more Central American than Mexican. It definitely wasn’t French, but then many immigrants to France came from all over the world and took jobs in hotels and restaurants.

“That’s fine,” Eden said faintly.

She started to step around the maid to collect her clutch and head to the elevator when suddenly the woman moved with speed that astonished Eden. Then Eden felt a prick in her arm and she stared aghast at the woman just before the room sort of fizzled around her and grew fuzzy.

She opened her mouth to scream for help but found herself incapable of saying anything at all, much less screaming.

The maid grabbed her arm and jammed the barrel of a pistol into her side, her expression menacing as it yawned and blurred in and out of Eden’s vision. God, she had to get herself together. Make herself overcome the effects of the drug. This time she had only herself to rely on to get out of trouble. And there was no way in hell she was going to let Swa

“Now you listen to me,” the maid said, all traces of her accent gone. “You’re coming with me and we’re going out the side maintenance entrance and if you make one wrong move, make a single sound, I’ll kill you where you stand. Nod if you understand.”

It took considerable effort for Eden to nod. The drugs had her impaired enough, but terror paralyzed the rest of her.

She stumbled as the maid started forward, her grip painfully tight on Eden’s arm and the gun digging into her side, most assuredly bruising the skin.

The maid all but dragged her toward the elevator and then pressed the button for the subfloor, one level beneath the lobby, that was restricted to employees only. The maid inserted a card that identified her as a hotel employee and the elevator descended to the basement level.

To Eden’s utter horror, when the maid yanked her from the elevator, she nearly tripped over the body of another maid. There was an obvious gunshot wound to her forehead, right between the eyes, and the woman’s head lolled to the side, eyes open and glassy with death.

Eden’s stomach lurched and the world went even dizzier around her, the drugs rendering her incapable of doing anything but being meekly led to the exit. The maid threw open the door, did a quick survey of the alleyway and then shoved Eden into the backseat of a small Peugeot. She leaned in over Eden and quickly taped her mouth shut and then roughly turned her on her side, jerking her arms behind her and cuffing them together.

It all took but a few seconds, but time had yawned for Eden and everything was moving in slow motion, terror and helplessness filling her as she realized she was being kidnapped. The woman, whoever she was, had already killed at least one person to gain access to the hotel. It was obvious killing meant nothing to her and now she held Eden’s life in her hands.

Tears gathered in the corners of her eyes as the car eased out of the alleyway and into Paris traffic. She was certain this woman meant her to die. But where was she taking her? And why?

Swa

And then she prayed that Swa

She drew on his strength now, the memory of all he’d endured. He deserved someone of the same caliber, the same never-quit attitude and the determination to come out the victor.

She gathered those things to her, holding them tightly, letting them—and Swa