LITMIR.BIZ

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the ripe curve of her hip as he felt the pockets there. Daniela clenched her teeth. She knew that it was more than obvious that she carried nothing there. The material was, after all, like a second skin.

      His hand glided higher, up her slender waist and to her chest. She struck the offending member away. “I have nothing hidden there,” she gritted out.

      Something resembling a snicker reverberated within his chest. “One can never tell with you women.” He braced an arm above her head and leaned over her. “You may begin your recount,” he told her.

      Daniela cast him a brief look over her shoulder. She didn’t know what was worse, his pompous attitude or the scorching heat that was passing through the entire length of her back. She was determined to appear impassive. Her effort might’ve worked too, had he not turned on her cell phone.

      The device chimed softly as the light flickered on. His attention was drawn to the image on the screen and she found that she was suddenly embarrassed. She’d uploaded the image a few days ago; it was of her and her sister at the orphanage’s Easter party.

      He hovered above her, quiet and contemplative. Daniela lowered her forehead against the cool wall. She certainly wasn’t proud of the life she’d chosen to continue, especially when so many looked up to her. She didn’t know how she would ever face them all if she went to jail for burglary.

      He snapped her phone off and slipped it into his pocket. “You can take your chances with me or with the authorities,” he told her, his tone incomprehensible.

      Daniela knew within herself that there was nothing to consider. If she continued to resist he would call the police and have her arrested. But if she went along with him she could gain enough time to execute an escape.

      “Fine,” she agreed. “What do you want to know?”

      His free hand moved to the exposed skin between her fitted shirt and low-rise pants. Calloused fingers traced slowly along her skin. “Who are you employed under?”

      Fighting the tingling sensation that was fast spreading from the spot where his fingers played, Daniela rationed the air within her lungs. “I work for no one.”

      His fingers paused on her hip. “Then what compels you to steal?”

      “Money, what else? I have responsibilities.”

      His fingers began to move again, this time outlining the edge of her leather pants. “That is hardly an excuse.”

      Her eyes narrowed and she bit down hard on her retort. What did he know of responsibilities? Born into such a wealthy family he’d no doubt had everything given to him. She despised his kind.

      “Who have you sold the Rune to? And did he hire you to steal the second?” His finger encountered her slinky thong and he looped a finger into one of the straps, pulling it further to the surface.

      She inhaled slowly. She wondered how he’d managed to assume that she’d taken the missing rune stone. She’d been careful to cover her tracks. Her heart began to race again. She wasn’t sure if it was due to the uncanny fact that this man knew far too much about her activities or to the warm sensations he was stirring within her.

      When she provided no response, he looped his finger within the strap of her thong a second time, tightening the undergarment. “Answer me, girl.”

      “I don’t know him,” she managed. “But yes, he wants the second rune.”

      His deep groan echoed within his chest as he acknowledged her admission. “Now I will ask you again, who is this buyer? You steal upon his request. You must know something of him.”

      “I’ve never seen him,” she breathed. “I only steal the items and they tell me where to make the drop-offs,” she blurted.

      “Where?”

      “About thirty minutes from here is an old monastery. I’m expected to deliver the second rune there tomorrow night.”

      “You will take me there now.”

      She tossed him a look over her shoulder, her brows drawn in a frown. “I don’t have the rune and there’s no way I’m going there without it.”

      “You will lead me to this location, but not under the pretense of delivering the rune,” he told her. “I wish to see this drop-off point that you speak of.”

      “I don’t think so,” she shook her head. “You don’t get it, do you? This isn’t some game of cops and robbers. These men will kill me if they even suspect that I’ve betrayed them.”

      He leaned in closer, the heat of his body searing a hole through the clothes at her back. “There you are wrong. This is a game—one that you initiated and one you will see to its end.” He spoke evenly, but it was clear that he would abide no objections.

      Daniela remained silent for a moment, definitely not liking the way things were progressing. Going to any drop-off unannounced and empty-handed was risky. She wouldn’t only be placing herself in danger, but also those closest to her. She knew all too well the kind of people she did business with. They were a dangerous group and were loyal only to the highest bidder. And when they were crossed they stopped at nothing, cutting down everything and anything in their paths until they got what they wanted. She would never forgive herself if anything ever happened to the people she loved.

      Yet there was no way she was going to jail either. All in all, she had no easy way out of this. She would continue to go along with whatever he asked until she could make a run for it.

      Daniela’s head fell against the cool stone wall and she sighed in resignation. “Fine, I’ll take you there.”

      A deep groan rumbled within his chest as he acknowledged her acquiescence. It passed through her rib cage and slid up her spine. At that moment he slipped his finger from the binds of her thong and the strap retracted with a snap.

      The heat of his body left her as he stepped back. Slowly, she turned to face him. He stepped to one side and motioned for her to lead the way out of the room, his eyes daring her to try something. Reluctantly, Daniela moved forward. Her heart was drumming. She steeled herself to remain calm, but something told her that this was going to be a very long night.

       Chapter 3

      Daniela pulled the motorcycle helmet off and exhaled a slow breath as she freed her hair. The ride to the drop-off point had been more than uncomfortable since she’d been forced to sit astride the sleek black motorcycle behind her captor. She’d been careful to avoid as much physical contact as possible, but with less than an inch between them that had proven to be an impossible task.

      She slid from the rear of the motorcycle and turned her attention to the lights that could be seen flickering several yards beyond the trees. They were from the Branch-ovan Monastery. She’d scouted it earlier in the day, yet the ghastly structure still sent shivers coursing down her spine. Nestled at the base of a sloping hill, it was surrounded by a forest on one side and the lifeless expanse of a shadowy lake on the other. Centuries ago it had been a place of holy devotion, and now it served as a storage facility and exchange point for stolen goods.

      Within the shrouding darkness of the trees, her captor’s silhouette appeared at her side. Nicholas, he’d said his name was. She’d given him her name, not that it mattered anyway. He’d returned the majority of her possessions to her, but kept her cell phone and she was certain his intent was to learn her true identity.

      Ignoring the odd fluttering at the pit of her stomach as he drew nearer, she put on her night-vision binoculars. Several of the monastery’s windows were illuminated and she could see several men inside, stacking and moving crates around.

      “I don’t know how you think you’re going to get in there. The place is crawling with security,” she told him.

      Nicholas eased a branch aside and fixed his attention to the structure below. “By the design I feel safe to assume that it is more than several hundred years

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