Illusion (Swept Away #1)(10)
Author: J.S. Cooper

I shook my head slightly, still unable to look at him. My face just wouldn’t turn, even though I was really curious to see what he looked like. “I don’t think we should risk it,” I mumbled under my breath. I was pretty sure he couldn’t hear me, but the talk was for me as much as it was for him.

“What did you say?” The guy in front of me took a step toward me, and pushed the gun closer to my face. My heart stopped. This was it, then. I was going to die.

I shook my head quickly and furiously. “Nothing.” I squeaked out. “I didn’t say anything.”

“That’s what I thought,” he growled, and reached in and grabbed my arm. “Get out.” He pulled me out of the car, and I stumbled to the ground, feeling disoriented.

I thought about making a run for it, but then I remembered Jakob. I didn’t want to leave him by himself. I had to make sure that he was all right as well. I stood there and peered into the trunk. My breath caught as I finally got a glimpse of Jakob in proper light. I swallowed hard and tried not to stare. “You.” I gasped as I stared at him. It was the man who had been sitting at my table at the coffee shop.

He was incredibly handsome. He had a very low crop of dark brown hair, big, serious blue eyes, and a sexy scrawl of stubble around his chin and jawbone. He looked back at me, and I saw his eyes narrow as he took in my appearance. I wanted to smoothe my hair and wipe the grime from my cheeks. I wished I had some lipstick. I felt like an idiot for worrying about what I looked like when I was in such a scary situation. A small, hysterical laugh wanted to burst out of me again, but this time I was able to control it. I wanted to ask him if he recognized me, but I knew this was not the right time.

“Get out.” The man grabbed Jakob and pulled him out. “And don’t try no funny business, or I’ll shoot you.” He pushed Jakob next to me and pointed the gun at both of us. “Hurry up, Billy!” he shouted to his cohort, sounding stressed.

I looked around me then. I had no idea where we were, but I knew we were no longer in New York. At least, not in the city. We appeared to be in an old empty warehouse of some sort.

I looked to my right and tried not to gaze at Jakob. He was taller than he’d seemed in the car. And more muscular. His body looked very fit and very strong. Part of me thought he’d be able to take out the guy in front of us easily, but then I remembered the gun. The gun changed the whole equation.

“What you looking for, lady?” the man hissed.

“Nothing,” I whispered as I stared into his menacing eyes.

“Good.” He seemed to sigh in relief when Billy walked back to us with his mask on. He had rope in his hands—and two needles. I grabbed Jakob’s arm as they approached. I was starting to feel light-headed.

“What do you want?” Jakob’s voice was commanding, and he looked down at me briefly as I held on to him. “If it’s money you’re after, I can—”

“Shut up.” The man pointed the gun at him, and I screamed. The man froze for a second and gave me another look. “Be quiet.”

“Sorry,” I whispered.

“Billy, tie them up.” Billy paused for a second, and the other man pushed him toward us. “Tie them up.”

“How?” Billy asked, and I wondered if he was new to the kidnapping business.

“With the rope.” The other guy sounded really annoyed.

“But facing each other or away from each other?” Billy muttered.

“I don’t know, and I don’t care.”

“Imbeciles,” Jakob muttered, and I looked up at him. I could see anger in his eyes.

“Don’t make a run for it,” I whispered. “I don’t want them to shoot you.”

He looked down at me and there was a glint of surprise in his expression.

“Are you talking again, bitch?” The guy pointed the gun at me, and I shuddered.

“Hey, watch your mouth!” Jakob shouted, and I saw the man flinch.

“Please don’t shoot him,” I pleaded. “I’ll be quiet.”

“Put your backs to each other,” the guy commanded, and then nodded at Billy. “Tie them up like this. Wrap the rope around their stomachs and then tie up their wrists.”

“I won’t run.” I looked at him. “You don’t have to do this.”

“Shut up!” he shouted. “Inject them, Billy.”

“Inject us with what?” My eyes widened, and before I knew what was happening, I felt a needle in my arm. My eyes immediately felt drowsy, and I felt myself falling into oblivion. I could hear Jakob shouting at them as everything went black, but I passed out before I could comprehend what he’d said.

Three

“Wake up.”

A voice in my dreams was getting louder and louder. I groaned as I tried to block it out. My head was aching, and I didn’t want to open my eyes. My whole body felt stiff, and all I wanted to do was sleep off all the pains in my body.

“Wake up, Bianca.” The voice was more insistent this time, and I froze as I realized that I wasn’t dreaming.

My eyes flew open, and my body stilled as I stared at a large expanse of turquoise water in front of me. Then I remembered what had happened before I’d blacked out.

“Jakob?” I whispered hurriedly, feeling panicked.

“That’s me,” he answered me quickly, and I made a face at the water at his slightly snide tone. All my worries and concerns for him quickly fled.

“What’s your problem?” I asked him softly, feeling out of it and sweaty.

“Besides from being kidnapped and tied up?” he responded back to me snappily, and I wondered what had happened to the caring man in the back of the car.

“Hey, don’t take it out on me.” I knew he could hear the confusion in my voice. “I didn’t kidnap you.”

“I know.” His voice was less stressed sounding. “Sorry, I’m just being irritable.”

“I understand.” I nodded slightly. And I did. This situation would infuriate anyone. “It’s so hot,” I moaned as I felt the hot sun beating down on me. Sweat was trickling down my face and making me even more uncomfortable. “I’m sure that’s not helping to make you feel better.”

“We’re not in New York anymore.”

“You don’t say.” I shifted and fell back against him slightly. The ropes were chafing my wrists, and I was starting to feel claustrophobic, tied to him. I blinked a couple of times, trying to adjust my eyes to the bright sunlight and trying to forget that we were constrained so close together. “Where do you think we are?”