Legacy of Lies
Page 24
He frigging hoped this idea worked.
“Get in here.”
“Get in where?” she whispered.
“In this bag. I’m going to tie up the top and tuck you behind the rack, in the corner.”
“What?”
“Trust me, Jane. You’ll be safe.”
After a gut-wrenching delay where she didn’t move for a full five seconds, she replied. “Okay.”
She blindly patted his arm and worked her way down to his wrist, where he held the bag open. Her soft hands on his skin ignited parts of his body that had been long neglected, and he bit back a curse.
He refused to think of anything besides her safety.
A mere shadow in the darkness, she stepped into the empty canvas bag and crouched down. Her leather pumps brushing over his hand made his groin tighten.
Voices and footsteps traveled down the hall. Stop thinking about your libido and concentrate on keeping Jane alive.
Footsteps. Louder. Damn.
The unbalanced fan continued to whir, its ineffective blades seeming to murmur for him to go faster.
More gunshots. The entire canvas bag jumped as he cinched the drawstrings over her head.
“You have to hold still, Jane. Even if someone comes in here, whatever you do, hold still,” he whispered.
A muffled response served as assent.
The steps slowed.
Barnaby shoved her into the corner, crammed between the back wall and the end of a metal shelf.
Opening another canvas bag, he stepped into it.
Damnation, letters filled the bottom third of the bag.
The fan whirred. The strains of Herman’s Hermits’ “There’s a Kind of Hush All Over the World” straggled into the closet.
The office light clicked on, pale yellow illumination sliding beneath the closet door.
Barnaby sweated as he worked fast to clear that canvas bag and set the mail on a shelf. He couldn’t be bothered to make it look like properly stacked postal products. His hasty shelving job would have to do.
Another footstep. Then two.
As quietly as he could, Barnaby clamped his jaw shut against the twinge in his arm as he opened the bag. He stepped in, but his body didn’t completely fit.
Bloody hell.
Glass crunched outside the closet door.
Barnaby shoved his six-foot frame down as far into the bag as possible and raised the top of the bag.
When he cinched the top, it stopped just above his brows. His buzzed scalp stuck out.
The doorknob rattled, and Barnaby’s heart stopped. He bent toward Jane, hoping to heaven that the top of his head wouldn’t be visible in this position.
After a shout in Vietnamese farther away, whoever stood outside the closet replied with foreign words.
The metal door creaked on worn hinges. Barnaby froze.
He was so close to her, Barnaby could hear Jane’s short, sharp breaths, muffled through the canvas, like she had her hand over her mouth. Her body shook, and he wanted to drag her into his arms and soothe her trembling.
The door swung open, and whoever stood there muttered something in Vietnamese.
One step, then two, closer to their hiding spot. Jane twitched, and Barnaby prayed the person at the door didn’t notice.
At another shout from down the hall, the person in the office barked back. Crunching treads faded toward the front lobby.
Another round of gunfire erupted. English shouts and then more footsteps pounding down the hall.
Then silence.
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Praise for Flame’s Dawn:
“This novella has a very intriguing premise that stands out amongst the sea of paranormal tales out there. David’s well developed concept of the Indebted not only had me intrigued throughout this story but also set the series up well.” —4 stars, Pure Jonel
Don’t miss the other exciting books in Jillian David’s Hell to Pay series:
Immortal Flame
“Cleverly and expertly woven between their POVs, their journey is not an easy one - lives will be lost, family endangered, much bodily harm done to many - and love begins to bloom despite neither really wanting it...(T)his series will be an exciting one and well worth the time to savor strength in men, and women.” 4.5 Stars — InD'Tale Magazine
“Immortal Flame teases and taunts from the beginning, slowly building characters by revealing pieces of their lives and past in bits....Immortal Flame is a slow burn to a fiery furnace...” 5 Stars —Paranormal Romance Guild
“Intense and entertaining throughout, Immortal Flame proves a strong start to a promising new series that should prove a treat for fans of this ever popular genre. One to add to your reading list, it is strongly recommended.” —Book Viral
“A fast-paced and fun paranormal romance. This was a new author for me but one that I will definitely look to read again.” —Night Owl Romance
“Packed with scorching love scenes, a bit of mystery and plenty of action, Jillian David keeps you wanting more from the very beginning.” —Eat Sleep Read Reviews
Relentless Flame
“The sex is hot and steamy while not being gratuitous or overbearing. I love the characters she has created, the way they support each other and feel like people I would enjoy getting to know. As an independent reviewer for paranormal books and authors that rock, I give this four firm solid and sharp fangs.” —Paranormal Romance and Authors that Rock, 4 fangs
“Dante's journey from player to genuinely caring man is amusing to watch, since Hannah does not play any kind of game he is used to, and the relationship is worth all their pain.” — InD'Tale Magazine, 4.5 stars
Flame Unleashed:
“A wonderful read full of action and romance ..." --4 stars, Romancing the Book
"Ok, seriously, this book has me HOOKED!! Like whoa, hooked! I feel like I could easily devour ten of these books in a weekend! I’m totally and completely in love!!" -- 4.5 stars, Chapter 5 by Joss Radillo Book Blog
"Oooooo...It's another awesome spine-tingling suspense filled action packed adventure from what is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors! ...Definitely the best of the series, but the only one I don't recommend reading out of order." -- 5 stars, Paranormal Romance and Authors that Rock
In the mood for more Crimson Romance?
Check out Cloaked in Blood by T.F. Walsh at CrimsonRomance.com.