Encore of the Avenging Muse (Sylvia and Rupert)

Chris froze. "Why would she just dump it here? Couldn't she have just called me?"

"Someone was watching her," Rupert replied.

He'd already watched all the security footage on his way over. On the tapes, Sylvia was glancing around nervously-clearly she'd noticed she was being tailed.

Rupert unfolded the crumpled paper ball. Two sheets. The same ones Chris had seen earlier.

Chris immediately connected the dots. "Earlier she was staring at these like she was lost in thought... She even asked me if I was going on a date with someone named Ward. Who the heck is Ward?"

"I know," Rupert said, turning to Orson. "Call Sylvia's neighbor."

Orson nodded and hurried off to make the call.

Rupert gave the papers a little shake in front of Chris. "Well?"

Chris' expression darkened, frustration and anger mixing in his voice. "It's Caleb. He knows my mom's been setting me up on dates. He faked my handwriting-set up a date with this 'Ward,' Sylvia's neighbor. But why go to all this trouble for Bridget?"

"Chris, have you ever thought maybe it's not just about Bridget?" Rupert's voice was sharp, cutting straight to the point. "He's targeting you too. Caleb's been using your name to get away with all kinds of crap."

Chris fell silent, looking defeated.

Rupert's eyes were cold, almost predatory. "Chris, I keep my promises."

He was already preparing to clean up whatever mess Caleb had made.

Chris went pale. He knew Caleb had finally crossed a line he couldn't come back from.

Orson rushed back in, breathless. "Mr. Rupert, Ms. Ward's office says she left for lunch and never came back. They also checked her apartment-no sign she returned. That's probably why Ms. Lloyd left so willingly."

"Maybe she's still at the hospital?" Chris guessed. "I didn't see her on any of the exit cameras."

Rupert's eyes narrowed, icy and furious. He shook his head. "She deliberately made sure she was seen on every camera-she wanted us to know her every move. Someone took her, Chris."

...

Every time Sylvia passed a surveillance camera, she slowed down, making sure she was caught on tape.

Then, following the instructions she'd gotten on Twitter, she turned down a side street-a dead zone, no cameras.

She was glancing around, tense, when suddenly a hand clamped a cloth over her mouth.

A few seconds later, everything went black.

But even as she lost consciousness, her mind was still racing.

Caleb set up the date with Ms. Ward. He must be using her as leverage This was all about Bridget's

ver

jealousy. Fine, Sylvia

it was

time to settle the score anyway.

What she didn't expect was to wake up on a private jet, luxurious and impossibly quiet.

A flight attendant noticed she was awake and offered her a glass of orange juice. "Miss, here you go."

"Who are you people?" Sylvia blurted, her head still spinning.

The attendant just smiled politely. "Can I get you anything to eat? We still have five hours left in the air."

"What?" Sylvia's heart hammered in her chest. She yanked up the window shade.

Nothing but endless sky, miles above the earth.

Panic set in. She grabbed a steak knife

the table and pointed it at

theant. "Who brought r

here? What the hell is going on?"

She refused to believe Caleb and Bridget-those two reckless idiots-would

actually smuggle her out of the country.

Before the attendant could respond, the door behind her swung open.

"Sylvia, put the knife down."

Sylvia's breath caught in her throat. She recognized that voice instantly.noveldrama

A split second later, someone grabbed her arms from behind and wrenched the knife away.

Furious, Sylvia glared at the man approaching her. "Warren. Really?"

Warren smiled, but it was all surface, his

elne

reached out to brush her cheek,

s twisted with menace.

"I told you I'd take you away, Sylvia."