“Not a damn thing.”

“Exiting towards the Bronx,” Luke shouted.

Royce headed to the front with Luke, willing the van to move quicker, and cursing the traffic that had them at a dead stop... afraid Lauren would be dead before he got to her.

Chapter Twenty-One

Lauren woke to a throbbing in her head and neck, lost in a fog she couldn’t seem to escape.

“I don’t understand why I’m here,” a female said. “I’m not supposed to be involved. You said I wouldn’t have to be involved. And what’s the camera for?

“Better to see with, sweetheart.”

The voices played in her head, her mind starting to process. Sharon. The female was Sharon. She tried to move and couldn’t, panic overtaking her. Lauren jerked her head up and tugged on her arms to find her hands tied behind her back, behind the rails of a wooden chair.

Her gaze traveled frantically over a warehouse of some sort, and landed on the two people talking, their backs to her. Sharon and... Oh God. Wilkins, dressed in army fatigues with at least one gun and one knife attached to his hip. This wasn’t happening. It couldn’t be happening.

“Well, look who’s awake,” he said, turning to face her. “This would be no fun if you weren’t fully present.”

“I don’t need to see this,” Sharon said. “I don’t. I need to get out of here. Take me out of here before you do it.”

“It?” Lauren said. “What is it?”

“You’re a smart person,” he said, walking to her and squatting down beside her. “I’m pretty sure you can figure it out.” He brushed his gloved fingers over her cheek and Lauren tried to pull away, pretty sure the gloves were a bad sign for her future. He laughed, as if her resistance amused him. “Pretty little thing, you are. I think Mama here hates you for that as much as she does anything else. We bonded over hating you that day I paid your father a visit. A romp in the sack later, a few bucks in my bank, and I got paid into scaring you into that plea. She’s hot in the sack, a f**king wildcat your old fogie father can’t keep up with.”

“Shut up, Jonathan,” she growled behind him. “Just shut up.”

He flicked a look over his shoulder. “Who’s she going to tell?” His eyes fixed on Lauren. “She’s a wicked witch. I knew you wouldn’t leave the DA, and you sure as hell wouldn’t marry your stepbrother. That’s some twisted shit.” He pulled his gun and slid it to her chin.

“Please, don’t do this,” Lauren said, her voice shaking, her entire body shaking. “Please.”

“We were always going to end up right here, with you and me,” he said. “I knew that the day I visited your office.” He pushed to his feet, walked to a video camera and adjusted it.

“Do you really think my father will run for office after I’m murdered?” Lauren demanded.

“I’ll convince him he has to make the world a better place, in your honor, you little bitch,” she snapped. “And he’ll win with the sympathy vote. You will give me the White House from the grave. I’ll finally get something for putting up with you all these years.”

Jonathan walked to Sharon and came up behind her. “What are you doing?” she demanded.

“Getting you ready for you big day,” he said, pressing the gun into her hand. ”You’re going to shoot her yourself.”

“No. No, I can’t do it.”

“You will,” he said, stepping back from her and pointing another gun at her head. “You’ll shoot her or I’ll shoot you both.”

“What?” Sharon screeched. “What are you doing?”

“Insurance, sweetheart,” he said. “When you get to the White House you’re going to get my sister pardoned or the world will know you murdered your stepdaughter.”

He stepped backwards to the camera and she turned to him. “Turn around!” he shouted, cocking his gun. She started to shake and cry.

All Lauren could think of was how much she wished she’d told Royce how much she loved him, how alone Julie would be. How alone her father would be. “Don’t do this, Sharon,” Lauren said. “You have a gun just like him. Shoot him. Shoot him and I won’t say a word about this.”

Sharon whirled on Lauren, holding up the gun. “Shut up! Shut up! You are always talking.” She cocked the gun.

Lauren squeezed her eyes shut and started to pray. Royce was going to blame himself, he was going to let it eat him alive. She didn’t want that. She didn’t... The sound of bullets rang out and she braced herself for impact, but nothing happened. Suddenly, Sharon was on the ground and so was Wilkins, and Royce was kneeling in front of her, his hands on her face.

“You’re okay. You’re okay, baby.”

“Is she?”

“Dead,” he said. “Yes.”

Lauren burst into tears, shaking worse now than ever. Royce untied her and picked her up and she curled into him, not wanting to see Sharon’s body. The sound of sirens erupted outside the building, as they exited what seemed to be a warehouse.

She had no concept of time, of when the chaos calmed and the EMS crew, reluctantly released her. She knew though, that they had tried to convince her to go to the hospital to be treated for shock.

They walked to the van and paused by the passenger door. “I have to tell my father,” she said.