Chapter l266

Chapter 0266

Where could I hide? Behind the desk? But wouldn’t that be the first place someone would go to if they came to this room? There weren’t many other spots to hide. A couple of high–back chairs were dotted around, but they wouldn’t provide much cover.

“Piper?”

My thoughts came to a screeching halt.

That was Nicholas’s voice.

I rushed back to the door. “Nicholas?”

“Oh, thank God,” came Nicholas’s voice, muffled with the barrier between us.

“How did you know I was in here?”

“I was snooping around. When I didn’t see you with the tour group, I came looking for you.”

“Did they move on without me?” I asked. If they had, Terry likely immediately noticed my absence.

“The servants were taking them back, from what I could tell,” Nicholas said. “Terry wasn’t

with them.”

A pit opened in my stomach. Did that mean he was looking for me too?

“I want to get out of here,” I said, fear apparent in my voice, even to me.

“Step back, Piper.‘

>>

“What are you going to do?”

“I’m going to get you out of there.”

Oh, God, he was going to break down the door! I rushed away at once, moving behind the desk. “Okay!” I called. “I’m clear!”

“Three…” Nicholas said.

“Two…”

“Wait!” Julian hissed. “What the hell do you think you are doing?”

“Piper’s in there. I’m getting her out.“.

“And making it clear we’ve snooped through the room. Stop. Just stop. Let a professional handle this.”

Metal jingled in the lock.

1/3

+25 BONUS

I came close to the door again. “What are you doing?”

“Picking the lock like a civilized person,” Julian said back. “Just one moment…‘

The lock clicked.

“Ah!” Julian said with pride. “There we go. No brute force needed.”

“Whatever,” Nicholas grumbled.

The door knob turned and the door pushed open. Suddenly, Nicholas and Julian were both spilling into the room.

Nicholas looked me over up and down, his face serious. Julian smirked.

“I got your message, Piper. The GPS works.”

I moved between them both, and pulled them both into a hug at the same time. My relief was palpable. I had been even more scared than I had wanted to admit. My hands were still trembling.

If Terry had found me first…

Both Nicholas and Julian held me back, even longer than they needed to. For a long, special moment we stood together, united in our relief and happy with our reunion. Then, too soon, we began to separate.

Julian stepped back first. In his absence, Nicholas wrapped both arms around me, holding me closer.

“We should get going,” I said.

“This looks like my uncle’s office,” Julian said, looking around.

“I didn’t find anything in here.”

“Yeah.” Julian held up a finger. “But did you look in the right places?”

Reluctantly, Nicholas and I stepped away from each other. I followed Julian toward the desk.

“I searched the drawers,” I said. “Everything seemed normal.”

“Watch.” Julian opened the drawer with the paper weight. He pressed his hand up along the underside of the drawer above it. There was a popping sound, and then a secret drawer dropped open.

My eyes went wide. Of course someone like Terry would have secret drawers.

“Check the other drawers,” Julian said. In the secret compartment he opened was a signet ring. Julian slid it into his pocket.

2/3

Following Mile Indra, congsætroen. The one work

“ep trying,” Julian sand.

*NOALL

held the way drawers on my ween, I found another secret

pity

Nodding, I moved to the red drawer.

Nicholas moved closer, watching us from the opposite side of the desk. He crossed his arms over his chest.

“I imagine Piper pressed on the pendant, and that’s how you knew where she was, Julian?”

Nicholas asked.

Julian’s hand sl*pped off the drawer handle. He cleared his throat and quickly grabbed it again. *1 guess Piper told you about my gift,” Julian said.

3/3

+25 BONUS

Following his instruction, I checked the other drawers. On my own, I found another secret compartment. This one was empty.

“Keep trying,” Julian said.

Nodding, I moved to the next drawer.

Nicholas moved closer, watching us from the opposite side of the desk. He crossed his arms over his chest.

“I imagine Piper pressed on the pendant, and that’s how you knew where she was, Julian?”

Nicholas asked.

Julian’s hand sl*pped off the drawer handle. He cleared his throat and quickly grabbed it again. “I guess Piper told you about my gift,” Julian said.