Stolen Heart by Sawyer Bennett

Saving Grace . It’s quite a nice piece of property. I can see why you chose it.  If I’m not mistaken, it currently houses 27 women, all abused in some way and hiding for their safety.”
    Annika swallowed hard.  She realized her hands were gripping the edge of her desk so hard her knuckles were white.  She didn’t say anything.  
    “If you do not help me recover The Scepter, I am going to evict Saving Grace from the property.  It would be such a shame to put all of those women out on the street….maybe even force them to return to their abusers.”  He paused for effect and saw that Annika had a look of stunned disbelief on her face. 
    Kieran continued.  “Of course, if you help me retrieve The Scepter, I will deed the property over to Saving Grace .  It’s paid $3.5 million for it today.  That should more than adequately compensate you.” 
    Kieran didn’t say anything further.  He watched Annika to see what she would do.  He hoped his threat had hit the mark.  It made him sick to actually make that threat but he didn’t have time to negotiate with her.  He hoped she did not see through his bluff.  He didn’t lie about purchasing the property.  He knew Annika was savvy enough to verify that.  But he was bluffing about evicting the women of Saving Grace .  He would never sink that low.  But Annika didn’t need to know that right now.
    Annika’s face had turned white and he felt a small pang of guilt.  He watched her stand up from the desk.
    “You are the most despicable human being I have ever known,” she spat.  “That you would threaten and put at risk the lives of innocent women, just to get what you want his beyond...”
    Annika stopped in mid-stream and took a deep breath.  She was so angry right now that if she had a gun she would have shot him without a further thought. He had found her one weakness and exploited it.  She would find a way to make him pay for this.  But for now, she was trapped.  She could  not risk the safety of those women.
    Barely containing her fury, Annika walked over to the door and opened it. “I will help you get The Scepter.  We can leave tomorrow evening.  Now get out.”
    “We don’t have time to wait.  We need to leave now.”
    Annika hoped she wasn’t making a mistake by standing her ground.  She had some important business to take care of tonight and tomorrow that she could not forsake.  “I have something to do both tonight and tomorrow that is extremely important and cannot wait.  If you want me, you will wait for me to leave tomorrow night.”  Her words were clipped and forced through clenched teeth.
    Kieran appraised Annika.  Her face had gone from white to red.  Her lovely lavender eyes were flashing at him with pure hate.  He definitely did not like that. But whatever business she had was important enough that she was willing to take a risk that Saving Grace could be harmed.  Or maybe those empathic readings she had done on him gave away the fact that he couldn’t hurt innocent women.  Regardless, it wasn’t worth the argument.  Another day wouldn’t matter and it would be interesting to follow her tonight to see what she was up to.
    “What exactly do you need to do?  Perhaps I can help?”
    “That is none of your business and if I needed help, you would be the last person I would ask.”
    “Fine by me.  Be at my hotel tomorrow evening when you are finished.  We can start to make plans and…”
    Annika couldn’t control her feelings anymore.  “Get. The. Fuck. Out. Now!”
    Kieran flinched from the fury pouring from her.  He really was going to pay for threatening Saving Grace .  He gave her a short nod and walked out the door.  He heard it slam behind him.  Well, they were off to a lovely start.
     

CHAPTER 7
     
    Annika was livid.  Her pulse was racing and her head was pounding.  How dare that son of a bitch threaten Saving Grace ?  She took a deep breath to calm down.  Not working .  She took