He was unconscious.

A shrill laugh came from the corner of the room.

I sucked in my breath and turned. This guy, whoever he was, was going to die. He wore a tuxedo, with his belly extending over his pants. With thin graying hair, he narrowed his eyes at me, but he looked back to Carter. Sick enjoyment was in his gaze as he reached inside his breast pocket. A phone came out and he dialed a number.

No one moved.

My gaze skirted between the sick bastard and Carter. This guy was a guest of the Christmas event. I saw the invitation sticking out of his coat when he had pulled the phone out. He was Noah’s guest, Carter’s guest, and he did this to him?

I jerked forward, but my captor held me close. He scooted back.

NO!

This wasn’t going to happen. Not to Carter. Not to me. This was not happening.

A surge of adrenalin came over me. I couldn’t wiggle out. I couldn’t kick or hit so I sunk my teeth into the guy’s meaty arm. I went as far and as deep as I could. The guy yelled out and dropped me. Cursing, he scooted back and I was free. Rolling to my feet, I felt a second guy reach for me and I spun away. They were all shouting now.

“Get her!”

One reached for my arm, but I slammed my foot on his and then brought my knee up into his groin. He groaned and fell away. A fourth guy came next. I brought my elbow up, but he only chuckled and ducked. I twisted to the side. It didn’t matter. He dodged all my hits and wrapped his arms around me. I was held in another paralyzing hold again with a book shoved between my teeth and his arm now. “We’re not all stupid, honey.”

I seethed and fought back. Nothing. My heart was pumping. My blood was racing. I had to get free. I had to protect Carter.

“Oh, she’s a fighter, huh?” The leader chuckled some more but turned his back to me. He was completely disinterested with me as he spoke into the phone, “We’ve got him. And her too. We got them both.” He paused before nodding. “Yeah, sounds good. Be there in ten.” He turned back and waved a hand to the room. “Pick him up. He wants them both.”

It was then that I looked around the suite. It was filled with men, all in black suits and the same bulges underneath. I knew it was his men that were in the hallway. As two guys moved forward to pick up Carter, the guy laughed to himself. “He’s a f**king idiot, showing up alone to this meeting. Carter Reed, thinks he can take on anyone. Not me, you punk kid. Not me.”

As the guys reached down and one touched under his arm, Carter moved like lightning. He grabbed the guy’s hand, stuck something in his chest, and threw his body into the second man. Jumping to his feet, he pulled out a gun and shot at the three men in the room with me. The leader’s eyes got big, a strangled chortling sound came from him, but he backed against the walls with his hands in the air. At the same time, doors were kicked open. More men flooded into the room with guns already drawn. Mike and Thomas came in from the patio. A hand chopped at the neck of the guy who was holding me. I was released as he fell to the ground, but Mike caught me. He carried me from the room, back out onto the patio and over to the other room.

“Emma,” Amanda cried out and rushed towards me. Mike released me as soon as we were in the room and it was then that everything clicked in me.

Oh my god.

My knees buckled and I slipped to the couch beside me.

“Emma.” Amanda caught me and helped me sit down. She took my hands in hers. “What happened? What were you thinking?”

“I…” I couldn’t even answer that. What had I been thinking? “I wasn’t.” Carter was hurt. I went for him. That’s all I had thought, but I blinked as I realized there was more. I would’ve traded my life for his. My chest swelled and my heart tried to burst from its place. I would’ve given my life for his.

The image of Carter being kicked flashed before my eyes again. I flinched and reeled backwards.

Mike stepped forward, his hand to his ear. “We’re supposed to move you back to the house. Emma, would you please come with me?”

I stood without thinking. Carter had been beaten senseless and he got up. All his movements were precise, as if he knew what he was doing, as if he was waiting...Horror filtered in now. What had I interrupted?

“Emma.”

I should’ve trusted him.

Amanda helped me stand. My legs still wavered when I got up from the couch. She held onto my arm. “I’m coming with her.”

He frowned but nodded. “Fine.”

And then we were shuffled into the hallway and down the back exit. As we headed into the back elevator, I glanced to Mike. They knew the hotel inside and out. They had gotten help from someone, who knew all the back hallways and staff shortcuts. We were bustled through the storage doors and into a SUV. Mike got into the back seat with us. It was large enough for four more people. The doors from the front opened and two more guards got inside. Mike touched his ear, “Clear.”

The SUV shot forward.

I glanced back, as if to catch a look at Carter, but there was nothing. The storage doors to the hotel had already closed by the time we turned a corner.

When we got to the house, I turned to Mike. “Is he okay?”

He nodded and gestured inside. “He’ll be back as soon as he can. Your other friend was notified of your departures.” Mike glanced at Amanda as well.

Understanding dawned over her. “Oh, to Theresa. That’s good. She would’ve worried.”

He nodded again, a silent clip of the head.

I sighed. That was all we were going to get, so when we got back, I led the way inside. Amanda trailed behind me and as we went through the gym to the kitchen area, I heard her gasp behind me. This was the first time she had seen my home, my new home.

“Is this where you live?” She was breathless.

I nodded. “It’s Carter’s place.” But that wasn’t true. It was now my place too. There was no energy to enjoy this moment. Amanda was my first and would probably be the last to see the inside of my new home. I should’ve been proud, but all I could think about was him.

“Is there a bathroom?”

I nodded and showed her the one on the main floor. Then I went to the bedroom and changed clothes. My dress dropped to the floor. I didn’t care about picking it up. Carter was supposed to have been there to undress me. We were supposed to have spent the night making love and I had no idea where he was. After I pulled on sweats and a baggy sweatshirt, I grabbed another pair of each for Amanda. When I went back to the kitchen, she was searching through the cupboards. She gave me a sheepish grin. “I was going to make coffee.”