He shook his head. Who knew Hancock had actual human ties to anyone? He was more machine than man. The news that he considered Eden and her father and brothers “family” had been a shocker because Hancock was most certainly a lone wolf. Always going his own way and answering to no one. He was definitely a wild card. Someone Sam was always wary of, no matter the circumstances.

He didn’t trust Hancock as far as he could throw him, no matter that he’d actually been helpful to KGI’s cause in the past. And Sam wasn’t deluded enough to think that Hancock helped out of the goodness of his heart. The man always had his reasons for every move he made.

With a shake of his head, he called Joe and relayed the news to him. After listening to Joe mutter the same curses Sam had uttered himself upon receiving the news, they hung up, with Sam issuing the warning that although they could relax, they were not to stand completely down and to treat the situation as if there were still an existing threat to Eden.

They had only a short time left before Eden wrapped up and would be returning home. At that point, KGI could sign off, collect their paycheck and put another successful mission down in the books.

CHAPTER 32

EDEN hummed as she dressed for the launch party. With the relieving news that the threat to her had been eliminated, she felt lighter and carefree. She was in love. Even better, Swanny loved her. Nothing seemed insurmountable in light of those events.

She hadn’t asked for details. Didn’t want them. And to Swanny’s credit he didn’t give her anything more than, “The threat to you has been taken care of.”

She trusted Swanny, and she trusted his team and organization, for that matter. She knew that while Swanny’s team had been front and center, KGI had been working behind the scenes to get to the bottom of the whole mess. So if they said everything was good, then she believed them.

Swanny, much to his consternation, had been shooed from her room so she could dress for the launch party. He and his team waited for her in the lobby. She wanted to surprise Swanny by wearing the necklace he’d given her. She couldn’t wait to see the look on his face and love warming his eyes when he realized she was wearing his gift.

No, it didn’t exactly meet the standards of the designer dress she was wearing, but she didn’t give one damn. She loved the necklace and she was wearing it, choosing it over the many jewels designers would kill for her to wear for the event.

She had just finished securing the clasp when she heard her hotel door open. Frowning, she stuck her head out the bedroom door, her hand covering her chest where the necklace pendent rested, prepared to reprimand Swanny and tell him to get his ass back down to the lobby, but it was maid service pushing her cart inside.

Smiling, Eden walked farther into the living area. “There’s nothing I need. In fact, I’m just about to leave if you want to give me five minutes and then come back.”

Even as she said it, a prickle slithered down her spine because she remembered that Joe had arranged for them not to have maid service during their stay. Swanny always picked up linens, towels and other necessities straight from the front desk. For that matter, no one was allowed on her floor.

But perhaps now that a threat no longer existed they had relaxed their restrictions. She’d have to ask Swanny about it when she met him downstairs.

“It is no problem, miss,” the maid said in a heavily accented voice. “I just leave you new towels and give you turn-down service so when you return everything is perfect, yes?”

As the maid spoke, she closed the distance between herself and Eden, a warm smile on her face. She had darker skin, but Eden couldn’t place the accent. It sounded more Central American than Mexican. It definitely wasn’t French, but then many immigrants to France came from all over the world and took jobs in hotels and restaurants.

“That’s fine,” Eden said faintly.

She started to step around the maid to collect her clutch and head to the elevator when suddenly the woman moved with speed that astonished Eden. Then Eden felt a prick in her arm and she stared aghast at the woman just before the room sort of fizzled around her and grew fuzzy.

She opened her mouth to scream for help but found herself incapable of saying anything at all, much less screaming.

The maid grabbed her arm and jammed the barrel of a pistol into her side, her expression menacing as it yawned and blurred in and out of Eden’s vision. God, she had to get herself together. Make herself overcome the effects of the drug. This time she had only herself to rely on to get out of trouble. And there was no way in hell she was going to let Swanny down.

“Now you listen to me,” the maid said, all traces of her accent gone. “You’re coming with me and we’re going out the side maintenance entrance and if you make one wrong move, make a single sound, I’ll kill you where you stand. Nod if you understand.”

It took considerable effort for Eden to nod. The drugs had her impaired enough, but terror paralyzed the rest of her.

She stumbled as the maid started forward, her grip painfully tight on Eden’s arm and the gun digging into her side, most assuredly bruising the skin.

The maid all but dragged her toward the elevator and then pressed the button for the subfloor, one level beneath the lobby, that was restricted to employees only. The maid inserted a card that identified her as a hotel employee and the elevator descended to the basement level.

To Eden’s utter horror, when the maid yanked her from the elevator, she nearly tripped over the body of another maid. There was an obvious gunshot wound to her forehead, right between the eyes, and the woman’s head lolled to the side, eyes open and glassy with death.