Beneath Her Bastard Boss

Chapter 161

Chapter 161

Consciousness returned to Keira in waves, each one bringing with it a fresh surge of pain behind her eyelids. She wasn’t instantly aware. Whatever they had used to knock her out was effective.

The floor beneath her was cold and hard. Her head throbbed. Her mouth felt like it had been stuffed with cotton.

“Alexei,” she mumbled, the events before her blackout rushing back in fragmented pieces.

She forced her eyes open, blinking against the harsh fluorescent light. She was in some kind of storage room, concrete floors, metal shelving stacked with boxes, a single window high on the wall letting in a sliver of moonlight. Her once–beautiful crimson dress was torn at the hem and smeared with dirt.

“Glad to see you rejoining the living.”

Alexei’s voice came from her left. She turned her head to find him propped against the wall near some shelving only a few feet away, his tuxedo jacket gone, white shirt stained with blood from a nasty gash at his temple. His hands were bound like hers, but he seemed alert, his eyes clear despite the injury. His head must be hurting like hell.

“Are you okay?” She shuffled toward him, wincing as her bare feet scraped against the rough concrete. Why had they taken her shoes? Or had they fallen off?

“I’ve been better.” His mouth twisted into a humorless smile. “You?”

“I feel like I’ve been hit by a truck.” She looked around the room, searching for exits. One metal door presumably locked. The only high

window, unreachable without something to stand on. She could see the window had bars on it, so even if they could reach the window, they

couldn’t get out. But they could call out for help.

“Where are we?” she asked.

“Some kind of warehouse by the docks, judging by the smell and the shipping containers I glimpsed when they brought us in.” His eyes never

left her face. “You’ve been out for about forty minutes.”

“The men that took us?”

“I injured one. I heard them talking. They dumped us in here and left.”

dropped. “Did they

was oddly calm, almost clinical. “Though no one’s made

side by side, her shoulder pressed against his. The contact helped her racing heart,

she whispered. “We’re actually being

it’s very real.” His eyes softened as he looked at her. “I’m sorry, Keira. You shouldn’t be here. This

this your fault? Did you call up some kidnappers and say, ‘Hey, could you grab me and my assistant tonight? We’ve got nothing better to

the gravity of their situation. “There it is. I was worried they’d drugged the

“Never.”

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Chapter 161

shouldn’t have sent

him a level look. “Did you see the guns those guys were carrying? I would say you saved your people’s lives.” She held up

restraints, which were frayed where he’d been sawing them against a sharp edge of metal shelving. “Almost

to die in a warehouse wearing a designer dress or this young, I want to be really

grew serious. “No

she said softly, noticing

a blockbuster film. She could almost picture

him, but arguing wouldn’t help. “What’s the plan, oh,

I get you out of those.” He nodded toward her restraints. “Then

unless he turned all ninja on the kidnappers or was the next

have a

kind of thing.” Wishing

staying alive until rescue arrives.” He resumed working his restraints against the metal edge. “I never paid much attention. I was too busy being a royal

jokes, Alexei.”

low, urgent. “Fear will

in her life. But she

be wrong with you if you weren’t scared.”

from the other side of the door. They both froze, eyes fixed on the entrance as the sound of footsteps

whispered, fear clawing up

said quickly, leaning close. “Whatever happens, let me do the talking. These men

She had been at the wrong place at the wrong

only snatched her to buy themselves escape time, preventing her from sounding the alarm? Screaming

see your value. So, stay quiet, stay