The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

Patrick’s limbs were beyond his control, his body betraying him as he followed Vivienne’s retreating steps.

Behind him, Gillian’s heart-wrenching cries for her father echoed through the air, but he was powerless to respond.

Patrick finally felt the command of his body returned when they reached a secluded cabin on the ship.

But now, with both Percival and Anna guarding the door, escape was an impossibility.

“Kneel,” Vivienne commanded, her voice serene as she sat on the seat representing authority.

Patrick fell to his knees with a thud, not out of compulsion but from the sheer force of Vivienne’s presence.

His legs tingled with numbness, sharp pains shooting through his knees as if a thousand needles were pricking them.

Beads of sweat formed on his brow, trickling down his temples and disappearing onto his shoulders.

Vivienne sat with her legs crossed, her slender neck held high with disdain, a hint of scorn in her gaze.

As Patrick knelt, Vivienne wondered what her mother had seen in him. How could such a spineless man be entrusted with the critical technology of bionics?

She regarded him with contempt and curiosity, slowly pulling the small “Morning Glory” from her pocket and tossing it at Patrick.

Instinctively, he caught it, his forehead bulging with veins, paralyzed with fear.

When he saw what it was, he finally heaved a sigh of relief.

He had thought she had thrown a knife at him!

“Madam, what is this?” he stammered.

Vivienne raised an eyebrow, her voice calm. “A miniature bomb.”

Shocked to his core, Patrick scrambled behind the couch for cover.

He thought it was a knife, but it was even worse – a bomb! Vivienne was more reckless than his boss.

Who in their right mind tosses a bomb around like a toy?

Observing Patrick’s reaction, Vivienne could almost be certain of his innocence regarding the bomb incident that evening.

ship,” she stated, her legs shifting position as

if we set aside your presence on the ship, my daughter and I were there, too. I would never risk our lives by planting a bomb. This

Vivienne murmured absentmindedly,

exhaled in relief and began to rise, “Could this be

gaze sharpened as she looked at him. “You know

the bionic tech, I could not completely sever

would represent her. I agreed, and during preparations yesterday, my men told me the Boyd family’s head wanted to drop off a floral arrangement. I did not

a signal beeped in her

The shipment had arrived.

message. He wanted to check it but could not do so in front of Vivienne, so he remained kneeling

eyes closing. “Let me

that, she went

not to move. He knew Vivienne was not

nerve, and his pale excuses and

as his phone continued to vibrate in

the shipment had arrived, just deliver

Why bother messaging him?

post outside the cabin and were now

docks, sealing

handing over a bag

on the black market, identical to flour and often sold alongside grains to avoid

brow furrowed.

exchanged a glance with Leopold before

“Three tons.”

Anna gasped. “How much?”

“Three tons,” Thomas repeated.

Keco could profit enough to buy

but had not imagined it would

other than Keco, we’ve found nothing

to uncover GTO’s virus research base, following leads to the Ashford family’s harbor, expecting a shipment for virus

their chance to breach the base, so

the ship’s cabin; each of his moves was a potential key to

their surprise, and instead of securing the experimental substance, they had stumbled

was neck-deep in drug

was no small find, and

coordinate with the DEA officers,” Percival instructed as he took the Keco bag. “And keep this under wraps; we don’t need