The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

After leaving the Brooks Mansion, Vivienne and Percival had hopped aboard a private jet and touched down in M State.

Stepping off the jet, they were met by a line of Percival’s men, clad in black suits, standing rigid like soldiers. It was an impressive sight.

“Mr. Wolf, seems like you’ve carved out quite the kingdom for yourself here,” Vivienne said, her eyes crinkling with a teasing allure.

She knew her Mr. Wolf had more than one identity—there was the public one as the head honcho of Vanguard Agency, and then there was the private one, Mr. Percy, whose depths she hadn’t plumbed.

Looking at the reception they got, it was clear Mr. Wolf was a big fish in this area.

How much dough was he stashing on the side?

Percival looked at her fondly and playfully tapped her nose. “This is my turf.”

As if reading her thoughts about his secret stash, he chuckled softly. “There’s no secret fund. All the income from here is being accounted for. I’m going to hand it all over to you in due time.”

“Not bad! You’re on the ball,” Vivienne replied, clearly pleased.

Her three uncles trailed behind, cringing at the display. They were here for a rescue, not to witness this lovey-dovey nonsense!

They settled into the lavish accommodations arranged for them, places that outshone even the grandeur of the Ellington and Perez family estates. Hardly had they sat down when someone came in with news: three men had been spotted down at SouthMine.

Maddox, Fredrick, and Yuri, eager to get to SouthMine and pull off the rescue, were bewildered to find Vivienne and Percival still lounging, sipping water without a hint of urgency.

“Aren’t we going to move? Shouldn’t we rush to save them?” they asked, baffled by the couple’s nonchalance.

Percival explained, “My people have got them covered. They won’t let anything major happen.”

Vivienne set down her teacup, shadows flickering in her eyes. “If they went through all this trouble to lure us here, why not play along?”

At first, when the sanatorium went up in flames, it was Ronald’s doing—he didn’t want her to find Carl and prevent him from seeking revenge. But as they were about to be escorted back by Percival’s men, they learned that Larry and the others had been abducted by another group, one that intended to draw her and Percival out.

doing or someone else’s was

personally to see what grand scheme had drawn them

first to

if you guys had this figured out,

eating at the three uncles over this whole

an apologetic smile. “We got caught up discussing things on the plane,

and Yuri exchanged

couldn’t

it had to be that Percival’s influence was to

trouble, it was surely Percival’s fault, not their

nodded in

was just another day

Meanwhile, down in SouthMine…

we can’t wait any longer,” Carl said after a full day, hungry and thirsty, unable to

we don’t find a way out, we’re going to starve to death down

with furrowed brows and a grim expression, agreed. “We can’t keep waiting. Vivienne must be tied up with something, or this place is just hard to find. Waiting for her isn’t

thought made Larry seethe. Vivienne had entrusted him with a solo mission, and not only had he failed, but he

embarrassing for a man of Emerald Mountain’s caliber to be

without so much as a chance to fight back. The identity of those behind the kidnapping was still a mystery, and the more he

to act rashly all day. But now, with

might as well sign their own

set in determination as he stood. “The priority is

resolute, Carl agreed. “We’ll have to save ourselves. Maybe Vivienne can’t find the entrance to this sewer. Let’s look around;

stood behind the two

barely resisting the urge to punch the whiny

didn’t have the luxury of indulging his anger. Standing up,

Huxley lagged, clutching at Carl’s sleeve as though fearing being left

keep up with the other two. Though he knew their character was