Unknown: He won't like it, but you know what you have to do.

  Holy shit. My breath swooshed out of me. The mysterious letter writer. Fucking hell. How did he know that Darcy had been taken? My brain ran it through. All the guys had found out what we found out. I'd made the call to bring everyone in while Bridge had been shouting commands to security to prep the helicopter. Everyone was here. When was the text sent?

  Ten minutes ago.

  Fucking hell. The dumb phone had been off because I didn't want interruptions, but that was clearly a mistake. The little voice came back to my mind, tried to follow logic. Who else could know?

  Unless it was someone who was watching Middleton all the time. His security? Bridge’s father? If it was his father, then why hadn't he said anything? None of it made sense. There was no rhyme or reason, and I couldn't sort it out. Who was my mysterious note sender? Why were they so invested? And what exactly did they want from me?

  Forty-Five

  Emma

  This was a risk. I knew it was a risk. Everybody was so focused on coming up with a plan. I opted to go with security to take Bridge's mum back to the restaurant, because regardless of our crisis, she had to open.

  Belinda patted my hand. "Sweetheart, I see that look on your face. I feel like I know that look well. I understand you want to do something to help him, but he and the lads will figure it out. I don't like it when they talk about dangerous things, but they are already planning to go to Middleton's, and it has to be done immediately."

  "I know what they're planning. I just don’t like that someone is going to get hurt because of my failures."

  "I know. But it’s Middleton who’s going to get hurt. You don't know Bridge. He's not going to let anyone hurt his sister."

  "I know. I'm so sorry this happened."

  She patted my arm and leaned into me as we pulled up to the restaurant. "Sweetheart, you know this is not your fault."

  I nodded then looked her in the eye. “I still can't help feeling responsible though. Darcy is just a kid. She didn't ask for any of this."

  "But neither did you. All you did was exist. His fixation on you is the problem, and that has nothing to do with you. All of this is about him."

  "I know I'm supposed to believe that, but I can't let it go. I know I didn't do anything. I know I don't deserve this. Still though, it's difficult seeing Bridge like this. Watching him in pain."

  "Yeah, I know. Hell of a morning, sweetheart. Come on, let’s use the restroom."

  Zayne and Sam exchanged glances. No doubt they'd already heard from Daniel what happened the last time I slipped security. Belinda shrugged. "Lads, she's just going to the loo. Relax."

  I thanked her. And again, I felt moderately bad that her kindness was not going to be rewarded. And I knew what I was going to do would make her son really angry.

  I did go to the loo and then thanked her. But instead of walking out the front door, I went out the side, down the alley, and into the far busier street around the back of the restaurant. And then I found the nearest taxi and hopped in. "Can you take me to Middleton Communications?"

  He nodded. "Sure, miss."

  I was going to get Darcy back.

  Forty-Six

  Bridge

  I checked my watch, assuming the team was back, and then I went looking for Emma. I'd been so worried about Darcy I hadn't checked in with her. I knew that she was going to try and find some way to assume responsibility for what this twat had done, and I didn't want her doing that. But Emma was going to be Emma. As I headed for the stairs to check on her, Ben clapped a hand on my shoulder before I could head up.

  “Is she back? Did you see her, Ben?”

  He shook his head. “No, but don't do that thing where you tell her what to do and you don't listen to what she needs from you. It won’t go over well."

  I shoved him off. "Mate, I don't know what to do. I don't know how to fix this. I don't know how to do this."

  "I know mate. I know. Look, she's your sister, and we will figure it out. We just need a little recon from Alex and the lads at the Middleton estate, and then we will go in and get her."

  "I don't like the plan. It's not well thought out, and we don’t even know for sure that he’s taken her there."

  Ben shrugged. "Sometimes we have to act without all the information we want, right?"

  "What am I going to do? It's my job to protect Darcy."

  "Yes, it is. And we'll get her back. We’ve never let each other down."

  "Fuck, why can’t we beat him? This should have been over by now. The longer this drags out, the more people get hurt. We need to take him off the board."

  Ben eyed me warily. "And we will. The right way. We're not going to stoop to their level and become like them. We didn't work this hard for that to happen. All that matters is we get Darcy back, and then we’ll figure out the rest. Do you understand me?"

  "I'm going to go and make something to eat. I need something to do with my hands, and when Emma returns from my mum’s, I'll see if I can convince her to eat."

  "Sounds like a grand plan.”

  I started to pull out the ingredients for a soufflé, because when I was this worried, the more complicated it was, the better.

  My phone buzzed in my pocket, and I pulled it out. "Hi, sweetheart. Hurry back, yeah? I'm making you something to eat."

  But instead of Emma's voice, it was Sam's. "Guv, we dropped off your mum. I’m sorry, but Emma's done a runner."

  Son of a goddamn bitch. She'd gone to get Darcy back on her own.

  To be continued in Broken Bridge…

  Thank you for reading BRIDGE OF LIES!

  * * *

  One misstep had cost Bridge everything. As a result, he lost his sister and his wife. And now, he will burn down the world to get them back. Even if he has to become someone they fear.

  * * *

  Read Broken Bridge Now!

  * * *

  You can also read Nathan and Sophie’s story right now! Find out what happens when a seductive, jaded playboy with a filthy mouth meets his uptight neighbor and they strike a little ex payback bargain.

  One-click MR. DIRTY now!

  “Mr. Dirty is a fun and flirty romance with complex characters and a great storyline." - Amazon Reviewer

  Can’t get enough billionaires? Meet a cocky, billionaire prince that goes undercover in Cheeky Royal! He’s a prince with a secret to protect. The last distraction he can afford is his gorgeous as sin new neighbor.

  His secrets could get them killed, but still, he can’t stay away…

  Read Cheeky Royal now!

  Turn the page for an excerpt from Cheeky Royal…

  UPCOMING BOOKS

  * * *

  Broken Bridge

  Gentlemen Rogues

  Also from Nana Malone

  Cheeky Royal

  “You make a really good model. I’m sure dozens of artists have volunteered to paint you before.”

  He shook his head. “Not that I can recall. Why? Are you offering?”

  * * *

  I grinned. “I usually do nudes.” Why did I say that? It wasn’t true. Because you’re hoping he’ll volunteer as tribute.

  * * *

  He shrugged then reached behind his back and pulled his shirt up, tugged it free, and tossed it aside. “How is this for nude?”

  * * *

  Fuck. Me. I stared for a moment, mouth open and looking like an idiot. Then, well, I snapped a picture. Okay fine, I snapped several. “Uh, that’s a start.”

  * * *

  He ran a hand through his hair and tussled it, so I snapped several of that. These were romance-cover gold. Getting into it, he started posing for me, making silly faces. I got closer to him, snapping more close-ups of his face. That incredible face.

  * * *

  Then suddenly he went deadly serious again, the intensity in his eyes going harder somehow, sharper. Like a razor. “You look nervous. I thought you said you were used to nudes.”

  * * *

  I swallowed around the lump in my throat. “Yeah, at school whenever we had a model, they were always nude. I got used to it.”

  * * *

  He narrowed his gaze. “Are you sure about that?”

  Shit. He could tell. “Yeah, I am. It’s just a human form. Male. Female. No big deal.”

  * * *

  His lopsided grin flashed, and my stomach flipped. Stupid traitorous body…and damn him for being so damn good looking. I tried to keep the lens centered on his face, but I had to get several of his abs, for you know…research.

  But when his hand rubbed over his stomach and then slid to the button on his jeans, I gasped, “What are you doing?”

  “Well, you said you were used doing nudes. Will that make you more comfortable as a photographer?”

  * * *

  I swallowed again, unable to answer, wanting to know what he was doing, how far he would go. And how far would I go?

  * * *

  The button popped, and I swallowed the sawdust in my mouth. I snapped a picture of his hands.

  * * *

  Well yeah, and his abs. So sue me. He popped another button, giving me a hint of the forbidden thing I couldn’t have. I kept snapping away. We were locked in this odd, intimate game of chicken. I swung the lens up to capture his face. His gaze was slightly hooded. His lips parted…turned on. I stepped back a step to capture all of him. His jeans loose, his feet bare. Sitting on the stool, leaning back slightly and giving me the sex face, because that’s what it was—God’s honest truth—the sex face. And I was a total goner.

  * * *

  “You’re not taking pictures, Len.” His voice was barely above a whisper.

  * * *

  “Oh, sorry.” I snapped several in succession. Full body shots, face shots, torso shots. There were several torso shots. I wanted to fully capture what was happening.

  He unbuttoned another button, taunting me, tantalizing me. Then he reached into his jeans, and my gaze snapped to meet his. I wanted to say something. Intervene in some way…help maybe…ask him what he was doing. But I couldn’t. We were locked in a game that I couldn’t break free from. Now I wanted more. I wanted to know just how far he would go.

  * * *

  Would he go nude? Or would he stay in this half-undressed state, teasing me, tempting me to do the thing that I shouldn’t do?

  * * *

  I snapped more photos, but this time I was close. I was looking down on him with the camera, angling so I could see his perfectly sculpted abs as they flexed. His hand was inside his jeans. From the bulge, I knew he was touching himself. And then I snapped my gaze up to his face.

  Sebastian licked his lip, and I captured the moment that tongue met flesh.

  * * *

  Heat flooded my body, and I pressed my thighs together to abate the ache. At that point, I was just snapping photos, completely in the zone, wanting to see what he might do next.

  * * *

  “Len…”

  “Sebastian.” My voice was so breathy I could barely get it past my lips.

  “Do you want to come closer?”

  “I--I think maybe I’m close enough?”

  His teeth grazed his bottom lip. “Are you sure about that? I have another question for you.”

  * * *

  I snapped several more images, ranging from face shots to shoulders, to torso. Yeah, I also went back to the hand-around-his-dick thing because…wow. “Yeah? Go ahead.”

  “Why didn’t you tell me about your boyfriend ‘til now?”

  Oh shit. “I—I’m not sure. I didn’t think it mattered. It sort of feels like we’re supposed to be friends.” Lies all lies.

  He stood, his big body crowding me. “Yeah, friends…”

  I swallowed hard. I couldn’t bloody think with him so close. His scent assaulted me, sandalwood and something that was pure Sebastian wrapped around me, making me weak. Making me tingle as I inhaled his scent. Heat throbbed between my thighs, even as my knees went weak. “Sebastian, wh—what are you doing?”

  “

  Proving to you that we’re not friends. Will you let me?”

  He was asking my permission. I knew what I wanted to say. I understood what was at stake. But then he raised his hand and traced his knuckles over my cheek, and a whimper escaped.

  * * *

  His voice went softer, so low when he spoke, his words were more like a rumble than anything intelligible. “Is that you telling me to stop?”

  * * *

  Seriously, there were supposed to be words. There were. But somehow I couldn’t manage them, so like an idiot I shook my head.

  * * *

  His hand slid into my curls as he gently angled my head. When he leaned down, his lips a whisper from mine, he whispered, “This is all I’ve been thinking about.”

  Read Cheeky Royal now!

  Nana Malone Reading List

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  Shameless

  Before Sin

  Cheeky Royal

  Protecting the Heiress

  * * *

  Royals

  Royals Undercover

  * * *

  Cheeky Royal

  Cheeky King

  * * *

  Royals Undone

  Royal Bastard

  Bastard Prince

  * * *

  Royals United

  Royal Tease

  Teasing the Princess

  * * *

  Royal Elite

  * * *

  The Heiress Duet

  * * *

  Protecting the Heiress

  Tempting the Heiress

  * * *

  The Prince Duet

  Return of the Prince

  To Love a Prince

  * * *

  The Bodyguard Duet

  Bodyguard to the Billionaire

  The Billionaire’s Secret

  * * *

  London Royals

  * * *

  London Royal Duet

  London Royal

  London Soul

  * * *

  Playboy Royal Duet

  Royal Playboy

  Playboy’s Heart

  * * *

  London Lords

  See No Evil

  Big Ben

  The Benefactor

  For Her Benefit

  * * *

  Hear No Evil

  East End

  East Bound

  Fall of East

  * * *

  To Catch a Thief

  * * *

  Speak No Evil

  London Bridge

  Bridge of Lies

  Broken Bridge

  * * *

  The Donovans Series

  Come Home Again (Nate & Delilah)

  Love Reality (Ryan & Mia)

  Race For Love (Derek & Kisima)

  Love in Plain Sight (Dylan and Serafina)

  Eye of the Beholder – (Logan & Jezzie)

  Love Struck (Zephyr & Malia)

  * * *

  London Billionaires Standalones

  Mr. Trouble (Jarred & Kinsley)

  Mr. Big (Zach & Emma)

  Mr. Dirty(Nathan & Sophie)

  * * *

  The Shameless World

  * * *

  Shameless

  Shameless

  Shameful

  Unashamed

  * * *

  Force

  Enforce

  * * *

  Deep

  Deeper

  * * *

  Before Sin

  Sin

  Sinful

  * * *

  Brazen

  Still Brazen

  * * *

  The Player

  Bryce

  Dax

  Echo