Kira's pov
I had planned to unwind that evening,maybe a glass of wine by the pool, a few emails sent out, and a face mask to erase the stress of the day. The moon hung high above the estate, casting silver streaks across the marble steps. Everything was exactly as it should be. Controlled. Peaceful. Predictable.
And then it shattered.
The moment I stepped outside, a chill pricked the back of my neck. It wasn't cold,it was instinct. I paused, hand tightening on my phone.
"Angela?" I called into my Bluetooth headset, expecting my assistant to still be on the other end. "Send someone to double-check the gates. I feel..."
That's when it hit me.
A thud,blunt and cruel,against the side of my head. The phone flew from my hands as my body crumpled. I tried to scream, but a calloused hand clamped over my mouth. Arms like steel wrapped around me.
"What the,mmph!"
"Quiet," a gravelly voice hissed near my ear. "Struggle, and you'll regret it."