Maitland Maternity: Triplets, Quads and Quints. Kasey Michaels

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      “Locked in.” He turned her loose and took a step back. In the darkness she felt abandoned.

      Then a bright light came on.

      She stared around her before her gaze returned to her companion. He’d found the light switch by the door and turned it on. She was grateful. Nothing seemed quite so bad when there was light.

      “Thank you. I’m glad we’re not left in the dark.”

      “I guess. But the accommodations aren’t too posh.”

      She couldn’t argue with that assessment. They were in a small storeroom, the shelves packed with food items from floor to ceiling. The only piece of furniture was a sturdy stool, dingy white in color.

      “At least we’re alive,” Briana pointed out. “I’ve heard of too many of these robberies where the witnesses were killed.”

      “Yeah. I guess since he’s leaving the country, he doesn’t think we can hurt him.” The man prowled the storeroom, pacing from one end to the other. “I tried the door. I don’t think I can force it open.”

      “Won’t we be okay? I mean, someone will come in to relieve him after a while, won’t they? If we just wait, he’ll let us out.”

      The man looked at his watch. “Probably at seven, six if we’re lucky. Which means we have about five and half hours in this hellhole.”

      She noticed his watch was a Rolex, which went well with his tux. Obviously not a man down on his luck. “Um, are you from New York?” she asked.

      “No. Say, you don’t happen to have a cell phone, do you?” He turned and stared at her, his blue-eyed gaze enough to convince Briana to tell him the truth and nothing but.

      “Yes, but I didn’t bring it with me. I didn’t think I’d need it in New York City.”

      “Me, neither.” He began pacing again. After a minute, he said, “Obviously you’re not from New York, either.”

      “No, Texas.”

      “Ah. I’m from Chicago. The name’s Hunter.” He stuck out a large hand with slim strong fingers, a hand almost artistic in appearance except for its size.

      “Briana,” she said. She tried to avoid using her last name with strangers, in case they knew of her family wealth. She’d been both pursued and rejected because of it.

      “Unusual name.”

      “I’m part of ABC.”

      “I beg your pardon?” he asked, one eyebrow raised.

      “I’m the second of triplets. My older brother is Adam, I’m Briana, and my younger brother is Caleb. ABC.”

      “Very clever.”

      “Not really. That’s what they called us until Dad got around to naming us.”

      “I see,” he said, but Briana knew he didn’t. She’d left some information out of her explanation.

      Then she thought she heard something. “Listen! Is that someone in the store?”

      He came toward the door, nearer to her, and placed his ear against the wood. “I don’t hear anything.”

      “I don’t now, either. It was just a rustling sound. Or maybe it was my imagination,” she admitted with a sigh. She put her fingers to her temples and massaged. Her headache was as bad as ever. Wait! The medicine she’d been about to buy. She’d stuck it and the soda in her handbag without thinking when the clerk had ordered them to the back of the store.

      Her bag, large, one that could hold all kinds of necessities, was on the floor. She grabbed it, moaning as she stood. The motion wasn’t helping her headache.

      “Are you all right?” Hunter asked.

      “Yes, it’s just my headache. That’s why I was here. I didn’t have any pain reliever in my room and the hotel clerk sent me here. I think I’ll sue him.” She smiled to let her companion know she was joking. Digging into her purse, she found the unopened medicine and the soda. “Aha!”

      He stared at her. “You managed to get what you needed.”

      “Yes, I did,” she agreed as she tore at the wrapping. “Assuming I can ever get it unwrapped.”

      “Here,” he said, taking the package away from her and deftly ripping the box open. He removed the bottle and quickly lined up the arrows to pop the lid off. “How many do you want, one or two?”

      “Three,” she said distinctly, holding out her hand.

      “Three? I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

      In spite of his helpfulness, she wasn’t happy with his interference. “Look, unless you’re a doctor—”

      “I am.”

      That response stopped her in her tracks. She was attending a medical conference on multiple births and a number of doctors had been in attendance. That would be too much of a coincidence, wouldn’t it?

      “It doesn’t matter. I take this medicine all the time. When a headache isn’t stopped early, I need three tablets to make it go away.”

      Without another word, he tapped the bottle and put three tablets in her hand. She popped the lid of the soda and tossed the pills in her mouth, then swallowed some of the liquid.

      “I guess I should save the rest of the soda. Did you want a drink?” she asked, remembering he was a victim, too.

      He hesitated, then said, “Yeah, I’ll take a sip, along with a couple of pills, if you don’t mind sharing.”

      “Of course not. Is that why you’re here, too?”

      “Actually, I thought I’d get some milk to drink. My stomach needed settling.”

      “I don’t think you’re supposed to drink milk if you’re queasy,” she said.

      “Unless you’re a doctor…” he said, challenging her with his blue eyes.

      Quickly, she disavowed that occupation. She’d wanted to be a doctor, but she discovered as a teenager that blood made her pass out. That rather eliminated medicine as a profession. She’d chosen the next best thing, a hospital administrator.

      “Is there any milk in here?” she asked, looking around.

      “No, this part has no refrigeration. There’s some sodas, sports drinks, stuff like that. No milk. But I guess we won’t starve to death.”

      “You mean we should help ourselves to their food? But wouldn’t that be stealing?”

      He shook his head, grinning. “Not unless you’re a purist. I think I already paid about a hundred and fifty dollars. That should cover a few Twinkies.”

      “Twinkies? Do СКАЧАТЬ