Read Online Oxblood by AnnaLisa Grant - Free Book Online Page A

because my eyes and pillow were both wet. The numbers on the clock next to the bed told me that it was seven-thirty. I hoped that my short nap would be enough to begin getting me adjusted to the local time.
    I opened the door and found the hot blond guy I had exchanged smiles with in the lobby staring at me.
    â€œHi,” he said with a cute smirk.
    â€œHi. Can I—” Before I could finish, he was pushing me back through door and into my room, something hard pressing against my belly.
    I took a deep breath to scream.
    â€œDon’t,” he hissed. “Look down.”
    I glanced down. Pressing into my stomach was the muzzle of a pistol.
    â€œIf you scream, I shoot,” he said, his English accent recognizable now. “You answer my questions honestly and you get to live. Nod if you understand.”
    I didn’t know if I should nod or not because I didn’t understand what he was doing there.
    He stepped back but kept his gun pointed at me. “Who are you? Why are you looking for Gil Asher?” he asked.
    â€œMy name is Vic and Gil is my brother,” I said. “Do you—do you know him?” I was so terrified I could hardly think, but even so, the fact that this guy with a gun, who’d just barged into my room and assaulted me, was asking about my brother didn’t elude me. What would Gil have to do with someone like this? I was scared as hell, but I couldn’t believe I would find my first link to Gil so quickly.
    â€œDid you miss the part when I instructed you to answer my questions?”
    â€œYeah, well, I have a few of my own,” I challenged with misplaced bravery. My heart was still racing as his piercing eyes bore into me.
    He cocked his head, surprised by my defiance, and stared at me for a moment.
    â€œProve he’s your brother,” he demanded after a moment’s thought.
    â€œUm, my cell phone has some pictures of us on it. It’s in there on the table.” I pointed to the bedroom.
    He stepped to the side and waved his gun toward the bedroom. “Go get it.”
    When I came back with the phone, I already had one of Gil and me at his going-away party pulled up. My captor took the phone from me and swiped through the photos, which included a mix of me with Tiffany and a couple of Chad.
    He shook his head as he closed his eyes. He finally lowered his gun and shoved it into the back of his pants and leaned against the wall. I felt my body relax and let out the tension-filled breath I had been holding.
    â€œWhat are you doing here?” he asked.
    â€œI’m looking for him. He’s disappeared. I tried to reach him at the universities where he said he’d be, but no one has heard of him,” I explained. I didn’t tell him about Gil’s weird journal because I didn’t know who this guy was or if I could trust him. I didn’t know if he was looking for Gil to harm him, or if he was looking out for Gil. “Your turn. How do you know my brother?”
    â€œGil was . . . working for me, for lack of a better term,” he answered.
    â€œDoing what?”
    â€œI’m not at liberty to say. But I can tell you that I’m looking for him and will send his ass home as soon as I find him.” He pushed off the wall and pulled out his cell phone. “Stay the night. Enjoy the food here—it’s pretty good—and I’ll get you on the first flight out tomorrow.”
    â€œWait a minute,” I said, my head spinning. “Who are you? What’s happened to my brother?” I steeled myself. “I’m not going anywhere until I understand what’s going on!”
    â€œYou remember that gun I had earlier, right?” he said in his snarky British accent.
    â€œLook, if you need to shoot me, then do it, because if I don’t find Gil my life is over anyway. He’s the only family I have left.” I choked back the lump in my throat that was forming because my body