Read Given (Give &Take) for Free Online Page A

keep him that way.
    I leaned in and lightly kissed his lips, warm and soft. Always so warm and soft. I traced a finger over one eyebrow. He flinched, but didn’t wake.
    I rested my hand over his heart to feel it beating under my palm. There was no way I could ever love anyone as much as him.
    Helpless—that was how I felt. The helplessness circled the fear, stalked around it, and poked it, making it raw and sore in my chest. I wanted to take the situation and resolve it quickly, but I couldn’t.
    Or could I?
    My head snapped to the nightstand, where Merrick’s cell phone was charging. I wouldn’t let myself stop and ponder the consequences of what I was about to do.
    Slipping out from under his arm and the heavy down comforter, I grabbed his phone off the nightstand. I stoodfrozen with it between my hands, watching him for signs of waking.
    He sighed loudly and rolled over onto his stomach.
    I dashed to the balcony, opened the door as quietly as I could, and stole away outside to make the call. The breeze was chilly through my short, lightweight nightgown, and chills climbed up my legs and over my bare bottom.
    The number was the last on his incoming calls list. I peered over my shoulder through the glass door to Merrick sleeping in bed, knowing he’d be pissed when he found out I called.
    I squeezed the phone in my hand. I couldn’t let the helplessness win. I clicked the green send-call button and put the phone to my ear.
    On the second ring, Nadia answered. “Dad, I told you, I’d call you. If he finds out I’ve been in contact with you, he’ll destroy this phone and—”
    “It’s Rachael.”
    Neither of us said anything for a moment.
    “Why are you calling?” Nadia asked.
    “I want to help. I want this over. Where are you?”
    “On a train in the south of France. I don’t know where exactly. I was going to call when we got to wherever he’s taking us.”
    “Who else is with you?”
    “My mom.”
    Gina Montgomery, MJ and Nadia’s mom, was with them. The woman who’d pretended she was dead for thepast twenty years. The woman who let Enzo ruin Merrick’s life. Money was a powerful motivator to keep secrets, and Enzo had given Gina a lot of it to keep her mouth closed. “Is she helping him, or does he have the two of you with him against your will?”
    “She’s with him. She’s always been with him. I don’t know… I’ve been confused. I’m trying to do what’s right.”
    For a second, I felt sorry for Nadia. But only for a second. My distrust of Nadia kicked in and took over. “What train are you on? We’ll be on the next one out of the station.”
    “I don’t know, I—”
    “Bullshit, Nadia! What train are you on? Either you want our help, or you’re leading your dad on a wild-goose chase. Which is it?”
    “Rachael.”
I snapped my head around at the sound of Merrick’s voice. He stood in the doorway, seething.
    I didn’t care. This sit-and-wait business was killing us both. “Which is it, Nadia?” I continued, setting my eyes on Merrick’s, daring him to make me stop.
    He fisted his hands, and his jaw clenched along with every muscle in his bare chest and stomach. It wasn’t the time for it, but I couldn’t help admiring the beauty of a pissed-off Merrick, just awoken with his hair sexy and messed up, wearing nothing but pajama pants hanging low on his hips. The sight of him stirred my desire.
    I knew how to calm him down when I was off the phone. I still owed him from the evening before anyway.
    “I have to go,” Nadia whispered. “Take the TGV out of Paris-Gare de Lyon to Nice-Ville.” Then she hung up.
    I lowered the phone from my ear. We stared at each other.
    “Get what you wanted?” he asked, his tone dark and menacing.
    “She said to take the train to Nice-Ville.”
    He shook his head. His impossibly dark eyes like granite pierced into mine.
    “You’re pissed,” I said. “I knew you would be.”
    Hands on his hips, he took two steps toward me. “You did it