Kinley tried to give Greg her best blank expression. “Why would they do that to my gorgeous jeans? I loved them.”
She sniffled a little. The tears were real. She was scared out of her mind, but she wasn’t about to show him that. She would let him think that her eyes were watery because she couldn’t stand the thought of her clothes being damaged.
Greg had turned red as he held the jeans up. He seemed to visibly take control of his reactions. “Darling, I need you to tell me where the men who held you are. And where they’ve stashed the rest of your luggage.”
She shook her head. He’d allowed her to get dressed in pajama bottoms and a tank top, but she’d felt utterly humiliated at being naked in front of him. It wasn’t right. Her body was meant for Law, Riley, and Dominic. She’d felt dirty with Greg’s eyes on her. “I don’t know. This was all they left me.”
“And where did they go?”
She didn’t like the way his tone kept dropping. “I have no idea. They told me I had ten minutes to shower, and then they closed the door and left me in the bathroom.”
His eyes narrowed. “Kinley, the door was unlocked when I opened it. Why wouldn’t your kidnappers lock you in?”
They had, at first, but since she’d started sleeping with them, the trust had built. But she wasn’t about to tell Greg that. “I thought it was locked. I guess they just think I’m too dumb to run.” She took a shaky breath. “I’m really just too afraid. There are wild animals out there.”
There was a brief knock on the door, then Greg’s right-hand, Vincent Dargo, opened it. “Bad news, boss. I just found Benny on the front lawn. He wasn’t the shooter, but the one getting his ass shot. Alan isn’t responding to my radio calls. We got trouble and we should move out.”
“You haven’t found Anthony? He probably has those two fuckheads with him. Make sure there’s a guard on every door. You check through every room of this house. I want that luggage.”
Vincent grimaced. “Already found it. Uhm, some of the jeans are there, but I only found two pairs with the dia…pockets attached.”
Greg held up the ones in his hand. “The rest are like this?”
Vincent nodded. “Yeah. Anthony and whoever he’s with probably got away with them. I think they took the product and ran. They could be in the fucking woods by now.”
Greg turned his focus on her, but the sweet act was gone. His voice became darker. “What do you think, darling? Do you think they’re in the woods?”
What had she forgotten? Kinley’s mind raced with possibilities. Because he was obviously not buying her act anymore. “I don’t know.”
“I’m going to give you one more chance, Kinley. First, explain the red handprints on your ass. You told me they simply scared you so I have to assume the spanking was consensual. Do you think I’m an idiot? Do you think I don’t know what that fucker Anthony and his perverted friends are into? I might have been able to believe you if I hadn’t seen the proof of it myself. So try again, you fucking whore.”
There was a certain freedom in being able to let go of her ruse. “So I take it you’re willing to admit that Dominic didn’t abuse his sister. You killed her. The same way you planned to kill me.”
Greg’s whole demeanor changed, the concern sliding off his face and revealing the snake that resided under his skin. “Oh, my darling girl, I’m going to be so much rougher with you. I let Vince put Carrie down easy, but then she wasn’t a whore. She simply heard too much one night and was going to tell her brother everything. Now, tell me where my diamonds are.”
If she told him, she was dead. He very likely had a plan in place to frame Dominic for her murder and call it his sadistic revenge. So she couldn’t tell Greg what she’d done. She had to hope that Riley had gotten away and found Law and Dominic, and that they wouldn’t leave her.
“I really don’t know.”
Greg slapped her right across the face. Kinley was shocked at the pain that lashed through her system. Within seconds, her skin began to swell, her flesh aching.
He tossed the jeans aside. “You stupid whore. Do you know what you’ve done?”
“Found out how good sex with three real men can be?”
He wound his hand in her hair, pulling it until her scalp screamed. “Your sister told me you were cold as ice. I believed her. I should have known that a woman always thinks with her cunt. Now, I can beat the holy fuck out of you all day long and everyone will blame your kidnappers. I have friends in the FBI. How do you think I got out of the first RICO charge? They managed to intercept your little lawyer friends’ messages. They also found Anthony’s ties to a company called Black Oak Oil. I thought it interesting that Black Oak had a company jet leave from New York the same day you were taken with a flight plan filed for Alaska. And that they also own this compound. It didn’t take much to put two and two together when you can get a federal wiretap going. So you should know that I intend to visit your little friend Annabelle after I take care of you. I’ll pay that bitch back and make sure the lawyers who helped Anthony never work again.”
The thought of Greg taking revenge on Annabelle and her employers chilled Kinley, strengthened her resolve. She just had to survive, to take whatever he dished out. “No, I don’t think so because I think whoever we were meeting in Bermuda will get to you first. I think that person is going to want their diamonds, and, oh, how sad, you seem to have lost them.”
She braced herself, but he merely tightened his grip in her hair and started to drag her along.
Pain exploded along her scalp as he walked toward the center of the house.
“Vince, I think it’s time we showed little Kinley here what we’re capable of. She got herself kidnapped, but those dipshits haven’t really hurt her. I think we should make up for that. I wouldn’t want her to miss out on the full hostage experience.”
Vincent was behind her, pushing her along when she stumbled. “I agree. And though I know you like your women a little less chunky, I never minded fucking one with some meat on her bones. I can handle the rape portion of her experience.”
Nausea welled. The thought of anyone else touching her made her stomach turn.
“Thank you for that. I definitely preferred fucking her sister.” He turned to face Kinley. “Did you know your sister is the one who offered you up to me? She’s going to be my wife after you’re dead. She’ll be thrilled to know that I had one of my employees fuck you. Or you can tell us where the diamonds are and we can kill you quickly.” Greg shoved her toward the couch in the main living room. To her left was the kitchen, in front of her the hallway that led to the office, and to the right were the massive bay windows that showed Kinley just how isolated they were.
No sign of anyone except Greg’s hired muscle.
She was all alone. The feds weren’t coming because the corrupt officers would stop them. Annabelle’s bosses were thousands of miles away, and Kinley had no idea where her men were.
Vincent reached into his boot and brought out a wicked looking knife. It was black, and she had little doubt what it had been made for—killing. “I like playing games, too, you little whore.”
Greg stared down at her. “If I had known you were into the kinky shit, I would have let Vince fuck you before the wedding. You’re nothing but a piece of ass to a man, including the ones who kidnapped you. Do you really think Dominic Anthony gives a shit about you?”
She didn’t reply, simply stared out that window, praying for a glimpse of them.
“Anthony just wants revenge,” Greg said. “He wants me. He’ll go to any lengths for it, including fucking my fiancée. Hell, I bet he enjoyed that since I screwed his sister. You were just a payback for him. Nothing more.”
Maybe they had run. Maybe they were trying to get help.
“Why would you think you could even get a man? You’re twenty-five and the only man who ever asked you to marry him did it because you’re a naïve little idiot. If you honestly think those men wanted to fuck you, you’re dumber than I thought.”
She hated him. God, she hated him because he was really good at bringing out that nasty voice in her head, the one that told her she wasn’t good enough for Law, Dominic, and Riley, that she wasn’t smart enough or pretty enough. It was his true talent. He likely got a lot of women to hate themselves. Then they gave in to him.
But she could still feel Dominic’s arms around her. His embrace hadn’t felt like revenge. It had felt like what she’d imagined love should be. Law hadn’t been tricking her. Riley had fought the whole way…and still ended up wanting her.
The door from the kitchen swung open and her worst nightmare came through. Dominic’s hands were bound behind his back, and it looked like they’d already worked him over a bit. His eye was swollen and there was a trickle of blood on his chin.
She couldn’t hold back the little gasp that fell from her mouth. Fear seized her.
“Ah, Mr. Anthony, it’s so nice to see you again.” That reptilian smile crossed Greg’s face as he looked over the prisoner.
“Sorry I can’t say the same.” Dominic didn’t look her way, just kept his eyes on Greg, not sparing her a glance.
Greg turned to his cohorts. “Did it really take two of you to bring him in? Is Ross the only one still at his station? Vince, take charge of Mr. Anthony. You two get back to your posts. There are still two of them potentially out there. I’m going to have a little talk with my bride and Mr. Anthony. Then we’ll see what happens.”
The two thugs left, and Vincent took Dominic by the arm, forcing him to his knees.
Seeing him that way hurt Kinley’s heart. He was always in charge, always in control. How humiliating it must be for him to be on his knees, at the mercy of his enemy.
“I’ll help you look,” Kinley offered. “Just don’t hurt him.”
Dominic’s head came up. “What are you doing?”
Greg laughed, a nasty little sound. “She’s being her true, idiotic self, Anthony. You fucked her, and now she thinks it’s love. How about it? Do you love her? Is she your little sweetheart?”
Dominic’s eyes slid away from hers. “Of course I don’t love her. I barely know her.”
The words hurt, but she knew what he was doing. He was trying to save her, right? He had to be. He couldn’t exactly declare himself here and now.
“It doesn’t matter. I’ll still help you if you leave Dominic alone.” She had to get the focus off Dominic.
“Kinley, you will not go anywhere with him.” Dominic seemed to think he was still in charge of her at least.
“Ah, so you do have some feelings for the girl.” Greg hauled her up again. “Tell me where the diamonds are or I might decide that I’m bored.” He ran a hand up to her breast. “I might have to find a way to amuse myself. I like it when they scream, don’t you, Anthony?”
Now Dominic was looking straight at her with murder in his eyes. “Get your fucking hands off her.”
She caught sight of something moving in the background. Gigi ran into the room, heading toward the kitchen door. She barked as Butch loped into the room behind her.
It was feeding time. Gigi always reminded her it was dinnertime by standing at her bowl and barking incessantly. Her bowl was in the kitchen where the tiny dog was headed.
For the merest moment both Vincent and Greg had their eyes on the chaos that had just run in.
She heard a gunshot, then saw Dominic rear back, catching Vincent in the gut with the back of his head.
Kinley took advantage of the distraction by pulling her elbow and bringing it straight to Greg’s chest. He cursed and stepped back.
“Kinley, get down!” Law yelled as he entered the room, his gun drawn. He popped off a quick shot, hitting Vincent Dargo before the man could recover.
“Drop the weapon, Jansen. I took out everyone you brought along,” Law said, his eyes on Greg.
“And I arranged the distraction with the dog,” Riley said, holding his gun up. “That little bitch is getting a treat. So you really should drop the gun. The game is over.”
Greg had never lost his footing. He stood tall. “Don’t you two realize? The game is never over. I’m not going to be taken in.”
Time seemed to slow down. Greg raised his gun and aimed, and Kinley could see exactly where the bullet would hit. Dominic scrambled to his feet, but his hands were bound behind his back.
He was helpless.
Without thinking of anything but saving Dominic, Kinley jumped just as Greg fired the gun.
She heard the sound of more gunfire splitting the air. It seemed to come from everywhere all at once.
And then she felt fire in her chest, an agony unlike anything she felt before. The air left her lungs. She gasped as she hit the floor.