She giggled, and twirled around, her hands lifting to the air around us.
“I can persuade anyone to do anything I say, a little gift I’d gotten when I turned sixteen. Right now, there are four men stationed throughout the crowd, with their sights on you and Hazel.”
She pointed toward my chest to prove a point. A little red dot from a sniperscope showed on my chest. I looked at my hand, connecting the thoughts from moments ago. She’d told me to let go, and I did, not because I wanted to but because she said so.
“Since we’re on the same page now, I’m going to make this easy for you. Deliver Hazel to me in one week. You can have your fun with her until then. After that she belongs to me.” She looked at Hazel and she glowed with excitement.
“And if I don’t?” This bitch was insane if she thought I would hand-deliver Hazel to her. I’d sooner die than do that.
The Collector turned her seductive gaze toward me again. “I’ll make you do worse things to her than leave. Take the easy way for once, Maddox.” She stood on the tips of her heels and neared my face. “Stay still and silent. Don’t use those sexy powers of yours.”
She ordered and my body froze. Her nose nuzzled my cheek before she pressed a kiss there, and anger boiled beneath the skin.
“I’ll be in touch. Now go outside to cool off for ten minutes. I have an appointment to chat with my prize, and I don’t want to miss it. I’m so glad she agreed to meet with me.” She rubbed the skin where her lipstick left a mark, then strutted off without another word. I stared at Hazel, willing her to look at me, to see me as my feet moved toward the back exit.
I wanted to rip that woman’s jaw from her head. All the people who did horrible things to themselves and others from her persuasion. I’d wanted to know who we were up against, and now I knew. A few words from her lips and Hazel and I would do horrible things.
Did Hazel know the Collector would be at her show? Would Hazel knowingly talk to someone who had tried to kidnap her and who tortured people to gain attention?
With no choice but to wait ten minutes since my body couldn’t move, I stared at the door leading back into the club. I ached to keep my woman safe. Every horrible thought that my mind could conjure passed through my head. With every minute that passed, I became a mixture of rage and desperation. I looked at my watch and counted down the minutes until I could unleash a tornado upon the redheaded bitch.
Chapter Twenty- Six
Hazel
This time when I didn’t see Maddox after the song ended, I reeled in my instinct to assume he left me. He said he wouldn’t leave, and I needed to trust his word.
I smiled at my fans and high-fived some of the ones close to the stage before heading behind the curtain for a cold water.
“You are exquisite and so beautiful.” I glanced at the woman who looked like a burlesque model while the stagehand gave me a glass to soothe my throat.
“Thank you.” I continued looking for Maddox.
“He’s outside. He’ll be back shortly. I said we’d meet and here I am. Ms. Kennedy, I am the Collector.”
I reached for my powers to prepare for an attack. She smiled and her eyes roamed over my body in a way that had thorns sprouting from my skin. Shit. I hoped no one saw me.
“Put those thorns away. I won’t hurt you.” The Collector walked closer to me, and my thorns followed her command like she controlled them.
“I don’t have much time, but I have the power of persuasion. I can make anyone do anything, including your Maddie who’s in a timeout so we can chat. I want you for my collection. You’ll be taken care of and can have the world as your playground. I can make people listen to you as long as you remain mine.” She stood inches away from me. I didn’t fear her, although she’d proven herself to be very dangerous.
“I belong to no one but myself.” I stood taller than her even in her four-inch stilettos, and I looked down at her with every bitch vibe inside me.
“One week, then you’ll be mine. Enjoy the time. Until then . . .” She rested her hands on my hips, and I moved to fight her but then she stopped me. Paralyzed, I wanted to use my powers but she told me to stay still and quiet. I’d become a statue, and a chilling shiver rolled up my spine.
Her hands moved up the sides of my waist, then back down to settle on my hips.
“One week, dear.” She patted me on the ass more than a few times to be friendly, then strutted away.
“You can move in two minutes.” She blew me a kiss, then disappeared behind a black curtain. I felt violated and out of control, which caused tears to break from my frozen body.
“Hazel!” Maddox came running into the building, his hands cupping my cheeks, anger burning in his gaze when he noticed the tears.
“Did she hurt you?” His guttural voice only made the tears flow harder. I couldn’t move, and I desperately craved wrapping my arms around him. He seemed to understand I couldn’t move because of the Collector.
“I’m here, Hazel.” He wrapped his arms around me and stayed there until the two minutes ended, and I collapsed against him.
“I can’t go with her. Maddox, what are we gonna do? We are powerless when she opens her mouth.” I hated being violated by her. Shame, anger, and fear tangled inside my head.
