Her stubborn little chin went up. “No. I’m not doing it. I’m not going to let you beat me again, Daniel. I’m not a child. I’m a grown woman.”
“Then you are mature enough to obey the rules you agreed to when you first arrived.”
“Your rules only apply when you want them to.”
His hand slammed down on the edge of his desk. “That is quite enough! Get me my cane, and let us be done with this.”
The little witch just shook her head. “I won’t do it. I’m tired of this place and all your stupid rules. I want to leave. I want you to have one of your evil minions drive me back to Denver.”
Fury coursed through every artery and vein in his body. He forced a calmness into his voice that was far from the way he felt. “You can’t believe that is actually going to happen. You realize I can call a couple of myminions, as you refer to them, and they will hold you down while I administer the discipline you deserve.”
Her pretty face went pale.
“But we’ve had such an enjoyable time together, I’m not going to do that.”
Callie wisely said nothing. “Instead, since it’s become clear you will no longer obey my commands, it’s time I hand you over to someone who will make certain that you obey his.”
He flashed her a cold, ruthless smile. He refused to put up with any woman’s disobedience, even Callie’s. “On Sunday, you will be married to Klaus Mahler.”
Callie sucked in a breath. Mahler was a big German with a tough reputation among the other men. He was young, smart, and utterly ruthless. He wouldn’t hesitate to bring Callie in line.
Mahler was German, but Daniel was an equal opportunity employer. The men who worked for him were diverse: Hispanic, Asian, African American. All he required was unquestioning loyalty, a vow of silence, and a willingness to do whatever they were told. For that, he paid more than they could ever think of earning anywhere else.
“Please, Daniel . . .” Callie pleaded. “I just want . . . I just want to go home.”
“Day after tomorrow is Sunday,” Daniel continued, ignoring the tears in her eyes that only angered him more. “Klaus is in need of a wife, and I believe he will know exactly how to handle one as disobedient as you.”
“No . . .” she said, shaking her head and backing away.
“If you don’t calm down and behave yourself, Callie, I’m going to call him right now.”
Callie trembled but didn’t move.
“That’s better. There was a time I thought the two of us might have a future together. That time is long past. From now on, you will service another earthly master—God help you. Now get out of my sight—and prepare yourself to accept your new husband on Sunday.”
Callie turned and ran out of the room.
CHAPTER TEN
AS SOON ASSKYE GOT BACK TO THE MOTEL THAT AFTERNOON, EDGEtook the wheel of Trace’s big black Yukon, and they headed for the compound. He had a spot in mind to set up the drone, but they needed to scout the area, make sure it was a place they could fly the drone without being discovered.
“We need to pinpoint Cassie’s location,” Edge said as he parked the SUV behind a low hill farther down the dirt road they had traveled before. “We need to know which house she’s staying in and how many other women are in there with her.”
“From what Molly said, there are only two unmarried women in the compound. They’re probably staying together.”
Edge nodded. “The afternoon’s pretty well shot. We’re going to need at least another day to chart Callie’s routine: what time she gets up, what she does, and when she does it.”
“Same for the men,” Skye said. “We need to study their daily movements and time the guard rotations.”
“There might be a better way than going in at night,” Edge said. “I didn’t notice as many guards in the daytime, but the risk of being seen is higher.”
“What about the drone? How can we be sure they won’t spot it?”
“Have you seen it?”
Skye shook her head. “It’s still in the box in the back.” She was wearing dark blue stretch jeans, low-heeled boots, and a dark green turtleneck sweater. Skye had a firm, lean body, but there were plenty of curves, all in exactly the right places.
He remembered seeing her in a wet T-shirt during a rainstorm in Mexico. The memory of her breasts, as round and delectable as a pair of ripe peaches, was seared into his brain.
