“Your husband is a very dangerous man.”
“We’re not married anymore.I don’t know anything about him.I promise.I haven’t seen him in years.I don’t know—”
“Many of our associates are dangerous men,” her captor continued.“You’re safer with me.”
Their associates?Her stomach turned.He worked with Dominic?Her mind raced to understand what was happening.“You’re not going to hurt me?”
“No.I’ll give you back to your husband, and everything will be fine.”
Her heart seized.“I don’t want to.”
He looked at her curiously but lifted his shoulders.“This is where we stay until I hear otherwise.”
He returned to his phone and ignored her until he brought her food.He untied her hands and feet and gestured behind her.“If you need the facilities, otherwise, good night.”
Her meal consisted of several granola bars and bottled water.Hours ticked by, and eventually, unable to fight it any longer, Grace fell asleep on the cot.
She woke up to footsteps on the cement floor.
“Darling.”
Wide awake but frozen in place, Grace prayed this was still somehow her nightmare.
“I know you’re awake, Grace.”
She opened her eyes, and there he was.Still handsome as ever with slicked-back dark hair and impeccable clothes.Clean-shaven and sporting a familiar cologne that made bile rise into the back of her throat, he smiled at her.“Nice to see you again.”
“What do you want?”This was so much more than prohibiting her from speaking to the investigators and attorneys.Maybe he was after revenge.She’d taken so much of his money in the divorce.Most of it ended up with charities, but he didn’t need it or care what she’d been given in the divorce.He would relish stripping it away.
“You look good for a dead woman.”His nose wrinkled.“Even in these circumstances.In those clothes.”
She gathered her knees to her chest.No one knew where she was.He could do anything to her, and no one would stop him.
“Stand up,” he ordered.
Shaking her head, she couldn’t swallow.Her throat dried like the moisture had evaporated from the room.Her eyes itched even as tears burned, but she didn’t want to give him the pleasure of crying.
Dominic grabbed her hair and yanked her up until she was on her feet.
She stumbled but kept her footing.“What do you want?”
“In truth, I didn’t want this for you, but here we are.”
“I want to go home—”
His backhand slapped with an unexpected crack.The pain flared.She should have expected it.Her tongue probed her stinging cheek.Her tears fell.She wiped them away with the back of her hand.
“I’ll decide where home is.”His anger vibrated.“It’s your fault you’re here.Do you know that?I reminded you who you belong to, told you to keep your mouth shut.”His irate frown pulled down.“I honestly thought you would, but you could never follow directions the first time.They were right to take you.”
He paced the small space.
“I’ve known where you were every single day.”He steepled his fingers and let his greasy grin surface.“You were more tenacious than I expected.I have to give you that.Entertaining, especially when I was in prison.I should thank you for the diversions, but little did you know how much you helped me.”
She watched him stalk around her and didn’t know what he wanted.Should she defend herself?Explain?
“The mishmash of LLCs and VPNs you used to hide from me is literally the only reason you’re still alive.”He cocked his head, studying her.“Honestly, you’re far smarter than I gave you credit for.”
It sounded like he might need her in some way.She could use that to her advantage if only she could ignore her fear.“I’m sorry.”
