All completely necessary considering that now, she was a witness. A pretty, sweet witness who I’d tried my best not to notice all summer.
Had I known she was going to give me this much hell, I might have reconsidered bringing her here.
She yanked her wrists against the bed with a lot more force than someone should have had after a drugging. “Who’sthey? I might be better off with them than with you.”
“Doubtful.” O’Connor’s men would have disposed of her almost immediately. We’d already pinned the incident on him. O’Connor was the head of the Irish mob out East and I knew they were frustrated with how I’d continued to push them intoturmoil, but it was bigger than just them. They’d all pay for it in the end.
“You drugged me and expect me to just comply? Like an idiot?” She yanked again. “Let me out of these cuffs this instant, you freaking asshole.”
“Asshole?” Okay, I wouldn’t have reconsidered. Her surprising need to fight me at every turn since the incident should have pissed me off, but it intrigued me all the same. She’d been an outstanding teacher to Franny. Kind and compassionate. Never missed a day. Provided daily reports. And was utterly professional.
Until now. I found myself smiling at the fact that she wasn’t scared of me and had a colorful way of showing it. “I’ve been called much worse by people with much more power. You’ll have to do a bit better than that.”
“Fine. Entitled piece of shit. Kidnapper.Andasshole.” Her warm brown eyes burned and sparkled with fury and emotion I’d never seen her exhibit. I had her file, knew most everything I needed to about her, that she was as clean as they came and that she didn’t cause trouble.
Except for one complaint where she stood down another teacher and parent to protect a student. That complaint made me want her working for me even more. I hadn’t held it against her but instead hired her because of it.
Her small frame and soft demeanor had always seemed to emanate a sort of wholesome goodness, but there must have been fire there if she’d step in the line of fire for her students. Even still, my men provided updates about the sweet teacher. “A true darling,” some of my guys had mumbled here and there.
Not to me, it seemed.
“Well, calling me an asshole isn’t going to get you anywhere.” I walked over to the dresser at the side of her room near heren-suite bathroom. We’d placed her in one of the spare rooms on a quiet wing of my estate that overlooked a lush tree line. The bedding was cashmere, the walls a soft cream, and the curtains sheer. It was supposed to suit her. Or at least the version of her that existed when she wasn’t warring with me.
Lined up across the top of the white dresser were her two plants. They were green, bright, and wildly full of life. One had compact hot-pink blooms and another dark leaves with tiny clustered flowers much too delicate for the things to have survived us transporting them.
Then again, my men had glared at me like I’d lost my mind when I told them to keep them intact. Touching one of the leaves, I added, “Especially after I made the effort of bringing these plants here.”
“I don’t care about plants while I’m being treated like a prisoner.” She exhaled sharply, but then she glanced at her plants like she might need to apologize later to them. “I’ll be happy to call youMr. Knightif you uncuff me.”
“Jameson.” She’d been around my daughter long enough that we could be on a first-name basis. “You know I can’t uncuff you until you settle down.”
Her eyes widened, not in fear but in wild fury, like her desire to fight was overtaking her. She wasn’t scared, and my respect for her grew just a little. Another note to make.
“You entitled piece of—” She stopped short of another swear, looking down at her clothes. “Did you undress me?”
“You were groggy when we got here. You may not remember, but Rosy helped you change. Took you to the bathroom. Got you cleaned up. She’s our estate manager.” We’d treated her exceptionally well. Rosy had even expedited some clothing for her, although the getup she was wearing wasn’t a part of that. Rosy insisted she’d be more comfortable in her own attire, so now cartoon plants dotted her ass.
“Oh, well. How sweet. Should I thank her?” She sneered the question and wasn’t at all appreciative.
Her small pajama shorts were all rumpled, along with the button-down shirt that matched. With all the consideration we’d taken in such extreme circumstances, I actually thought I might have received a thank-you. Sure, maybe I should have taken better care of welcoming her, been ready when she woke up, and allowed for her to be free of any restraints. But after the struggle we’d had in the SUV, she’d earned this.
She challenged me further when she curled her body and legs up, as if to get as much leverage as possible, before kicking out directly into the bedpost. She hit the wood so hard, I jumped.
And then she did it again. Over and over as she ground out, “You can’t just kidnap someone and get away with it.”
“I’d hardly say it was a kidnapping. I saved your life.” I figured she would tire within ten seconds, but when the pounding of her kicks continued past that, I knew I had to stop it. “Mia, the wood of that bedpost is near a foot thick. You’re going to hurt yourself.”
“Or I’m going to break your ridiculous bed.” She grunted, kicking it again—hard. I saw how her wrist twisted in the steel of the handcuff, and then how she yanked even harder, the skin not standing a chance.
She didn’t wince or even hesitate as blood dripped down her arm. She recoiled her leg and slammed her foot into the post again, gritting her teeth. “Who even has bedposts this thick?”
“Fuck. Stop,” I grumbled, hurrying toward her, but she was like dealing with a rabid animal by this point. Even as I wrapped my forearm around her waist, she struggled in my arms, elbowing me in the gut before she fought harder.
“I want out of here now,Jameson.” She hissed my first name like vitriol, her voice frantic.
“Don’t make me drug you again,” I threatened.
“You’ll have to keep me drugged the whole time I’m here if you don’t uncuff me right this second. And soon I’m going to start screaming—that will really annoy you.”
