I laughed. “I assure you, Lucifer, that you aren’t the only private club in town. You’re right that I’m a very thorough man.” With that, I’d dismissed him. He was also intelligent enough to refrain from challenging me.
“I’ll talk with Steven. You’ll be taken to the loading dock.” He started to turn then shifted to face me once again. “I hope I don’t need to remind you that secrecy is vital.”
“I’m a man who’s made billions in the last several years alone. I didn’t achieve my goal by reneging on contracts. I also don’t do well with threats as I’m sure you don’t.”
It took him a few seconds before he smiled. “We are very much alike, you and I. I’ve enjoyed meeting you.”
As he walked away, I remained right where I was, allowing a slow smile to crawl across my face, which was undoubtedly seen by the bouncers in charge of protecting the operation.
Soon they would face justice.
Soon.
When I turned, Reese acted as if she was going to delve into a barrage of questions. With a single look from me, she lowered her head as if learning to respect her master.
At least I’d gotten through to her enough that she realized I was her only lifeline. Now I just needed to assume the role instead of pretending to be something I wasn’t.
A fucking monster.
There was no other word that fit better than subhuman. How could anyone, especially well-educated men with the abilities to change the world if they so wanted, act as if they deserved to treat women with such disrespect?
A question with no decent answers.
The evening had not been exactly as I’d expected. Especially in how I felt about Reese.
And the hunger that I’d been unable to ignore.
As soon as the van pulled away into the dark of night, Reese took several steps, trying to distance herself from both me and what she’d endured. She’d said nothing during the blindfolded ride in the van, but I’d felt her constant tremors and heard her labored breathing.
“Stay where you are, Reese.”
“How do you know my name?”
Tilting and shaking my head, as I’d done before, I placed my finger across my lips.
When the vehicle was out of sight, I yanked out my key fob and phone.
She was watching me, still fearful but curious as to the next steps as evidenced by the look on her face and the way her lips were twisted. Fortunately, Chase had thought of everything given his background, his undercover operations allowing him to provide a better idea of how my cover could be blown.
Including listening and tracking devices.
Using the application on my phone, I scanned the parking lot, searching for anyone who might be paying attention or a hidden group of Lucifer’s men watching my every move.
“You do understand what’s required of you. Yes?” I was tossing out things I knew other slave owners would say. If the fuckers were listening, let them get an earful. She didn’t understand immediately, and I gave her another look. Finally, she nodded in some sense of understanding.
“Yes,” she said through gritted teeth. “I’m required to surrender to your every need.” Her voice quavered as if right on cue.
She might have an idea that I wasn’t exactly who I’d portrayed myself to be, yet she certainly had no reason to trust me. Smart girl.
“Exactly.” I swept the front of the Lamborghini first. “The same rules apply as before. If you try and escape, you will be punished. We’ll go over additional rules once we return to my home. But at all times you will respect me.”
The back of the vehicle was also clear.
While the house was secured with a powerful system that would alert not only me but the other members of the team to a breach, the most vulnerable aspect of the mission was the vehicles I drove. It took a split second to plant a bug. If the person was highly trained, there’d be no alert on the car’s security system.
That’s why the phone I’d been given had special applications installed in the chip, ones that not even the best experts could detect. With the phone in hand, I moved around the car, even dropping to the pavement on both sides and sweeping my arm under the chassis.
No bugs.
