I pull my arm back and punch Patrick square in the face, before they can even question what the hell is going on. He tumbles back into Conor, but I don't let it end there. Leaning over the two of them, I punch them both one last time, blood spurting out of their nose.
Patrick and Conor wisely don't say anything, they just reach for their shirts, trying to stop the blood. Looking both of them into the eyes, I point my finger at them. "You fuck ups will find Mia. No more excuses."
"Yes, boss," they say in unison.
Before turning to leave this godforsaken place, I give each of them a kick, making sure they get the message loud and clear.
Feeling slightly better when I walk out the door, I reach for my phone calling Henry.
"Yes, boss."
"You know I hate that," I reply.
"It doesn't matter when it's true."
"Make sure Patrick and Conor find Mia."
"So, you found them?"
"Yep."
"And you left them alive?"
"For now."
"Don't worry, Kieran, we will find her." He says it with such finality that I believe him.
seven
Kieran
Current Day
It's dark and cold in this freaking small ass apartment. Does this place even have heat? Looking around, my lips turn up in disgust. My hands clench by my side and it takes everything in me to stay calm. How the hell did she go from living in a mansion to this shit right here? The walls have a slight yellow tinge and it's so small it might as well be one room—the living room, kitchen, and bedroom all in one. The bathroom is off to the side of the room, but I'm not sure how anyone fits in there. I went through her cabinets, and they had nothing in them.
How is she even surviving?
The locks on the front door rattle, drawing my attention from the state of theplace—it's show time. I straighten myself in the chair I'm sitting in, trying to keep myself relaxed. Not wanting to scare her too soon, but if this is what her life looks like right now, she needs this opportunity just as much as I do.
When the door opens, I shake my head slightly seeing a dark-haired woman walk through. She's lost so much weight, her clothes are falling off her—note to self:she needs my help to get her curves back.Her head is down as she walks in, but as if she can sense me, she looks up and lets out a sexy little gasp that immediately makes my cock harden.
Not wanting to miss an opportunity to throw her off balance, I greet her. "Hello, Mia."
Mia doesn't say a word back to me. She just continues to close the door behind her, pausing quietly for a moment and in that moment, I watch as she hardens herself, resurrecting those wallseveryone described when I asked about her after that night. It's damn fascinating to watch. She doesn't come any closer to me, staying right next to the door. I can't help but smile to myself. This is one of the reasons I want her as my wife. She's a smart woman, she has strong survival instincts, always making sure she has an escape plan. Not that it will help her. I'm not letting her get away, not this time. She might’ve been able to slip some of my men, but she won’t get away from me.
Neither of us say anything for a few minutes. The silence doesn't bother me, though. My whole childhood was about staying silent and allowing the other person to speak first. This was one of the ways that my Da trained us for this world. He would stay silent until one of us broke first, then he would punish us with a beating. It’s obvious that Mia hasn’t been trained the same way, and I can see that this method unnerves her. She squirms underthe scrutiny, but finally breaks the silence as she narrows her eyes.
"How did you find me?" she asks me, straightening her shoulders as if she’s trying to grow a few feet in just a few moments.
I smirk at her when I hear the defiance in her tone.
Standing up from the chair, I take a few steps in her tiny ass apartment until I'm right in front of her. Neither of us are willing to look away from each other, locked in a battle of wills, daring the other to look away first.
Then I do something that surprises even me. I reach out and pull a piece of her stick straight, chestnut brown, twirling it between two of my fingers as I whisper in her ear, "I have my ways, but you did give me some difficulty. You'll be punished for that later."
A shiver runs down her spine. The smirk I was sporting earlier spreads into a full grin. The smell of fear seeps from her pores eventhough she is trying so hard to keep her tough exterior. I can't wait to see how she reacts when she has my handprints on her ass for making me look for her.
Her tantalizing cinnamon scent mixed with fear calls to me and I can't help but burrow my face into her neck, taking a deep breath and allowing it to fill my lungs. It invigorates me. It has since the night I met her. Mia doesn't move, not even a flinch. She just stands as still as possible, keeping her body rigid and allowing me to take what I want. It's not her submission though, it would be stupid of me to think that. I know it won't be easy, but she will bend to me eventually. Just like she did that night.
