“That’sbetter.” He sighed, dropping the napkin back onto the tray. “Trust me, this will be much easier for you if you behave. Though Iwon’tdeny that there are many that will pay for someone like you.”
“Like me?”
“Afighter. Some men like the chase. They like to be the ones to truly break awoman. But Iwarn you now, Jolie, those women don’ttend to last long in this life.” He stood up. “Finish your eggs and wash up. We’ll be leaving soon.”
He started across the room like he hadn’tjust dropped abombshell. Like he hadn’tjust informed me of my impending fate and how horrible it was going to be. Isuddenly felt sick, and for the first time my anger began to ebb, fear becoming the overwhelming emotion. It wasn’tafeeling Iwas used to.
“Iheard agun,” Istated, and he turned and nodded, offering me no explanation. “What happened?”
His handsome features turned from stern to casual. “Let’sjust say that she learned the hard way not to test my patience.”
“She?” Ireplied, the single word awhisper.
There were others there, Irealized. Ihad assumed that Iwas the only woman on board. That Iwas the only one who had been taken. That was how he had made it seem. But now it seemed Iwasn’talone.
“Ican practically hear your mind thinking that over,” he said with casual amusement. He pushed his hands into the pockets of his suit pants and walked back toward me, his gaze never leaving mine. “Yes, Jolie, you were taken for areason; the same reason all of these women were taken—”
“And why is that?” Iinterrupted.
He pulled out ahand and wagged afinger at me, tutting for the interruption. “Never interrupt your master. But, to answer your question, to be sold. To become atoy. Aplaything for very rich men with too much time on their hands, too much money in their pockets, and too much stress in their lives that they need help being relieved of.”
Isucked in abreath and he smiled.
“But you, Jolie, you were specifically chosen because ofwhoyou are. Even Ihave orders to follow, sweetheart. And my orders were for the beautiful brunette sister of the infamous Dominique Durrand, current sergeant-at-arms for the Devil’sHighwaymen MC.” He stalked forward, bending over until we were face to face. “You are going to make someone avery happy man, Ihope you know that.” He sucked in his bottom lip, his dark eyes boring into mine. “Yes, avery happy man.”
“Fuck you!” Igritted, my hand automatically lashing out to hit him. My palm made contact with his cheek, surprising us both. The sound of the slap was loud and my heart stumbled over itself as the sound rang out.
He reached out and grabbed my hand, his face contorting in rage. “How fucking dare you!” he spat into my face, but instead of his temper making me back down like he had hoped, all it did was ignite my own.
The flames of my soul rose, roaring forward like awave.
Because he had reminded me of something. Yes, Iwas Dominique Durrand’ssister, the important part being Iwas amotherfucking Durrand, and Iwas not going down like this. Not for this man, not for anyone.
Ilashed out with my other hand, though he grabbed it before it made contact, pressing both of my wrists against the mattress almost to the point of breaking. Pain burned up and down my arms as he tightened his grip, and Iscreamed but refused to quit fighting him. Climbing onto the bed, he straddled me, making my body immobile beneath him as Iattempted to thrash around. Ilifted my head from the bed and screamed in his face as loud as Icould, my furious gaze boring into his.
Iwas panting, every nerve in my body on fire.
He grinned down at me, and Iopened my mouth and screamed in his face again, rage and fear and everything else exploding from me.
“I’mgoing to fucking kill you!” Isnarled as he continued to smirk down at me. “I. Am. Going. To. Fucking. Kill. You.”
His smirk slid away as Ipunctuated each word so that he understood me clearly, because there was nothing he could say or do now that would change his outcome. He was adead man.
Iwasn’teven afraid anymore.
Iwas just angry.
Angry that Ihad been dragged into someone else'smess.
Angry that Iwas the only person Icould rely on.
Angry that this man thought he could come and take what he wanted from me.
My raw anger seemed to have confused him, perhaps even shocked him. Iguessed, from his reaction—the pull between his eyebrows, the tight line of his mouth, and the set of his jaw—that he wasn’tused to this. That by this point he was used to women breaking. Maybe even begging for their freedom. Making promises, bribery, anything to assure their freedom. But Iwould do none of that.
And then, his handsome face suddenly split into asmile once more, and he chuckled. “You are abull, Ithink.”
Inarrowed my eyes and he laughed more.
