“Fuck you,” I spit.
“Yes, we’ll be doing a lot of fucking. Don’t you worry about that.” He smiles, but the emotion doesn’t reach his eyes. “That is what you want, right? To fuck me? Isn’t that why you wore that dress and practically threw yourself at me?”
“I didn’t throw myself at you. You arrogant asshole!”
“Tomato, tomatoe. Regardless. I know you want me. And I definitely want you.” He moves closer to the cell door and I immediately back away. “You’re going to do everything I say if you want to get out of that cage.”
I stand there staring at him. Angry tears threaten my eyes.
“And what exactly do you want me to do?” I ask spitefully.
“Take your clothes off. All of them.”
“Go to hell,” I snap.
“You weren’t so opposed last night.”
“Last night I thought I was with someone sane. Not a psychopath!”
“I won’t hold it against you for being a bad judge of character.”
I shake my head. “This isn’t you.”
“It is me. There are so many things you don’t know about me, but are going to find out.” His voice is so calm, it’s eerie.
“Let me out,” I demand.
“Strip.”
“Never.”
“Suit yourself. You’ll stay in there until you’re ready. I want your submission, Ellie. And I’ll get it.”
He starts to walk away.
“Kayne!” I throw myself against the bars. “I have a family! I have a life! People will be looking for me! You can’t do this!” I scream, sobbing now, yanking on the steel door. What did I get myself into? How did this happen? Is it all my fault? Why kidnap a girl who was willing to give herself freely? I wish I could remember more of last night. When did it all go so terribly wrong?
I’VE WATCHED ELLIE WASTE AWAYfor the last three days.
I’m staring at her right now on the security feed in my office. Mansion’s ground zero. Nothing happens in this house without Jett or me knowing about it. And that includes every breath Ellie takes.
“How long do you think she’s going to hold out?” Jett asks from behind me. There may be seventeen screens on the wall, but he knows exactly which one has my undivided attention.
“I don’t think much longer. I could see the desperation in her eyes this morning.”
Presently, Ellie is huddled in a ball on the bench in her cell. I know she’s cold. There’s no heat in the dungeon, and she’s only wearing that tiny, sexy-as-sin dress from Mark’s party. I also know she’s hungry too. I barely feed her.
“What if she doesn’t give in?”
“She’ll impress me.” I laugh. “But I know she will,” I respond with inflated certainty. Reading people is what I do. What I’ve been trained for. And Ellie is crumbling like a cupcake. Prisoner of war tactics: isolation, starvation, sleep deprivation. A slow dismantling of the human psyche.
“Are you sure you’re going to be able to do this? She’s not like the other girls.” Jett uses that probing tone. The one he knows I hate.
“I’ll have to, won’t I? We’ve come this far.” I rock back in my chair, hitting him square in the nuts.
“You fucker, you did that on purpose,” he grunts.
“Prove it.” I grin widely, with my eyes glued on Ellie.
