“Can you bring some food with you?” I ask plaintively. “I haven’t eaten since yesterday morning, and I need some fuel if I’m going to make it through the day.”
“Sure thing.”
Cruz leads me to my cell, holding me up since my feet don’t want to cooperate. Using the keys The Duke gave us, he locks the door behind us. “Bathroom,” I croak, and I swallow my pride, letting him strip the sweat-soaked clothes off my body and sit me on the toilet. Once I’m done, he turns the shower on and strips, leaning me against his hard body as his hands roam over me gently, washing away the sweat and tears.
He folds a towel around me when we’re done and carries me to the bed. “Clothes?” he asks, and I point to the trunk. He pulls out a t-shirt and sweats, carefully helping me into them. When he’s done, he dries off and redresses, then lies down next to me, tucking the blankets around us.
We’re out almost instantly.
The Duke
Fuck, Dutch doesn’t look good,I think as I walk up the stairs. She desperately needs sleep and food, especially to get through today. I have zero doubts this day will end in Vincenzo’s death, and Dutch will need her energy for that. Torture is hard work.
At the top of the stairs, I scratch at the door, waiting to see if anyone comes to investigate. When they don’t, I open it a crack and peek out. It’s quiet, so I take a chance and step out into the hallway. Not knowing the layout of the house, I keep my back to the wall and slide along it, knife at the ready.
I wind up in the kitchen first, which is empty. I risk a quick look in the fridge, please to find it stocked. The kitchen leads to a dining room, also empty. Where the fuck are all the guards? Did none of them stay inside when the fighting started? Have they abandoned their posts?
Or are they still here, waiting to trap us? I step out into the hallway, and right into a guard. Of course, the minute I ask where they are, they show up.Surprise is on my side, and I swing my arm, letting the knife bore into his head. He collapses at my feet, his pupils dilated. One down.
“Kev! Kev where are you?” a nearby voice whispers. I quickly drag the body around the corner of the wall and yank the knife out of his head. His buddy joins him seconds later, and a third a minute after that. The gun would be less work, but I don’t wish to draw unwanted attention my way.
The diaphanous nightgown I’m wearing is covered in blood splatter and bits of brain matter, but my smile is gleeful. Hearing footsteps, I hide behind the corner, watching as Vincenzo rushes past me. I poke my head out and observe as he presses against a wall, noting the panic room hidden behind it.
Figures. The little roach scurries away to safety while the men he’s hired to fight for him die in his stead. At least I know where he is.
The steady noise of shouting and gunfire from outside dies down, and I duck out of the way when a drone flies down the hallway. Hearing footsteps coming, I back up and dart down the rear hallway, peering out at the newcomers. The last in line is Jase and I wave at him to catch his attention.
His eyes fly wide, and I hold a finger to my lips, then point to the camera above him. He turns, looks into it, then waves. He enters something into his laptop then sets it on a console table. “Ryan!” he hisses, and the footsteps stop. Setting the gun and knife down on a console table, I step out from behind the wall and am met with various sets of eyes.
Nate winks and Eric grins, the others laugh or wave. But Ryan? He just stares for a second, then races toward me, shoving everyone out of the way. He scoops me up, crashing his lips to mine. I moan against his mouth, and he breathes my name against mine.
As first kisses go, it’s pretty epic. The tingles racing through me set my body on fire, and I doubt we’ll make it to the end of the week before we give in to our bodies’ needs.
When he sets me down, he looks me over. “Did he hurt you?”
Meeting his eyes, I reply vaguely, “He didn’t do anything I can’t live with or get over.” His eyes go hard and his fists clench. I grab one of them, holding it to my chest. “Trust me, I’ll be okay. I promise.” He nods, but I see the fury hiding in his eyes.
He’ll have to make do with watching Dutch, Susannah, and Rebecca getting their revenge on Vincenzo because I doubt there will be much of him left once they’re done.
Pulling the others into the rear hall, I quickly give them the rundown. “There are no guards on the underground levels. I’m not sure where the rest are, but I killed three a few minutes before you came in. It’s possible the rest were killed outside, or they could be hiding.
“Vincenzo has a panic room hidden behind a false wall in the front hallway. He’s tucked himself away in there, and Dutch and Cruz are resting. She was tortured last night and needs sleep and food before she can continue.
“On the very bottom level are several women Vincenzo was keeping as his harem. We’ll need to get them out before we leave.”
Ryan Grant
Jase raises a hand. “Vincenzo has cameras everywhere, but I’ve shut them down. Most panic rooms have a way to access video feeds. Now that they’re down, Vincenzo will be blind in there. I suggest we keep someone posted on the door to prevent him from escaping.”
“Thanks, Jase, excellent idea.” I’m doing my best to be the leader they all need me to be right now, but the fury over The Duke’s words makes it difficult. I can imagine what she means, and I want to rip that fucker’s dick off and stuff it down his throat. He touched what’s mine, and I want him to pay.
Fuck, it’s going to be hard watching his torture without participating in it.
Turning to The Duke, I ask, “Where’s the false wall?” She guides us through the rear hallway, then to another one.
“Here,” she states, gesturing at it.
“Jase, can you stand guard while we clear the rest of the house?”
