Total pages in book: 158
Estimated words: 145729 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 729(@200wpm)___ 583(@250wpm)___ 486(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 145729 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 729(@200wpm)___ 583(@250wpm)___ 486(@300wpm)
“It couldn’t have been my son,” Nikita snickered. “He’s no man. I may have to rethink Tregre. He might have decided to align himself with me by turning her over to me.”
She stared straight ahead, refusing to bow her head or act embarrassed. Joshua thought she was beautiful. They were his marks all over her, claiming her.
“It took a real man to show a woman what she’s made for. A man’s pleasure,” Nikita declared. He clawed at her breast, caught her nipple and twisted viciously.
A low cry escaped, but she clamped down, cutting the sound off. He let go, laughing. “Has Sasha been located? He has to be in the area. I want him found.” Now all trace of humor had gone from his tone, leaving him looking nearly mad, an insane, perverted, very evil man.
“Not yet, Mr. Bogomolov.” It was the driver who answered, his tone a little wary. He glanced uneasily at the other men surrounding Nikita. He made the turn into Sonia’s driveway. “We’re searching the last of the properties we had marked off now.”
“What’s taking so damn long?”
“Distance between the properties, sir.” Again, it was the driver. He parked and shut off the SUV.
Nikita’s men leapt out and raced around her house to secure it. Only when they nodded to him did he get out. Using her hair, he dragged her across the seat and out of the vehicle. She fell to the ground hard, bruising both knees. He leaned down, wrapping her hair around his fist, yanking it toward him. Abruptly he stopped, his breath hitching in his throat. He stared down at her, as if transfixed.
“You want help with her, boss?” one ventured, close.
Nikita whirled on him. “Don’t put a hand on her, David.” To her, he snapped a command, hissing it between his teeth. “Get up. Get up now.” He pulled her hair, but not with the same savage intensity he had before.
Sonia managed to make it unsteadily to her feet. She swayed, afraid her knees would give out. Her head exploded with pain each time she moved too fast, and the way Nikita pulled her hair added to the teeth-gritting agony.
“Give her your jacket, David!” the Russian shouted. “Now!”
David didn’t hesitate. He peeled off his leather jacket and put it in his boss’s outstretched hand. Nikita put it on her. “Cover up,” he ordered, as if she hadn’t been the one to rip her top off.
She pulled the edges of the jacket together, feeling for the zipper. It was huge on her, but she didn’t care. She hated the way the men gawked at her. She didn’t want them looking at the marks Joshua had put on her body. She knew, in a strange way, those marks made them think he was a man to be reckoned with. They even thought he might be an ally, a man who would use her and then turn her over to Nikita.
“Your key?”
There was no sense in having them break down her door or shatter a window. She took the spare key out from under the flowerpot sitting to the left of the door.
Nikita smirked at her. “Very inventive, my dear.”
She handed the key to him and let him unlock the door. She’d seen her mother handle him, year after year. Little things. Her mother had given him deference, rarely opposed him and then only when it came to decisions made for Sonia’s schooling or care. He took the key as if it was his due and opened the door. She went into the house without any urging, wondering what had changed him.
He was different. She didn’t know exactly how, but he was. She went quickly to the middle of the room, staying away from any furniture, anywhere he might think she had hidden a weapon. She faced him, swaying, her head throbbing.
“Sit down, Sonia. You’re going to fall on your face.” He sounded irritated.
She complied immediately, grateful she hadn’t fallen in front of him. Her fingers gripped the arm of her chair. “What are you going to do?” She whispered it, letting fear make her voice tremble. Let him think she was completely cowed. She had Gatita, her ace in the hole.
The dark, deep pits Nikita had for eyes stared at her until she shivered. He looked evil. She’d never noticed that before.
“I was going to torture you in front of my son. My plan was to keep you alive for several days and let him suffer, watching your agony. Now I am not certain. Who made these marks on your body?”
She pressed her lips together tightly and then, as if she couldn’t hold his gaze, she looked away from him. “A man by the name of Joshua Tregre.”
“Did that man put those marks on your shoulder?”
She stiffened. She hadn’t thought about those marks for a long time or the way they’d gotten there. She touched her tongue to her suddenly dry lips. She nodded slowly, her eyes jumping to his. Did he know? Was he aware those marks meant she was leopard? That she’d been claimed by another male? Did he think Sasha had put them there?