Total pages in book: 128
Estimated words: 124870 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 624(@200wpm)___ 499(@250wpm)___ 416(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 124870 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 624(@200wpm)___ 499(@250wpm)___ 416(@300wpm)
“We should lock her back up.”
“She’s fine here.” The anger in her eyes told me she didn’t agree. Tough. She wanted an out, and I gave it to her.
“What are you going to do about her little escape attempt?”
“More than she bargained for.” I stared into her eyes while I said it and smirked when she looked away. “Mian will be spending the night with me, and I want no interference.” She met my gaze again with panicked eyes. “No matter what you hear,” I added.
Z finished bandaging my arm and moved back. “Are you sure that’s a good idea?”
“I know it’s not.”
“Then why are you doing this?”
Mian looked all too interested in the answer, as well.
“Because bad ideas are what I’m good at.”
Chapter Thirty-Four
Trick of the light.
MIAN
“She’s going toneed her strength.”
Ifeltthe promise behind his words. Surely, he didn’t think I’d actually sleep with him? A vivid flash of my first night here reminded me that Angel had been all too willing to take me without my permission.
Lucas sat me at the table while Z disappeared into the kitchen. He came back carrying a plate of grilled chicken, zucchini, salad, and a large roll of baked bread. The glint from a sharp blade was my only warning before Lucas cut through my ties. I rubbed my wrists to relieve the ache and then dug in without waiting to be told. A full meal wasn’t a part of my diet even before Angel decided to starve me, so I had plenty of time to build up an appetite. When the food was gone, and my stomach didn’t feel any closer to feeling full, Z offered a second helping. The only sound in the room was me savagely tearing into the food. A tall glass of ice-cold water suddenly appeared courtesy of Lucas.
“You should slow down before you choke,” he advised. I heeded it long enough to take a long sip of water.
“What were you thinking, princess?”
“Stop calling me princess. Princesses aren’t starved and beaten.”
“We didn’t beat you, princess. Wespankedyou.” He leaned in and whispered, “You were averynaughty girl.
I clutched the fork tight in my fist and slowly forced the excess air from my lungs. “You shouldn’t get too close.” I leaned forward and closed the distance between us until we were practically smooching. When his eyes lit up with delight, I added, “A fork could land in your eye.” I spanked his hand with the back of the fork, winked, and sat upright to finish my chicken.
“I knew we should have given her plastic,” Lucas muttered.I finished eating and was led back to the east wing. Lucas pulled me by my arm when I dug my toes into the carpet.
He was heading straight for the master suite.
I resisted harder, but then Z gripped my shoulder and spun me around. When he bent, I tried to knee him in the face, but he was too quick. With his shoulder in my stomach, he lifted me over his shoulder and carried me the rest of the way.
Lucas entered without knocking, and Z followed him to the master bath. Z let me go, and the sudden sound of rushing water caught my attention. I stared at the large white garden tub in the center of the room as it filled up with water. Lucas poured from a bottle and sweet scented bubbles sprouted from the water. “Let me guess. We’re all going to climb inside and play a round of rubber ducky?”
“Are you offering?” Lucas smiled, but it felt dangerous.
“Because we wouldn’t mind.”
I looked behind me to see Z lifting his shirt and flashing drool-worthy abs.
Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Lucas reaching for his belt. They moved in closer from both sides. I panicked and planted one hand on Z’s naked chest and the other on Lucas’s covered one.
“She thinks she can stop us.” Z chuckled and pushed his chest into my hand in a test of strength. His skin was way too hot not to combust.
“Angel—”
“Won’t stop us. He won’t care to.”
“So you’d better be careful how carelessly you tease us,” Lucas added. “Because the next time,” his tone dropped to a whisper, “we might not stop.”
* * *
I was bathed,gagged, on my stomach, and tied to the large bed. The room had changed since the first time I was here. It smelled different. Less like death and dust and more like men’s cologne and smoke.
So I guess he still smokes.
It was a dirty habit, but somehow Angel made it alluring.
My arms began to ache by the time night fell. Angel still hadn’t made an appearance, and I wondered if he was off kidnapping more women and children. Had his father ever been so ruthless or was Angel still craving to make a point to dear ole dad?
I never heard the door open.