For His Pleasure

by Suzanne Rock

  But they would make do with what they had. They always did.

  His mistress nodded to him, then turned her attention back to the man on his knees before her. She cracked her whip in the air, and aviation tycoon Landon Blake’s eyes widened in surprise.

  Deacon groaned as he set down his drink and unzipped his pants. He fucking loved it when she used that thing. This was going to be quite the show.

  Chapter 20

  When Arianna had urged Jason to let her come back to Boston with him, she’d had no idea it would involve being kidnapped by a bunch of thugs.

  “Jason already paid you,” she said as they dragged her to a large gray sedan that could be found anywhere in America. Every muscle in her body was sore, and her head throbbed to the beat of some unknown tune.

  “No, he didn’t, but he will now.”

  “What do you mean? His brother was supposed to make the exchange tonight.”

  “Our boss told those two that she wanted to speak to Jason directly. He didn’t play by the rules, so now he must pay the price.” Someone placed a mask over her eyes and shoved her into the backseat. “That’s why we took you—to make sure she gets what she wants.”

  “It wasn’t his fault. He—” Someone pushed her from behind, cutting off her words. As Ari tumbled onto the leather, two rough hands grabbed her wrists and tied them together with a zip tie. Another zip tie was used around her ankles. She complained, of course. Then her complaining quickly turned into pleading. Her cries of mercy went unanswered as the men efficiently went about their work. It was obvious they had done this with others before.

  She concentrated on the sounds around her. Mostly she was trying to determine whether Jason was still alive, or if there was anyone around who might come to their aid if she screamed for help.

  “Don’t even think about it, lady,” the man said from the seat beside her.

  “Think about what?”

  “Screaming.” Something cool and metal pressed against her throat. “I’d hate to silence you.”

  She swallowed and leaned her head back on the seat, desperate to get away from the blade. From somewhere outside the car, she heard a man speak.

  “Tomorrow night. A courier will stop by in the morning and give you the location. You better have the money, or the girl will experience an unfortunate accident.”

  Then the other two men got into the front of the sedan and dove off.

  Ari didn’t know how long she sat in the backseat, but it felt like hours. The men were quiet, too quiet, and she wondered just what they had in store for her.

  “I’m rich,” she said into the silence. “I can just give the money to you now and we can forget the whole thing.”

  It was a long time before anyone responded. “This is bigger than the money.” The man’s voice rumbled through her.

  “Bigger than ten million?”

  “Stone had his chance to pay, and he refused.”

  “He’s not the one who racked up the debts, you know,” she said, trying to keep her hopes up. “Someone stole his identity.”

  “We just do as we’re told, lady. The boss wants her money, and she wants Jason to hand it to her personally.”

  “But it isn’t fair!”

  A different voice rose up from somewhere in the front seat. “Put a muzzle on her, will ya? I don’t want to hear her yapping for the next thirty minutes.”

  The large man next to her grunted his agreement and reached for something.

  “No—wait. I’ll be quiet, I promise.”

  “Sorry, lady,” The man’s voice sounded apologetic, almost compassionate, as he shoved some ball-like plastic object into her mouth. “I have to do what I’m told.” He secured the straps behind her head. The strong smell of leather and plastic hit her hard, and she wondered what the hell he’d put into her mouth. She hoped it wasn’t laced with drugs or poison or anything.

  Ari slumped back onto the seat in defeat. Working her jaw, she tried to make it so the object in her mouth moved to a more comfortable position and failed miserably. She couldn’t move, couldn’t speak. As the car drove on, her mind raced with what she could do to escape.

  It was odd that the men wouldn’t consider taking money from her. Why would they care where the money came from? And this loan shark’s need to speak directly with Jason seemed odd. Things weren’t adding up.

  Not that she could do anything about the situation while she was bound and gagged in a moving car. The first thing she needed to do was escape. Then she needed to talk to Jason about her suspicions. She had no idea what these people were after, but it seemed as if money was only a small part of it.

  Perhaps there was something she could do once they stopped. Wherever they wanted to take her, Ari was sure she didn’t want to go there. Her only chance of escape was to get away while they took her out of the vehicle.

  She strained her hearing, listening for movement. At some point during the drive, someone turned on the radio, and the local sports station was talking about the upcoming Red Sox series starting tomorrow. Ari blocked it out and concentrated on other movements, listening for something that would suggest that the men weren’t paying attention to her.

  Hearing nothing, she gently tested her bindings around her ankles and wrists, learning their tightness without making it look like she was trying to get out of her restraints.

  The men knew what they were doing. Instead of rope or cuffs, the thugs had used zip ties, which provided very little in the way of movement. In fact, they had been tied so tight that she was starting to lose feeling in her hands. She had no idea how she was going to get away while her limbs were tied, but she knew she had to try. Who knew what was going to happen once they got her to their destination?

  The car eventually stopped, and she heard movement around her. The men were eerily silent, as if they had done this so many times that they needed no further instruction. The door opened beside her and a big, meaty hand reached out and grabbed her elbow. He hauled her to her aching feet and, once able, she swung into action. She jerked her arms up behind her hard and hit something soft and yielding.

  “Fuck.” The grip around her arms loosened, and she flung her body forward, away from her captor. She hit something else hard—a chest—and was rewarded with a loud “oomph.” Triumphant, she jerked her head up and hit someone in the chin. Laughter ensued around her, but she paid it no mind. Ari flailed and wiggled as best she could, hitting everything that came within inches of her body.

  “Let her struggle.” A man’s voice, the same one that had been in the front of the car, rose up over the yelps and howls. Immediately, the soft barriers of flesh that were holding her upright melted away. Without the use of her limbs, Ari had nothing holding her up and she tumbled to the pavement. She landed on her side, and pain shot out from her head and numbed her body. She wanted to scream with frustration, but the gag prevented her from doing more than mumbling. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she jerked back and forth on the ground like a fish, trying to stand.

  Male laughter rose up around her, and Ari became even angrier. She rolled onto her stomach and tried to get her knees under her.

  “Enough,” a man said. Someone grabbed the back of her shirt and hauled her to her feet.

  “Look at those breasts,” someone else said. Ari did a mental check of her body and realized that her tits were poking out of her torn shirt. They were still covered by her bra, but such things probably didn’t matter to these men.

  “They’re so firm.” Someone grabbed her boob. Ari screamed through the gag and tried to push him away. Her efforts were only met with laughter.

  “Enough,” said the man who had sat in the front of the car. “The boss said not to harm her. Yet.”

  “Later maybe?” someone asked.

  “Maybe.” Someone grabbed her, and Ari pulled away. Something hard hit her in the ass, causing pain to vibrate up her body.

  “Behave.” The man crouched low and lifted her up off the ground. The world tippe
d upside down as he flung her over his shoulder.

  Ari blinked back the tears as best she could and tried to think past her rising panic. They were taking her to their boss. Hopefully this loan shark would be more willing to negotiate than these guys. If she could just figure out what they really wanted, then she could use it to gain some leverage. It was a long shot, but right now it was her only hope.

  They took her into a building, and then down a long corridor. Through the edges of the blindfold, Ari saw that the place they were taking her was dark. They seemed to walk for hours. She thought about kicking the guy carrying her and making a run for it, but decided to preserve her energy. Perhaps when talking to this loan shark, there would be a chance for escape.

  There were voices, speaking in low murmurs. Ari wasn’t sure what they were talking about, nor did she care. She just wanted this all to end.

  A door opened from somewhere up ahead, and the men took her through it. They were immediately met with the voice of an angry female.

  “Oh, for the love of all things holy, put the woman down. And be careful.” Ari heard some mumbling about incompetent males as she was lowered to the floor.

  “Take off that thing around her head, too,” she ordered. Immediately, the blindfold came off, and Ari found herself standing in a dimly lit, musty room surrounded by about six men, all in suits and bigger than trucks. The room was some sort of office, impeccably decorated in a contemporary style, with soft pinks and cream accents and solid oak furniture. There were gold-trimmed mirrors and ornately framed abstract art decorating the walls.

  It wasn’t quite what one would think of when they thought of a loan shark’s office.

  “I see that these knuckleheads at least brought you in one piece.”

  Ari stared at the woman, who was strikingly beautiful, if not a little frightening. She wanted to ask who she was, but couldn’t with the gag.

  “I’m sorry, let us remove those for you. We want you to be comfortable, after all.” She jerked her head in the direction of two men, who moved forward to remove her bindings. As they worked, Ari caught her reflection in one of the mirrors. She looked a mess. Some type of pink ball had been shoved in her mouth, held there by leather straps. The zip ties were neon pink, and were cutting into her flesh. One man slipped a knife between the tie and her skin, then jerked his hand outward, cutting her bindings, while the other removed the gag.

  “Be careful not to cut her,” the woman said.

  The men finished their work, and Ari rubbed her wrists as circulation started to flow once more.

  “Now, that’s better, isn’t it?”

  Ari nodded. “Who are you?”

  “I’m sorry,” the woman said as she stood and rounded the desk. “How terribly rude of me.” She held out her hand as a warm and somewhat sinister smile spread out across her face. “My name is Burke. Felicia Burke. I’m so sorry to capture you, but it seems as if your boyfriend owes me quite a bit of money, and this is the only way I can get his attention.”

  “You’re the loan shark?” Ari asked as she took the woman’s hand.

  Her smile appeared forced. “You don’t think that a woman can be a loan shark?” She shook her head in disappointment. “It appears as if you have a lot to learn, little one. I now see why Jason made you a target.”

  “What do you mean?” This was all so confusing.

  She turned and slowly walked back to her desk. “I’ve been watching you. You let your brothers lead you around by the nose. Such behavior only supports the stereotype that females are weak and simpering, and makes you a target for con men like Jason Stone.”

  “Weak and simpering? I run my own charity.”

  Felicia settled in her seat. “Funded by your brother, who was willing to marry you off to the highest bidder.” Felicia rolled her eyes. “It’s as if we were all shot back to the Dark Ages.”

  “I’ll have you know that I’m my own woman.”

  “Not yet, but you could be. You just need to know how to handle men correctly. When treated properly, they’ll fall over themselves to do whatever you desire. You will control them, and not the other way around.”

  “I don’t understand.”

  Felicia flicked her wrist, holding her hand out, palm up. Two large men materialized out of the shadows. One picked up her fingers and kissed her palm, while the other slowly trailed kisses up the inside of her arm.

  “See what I mean?” the woman asked. “All of these men are eating out of my hands.”

  Ari stared at her, dumbstruck. This woman was crazy. Certifiably crazy.

  “Only once did a man defy me,” she continued. “He managed to get away before I could have him fully trained.” She pulled her hand away and the men went back into the shadows, like palace guards protecting their queen. The woman turned her gaze back to Ari.

  “Jason Stone will pay for embarrassing me,” the woman continued. “Soon I’ll have him eating out of my hand too, just like his brother.”

  * * *

  Deacon hated getting up before the sun, especially after a night of erotic fun, but sometimes it was necessary. He had to speak to Jason, and if he didn’t catch his brother early, he’d be impossible to reach for the rest of the day. After a quick cup of high-test coffee and a shower, Deacon passed the restaurant with the complimentary breakfast and ignored the temptation to grab a few slices of bacon. Instead he focused on making his way to his brother’s office. As he neared the closed door, he found both his brother and the famous hotelier Leo Perconti arguing.

  “We need to go to the authorities,” the Perconti patriarch said. “This is my sister we’re talking about.”

  Deacon opened the door and stepped inside. “No,” he said before his brother could object. “No authorities.”

  “Who is this?” Leo asked, waving his hand in Deacon’s direction.

  Jason frowned and straightened. “This is my brother, Deacon. Where the hell have you been? Where’s the money?”

  Deacon took a step into the room, closing the door behind him. He hated how Jason always seemed to talk down to him. Even back in their conning days, Jason had always wanted to work alone, leaving him in the shadows to watch and learn. Things were too dangerous, he’d say. You need more finesse.

  He glanced from Jason to Leo and back again as the tension rose in the room. “I got a note that the drop-off had changed to a different location. I waited hours there for them to show up.” He held up the suitcase of money. “But no one ever came.”

  “Where was this new location?” Leo asked.

  “Why didn’t you answer your cell?” Jason said at the same time.

  Deacon took a step back as the anger the other men felt radiated through the air at him. “Look, I didn’t have my phone on me—they said no electronics. And it was at that club downtown.” He scratched his head, as if trying to remember the name. “Dark Desires, I think it’s called.”

  Leo fisted his hands. “This is ridiculous. We’re being led around the city like dogs on a leash.”

  “I agree,” Jason said. “I’m done playing games.”

  “What’s going on?”

  “I’ve been texting you for hours. Haven’t you gotten my messages?”

  Deacon glanced from one billionaire to the other. “Sorry, I’ve been busy. When they didn’t show up at the club, I started to leave, but then this woman came up to me…” He placed the suitcase on the floor. “I’m only human.”

  “Jesus, Deacon. Did it ever cross your mind to fucking call me?”

  “They took my sister,” Leo said. “Those bastards took my sister.” He turned to Jason. “And I say it’s time to get the authorities involved.”

  Deacon shook his head. “No, no authorities.”

  “Why?”

  “Because we’re guaranteed to lose,” Deacon said. When both men looked at him in confusion, he took a deep breath and tried to explain. “Don’t you see? These aren’t normal people we’re dealing with. Loan sharks are used to working outside the l
aw. You call the cops, they could disappear with the girl and you’ll never find her again.”

  Jason swore and pushed his hair from his face. “What a mess.”

  “And it’s all your fault, Stone.” Leo pointed his finger and scowled. “She never should have come to you in the first place, not when she has family.”

  “Yeah, family who forced her into a marriage she didn’t want.”

  “Ari wanted this marriage. She said so herself. I made it clear that if at any time she wanted to back out, all she had to do was ask.”

  “She was too intimidated.”

  “That’s ridiculous.”

  Jason crossed his arms. “Admit it. You can come off as rather intimidating at times.”

  Leo glowered. “And you don’t?”

  “Of course not.”

  Leo snorted. “No, you just use people to further your business and dump them on the sidewalk.”

  “At least I didn’t use my own sibling—”

  “Listen, guys.” Deacon inserted himself between the men. “Arguing about the past isn’t going to help her. We need to work together if we’re going to get this girl back.”

  The men stared at each other with hatred in their eyes.

  “None of this is helping Ari,” Deacon said.

  After a few tense moments, Leo seemed to back down. “I just want my sister back.”

  “I want that, too. Believe me.” Jason pushed his hair back from his face and leaned up against the wall. “If I’d had any idea what they were going to do, I never would have brought her back to Boston.”

  Deacon was fascinated at how ruffled the normally cool and collected hoteliers were. Never before had Deacon seen his brother so out of sorts, not since he said he wanted out of the family business.

  He cleared his throat. “I came in here because I ran into a courier outside. He asked me to give this to you.” He pulled out a small, square envelope from his jacket and handed it to Jason.

  “What does it say?” Leo asked, rounding the desk to peer over Jason’s shoulder.

  “It’s the pickup point,” Jason said after a few moments. “They want me to meet them at Sabrina’s restaurant tonight with the money. No cops, no personal security. Just me. I provide the funds, and in exchange, I’ll get Ari back unharmed.”