He smirked. “So, you’re probably wondering why I kidnapped you, huh?”
“You? Pretty sure it was the demons that kidnapped me,” I said.
“They’re under my control,” he said.
“So, then enlighten me as to why you kidnapped me? I don’t have money. I don’t have an important job. I’m a nobody.”
“A nobody who was seen eating with Lucas Alonze,” he countered.
“I went on one date with him. He’s not going to pay a ridiculous sum of money for me. He’ll just turn the case over to the police,” I said, rolling my eyes.
He laughed. “One date? I doubt that very much.”
“Why is that?” I asked.
“Because I can smell him on you. You’re either mated, or he marked you.”
I froze. I knew we weren’t mated, there were several steps to becoming mated. But, he could have marked me. Marking just made it easier to find the one you intended to mate with. He hadn’t said anything to me, but it honestly wouldn’t surprise me if he had marked me. He was a Scorpio, after all.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I said, which was mostly true.
He smirked. “Well, we already called him. Now, we’re just waiting for him to return our call.”
“What do you want from him?” I asked.
“Simple, he’s one of the most powerful men in the city. We want on his payroll.”
“You’re going to blackmail your way onto his payroll?” I asked. It was either the dumbest thing I’d ever heard, or the smartest. If they had him sign a legitimate contract, he would have to pay these buffoons until the contract ran out.
“Yes,” he said, and I saw the gold glint into his eyes.
This guy was a shifter.
“Good luck,” I muttered.
He smiled and then left me alone again.
I lay back on the bed, relaxing as much as I could while being held hostage in a house with demons and a strange shifter.
How was I going to face Lucas after this?
Hours later, I consumed the bread roll, and then caught a quick nap.
I woke to roaring, and then the door to my room opened and one of the demons came in.
“Come on,” he ordered me, unlocked the handcuff from the bed, but left the one on my wrist. He pulled me down the hallway, through a steel door, and into a large room that reminded me of a ballroom.
Lucas stood on one end, facing the shifter who’d come in earlier. His eyes met mine, and he snarled, trying to walk by the shifter, but he pushed Lucas back. Two of the demons stepped forward, blocking Lucas.
“Are you alright?” Lucas asked.
“Yes, they didn’t hurt me,” I informed him and looked away.
“Now, sign the contract,” the shifter said.
“Milena,” Lucas called, his voice soft.
I glanced up.
“I’ll get you out of here soon,” he promised.
“You shouldn’t agree to their contract,” I told him. “Just go get the cops.”
The demon holding me put a knife up to my throat. “He knows that you won’t be alive if he sends the cops,” the demon said, a smug smile on his face.
Lucas’s eyes turned gold, and I watched as his canines lengthened and thickened. “You cut her, and I’ll rip your fucking head off,” Lucas threatened the demon.
“You’re a bit outnumbered to be making such threats,” the shifter said with a chuckle.
“Try me,” Lucas growled, giving the shifter the full weight of his angry gaze.
The shifter balked and then steeled his spine. “Sign the contract and you two can be on your way.”
Lucas sat down and read every single page of the contract, much to the annoyance of the shifter and demons. When he finished, he let out a sigh, then signed the last page.
“Good man,” the shifter said, took the contract, and handed it to the demon to his left. That demon left the room.
“Hand her over,” Lucas ordered the demon.
The demon unlocked my handcuff and shoved me forward. I walked with my head bowed, over to Lucas. He put an arm around my shoulders, and lead me out of the house of my captivity. His limousine waited for us outside, and he tucked me in, sliding in right after me.
The driver took off immediately.
“Milena,” Lucas whispered, slipped his fingers along my jaw, then tipped my face up. “Are you really alright?”
“Yes,” I answered. “They really didn’t hurt me or anything. They just grabbed me from the parking garage. Then I woke up, and they gave me an apple and a bread roll.”
“That’s all you’ve had? No wonder you’re so weak.”
“What?” I asked.
“You’ve been gone for two days,” he said.
Two days? “No, that can’t be right. They grabbed me last night and I woke up today.”
He shook his head. “Today is Thursday. They took you Monday night and I just found them tonight.”
Shit.
“I’m sorry for whatever they forced you to sign,” I whispered, turning my face away.
“I’d sign away my life as long as it meant keeping you safe,” he whispered, running his fingers through my hair and resting his hand on the base of my neck.
“Did you mark me?” I asked.
His body tensed, his fingers tightening slightly on my neck. “Yes.”
I nodded but didn’t say anything.
“Are you upset?” he asked.
I wasn’t sure what I was. I was more shocked than anything else.
“Not upset,” I finally said. “Just…surprised.” I looked at the scenery we were passing and asked, “Where are we going?”
“To the police,” he explained. “Now that you’re safe, I can get them involved.”
“Will they be able to negate the contract?” I asked hopefully.
He shrugged. “I’m certain my lawyers will have no problem taking care of it.”
“I’m really sorry you—”
He put his finger to my lips and shook his head. “I should be the one apologizing. They only grabbed you because of your involvement with me. This is why I don’t usually have public relationships.”
“Are you breaking up with me?” I asked. Truthfully, we hadn’t even agreed to a committed relationship yet, so I wasn’t sure if breaking up was even necessary.
He scowled, brows furrowing. “What? No.”
“I’d understand if you—”
“Do you want to break up?” he asked.
“No,” I said, scowling myself, now.
“Good,” he whispered and kissed me. His kiss deepened, and he pulled me closer. After several seconds, he pulled back and rested his forehead against mine. “I was worried I had scared you off when you didn’t show up for dinner or answer my calls. Then Jamison called me to tell me they’d found your car door open with your purse on the ground, and cameras showed demons snatching you. I was terrified I would be too late.”
He’d been worried he had scared me off? Was he crazy? What woman would be scared off by a delicious dinner and a weekend of amazing sex?
“I’m really alright,” I assured him, stroking the top of his head.
He purred and rubbed his face against mine. “I’m glad.”
“Does this mean I can get on a raincheck on dinner since I didn’t actually stand you up?” I asked, smirking.
He burst into laughter and shook his head. “You can have whatever you want.”
“Do I still have a job?” I asked.
His smile dissipated. “I’m certain you do. Jamison wouldn’t be stupid enough to fire you because you were kidnapped. But, if he does fire you, Walter has a job lined up for you.”
“Michelle is working for him now,” I said.
He nodded. “I know. I saw them at dinner before I found out what had happened to you.”
The car stopped, and Lucas led me into the police station. Several officers rushed to us, a female officer grabbed me from Lucas, wrapped a wa
rm blanket around me, and took me to a room in the back.
“Lucas?” I asked, turning, but he wasn’t there.
“He’ll be inside in just a moment, sweetheart. I just need to ask you a few questions first,” the female officer said.
“Oh, if it’s questions about what happened, they didn’t touch me sexually,” I said right away. “They actually barely touched me at all.”
“You’re certain?” she asked. “Sometimes when something horrible happens, we suppress it.”
There was a full day that I didn’t remember, but I was fairly certain I had just been asleep.
“I’m pretty sure,” I said.
“Okay,” she said with a nod. Then she opened the door and called out to someone.
Lucas walked in, sat in the chair next to me, and then picked me up and set me in his lap. I wanted to get free, but he made me feel safe, so I stayed, lying my head on his shoulder and closing my eyes while he talked to them and told them what we knew.
I had to tell them what I remembered, but Lucas did most of the talking, as did an elderly man who had joined us with a briefcase, who I assumed was his lawyer.
“We’ve got everything we need,” the detective said. “Call us if you think of anything else.” He handed a card to Lucas.
Lucas nodded and carried me out.
“Lucas,” I whispered, my eyelids drooping.
“Yes?” he asked.
“Can I spend the night?”
He kissed my temple. “Yes.”
I smiled and kissed his cheek. “Thank you.”
Chapter 7
I ended up staying three nights with Lucas, only going home Sunday evening so I could get ready for work on Monday. He’d argued that I should take more time off, but I didn’t want to fall behind at work.
As soon as I sat down at my desk, Jamison came into my office. “Are you alright, Miss Vincent?”
I nodded. “I’m fine, sir.”
“If you need some time off, don’t hesitate to ask for it,” he told me.
“Thank you, sir, but I’m really fine. I just want to get back to life as normal.”
The demons and the shifter had been arrested not even an hour after Lucas and I got to the police station. Lucas and I pressed charges, and the contract was voided, so everything was right with the world again.
“Glad to have you back,” he said with a nod. “I’ve added security to the parking garage. I am embarrassed to have an employee kidnapped from my building and will ensure it doesn’t happen again.”
“Glad to hear it,” I said, smiling.
He nodded once more and left.
I exhaled and slumped in my chair. I would be glad when everyone had forgotten about this fiasco.
“Milena!” Michelle yelled as she ran into my office and threw herself into my lap, hugging me. “Oh, Milena! I was so scared when you were missing!”
I hugged her and patted her back. “I’m fine, Michelle. I’m sorry you were worried.”
She kissed my cheek. “You’re really okay?”
I nodded and smiled. “Good as ever.”
“Anymore stories for me?” she asked. “About you and the sexy millionaire?”
I chuckled. “None I’m going to share.”
She gawked and then smiled. “You should have seen him, Milly. He thought you’d stood him up and was sure he had done something to scare you away. He was like a kicked puppy.”
I smiled. “He told me he had thought I was scared off.”
“He didn’t tell you how sad and forlorn he looked. A couple women tried to come talk to him, but he ignored them completely. I lost count of the number of times he sighed, while stirring his drink, but it was at least fifty,” she said.
“That’s an exaggeration,” Lucas said from the doorway, his arms crossed over his chest.
She gasped, spinning my chair so we could both see him. “Lucas?”
He looked at us and tilted his head. “Are you a couple?”
I rolled my eyes, and Michelle stood. “No. We’re just friends. And I was scared and had to express my joy that she was safe and sound,” Michelle explained.
He shrugged, not seeming to mind if we had been a couple. “Okay.”
“I totally wasn’t exaggerating,” she whispered before leaving and waved to us.
“A kicked puppy, huh?” I asked, smirking from my seat.
“You are quite the catch, Miss Vincent. I was scared I’d done something to scare you away. It had been a long time since I’d slept with a woman. I could have been rusty.”
I threw back my head and laughed, slapping my desk as I gasped for air. “Shut up!” I said once I could breathe.
He sat down in the chair across from me, smiling. “I take it that means you were pleased with my performances?”
“More than pleased,” I said.
“Perhaps that means I can perform for you again, tonight?” he asked.
“I thought we were going to dinner with Walter?” I asked.
“I’d much rather have a sweaty evening with you than eat with Walter,” he said with a chuckle.
“I’d rather not cancel on Walter, since I missed last week’s dinner,” I said.
Lucas scowled and looked down at his lap.
“Hey, it wasn’t your fault,” I said, standing and rounding the desk so I could sit in his lap. “You can’t blame yourself.”
“You were taken because—”
“Because people are greedy assholes,” I said, interrupting him.
He kissed my lips softly. “I’d be very upset if something happened to you, Milena.”
“As would I if something happened to you,” I said.
“Dinner, tonight?” he asked.
I nodded. “Will you pick me up here?” I asked, trying to hide the fear I still felt about the incident.
He hugged me. “Yes. I don’t like the idea of you going home alone to your house. Are you sure you won’t move in with me?”
“Lucas, we’ve only been dating for a couple weeks. It’s a bit premature for me to move in,” I said with a chuckle.
“I have a big enough house. I could give you a room on the opposite wing as mine. Then you wouldn’t even have to see me if—”
I put my hand over his mouth. “Lucas, it’s okay. I’m safe. And, if I’m not, you can use your mark to locate me, right?”
He nodded. “But—”
“But, nothing. Now, go to work before one of us gets in trouble,” I ordered him, standing from his lap.
He stood, kissed me deeply, and bowed. “I’ll see you this evening, Miss Vincent.”
“I look forward to it, Mr. Alonze,” I said, beaming as he left my office.
Five o’clock couldn’t come soon enough. I’d had five meetings and in every single one, they’d all commented about my kidnapping and all clapped at my return. It was embarrassing and stressful.
Lucas showed up five minutes after five with a bouquet of red roses.
I took them, kissed his cheek, and then went to Sarah, my assistant. “Can you find a vase and put these in some water on my desk?” I requested.
She smiled and took them. “Certainly. Have a wonderful night, Milena.”
“You too!” I called over my shoulder as Lucas slipped his arm around my waist and ushered me into the elevator.
Walter stood from his chair at the table when we arrived at the restaurant and hugged me. “I’m so glad to hear that you’re alright! That must have been quite the ordeal.”
I patted his back and kissed his cheek. “I’m fine, Walter. I’m sorry you were worried.”
“Walter sent out two packs of werewolves to search for your scent,” Lucas informed me.
My mouth dropped open. “What?” I asked, looking at Walter.
“I have several good relationships with nearby packs, so they were happy to do it. I’m sorry they didn’t find you, but glad Lucas was able to get to you in time.”
What was with these men? I barely knew them and yet they were
willing to go to such extremes for me. It didn’t compute.
“What would you like for dinner?” Lucas asked me.
“Um, you pick,” I said, distracted by one of the women on the dance floor. She looked familiar, but I couldn’t place where I knew her from. Her silver hair marked her as fae, and I knew very few fae, but I still couldn’t place her.
Her red dress was very low cut, leaving little to the imagination, and she was rocking it! It looked amazing…she looked amazing.
“Milena?” Lucas whispered.
I yelped, jerking back in my seat, away from his lips which had been right next to my ear.
“What?” I asked, taking a deep breath to calm my racing heart.
“I asked if you know her,” he said, taking his seat again.
“Oh, I think so, but I can’t place where. Was I staring? I was totally staring, wasn’t I?”
He smiled. “Yes.”
I blushed. “Sorry.” I looked at Walter who was smirking. “Sorry, Walter.”
“She is beautiful,” Walter said. “She’s also crazy.”
“You know her?” I asked, picking up my water and taking a drink.
“Yes. She was my first wife,” Walter said.
I spit out my drink, thankfully, back into my cup, and coughed.
Walter laughed, and Lucas held out his napkin.
I wiped myself and knew I was blushing even more. “Your first wife?”
Walter nodded. “We were married very briefly, and that was over sixty years ago. We married right out of high school and then realized quickly that it wasn’t meant to be.” He shrugged. “It was a life lesson.”
The woman walked over, smiled at Walter, and then met my eyes. “Milena.”
“Um, we know each other?” I asked.
She smirked. “Oh, child. You’re so forgetful, like always.” She looked at Lucas. “You marked her. Are you dating?”
Lucas nodded. “We are.”
She glared at him. “You hurt her, and I’ll tear your head off.”
What? Whoa.
“Um, who are you to me?” I asked.
She sighed and rubbed her temples. “I really need to find a way to fix your memory. Sweetheart, I am your Aunt Logan. Your mother was half fae and you are a quarter fae.”
“Ah, that explains a lot,” Lucas said with a nod.
“Why did I not know this?” I asked her.
Lion About: A Zodiac Shifters Paranormal Romance: Virgo Page 6
