Disappointment twisted his face for a moment, and then he sighed. “You’re still shy, which is completely understandable.” His finger touched her nose in a gesture of teasing affection. “We’ll go slow, I promise. We’ve got our whole lives ahead of us.”
Standing, he said, “I need to clean up the puke before it sets and smells up the entire house. Rest for a bit, and when I’m finished, we’ll take that bath I know you’re dying to have.”
The minute he walked out and closed the door behind him, Kacie tugged on her cuffs, bruising and tearing her skin painfully. There was no give, no escape.
He’d left the light on, so she took a moment to familiarize herself with the layout of the bedroom. A large window to her left was plenty big enough to crawl through, but iron bars covered the glass on the outside.
The bedroom was just as minimalistic as the other part of the house. A dresser on the other side of the room held nothing on its surface. The nightstand beside the bed had an unopened bottle of water. That was it, the entire contents of the room.
Her head bounced back against the pillow as she fought the defeat that permeated her being, threatening to crumble her insides to dust.
No…hell no. She would not give up. She would not allow this to happen twice in her lifetime. She was strong…a fighter. And today…right at this moment, she was no longer Kacie Dane, beautiful model with a perfect and charmed life. She was once again Kendra Carson, rape survivor. She had fought a monster once before and won.
She would win again.
Chapter Forty
Half an hour later, the bedroom door opened. Vincent appeared with that same smile she’d once thought so sweet. “Everything’s in order again. I’ll draw your bath water so you can take a nice, long soak.”
He paused and waited. Kacie already knew what he wanted and figuring this was her best shot for surviving, she gave him the words he wanted to hear. “Thank you, Vincent.”
His smile one of delight, he said, “My pleasure, Kacie.”
Instead of going to the door she assumed led to the bathroom, he headed toward the bed instead. “But first, let’s get you ready.” He withdrew large, silver scissors from his back pocket.
She couldn’t help herself. She shrank back, letting go of a whimper.
He shook his head as though disappointed. “Kacie, Kacie, Kacie. What do I have to do to show you I’m not going to hurt you?”
Giving him the obvious answer was probably not in her best interest, so she didn’t say anything at all.
As though it was just another routine matter for him, Vincent cut open her blouse, pulled up the small elastic band between her breasts, and snipped her bra. Her skirt and panties received the same efficient treatment.
Her heart thundered in her chest and her breath came out in raspy pants. She shook her head. This couldn’t be happening…not again. Dammit, not again!
Within a minute, she was nude.
Standing, Vincent didn’t bother to hide his lust or satisfaction as his eyes roamed all over her body. “You’re more beautiful than I remember.”
He took her shredded clothes and tucked the scissors back into his pocket. “I’ll draw your bath.”
Shivering, she closed her eyes against ridiculously grateful tears. He hadn’t raped her, cut her, or killed her…yet. However, until she breathed her last breath, she would fight. She just prayed she would get the opportunity.
A few minutes later, she heard him return and opened her eyes. He had changed into a loose T-shirt and a pair of gym shorts. “Since I won’t be able to bathe you without getting wet myself, I thought it best if I put on different clothes.” He bent down, but instead of reaching for her, he withdrew something from under the bed.
“Sit up for me, Kacie.”
Refusing never crossed her mind. Time enough to fight when she could make it count. She eased up, wincing slightly at the pull of the chain securing her arms.
“Don’t worry, baby. We’ll get those cuffs off in a sec. Now bend your head for me.”
She did what she was told and felt something encircle her neck. Seconds later, her wrists were unlocked from the chain behind her, then Vincent locked them to the collar he’d fastened around her neck.
“Not the most accessible way to bathe you, but until our relationship deepens, it’s for the best.”
He withdrew the chain from the cuffs at her ankles then scooped her up, cradling her in his arms again.
She felt like a damn praying mantis with her wrists so close to her neck, she could do nothing but let her hands hang, suspended, in front of her.
Carrying her into the bathroom, Vincent carefully lowered her into a large tub. The water was warm, which was a relief to her cold body and tense muscles. The fragrance of flowers permeated the room.
“That’s my girl. Now, soak for just a bit while I go get your tea. When I return, we’ll get you squeaky clean.”
Okay, time to figure out a way out of this before he came back.
“Oops. Almost forgot.” Laughing as if it was just an amusing incident, he reached down, grasped another chain attached to a bolt in the floor, and secured it to the cuffs at her ankles.
“Be right back.”
Kacie leaned back against the cushioned pillow behind her. All warmth from the bath receded in an instant. He intended to make damn sure she was securely locked at all times. He’d said until their relationship solidified, trust established. How could she make that happen faster?
Within minutes, he returned with a cup of hot tea. “Now, since you can’t use your hands, I’ll have to feed it to you. Just little sips, though, because I don’t want you to burn your sweet tongue.”
Smile, dammit, Kacie!
Drawing on every bit of training she’d had, Kacie gave him a smile of thanks and then sipped from the mug he placed against her mouth. He allowed her several sips and then said, “You can finish it in bed. Let’s get you cleaned up.”
Taking a sponge from the side of the tub, he squirted liquid soap onto it and started washing her. The instant he touched her, she couldn’t control the natural reaction to shrink away from him.
Though he gave a slight huff of exasperation, he didn’t reprimand her for her fear. Instead, acting as if it was a natural thing, Vincent once again showed his efficiency by washing her entire body. When his hand went between her legs, she closed her eyes and let the tears fall. He gave her several hard swipes with the sponge and then continued down her legs to her feet.
He then stood, pulled the drain from the tub, and unlocked the chain from her ankle cuffs. Grabbing her as if she weighed nothing, he carried her soaking body back into the bedroom and stood her on the wood floor. Taking a towel he’d thrown over his shoulder, he dried her briskly.
“Let’s get you some clothes, and then we’re going to have a nice long chat.”
Once again, she felt gratitude. He was going to allow her clothes. Though she knew it for what it was—he thought she would soften toward him if he gave her these small allowances. And though she would never soften toward him, she would take every allowance he gave her until she could get away.
“This will take careful maneuvering. Please don’t try anything, or I will be forced to punish you. And I promise you, my punishments are far worse than anything William Harrington ever even considered.”
He unlocked her wrists from her neck and then unlocked her cuffs. “Raise your hands over your head.” When she complied, he slipped a nightgown over her head and allowed her to insert her arms into the sleeves. The instant the gown slid down her body, the hem landing several inches above her knees, he cuffed her wrists again.
“Okay, let’s get you comfy, and then we’ll chat.”
Since she could do nothing more than move inches at a time, she waited to see if he would pick her up. But no, he just gave her a smile and said, “Get on the bed.”
It was just another way for him to demonstrate her helplessness. Refusing to give him the satisfaction of asking for his he
lp, Kacie shuffled to the bed. She didn’t care if it took her the rest of the night. She would not ask for his help.
By the time she got to the edge of the bed, she was sweating and as close to breaking down as she’d been since this nightmare had begun. Turning slowly around, she plopped onto the edge of the bed with all the grace of a drunken monkey.
“I like your tenacity, my sweet, but stubbornness, especially at the beginning of our relationship, will not be to your advantage. If you had asked for help, I would have given it to you.
“Since it took you twenty minutes to walk thirty steps, and I’d like to get some sleep, I’ll ignore your childishness and help you get into bed.”
With humiliating ease, he lifted her and then dropped her onto the bed. He once again secured her wrists to the headboard and then her feet to chains at the bottom of the bed. She was back where she’d started an hour ago, except now her feet were secured, too. Somehow, that made her feel even more helpless than before.
“Now that you’re all settled and comfy, let’s talk.”
“What are you—”
His hand covered her mouth. “I’ll talk, you listen. Do you know why I’m being extraordinarily nice to you?”
She seriously could not answer that question, and thankfully, he didn’t seem to expect an answer as he continued. “I read everything that William Harrington did to you. The drugs, the starvation, the beatings, the cold baths filled with ice cubes. Because of his ill treatment, you lost all affection for him.”
“I never had any affection for him. I didn’t even know the man.”
“Now, Kacie, let’s not start our relationship with lies. Sally told me how you seduced her father at that party. If you hadn’t shown the slightest bit of interest in him, he never would have abducted you.”
Long past questioning or blaming herself for what Harrington did to her, she didn’t bother to respond to his inane accusation.
“But that’s not my point,” Vincent said. “What I’m trying to do is show you that although you seduced me just like you did William, with your smiles and your gifts, the special interest you showed me, I will treat you much better. In fact, I will do the exact opposite of everything William did.
“You’ll eat delicious food that I will prepare myself. You’ll get long, hot baths. I won’t drug you. I’ll treat you like the precious angel you are. And when it’s time for us to be intimate, you’ll give yourself to me out of love and gratitude. Your pleasure will not be drug-induced. It will be real.”
Of course he had seen the video, knew that she had climaxed because of the drugs Harrington used. But the other things, the starving, ice-cold baths… There was only one way he could know about them.
“You read my files. You’re the one who broke into Dr. Curtis’s office. You killed her.”
“I kind of felt bad about that. She came in and caught me. I had no other choice. She never would have just let me leave with your file.” He took one of her hands and squeezed it. “You do understand that, don’t you, Kacie? I don’t like to kill, but I will if necessary. I’ll do anything for us to be together.”
She nodded. What choice did she have?
“And that’s why I really hope your boyfriend, Brennan Sinclair, doesn’t come after you. I really liked the guy and always felt he got a bum rap for all the nasty things people said about him.”
He took something from the nightstand and then leaned closer. She smelled the sourness of his breath as it coated her face. “But understand this, I will kill anyone who tries to get in the way of our happiness. That means no matter how much I like Brennan, the guy will die if he tries to take you away from me.”
Pulling away slightly, he held up a giant knife. “One slice from this mother, and he’ll bleed out like a slaughtered hog.”
He laid the flat side of the knife against her neck. Her breath caught in her throat, and she pressed her head deep into her pillow. “It also means that if you defy me, I will punish you severely. And if you make any attempt to escape, to leave me, I’ll slit you in half.”
Chapter Forty-one
New York City
“The disappearance of model Kacie Dane remains a mystery. Four days ago, the young woman, who was recently named the Montague It Girl, disappeared from her apartment on the West Side.
“Friends and co-workers say the last time she was seen was at a Montague photo shoot. One witness, online journalist Carlton Lorrance, claims she chatted amiably with him outside her apartment building prior to her disappearance. Mr. Lorrance stated that he and Ms. Dane are on the best of terms and refuted statements made by others that he’d had an antagonistic dispute with Ms. Dane’s boyfriend, who is none other than former New York Jets quarterback Brennan Sinclair.”
The pseudo-reporter leaned forward as if sharing a confidence. “One does wonder about the odd coincidence of Sinclair’s son’s disappearance years ago and subsequent death, as well as the mysterious death of his wife. And now this…the disappearance of his girlfriend.
“Is the man cursed with bad luck…or could something more sinister be afoot?
“Stay tuned for updates as they develop.”
“Assholes,” Justin muttered.
“I’m sorry, Sinclair,” McCall said. “You don’t deserve any of this.”
Brennan was barely paying attention to the television and waved away McCall’s concern. He didn’t care, did not give one small damn about his reputation. It hadn’t meant much to him before this…and it mattered even less now. His only concern, his only focus, was finding Kacie. It was the only thing he could concentrate on, think about. What was she going through? Hell, was she even alive?
They sat in the living room in Kacie’s apartment, which had become their center of operations. Every law enforcement agency, including the FBI, was involved in searching for her. However, this location had been established specifically for Last Chance Rescue. Thankfully, no one seemed to dispute their authority. Though agencies, especially government agencies, were notorious for not wanting to work together, the spirit of cooperation he’d witnessed restored his faith in not only his fellow man but all those agencies as well. Everyone, everywhere, wanted Kacie Dane back home.
Julian Montague himself had put up a three million dollar reward for information leading to her safe return. The amount might seem extravagant to some, but not to Brennan. He, like so many others, knew how very special Kacie Dane was.
The city, the entire state, was being scoured, but so far, there’d been no sign of Kacie or her abductor.
Skylar and Gabe Maddox had arrived only hours after learning about Kacie’s disappearance. And though Skylar had looked as worried as any of them, she’d hugged Brennan and assured him that Kacie was a survivor and would either escape or stay alive until LCR could find her.
He’d nodded and agreed with her, but all the time he kept asking himself just how much more could she survive. Just how many hells was this young, unbelievably brave woman supposed to endure?
The good news, if there was any at all, was that they knew who had taken her. Vincent Deavors hadn’t shown up for his scheduled shift. Questions were asked, his apartment was ransacked, and a treasure trove of information had spewed forth. His entire apartment was filled with photos of Kacie, not only of Harrington raping her, but also current photos, too.
The wife, kids, and grandkids had been a hoax. The security company had bought Vincent’s lies…and, dammit, so had Brennan.
The fact that Vincent didn’t seem to care that he would be found out wasn’t the least bit reassuring. He didn’t expect to be caught.
“We interrupt this program with a special news bulletin. Carlton Lorrance, the journalist who might well have been the last person to see Kacie Dane before her disappearance, has announced he will be making a public statement today at three p.m. regarding new developments that he has uncovered.
“Be sure to join us at three. Now, back to our regularly scheduled program.”
“Son of a bitc
h,” Brennan growled. “He’s planning to make a name for himself any way he can.”
“You think he has anything?” Justin asked.
“No. But we need to make damn sure, just in case. One thing’s for sure, he’s done dragging people’s names through the mud.” Pulling his cellphone out, Brennan punched in a number he still knew by heart, even though he hadn’t used it a years.
“Roy, it’s Brennan.” Before the man could speak, Brennan got to the point. “I know it’s been forever, sorry I haven’t called, but I need a favor.”
As he described what he’d already put in place, and what he wanted done, both Justin’s and McCall’s eyes gleamed with humor.
His former manager, Roy Gilson, still had a large amount of influence in the city. Brennan had seen him use it with the precision of a skilled surgeon, slicing and dicing careers until they were shredded and blew away like ashes. Before the day had ended, Lorrance’s career would be demolished as if it never existed.
Brennan already knew enough to bury the man. Knew what he feared, what kept him awake him at night, what secrets he’d buried deep. He hadn’t intended to use it, had wanted the info just in case. Now, he would use every ounce of shit and slime he knew about the jerk to bury him for good.
He would tolerate a lot of things, put up with shit that might infuriate most people, but he’d be damned if that asshole used Kacie’s abduction to further his career.
The ringing cellphone brought silence to the room. It had been years since Brennan prayed. He’d prayed for his son to be alive, and his prayers had gone unanswered. He’d prayed for his mother’s recovery, and she had died anyway. Without a doubt, he knew God existed. What Brennan didn’t have faith in was that his prayers made a damn bit of difference. Whatever was going to happen would happen. No matter what he asked for.
However, the second that phone rang, everything within Brennan was praying, pleading. Please, please, please, let this be information that will help us find Kacie, alive.
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