“Yes, Sir?” she said meekly.
“There’s my other little Goldilocks,” he said proudly. “Say hello to your sister, precious.”
Blech. I’m going to vomit. His tone held a foul mixture of the sexual and parental. Those two should, never, ever blend.
Rose blinked, gazing at Daisy with a serene expression. “Hello, sister.” Not even a hint of recognition surfaced in the placid depths of her eyes.
Daisy glared at Kent. “What the fuck did you do to her?”
“I’ve already told you how I feel about women swearing. You are starting to try my patience.”
“Right back at you, dickhead.”
If you won’t play nice, you don’t get a treat.” He glanced at her sister. “You can go, Rose. I want you to continue packing.” Rose left the room, as though he’d pressed some button on a remote control.
“What did you do to her?” she demanded again.
“If you must know, I employed some conditioning, along with sedatives from time to time to take the edge off. It’s very effective, for securing the sort of behavior you want from a subject.” He made a face. “Don’t glare at me. I told you. I saved her from Rock. He kept shooting her full of drugs, offering her body to unworthy men. He couldn’t see what a treasure he had! She’s a college educated woman, beautiful, and so very submissive. She deserves to be cherished.”
“Yeah, you’re a real hero,” she said, her lips twisting with disgust.
“Rock planned on turning her into a prostitute, but I offered to buy her instead. I rescued her, got her off that poison, and now she is clean and sober.”
“Is that what you tell yourself?” she spat out. “How you justify what you’ve done to her? She traded one abuser for another.”
“We both know she is better off with me!” he said, scowling. “I’m the only one who touches her now. I gave her beautiful clothes, a good home,” he insisted. “And I assure you I am a generous lover.”
Her stomach clenched.
He licked his lips as his gaze slid over her. “I am a man of unusual appetites. I found Rose appeals to my more nurturing, protective nature. While you, you will satisfy the darker desires.”
She narrowed her eyes. “Oh yeah? I wouldn’t bet on it.”
He laughed. “I’m going to enjoy breaking you in. I knew I had to have you both, a perfect pair. You are going to be very happy being my consort.”
She read between the disgusting lines. “Is that a fancy pants term for sex slave?”
“Must you be so crude? My arrangement with your sister is nothing of the sort. We have a consensual relationship, and so will you and I.” He leaned forward and his lips hovered over hers. “My darling girl, don’t you know why I brought you here?”
“Why don’t you enlighten me?”
“To love you, of course.”
Daisy shuddered.
***
“The rest of the brothers on their way?’ Cowboy asked.
Cowboy and Duke had piled into Cowboy’s old pickup, and Duke held his cell phone, studying a red beeping mark, situated on a map. It showed the location of Daisy’s chip, the one Duke had implanted without her consent or knowledge.
They drove down the highway at a breakneck pace. Between them sat a good selection of heavy duty weaponry seated, in case things got serious. They could be walking into anything.
Duke nodded. “Yeah, but they’re hours away brother. My guess is this will be over before they even get here.”
“Shit,” Cowboy said, with a frown. “Well, we’ll do this Alamo style.”
“Yeah? They died.”
Well, shit. “Fuck. Bad example, but it sounds comforting, you know. Because we’re Texans and all. Hey, I got it. We’ll do this like Butch and Sundance.”
“Also dead,” he said with a sigh.
“Fuck it,” Cowboy said and changed the topic. “You got your medical bag?”
“Yeah, I tossed it in, just in case. And I want you to drop me off before we approach,” Duke said. “With only two of us, we should try to get the drop on them.”
Cowboy shook his head. “I was thinking a more united front approach. Give us the girl or you get two in the chest. Might inspire more cooperation.”
“I prefer the special forces method. Less come out with your hands up and more surprise, motherfucker!”
Come to think of it? It sounded damn good to Cowboy. “Fine, we’ll try it your way. I ain’t got much experience stormin’ the castle.” He sighed. “And now that we got a bit of time on our hands before the ass kickin’ about to begin, explain to me what happened again. While my woman lay there drunk and unconscious, you decided to stick a needle in her, and insert a tracking device.”
“Yeah,” Duke said, with a shrug. “The night of Lexie’s birthday party, I injected the RFID chip. It’s your basic tracker, no frills. The same kind they use to keep tabs on livestock and pets….and well, there are other military uses for it. But that’s beside the point. It was a simple procedure. No surgery, no blood, only the tiny pinprick of a needle. It isn’t really a big deal.”
“The no surgery part of this chipping thing isn’t the issue, Duke.”
“I cleared it with Captain and Shep.”
“Yeah, well, I’ll be havin’ a word with them too. Don’t get me wrong, I’m grateful you did, but what the fuck man?! Who does that against someone’s will?!”
Duke offered a black smile. “Worked, didn’t it?”
Cowboy shuddered. “You’re really fuckin’ creepy sometimes.”
“I know.” He didn’t seem concerned about it.
“Any chance someone detected the damn thing in her skin??” he said worriedly. He had visions of someone cutting her tracker out.
“On the off chance, she’s packin’ a poodle chip? I doubt it brother.” He picked up his Glock and checked the clip. “So are you going to sit here and bitch at me about ethics, or drive a bit faster and get your old lady back?”
“She ain’t my old lady,” he grumbled. Not yet anyway.
“Seriously? It was a figure of speech. I don’t give a shit about your love life.”
Cowboy shut the fuck up and pressed the petal clear to the floorboard.
***
Kent stood at the end of the bed, stroking his chin absently, while Daisy tugged at the chains on her arms.
“Don’t struggle, you will only injure yourself. You know, I only had to tie your sister up the first few weeks.” He turned to look at her. “Given your stubbornness, you might take a bit longer. But mark my words. Eventually, you will learn to love the restraints. If used in the right way, they can be very pleasurable.”
She snorted. “I can see where this going. In your head, it’s all Fifty Shades of Grey. But in reality, this is an episode of Law and Order. You know, the sex crimes one.”
“It would be much simpler, wouldn’t it?” he said, resting his palms on either side of the footboard. “Thinking of me as some rapist holding your sister against her will.”
“Uh, yeah, that’s exactly what you are.”
“I meant what I said earlier, Daisy. Your sister craves my touch. I’ve made her orgasm so many times she’s nearly passed out. Eventually, you too will give in. I will break that stubborn backbone of yours and you’ll know true pleasure, and true happiness. I made her love me, and I’ll make you fall for me too.”
And then something strange happened. Well, stranger.
She had an epiphany of sorts. Eddie had been right! From Kent’s crazy talk, she could plainly see his obsession with her sister. And the preoccupation Sunny had with Roger hadn’t been love either. It had been a destructive fixation. One that ultimately killed her.
Daisy had feared love all her life, worried it would bring out the worst in her. But what she felt for Cowboy wasn’t this sick sort of stalkery addiction. They had something real. Granted, it was brand new, but it would develop over time, and get stronger. While Kent’s disturbing fantasies would only grow more and more desperate, leaving destru
ction in their wake.
“No one has brought you to heel before, have they?” Kent said, walking alongside the bed. He leaned over, leering at her.
Daisy glared at him.
She wasn’t a victim, never had been, never will be. The military didn’t believe in gentle lessons wisely imparted by a mentor. No, she’d been thrown into the deep end and taught to survive. The Marines trained her to be a warrior.
And she didn’t fear this little piss ant.
She gave him a nasty little smile, far from intimidated. “Not since basic, but my drill sergeant was a hell of a lot scarier than you, cupcake.”
Quick as a rattlesnake striking, he threw his forearm over her neck, locking down her windpipe. Daisy struggled, trying to break free.
“This is a little trick I learned from my bodyguards,” he told her coolly. “Frightening, isn’t? Nothing quite as primal as struggling to breathe, gasping for air. Now, inhale through your nose, so you don’t pass out,” he ordered. “That’s it. Come on.”
Daisy wasn’t getting enough oxygen, she felt lightheaded. She clutched at his arm, fingernails sinking into the skin and abruptly, he eased up.
Daisy sucked in gulps of air. “I’m going to enjoy killing you,” she croaked, already picturing it. She’d put one right between the eyes, then pump two into his chest, and watch him fall to the floor bloody and lifeless.
Far from being threatened, he looked eager. He reached between his legs, absently petted his erection, which she could see straining beneath the fabric of his pants. “My God, you are going to be such a challenge.”
“You’ve got no idea, buddy.”
He blew her a kiss. “I’d love to stay here with you, but unfortunately, I have a couple of arrangements to make before we leave.” With that pronouncement, he left the room.
Leaving Daisy to formulate a way out of this mess.
***
Minutes later, Rose drifted back in the room, presumably to pack and Daisy got a closer look at her this time. She had dark circles under her eyes, and her skin had lost all color, probably from staying trapped indoors most days. She could even make out the faint blue patchwork of veins on her arms. Rose had literally withered. Even her eyes appeared to be sunken and her cheeks had hollowed out.
She headed straight for the pegboard wall, to pack up the sex toys. Rose methodically pulled down items and placed them in a couple of cardboard boxes already sitting on the floor, intent on her task.
Daisy tried to get her attention. “Rose?”
Her sister didn’t acknowledge her or make eye contact, though her shoulders tensed. Daisy couldn’t imagine the hell she’d been through. She opened her mouth to speak again, but everything she could conceivably say sounded inane to her own ears.
“Ro?” she tried again. “I love you,” she whispered.
This time, Rose turned and really focused on her, met her eyes, as though seeing her for the very first time.
“Yes, it’s me, Rose!” she cried. “It’s Daze.”
Rose inched closer, nearing the bed. “Daze?” she asked, wonderingly.
Right then, the door slammed open and the security guards marched in, followed by Kent. “It’s time to go.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
Daisy hobbled to the car, flanked by the security guards. Daisy dubbed one Cheap Suit, for obvious reasons, and the other Tweak, because of his darty eyes and twitchy trigger finger.
They’d shackled her arms, as well as secured her ankles with leg irons. Evidently, they’d determined she was a threat. Smart. Kent walked behind them, with his arm wrapped around Rose.
“I don’t see why we have to go now,” Daisy said, hoping to delay him. “You aren’t finished packing your things.” She wanted to give Cowboy enough time to retrace her steps. He’d figure out Kent was behind this and come after him.
“We should have been on the road hours ago,” Kent snapped. “I wanted to be out of here before anyone knew you were missing.”
“No one knows I’m missing. They probably think I’m out shopping or something,” she said, hoping to dissuade him.
“All the same, I’ll have my solicitor arrange for the rest of my belongings to be shipped.” As they stood beside the Lexus, the security guards hastily loaded the last few boxes into a small trailer attached to the sedan.
She was rapidly running out of time.
The roar of an engine on the private road broke the tense silence and the guards gripped their sidearms, readying for a fight.
“Who the fuck is that?” Cheap Suit growled.
“What now?” Kent bit out. He pushed Rose toward Cheap Suit. “Take her inside and lock her in the cage. Stay there until I call you.”
“Sure thing, boss,” the guard said, propelling Rose back towards the house.
“And you just became my bargaining chip,” Kent said, as he turned to her. “Somehow, I think whoever’s headed down the street, is coming for you.”
Please, let it be Cowboy.
***
When Cowboy pulled up, he saw Daisy crouched behind a silver Lexus, Kent on one side of her, and what looked to be a security guard on the other. The guard had his gun pressed beneath her jaw. The man looked uneasy, way too agitated for the situation. Cowboy knew if he got too spooked, he might just shoot Daisy. He’d have to play this very carefully.
He hopped out of his truck, keeping his hands where they could see ‘em, but stood behind his vehicle, in case the guard decided to shoot him full of lead and be done with it.
“How many are with you?” Kent called, peering over the car.
“Only me,” he lied. “Look, this doesn’t have to end ugly. Give me Daisy and you can be on your way.”
“You must be Cowboy,” the lawyer called.
“Yeah, and I remember you from the Palace. Kent, right? And I’m figurin’ you’re the Jewelry Fairy too.”
Kent ignored his jibe. “Leave now, or I’ll kill her.”
“We both know that isn’t going to happen!” He glanced at Daisy and she met his eyes.
Any other woman might be terrified and crying. Hell, he knew some grown men who would lose their shit, but not his woman. She looked really, really pissed off. God help those boys if she managed to wriggle out of the shackles.
“They have Rose!” she called. “She’s inside.”
Cowboy nodded quickly. He didn’t have much time to process the information at the moment, but he eased the cell out of his pocket and fired off a text to Duke, telling him to find Rose. Then he removed the Colt from his holster, still staying hidden behind the truck. He snuck a peek over the bed and the security guard cocked his gun, pressing it tighter against her throat.
“Come on. Let her go and everyone walks out of here alive,” Cowboy tried again.
“No, you’re going to leave and my women and I will be on our way,” Kent insisted.
So much for the come out with your hands up approach. Time for plan B.
He studied the security guard again and then kissed the barrel of his Colt. “Lean back, Wildcat!” he called and then fired off a shot. He nailed the guard in the forehead and the man slumped back, firing a round in the air harmlessly.
Let’s hear it for fancy rodeo shootin’.
He could hear the sounds of a struggle going on behind the Lexus, and figured Daisy tried to make a grab for the gun. Then he heard her curse a blue streak. Evidently, she’d lost.
She finally shuffled out from behind the car with Kent right behind her. The cowardly asshole crouched behind her, using her as a human shield.
“You okay, Wildcat?” Cowboy said, rounding his truck, with the Colt drawn.
“Just peachy,” she bit out.
“I’m going to get in the car and she is coming with me!” Kent shuffled backward, towards the driver’s side door, slowly pulling her along with him.
“The hell she is,” Cowboy said, advancing on them both. “There ain’t no way around this, man. Let her go!”
“I’ll kill
her!” he cried. “I swear to God I will!” Kent threatened, pressing the gun to Daisy’s chest.
“Cowboy, I think we have a Speed sort of situation here,” Daisy said tensely.
He caught on immediately. “The hell we do!” Fuck if he would shoot his own woman.
“What the hell are you two talking about?!” Kent shouted.
Daisy’s eyes became impossibly wide. “On three, you’re gonna do it!”
He sliced his head to the side.“You can’t ask this of me!”
“One, two…. please, Cowboy, three!”
With a quick kiss, he fired off one shot, barely grazing her upper thigh. With an agonized cry, she slumped to the ground and Kent released her to dive headfirst into the car. He jammed the key in the ignition and drove off, tires screeching.
***
Daisy sucked in a pained breath, clutching her leg. Damn it! He’s getting away! Cowboy rushed toward her and she made a grab for the discarded gun, but it lay just out of her reach.
“Shoot the tires!” she called to Cowboy, who stopped long enough to aim at the rubber, but by then Kent reached the end of the driveway and Cowboy’s shot ricocheted off the rims as the lawyer floored it and took off, the trailer bouncing wildly behind him.
“You’re hurt!”
“Leave me, I’m fine!” She tried to reach the gun once more and pain blasted through her thigh. Shit! “Go check on Rose,” she said. “What if the guard took her when he heard the gunshots?”
Cowboy knelt beside her, examining the wound on her flank. Blood gushed it from it and he took off his shirt, fashioning a makeshift tourniquet. His hands trembled as he worked.
“Duke is sneaking up on the house,” he said, tying off the bandage. “Believe me, he’ll get her. Let me worry about you.” He slid a hand under her knees, the other under her neck. “You need to get bandaged up.”
“I’m fine, check on Rose!”
“I swear to God woman you are certi-fucking-fiable. I told you Duke is getting her!” he bit out, glaring at her.
She thought back to boot camp, and her drill sergeant’s sadistic little mantra. “Pain is weakness leaving the body!”
“No, what’s leaving your body is wet, red stuff. It’s called blood and its leaking from your gunshot wound. Don’t try to Marine me. Right now, you need a doctor and maybe a fucking shrink.”
Hot as Hades (Four Horsemen MC Book 2) Page 23
