He pounced, his normally ambling gait gone as he closed the gap between them and crushed her against the wall, one hand covering her mouth, squashing the scream she felt bubbling inside.
The press of his body against hers made it impossible to breathe and Holly’s senses were overrun with panic and fear as she looked up into his face.
She watched as he lifted his free hand to his lips and made a shushing motion.
“I’m going to lift my hand and you’re not going to make a sound. I’ll snap your neck before you even have the chance if you so much as try to scream.”
She didn’t doubt him, she could feel the power in his hand against her face and Holly knew he could easily break her in half if he wanted.
He lifted his hand slowly and Holly bit down on her trembling lip. She wouldn’t look weak, she wouldn’t cry. She was strong and she would figure a way out of all of this. She repeated the words over and over in her mind like a mantra but it was one she struggled to believe fully.
Her eyes darted to the side and she spotted the baseball bat she’d been sleeping with poking out from beneath the corner of the bed. The only problem was, she was pressed against the wall on the far side of the room, with a mountain of a man between her and it.
“What are you doing, Victor? If Marcus catches you…”
Victor rolled his eyes and let his oversized hand slide down Holly’s face. She cringed away from him but he didn’t seem to care.
She pressed her hand flat against the wall, her fingers creeping out, searching for the edge of the lock and the key she had turned just moments before.
“Marcus is a fool. I don’t care if he catches me, not anymore. George has promised me a real place, a position of power, and there’s nothing Marcus can do about it.”
“Why are you doing this?” she said, her voice low as she continued to search for the elusive key.
“Because I know you want it, because a real man takes what’s his and I’ve wanted you from the moment I set eyes on you…” He dipped his head and crushed his mouth over hers and Holly gagged.
His breath was fetid as he forced her mouth open wide with his tongue. She gagged again as his hand slid down over her body and found the hem of the tight dress she wore. He jerked it upwards, the violent movement causing the fabric to shred and Holly whimpered as the force of friction burned against her body.
Panic flooded every cell in her body as he forced his knee between her legs, driving them apart as he continued to slobber and bite at her mouth.
Her hand closed over the key and she tugged it free of the lock and brought her hand up in an arc, slashing down against the side of his face and across his eye.
He roared, staggering away from her, clutching at his face.
Holly didn’t hesitate. Diving across the room, she scrambled on her knees under the bed, her hands closing around the base of the bat.
But Victor was there, his hands wrapping around her waist as he jerked her up from the floor. He threw her face down on the bed. She brought the bat with her and struggled to crawl away from him, but his rage made him vicious.
“You crazy bitch!”
She swung the bat blindly behind her, hoping to catch him as he moved over her but Victor saw it coming. He caught her arm, jerking it up behind her back, twisting it until her fingers loosened on the bat and she let it fall from her grip.
Holly screamed, pain helping her to empty her lungs as he kicked her legs apart and the sound of his zipper opening filled her ears.
“We were going to have such a nice time but now I’m going to make you pay for the key and then I’m going to go downstairs and kill that idiot just like George asked.”
Victor’s hand closed in on her hair, forcing her head down onto the mattress, muffling her cries.
The sound of wood splintering filled the air as the door collapsed in on itself.
“You should have killed me when you had the element of surprise, Victor.”
Victor’s weight disappeared from Holly’s back and she scrambled across the bed in time to watch him turn and face Marcus.
She watched as Marcus levelled the gun at Victor’s head, his finger twitching on the trigger.
The world seemed to slow, all the sound in the room sucked into the vacuum created by the crack of the gunshot.
Victor’s head jerked backwards with the force, blood and heavier bits spraying across the bed as his knees buckled and he dropped like a lead weight towards the floor.
Holly smothered her sobs against her hand as Marcus stepped farther into the room, the gun in his hand trained on the prone body of Victor on the floor.
“Stop crying. You’re doing my head in,” Marcus said, his voice cold and dispassionate.
Holly fought to control the panic and fear that still coursed through her veins, her mind frozen over the image of Victor’s death.
“Did he fuck you?”
Marcus’ words were coarse and his voice harsh as he stepped aside and two other guards moved into the room.
Holly stared at them, her mind refusing to cooperate as they lifted Victor from the floor and carried him from the room.
“Jesus Christ, you women are all the same—nothing more than pathetic victims.”
She heard his words and anger bubbled up inside her, but Holly just couldn’t find the strength to fight.
Marcus crossed the room and crouched down in front of her. Holly’s eyes followed him as he moved but it was like watching him from the bottom of a dark well.
He grabbed her chin and tilted her face up towards his, the pain momentarily clearing the fog and shock that filled her head.
“Can you hear me?” he said, slowly enunciating each word as though speaking to a child.
“Yea— Yes…” Holly said, wrapping her arms around her body in an attempt to hold herself together. It was a stupid and pointless thought, since hugging her arms around herself wouldn’t really do anything for her but it did seem to bring a small measure of comfort and Holly was willing to take any and all forms of comfort.
“Good. Now did he rape you?” Marcus said, still using a slow and deliberate voice.
Rape was such an ugly word, an ugly word for an even uglier act. It made it sound like something terribly violent, as though the person who had named the act had wanted to capture the very essence of the violence involved.
“Holly!” Marcus lay his hand on her shoulder and shook her hard enough to draw her once more out of her reverie.
“No, he didn’t rape me… You saved me before he could.” Her voice sounded hoarse to her own ears, alien even. What was odder still was the fact that Marcus had saved her.
It didn’t fit with who he was, the monster she knew him to be.
“Thank you…” The words stuck in the back of her throat but she pushed them out regardless.
“Don’t thank me, Holly. I didn’t do it for you. I did it because the bastard was going to kill me. I did it because if he’d gotten you pregnant it would have screwed up all of my plans.
“I can’t very well marry a bitch that’s carrying another man’s bastard. It’s not fitting with the respectable reputation I’m trying to create.”
His words were like a bucket of ice water over Holly’s head.
She recoiled away from him as he grinned at her and pushed onto his feet.
“Get this place cleaned up in here, dump the blankets and sheets. I’ll have one of the other guards burn them. I’ll call one of the cleaning crews to scrub this place over in the morning, to make sure there’s no evidence left behind.”
He headed for the hall and started to pull what was left of the mangled wooden door out after him.
“By the way, I don’t ever want to see this door locked again. I’m going to be your husband soon and if I catch you locking your bedroom door I’ll make you move into my room with me.”
He disappeared out of sight and Holly scrambled to her feet, her legs carrying her as fast as she was able to the en-suite bathroom. She co
llapsed in front of the toilet just as the first wave of heaving rolled over her and she emptied the contents of her stomach into the bowl.
Tears followed and she collapsed onto the floor as the trauma of the night washed over her, suffocating her beneath its cloying weight.
Chapter 19
“I don’t think I’ve ever felt as helpless as I do right now,” Riley said, staring down into the glass of brandy Stuart had poured out for him. His good intentions over never drinking again had vanished out the window as soon as he’d had to walk away and leave Holly alone in that house with Marcus.
“You’ve got to go to the cops. You know it’s the only way. You heard what he said about our parents and Anderson can back you up on it all.”
“But there’s no proof and if I do that and he feels trapped like the rat he is, all that’ll succeed in doing is forcing his hand. What if he decides Holly is a loose end that needs tying up?”
“He could already decide to do that, Riley, and you know it. As it is right now, he’s too much of a loose cannon.”
Riley nodded. He knew Stuart was right, he should be going to the police with everything he’d learned, but he couldn’t shake the look of fear in Holly’s eyes.
“Grey had some of the cops working for him and Marcus has stepped in where Grey left off so we can safely assume that avenue is compromised.”
Stuart nodded and dropped onto the red-fabric couch that sat in the centre of the apartment he shared with Ellie.
“Yeah, but you called in the big guns when Grey tried to teach me a lesson. I’m sure they’d be more than happy to take the information you’ve got and move in on Marcus.”
“You’re right—I’ll call my contact as soon as I get back to the house. I’ve got to do something. I’m starting to feel like Holly is slipping through my fingers and every move I make is the wrong one.”
“You can’t keep beating yourself up, there’s only so much you can do when she keeps pushing you away.”
Riley shook his head and downed the drink in one gulp. He closed his eyes as the warmth spread from his throat into his chest and an image of Holly popped into his mind. The sight of her in that dress had almost been his undoing. He’d had to fight the urge to throw her over his shoulder and drag her from the house every time he’d glanced in her direction.
“I’m afraid for her, Stuart, and fear is not an emotion I’m comfortable with. I’m not used to this having to sit back and wait for things to happen. I’m not used to being the guy who bides his time.”
“Tell me about it,” Stuart said, rolling his eyes in Riley’s direction.
Stuart’s response elicited a short laugh from Riley but it was short lived as he stared down into the empty glass in his hand.
“You never asked how Griffin was,” Riley said.
“Why would I? It’s not as though we’re close or anything. And anyway, I was the one who saw him today and told you he was back in town.”
“But what you failed to tell me was the fact that he’d had the snot beat out of him and had drunk himself into oblivion.”
Riley let the full weight of his gaze fall on Stuart but his brother didn’t flinch. Instead he seemed to be more confused by the whole situation than anything else.
“He wasn’t beat up when I saw him. He looked a bit scruffy but I assumed that was just the look he was cultivating for that stupid band of his. Why? Riley, what are you insinuating?”
Riley let out a sigh and pushed slowly to his feet.
“I’m not insinuating anything, I just don’t understand how our little brother gets himself into the dilemmas he does. And I’m not looking forward to finding out about whatever new little drama he’s found himself in.”
Stuart grinned and folded his hands behind his head.
“That’s the beauty of washing your hands of him. You really should learn to take a leaf out of my book. I heartily recommend it.”
“Stu, if I took a leaf out of your book, then we wouldn’t be here having this conversation right now. I’d have given up on you, given up on everyone.” Riley smiled sadly and set the glass down on the table in the middle of the floor.
“I’m going to go, call my contact and get this ball rolling. I’m hoping that by doing something, it’ll give me some sort of peace of mind…”
“You won’t have peace of mind until she’s safe, that’s just what love does to us.”
Riley nodded and headed for the door. “Tell Ellie I’m sorry I missed her. When all of this is done and dusted with, we’ll have to get together and do dinner.”
“She’d love that. She keeps on bugging me to invite you over for dinner as it is.”
“Well, you always know where I am,” he said, heading out the door towards the elevator.
* * *
As the car pulled into the drive, Riley found himself letting out a breath he hadn’t realised he’d been holding onto. There were only a few lights on in the house but he’d half expected to find the place lit up like a Christmas tree, with music blaring from every window.
Whatever was going on with Griffin had been enough to subdue him, or then again maybe he was still suffering the after effects of enough alcohol to knock out an elephant.
Opening the front door, Riley shrugged out of his coat and left it on the chaise lounge against the back wall. The only sound in the house was the ticking of the antique grandfather clock, that and the sound of papers shuffling in the office.
He crept forward, each step across the marble floor light enough that he didn’t make any sound until he pressed his hand against the heavy oak door into the office and let it swing open. It creaked heavily. He’d noticed it making noise from the day Holly had burst into the room like a tornado, slamming it against the wall in her hurry to accuse him of spying on her.
Griffin stood with his back to Riley, papers and folders spread out across the top of the desk.
“Are you looking for something in particular?” Riley said, folding his arms across his chest as he blocked the door.
“Not really, I just wanted to see what you were up to these days,” Griffin said, turning around with a wide and charming smile. The expression didn’t quite fit with the bruises he wore, Riley noted.
“When did you become so interested in my business? I didn’t put you down for the caring type.”
“Ouch, Riles, that one almost hurt my feelings. I can see time has not softened you, you’re still the hard-ass uptight older brother I’ve always known you to be.”
“The same hard-ass who has pulled you out of more scrapes than I care to count. What do you want, Griffin? And spare me the, ‘can’t I just visit my family,’ story. I’ve heard it all before and I’m no longer buying what you’re selling.”
Griffin’s expression tightened but the smile remained frozen in place as he crossed the room and dropped down onto the couch.
“Fine, I need some money.”
“How much is it this time?”
“Quarter of a mill should be enough.”
A quarter of a million? Griffin have you lost your mind? What the hell are you doing here asking me for money like that?”
“I’m asking because I’m a little strapped for cash.”
“Aren’t you some sort of mega-selling rock star? Or at least that was what you announced the last time you breezed out of here and barely left the place standing.”
“That was a good party—everyone talked about it for weeks after…”
“So what happened to Black Special? Why can’t you use some of your own money?”
Riley watched as Griffin’s expression turned petulant.
“Will you give me the money or not?”
“What do you think? I’m not handing a quarter of a million over to you without a good reason.”
Griffin sprang to his feet, his body trembling as anger clouded his green eyes.
“So you can’t do your brother a solid? But you can squander half a million on some chick at an auction? I just hope at least f
or your sake that you got to screw her or that was a complete waste of your precious money!”
He stormed from the room and Riley had the urge to follow him and wring his neck. Griffin had always been a pain in the ass but he was never vicious. Something had changed him and Riley had no idea what it might be.
With a sigh he crossed to the desk and flopped down into the large leather chair behind the desk. If he followed Griffin now it would only lead to more arguing and he was too tired to care anymore. Riley could only hope that if he gave his brother enough time to calm down, he could talk to him reasonably, man-to-man, and get to the bottom of whatever was going on in his life that demanded so much money.
Lifting the phone into his hand, Riley punched in the number he had for the agent who had helped him the last time when Stuart and Grey had gone head to head.
He needed information and help and as far as he was concerned they were the ones to share it with him.
Chapter 20
Holly opened her eyes and slowly pushed her aching body up onto her hands and knees. Spending the night in the bathroom wasn’t exactly top of her agenda but she hadn’t been able to bring herself to sleep in the bedroom. Not after what had happened…
She clamped her eyes shut as the memories of the night before flooded back to her. The fear and panic as Victor held her down, the suffocating feeling of helplessness as he climbed on top of her.
It was enough to painfully twist her empty stomach and she found herself hanging over the edge of the toilet bowl once more as her body retched and heaved.
It was as though her mind thought if she could just rid her body physically of the sickness, it would stop the terrible images from flashing through her mind like a grotesque picture-show.
Scrubbing the back of her hand against her mouth, Holly climbed to her feet and stared at her bedraggled appearance in the mirror.
Dark circles sat beneath her eyes, standing out in stark relief against the pallor of her complexion. Her blonde hair hung limp and dull, some of it still pinned back the way she’d arranged it the night before. Back when Riley was here.
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