The thought of Greg taking revenge on Annabelle and her employers chilled Kinley, strengthened her resolve. She just had to survive, to take whatever he dished out. “No, I don’t think so because I think whoever we were meeting in Bermuda will get to you first. I think that person is going to want their diamonds, and, oh, how sad, you seem to have lost them.”
She braced herself, but he merely tightened his grip in her hair and started to drag her along.
Pain exploded along her scalp as he walked toward the center of the house.
“Vince, I think it’s time we showed little Kinley here what we’re capable of. She got herself kidnapped, but those dipshits haven’t really hurt her. I think we should make up for that. I wouldn’t want her to miss out on the full hostage experience.”
Vincent was behind her, pushing her along when she stumbled. “I agree. And though I know you like your women a little less chunky, I never minded fucking one with some meat on her bones. I can handle the rape portion of her experience.”
Nausea welled. The thought of anyone else touching her made her stomach turn.
“Thank you for that. I definitely preferred fucking her sister.” He turned to face Kinley. “Did you know your sister is the one who offered you up to me? She’s going to be my wife after you’re dead. She’ll be thrilled to know that I had one of my employees fuck you. Or you can tell us where the diamonds are and we can kill you quickly.” Greg shoved her toward the couch in the main living room. To her left was the kitchen, in front of her the hallway that led to the office, and to the right were the massive bay windows that showed Kinley just how isolated they were.
No sign of anyone except Greg’s hired muscle.
She was all alone. The feds weren’t coming because the corrupt officers would stop them. Annabelle’s bosses were thousands of miles away, and Kinley had no idea where her men were.
Vincent reached into his boot and brought out a wicked looking knife. It was black, and she had little doubt what it had been made for—killing. “I like playing games, too, you little whore.”
Greg stared down at her. “If I had known you were into the kinky shit, I would have let Vince fuck you before the wedding. You’re nothing but a piece of ass to a man, including the ones who kidnapped you. Do you really think Dominic Anthony gives a shit about you?”
She didn’t reply, simply stared out that window, praying for a glimpse of them.
“Anthony just wants revenge,” Greg said. “He wants me. He’ll go to any lengths for it, including fucking my fiancée. Hell, I bet he enjoyed that since I screwed his sister. You were just a payback for him. Nothing more.”
Maybe they had run. Maybe they were trying to get help.
“Why would you think you could even get a man? You’re twenty-five and the only man who ever asked you to marry him did it because you’re a naïve little idiot. If you honestly think those men wanted to fuck you, you’re dumber than I thought.”
She hated him. God, she hated him because he was really good at bringing out that nasty voice in her head, the one that told her she wasn’t good enough for Law, Dominic, and Riley, that she wasn’t smart enough or pretty enough. It was his true talent. He likely got a lot of women to hate themselves. Then they gave in to him.
But she could still feel Dominic’s arms around her. His embrace hadn’t felt like revenge. It had felt like what she’d imagined love should be. Law hadn’t been tricking her. Riley had fought the whole way…and still ended up wanting her.
The door from the kitchen swung open and her worst nightmare came through. Dominic’s hands were bound behind his back, and it looked like they’d already worked him over a bit. His eye was swollen and there was a trickle of blood on his chin.
She couldn’t hold back the little gasp that fell from her mouth. Fear seized her.
“Ah, Mr. Anthony, it’s so nice to see you again.” That reptilian smile crossed Greg’s face as he looked over the prisoner.
“Sorry I can’t say the same.” Dominic didn’t look her way, just kept his eyes on Greg, not sparing her a glance.
Greg turned to his cohorts. “Did it really take two of you to bring him in? Is Ross the only one still at his station? Vince, take charge of Mr. Anthony. You two get back to your posts. There are still two of them potentially out there. I’m going to have a little talk with my bride and Mr. Anthony. Then we’ll see what happens.”
The two thugs left, and Vincent took Dominic by the arm, forcing him to his knees.
Seeing him that way hurt Kinley’s heart. He was always in charge, always in control. How humiliating it must be for him to be on his knees, at the mercy of his enemy.
“I’ll help you look,” Kinley offered. “Just don’t hurt him.”
Dominic’s head came up. “What are you doing?”
Greg laughed, a nasty little sound. “She’s being her true, idiotic self, Anthony. You fucked her, and now she thinks it’s love. How about it? Do you love her? Is she your little sweetheart?”
Dominic’s eyes slid away from hers. “Of course I don’t love her. I barely know her.”
The words hurt, but she knew what he was doing. He was trying to save her, right? He had to be. He couldn’t exactly declare himself here and now.
“It doesn’t matter. I’ll still help you if you leave Dominic alone.” She had to get the focus off Dominic.
“Kinley, you will not go anywhere with him.” Dominic seemed to think he was still in charge of her at least.
“Ah, so you do have some feelings for the girl.” Greg hauled her up again. “Tell me where the diamonds are or I might decide that I’m bored.” He ran a hand up to her breast. “I might have to find a way to amuse myself. I like it when they scream, don’t you, Anthony?”
Now Dominic was looking straight at her with murder in his eyes. “Get your fucking hands off her.”
She caught sight of something moving in the background. Gigi ran into the room, heading toward the kitchen door. She barked as Butch loped into the room behind her.
It was feeding time. Gigi always reminded her it was dinnertime by standing at her bowl and barking incessantly. Her bowl was in the kitchen where the tiny dog was headed.
For the merest moment both Vincent and Greg had their eyes on the chaos that had just run in.
She heard a gunshot, then saw Dominic rear back, catching Vincent in the gut with the back of his head.
Kinley took advantage of the distraction by pulling her elbow and bringing it straight to Greg’s chest. He cursed and stepped back.
“Kinley, get down!” Law yelled as he entered the room, his gun drawn. He popped off a quick shot, hitting Vincent Dargo before the man could recover.
“Drop the weapon, Jansen. I took out everyone you brought along,” Law said, his eyes on Greg.
“And I arranged the distraction with the dog,” Riley said, holding his gun up. “That little bitch is getting a treat. So you really should drop the gun. The game is over.”
Greg had never lost his footing. He stood tall. “Don’t you two realize? The game is never over. I’m not going to be taken in.”
Time seemed to slow down. Greg raised his gun and aimed, and Kinley could see exactly where the bullet would hit. Dominic scrambled to his feet, but his hands were bound behind his back.
He was helpless.
Without thinking of anything but saving Dominic, Kinley jumped just as Greg fired the gun.
She heard the sound of more gunfire splitting the air. It seemed to come from everywhere all at once.
And then she felt fire in her chest, an agony unlike anything she felt before. The air left her lungs. She gasped as she hit the floor.
Dominic’s panicked face suddenly loomed over her. “Oh, god. She’s hit. Get me out of these fucking ties.”
Hit. It didn’t feel like she’d been hit. This was so much worse, like her chest had imploded. Fire scorched her lungs, taking away all the oxygen and leaving her gasping for the tiniest bit of breath.
Bu
t Dominic was alive and unharmed.
She held on to that thought as the world went dark.
Chapter Seventeen
The nurse took the tray from her bedside table. “You didn’t eat anything, hon. You have to eat to get your strength back or they won’t ever let you out of here.”
Kinley looked over at the nurse. She was the nicest one Kinley had found since she’d been admitted to the hospital in Anchorage two days before. “I don’t know why the doctor won’t release me now. The surgery went fine.” The bullet had merely nicked her lung.
She was ready to go home. Well, to whatever home she had left. And it appeared she would be going alone.
Two days and no visitors. No phones calls. Nothing.
She was alone again.
“Well, you need time to rest. You’ve been through a lot. And the press figured out where you are. The hospital is surrounded by news vans. Doctor Craig is keeping them all away with some help from the police, too.”
Ah, the police. “I’m sure they want to talk to me. I should just get it over with.”
The nurse patted her hand. “I’ll tell the doctor you said you were ready. He’s been holding them off because he’s worried about you. You’ve been…withdrawn. Do you think you’re up for a visitor? There’s a young woman out there who’s very insistent on seeing you. We’ve checked her out, and she isn’t a member of the press. This woman says her name is Annabelle Wright. Would you like to see her?”
Belle had come all the way to Anchorage? At least Kinley had one person she could count on through thick and thin. She nodded at the nurse. “Please.”
Two minutes later, Annabelle rushed in, heels clicking on the cheap linoleum tiles, carrying a massive bouquet of flowers. “Oh, girl, you are going to be the death of me. Thank God you’re all right.”
Tears welled in Annabelle’s dark eyes as she set the flowers down and reached for Kinley’s hand.
“Hey, I’m okay.” She felt better with Annabelle here. A sense of comfort eased through her. It didn’t stop the pain of Dominic, Law, and Riley’s absence, but settled over the wound like a bandage. If she could stop the bleeding, maybe healing would follow. “You didn’t have to come all this way.”
Annabelle shook her head. “Of course, I did. God, Kinley, I got you into this. I agreed to help. I didn’t imagine it would go so wrong.”
“If anyone is to blame, it’s me. I wouldn’t listen to you about Greg being an obnoxious douchebag killer.” Kinley took a long breath. “Speaking of, I need to hire a lawyer. Can your guys recommend someone for me? I have to sue my sister.”
Annabelle’s eyes grew wide. “They haven’t let you watch TV?”
“I didn’t want to.” The last thing she wanted was to see the press interviewing Law, Riley, and Dominic, all alive and happy without her.
“Your sister has been arrested for embezzlement. The files on your iPad showed plainly that she was the one who moved the money around. Then pictures of her with Greg Jansen doing the nasty surfaced. Your brother-in-law has already filed for divorce and is bringing the kids back from boarding school.”
So those sweet kids would finally get the life they deserved. “I’m glad. So the FBI is investigating?”
Annabelle huffed. “You have no idea. They’ve impounded the diamonds, including the ones they found in the shampoo bottles. Nice job there, Kin. They’re investigating everything. They realized they have an internal leak.”
One that had sent Greg Jansen straight to their hideout, where he’d almost killed Dominic. Instead, he’d shot her.
She could still hear Greg’s voice telling her all the things that were wrong with her. He’d preferred her sister. He’d wanted someone thinner, someone blonder. Someone more devious. “I hope they find the leak.”
“My bosses are going to force them to. They were wiretapping us. You do not do that to lawyers without expecting some backlash.” She sighed a little.
“Well, thank them for me, please. You saved me from a tropical death, so it seems. You were the only one willing to step up and do it.”
No one in her family loved her. She would have to be grateful that Dominic had loved his sister enough to spend years bringing her killer to justice. Kinley had to be satisfied that she’d helped with that effort. But the men themselves…they were obviously gone. She’d probably been a total fool—again—to trust them, but she’d always think of those few days at the James compound as some of her happiest.
Annabelle squeezed her hand. “Gosh, Kinley, I’m so sorry they hurt you. I always knew Becks was a nasty bitch, but I can’t believe she’d actually steal from you and plot to kill you. And your dad is being investigated for his participation. If I had to guess, I think he’s going down, too.”
So everyone was getting what they deserved. Somehow it didn’t make her feel better. It just depressed her more. The one bright spot was her niece and nephew coming home. Kinley had to be happy for that. She only hoped that Brian would allow her into the kids’ lives.
“It’s okay. I’ll survive.” Kinley tried to shrug, but the wound in her chest was stiff and sore. “I guess I need to find a job.”
Her charity was surely in limbo until the investigation was over, but she worried that with all the scandal it would go under anyway. She needed to be able to feed herself and buy kibble for her dog—and any puppies that came from her illicit union.
Annabelle stared at her blankly, blinking in confusion. “Why would you do that? I mean, you need to wait until you’ve settled into your new place in Dallas. Once the feds clear Hope House, you can start up again or find different work, if you want. I personally think you should sell your engagement ring to fund the reopening of Hope House, but I don’t think those guys are going to let you get too far away.”
“Guys? Dallas?” She’d never actually been to Dallas. Why would Annabelle think she was moving to Dallas? Though she would definitely sell the ring. She liked the idea of hundreds of children being clothed by Greg’s ring. “I’ve really been thinking about coming to Chicago. Hopefully, I can find a job there.”
Annabelle was the only person on the planet that Kinley knew loved her. She trusted Belle more than anyone. It made sense to move closer to her best friend.
“Oh, no.” Annabelle squeezed her hand. “Sweetie, where do you think your men are?”
She shrugged, not wanting to have this particular conversation. “I don’t know. The job was over. Mission accomplished. I’m sure they moved on.” Kinley looked away. “They aren’t mine.”
“Who do you think these flowers are from? If I’d bought it, you would have two daisies, honey. But this is a really expensive arrangement. Those men gave me very specific instructions about what to buy you.”
She glanced at the bouquet. They were high end, beautiful and expensive. The vase looked to be crystal. So at least they had wanted to send her something. They hadn’t come in person…but she supposed she would have to mean something to them for that. “I’ll send them a thank you note.”
It would be polite and formal. Dear Dominic, Riley, and Law, Thank you so much for the lovely floral arrangement and for saving my life. It was a kind thing to do. And I truly appreciated the lessons in sexuality and ménage. I will never forget the spankings. They meant so much to me. Sincerely, Kinley Kohl. P.S., you owe me for puppy support.
Annabelle’s phone chirped. She fished it out of her purse, then looked down at the screen. Her face lit up. “They made it inside. You have no idea how crazy it is out there. They’ve been trying to make their way in here for hours. Wait a second.”
She turned to the door and opened it. A man walked through wearing scrubs and carrying a clipboard. Two more men in scrubs followed him.
Her heart seized when she realized that under the bland clothes and masks, it was Riley, Law, and Dominic.
Law tore his mask away and stepped up to her side, his eyes wide. His expression softened as he took her in. “Baby, tell us everything. We’ve been dying. Are you
all right?”
They were here. Why? “Uhm, I’ve been here for days. I’m alive. Don’t worry about me.”
Dominic took her hand. “And we’ve been in a forty-eight-hour hold. The FBI has been questioning the hell out of us. They didn’t have to give us a phone call or any rights. And the hospital is in virtual lockdown because of the media frenzy out there. Annabelle only got in because Tate threatened to sue the hospital. We had to sneak in to see you, Kinley.”
Riley moved around to her opposite side and cupped her cheek. “Are you okay? They wouldn’t tell us anything. They said we weren’t husbands or family, so we didn’t have rights to your information. God, I hated every moment they kept us away from you. We need to fix that.”
He tried to pull her gently into an embrace.
What the hell were they talking about? She held herself stiffly until Riley eased back with a frown. “Who kept you away?”
She still didn’t quite understand why Law, Dominic, and Riley had come. When she’d awakened alone, that had felt like a statement—one full of finality. She’d heard all those voices in her head that told her she wasn’t good enough or pretty enough. That she would never be what three incredible men wanted. No one had been there to hold her hand or talk to her or reassure her that everything would be all right. Because no one cared.
“We’ve been saying that we were held for questioning, pet.” Dominic reached for her other hand. “Do you understand? They held us the full forty-eight hours because your doctors wouldn’t allow you to answer questions. And our lawyers took their damn time getting here.”
Tears threatened. She couldn’t deny how much she loved seeing them, even if she wasn’t sure why they’d come. Guilt? “No one said anything. They wouldn’t even tell me what happened to Gigi.”
“We hired a dog sitter,” Law said quickly. “We flew them out on a private plane. She’s fine. She and Butch are going to be here tomorrow so we can all fly out together.”
Their Virgin Hostage, Masters of Ménage, Book 5 Page 29
