Capturing Victory (Driven Hearts Book 3)

by Nikita Slater

  “I-I don’t know what you mean,” she moaned, her voice thready.

  “You know exactly what I mean!” he shouted, losing his cool. He jerked back from her, his hands leaving her body.

  Jaya flinched and closed her eyes, afraid of what he was going to do to her. She could feel the heat of his anger rolling off him. She knew it wasn’t directed entirely at her. That it was their circumstances, it was Father, Ivan’s own feelings, both their pasts, everything that brought them to this moment. He slapped her ass so hard she screamed. She felt no pleasure in the strike and knew he’d done it to hurt her. Knew he’d probably done it so he wouldn’t do worse. Ivan was losing control.

  She felt his hand on her pussy and flinched, afraid he would hit her again. But he only ran his fingers through her pussy, collecting the fluid and smearing it over her ass. She twisted around on her shoulders to look at him. He scooped more of her juices and, unzipping his pants, he pulled his hard, thick penis out and used her own wetness to lubricate himself. Her mouth began watering as she watched him stroke his hardness, his hand wrapped around his cock, using her vaginal fluid to glide back and forth, his smouldering, angry gaze chained to hers.

  He moved to her, lining himself up with her. She stiffened when she felt the velvety head of his penis caress her anus. Tears pricked her eyes and she pleaded with him silently, begging him to reconsider. His jaw stiffened and he took her bound wrists in one hand and her hip in the other. Then he began pressing himself into her, forcing his thick cockhead into her virgin anal passage.

  Jaya let out a yell and buried her face into the bedding as unbearable blazing heat tore through her ass. He grabbed a handful of her hair and forced her head up. “You will look at me,” he growled. Through clenched teeth.

  Tears streamed down her cheeks, but she did as she was told. She looked back at him as he took her ass, sliding relentlessly forward until he was buried deep inside her. She shook beneath him, feeling as though she was being torn in two. Her heart beat so frantically she was positive she was having a heart attack. He stayed that way for long minutes, leaving her in agony until finally her body began to stretch and relent, accepting his invasion.

  As soon as he felt the gradual relaxing of her muscles he reached beneath her and began caressing her clit. She moaned and arched, pressing herself more fully on the cock buried deep within her ass. The dual sensation between her ass and her clit were lighting her on fire. She thought the bed would combust and go right up with them. She didn’t care. She began rocking her hips, encouraging him to caress her, to push her into the mindless oblivion she knew he could treat her to.

  “No, sweetheart,” he growled. “You’ve been a bad girl and bad girls have to wait.”

  She cried out when he took his hand away from her clit. But then he moved, sliding his hips back, moving his cock and then pushing it back deep inside her ass. She cried out and arched low, trying to get away from the painful heat tearing up her insides. He smoothed a finger over her clit, playing the nub like an instrument, gifting her pleasure before slicing her with pain. He did it over and over until she couldn’t separate one from the other, until she cried and begged for both, uncaring of which he gave her. He pressed fingers deep inside her pussy and used the heel of his hand against her clit while he thrust forcefully into her tender ass.

  She felt a final streak of unbearable pain bolt through her as his cock flared wide in her ass, followed by the sweet gift of pleasure as he finally allowed her to leap over the ledge of her orgasm. His hand wrapped possessively around her bound wrists and he grunted his own release, thrusting deep inside her and flooding her anal passage with hot semen. As his hips moved she felt it drip down the crease of her ass to her pussy.

  He pulled out of her, careful not to move too quickly and hurt her. She still cried out, tears pricking her eyes. She moved her head, wiping the wetness on the bed. Ivan placed a hand underneath her and helped ease her flat on her belly. She thought he would untie her wrists, but he didn’t. Instead he climbed onto the bed and gathered her in his arms. He turned her so she was laying next to him. He brushed her hair from her face and looked down at her, his expression fierce and deadly.

  “If anything happens to you, Jaya. If one single hair is bent or broken,” he said, his voice a low promise. “I will crush this world until there is nothing left. I won’t stop until everyone pays. Including you.”

  Chapter Thirty

  Jaya was so wrapped up in her current state of nervous tension it took a few minutes for her to notice the look of absurd scepticism written all over Ndari’s face. When she finally did glance over at her friend she couldn’t help laughing out loud. Ndari was sitting primly on the lounge chair next to Jaya, her super wide-brimmed sun hat shading her face but doing nothing to hide the look of utter consternation she was giving her friend.

  “What?” Jaya asked, still laughing. “What are you looking at?”

  “Are you serious?” Ndari asked haughtily. “Where should I start? Uh, how about with the clothes you chose to go swimming in.” They both glanced down at Jaya’s outfit of black leggings and fitted long-sleeved top. Her hair was tied back in a tight ponytail. The outfit wasn’t very appropriate for a hot Indonesian morning.

  “I said I might go swimming with you, I’m still not sure,” Jaya murmured, defensively.

  “Uh huh,” Ndari said, sceptically, then jerked her chin toward the edge of the building where Ivan and Keane stood about ten feet apart. “And what about the deadly duo? Granted the Irishman is usually hanging about, creeping on us, but your stalker over there can normally be found locked up in his office waving the hand of God at this time of day. What gives? Why are they hovering like hawks over a weirdly dressed baby chick?”

  Jaya rounded her eyes innocently and shrugged, leaning back on the lounger. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

  “So you have no idea why everyone is so tense that I’m thinking I’ll probably get my ass shot if I so much as look at you funny.” Ndari crossed her arms over her breasts. She was far more appropriately dressed in a revealing one-piece bathing suit with a sheer wrap that did nothing to hide her incredible curves. Like the princess she was, she completed the outfit with black stilettos.

  “No idea,” Jaya assured her and then glanced at the time on her laptop, which was open on the small round table next to her lounger. It was eight minutes to show time. “Do you think you can go inside and find my sunscreen? I think I’m starting to burn.”

  “I don’t see how,” Ndari snorted. “You’re covered from neck to toe.”

  “My face is burning,” Jaya insisted. “Please go find it. I think I left it under the sink in my washroom.”

  Ndari lifted a brow and then took the hat off her own head and plopped it on Jaya’s head. She bent over at the waist and glared at Jaya from the brim. “I’m not going anywhere, girlie. If you’re about to reign chaos again, then you’re doing it with me by your side.” She whispered so no one else could hear.

  Jaya blinked back the tears that suddenly prickled in her eyes. She leaned forward and hugged Ndari tight, not caring what Ivan or his men thought. “I promise you, I’ll be fine. But I need you to go inside now. Please do this for me?”

  Ndari shifted and looked at Jaya, took in her anxious expression, the plea on her face. Finally she nodded and stood, breaking contact with Jaya. “Alright,” she said, loud enough for some of the men to hear. “I’ll go find the sunscreen and some snacks. Be right back.” There was a tiny hitch in her voice, but otherwise nothing noticeable was off as she took her hat back from Jaya, turned away from where the two women had been sitting and strode toward their private suites.

  Jaya sighed in relief when her friend disappeared through the doors. Now if only she could keep everyone else safe. She had no idea what was coming, what kind of assault or extraction plan Father might be setting up. She did know that he wasn’t usually worried about casualties, especially where Ivan Vogel was concerned. His lack of concern to
ward human life was one of the reasons she’d felt compelled to leave Father when she became old enough, when she was seventeen. Five years in his compound, living his hatred, learning how to survive had given her both a deep sense of gratitude and a desperate need to get out on her own and spread her wings.

  Minutes after Ndari disappeared through the condo door, about three minutes after 10am, Jaya finally heard what she’d been expecting. A disturbance. Shouting from the west side of the building made everyone turn. Gunfire shattered the stillness of the morning, making her jump where she sat. She stared hard toward the sound, but of course couldn’t see anything. They were blocked by the residence section of the tower. Her head came up and her gaze clashed with Ivan’s. His speculative look told her he’d also been expecting something like this. He turned and said something sharply to Keane who grabbed a couple of his guys and left.

  Jaya stood, but Ivan turned to her swiftly, pointing a finger imperiously. “Get your ass back down,” he snarled. “I don’t want to see your head above the edge of that chair.”

  She nodded and hit the patio, curling up against the edge of the lounger. She gripped the metal railing as though her life depended on it. She couldn’t figure out what was going on. She twisted her neck around and stared up, trying to guess where the assault was coming from. She thought they must be coming for her in a helicopter because nothing else made sense. But she hadn’t heard the blades of an approaching aircraft. But how else would men that didn’t belong to Ivan be getting on his roof?

  Her thoughts scattered when the lounger next to her was shredded by bullets. She screamed and covered her head with her arms as the shooter hit the patio tiles all around her sending shards of marble and concrete flying in every direction. She felt something slice into the back of her hand, which was covering her face. When the shooting stopped she whipped her head up to see what was happening.

  Ivan and his men were standing in positions around the pool, all eyes on her. As soon as the shooting ended, Ivan lunged forward, clearly intent on getting to her. As soon as he took a step forward bullets began hitting the water two feet in front of her, spraying drops several feet into the air and soaking her. It quickly became clear that no one was to approach her.

  Jaya shook her hand, hissing in a breath at the pain slicing through her. Blood dripped from the tips of her fingers. She pulled the sleeve of her top down over her hand and swiped at the blood, soaking it up. Ivan caught the action and glared murderously. She could see his thoughts, see his fury over her injury, no matter how minor. “I’m sorry,” she mouthed. His lips thinned and he shook his head, the glint in his eyes dangerous.

  Her gaze drifted past his shoulder and landed on something behind him. A man had just climbed over the side of the 50-story building and was standing several feet behind Ivan. Although his face was covered by a helmet she knew exactly who he was. Father had come for her. He looked past Ivan and beckoned to her, signalling that she should walk around the pool toward him.

  Jaya stood on shaking limbs and began walking. She glanced sideways at Ivan as she started to pass by him, and though she wasn’t very close, she could still see the fury that ripped across his features. The devastation as he realized he was about to lose her and there was nothing he could do. Apparently the thought broke him. He lunged forward, intent on getting to Jaya before she could get to Father. The rooftop gunman opened fire, shooting so close to Ivan that patio chips were thrown up in his face, cutting him. He was thrown backwards. His men grabbed his arms and yanked him out of the path of the bullets, while two more dropped to their knees and returned fire, aiming for the top of the building.

  Jaya screamed and tried to run to Ivan. Father got to her first, wrapping long arms around her waist and pulling her against his solid body. She slammed a fist into his shoulder and tried to see around him to make sure Ivan was okay, but her view was blocked. He yanked her back toward the ledge of the building, ignoring her frantic struggles.

  “What are you doing?” she yelled. “Please, just let me go. I don’t want to go.”

  He turned to her and without a word slapped her so hard the entire world spun, going black for a few seconds. She felt herself lifted up onto the ledge. With quick, efficient movements she was strapped to his body. She blinked several times, mentally screaming at herself to wake up and fight. She swam her way to the surface, opening her eyes in time to see Ivan back on his feet, a look of horror on his bloody face right before she tipped over the ledge of his high-rise building wrapped in the arms of his enemy.

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Jaya glared at the man who had spent twelve years protecting her and providing for her. Even once she’d moved away from him and his disciples, learned to fly on her own, she’d still come back to him for advice, for a home. She wiggled her fingers. It was hard to feel at home when she was zip-tied in the place where she had once shared meals and companionship with the man sitting across from her.

  Over the past weeks, distance and perspective from this man had brought the realization that she was pretty sure Father was willing to sacrifice her for his vendetta. Now, with her butt and fingers numb from being tied to a chair and her cheek bruised from his rooftop abuse, she was feeling even more certain. She wondered why he hadn’t finished his assault on the rooftop. Why, if he was willing to sacrifice his only adopted daughter to the cause, hadn’t he just killed both her and Ivan when he had the chance?

  Because he knew he wouldn’t get away with it? No, Father didn’t care if he lived or died, as long as he took Ivan Vogel with him to hell.

  “Because I need to know what you mean to him.” Father answered her question, reading her easily. He’d always done that. In fact, when she’d finally left his compound at the age of seventeen, it had been his suggestion. He’d read her thoughts, known she was no longer happy living among him and the rough, violent adopted men he raised.

  He was sitting across from her in his simple home, a home built for calm meditation. He leaned forward, elbows on knees and studied her. He looked greyer than the last time she saw him two years ago, his beard now fully white. He reached for her, ignoring her flinch and pulling her arm forward a little, pushed the sleeve up. It was uncomfortable since her hands were zip-tied behind her back. He tapped a finger against the thick wrist cuff.

  “This is pricey, my dear,” he murmured, twisting her wrist around, examining it. He ignored her pained yelp of protest. “And it doesn’t come off, does it? Only a possessive rich bastard would do something like that.” He looked into her eyes, his dark brown ones filled with insane glee. “One very much in love with the woman he’s marked. He also went to tremendous effort, not once, but twice, to have you returned to his care when you managed to escape. I was more than a little surprised after your first attempt that I didn’t find your mangled corpse on that island. Vogel isn’t known for his patience with such antics.”

  She narrowed her eyes at his matter-of-fact tone when it came to the possibility of her demise. “I have no idea what you mean. Ivan simply saw the use in having me around.”

  He looked sad for a moment and then the look was replaced with resignation. He ran a broad hand over her forehead, smoothing it over her hair and down her ponytail. He leaned forward and kissed her the top of her head then sat back in his chair, crossing one leg over the other. He studied her critically for a moment.

  “And just like that my enemy steals your loyalty,” he said coolly.

  “Maybe you would still have my loyalty if I ever had yours,” she cried out, unable to hide the bitterness from her voice. “I know why I’m here, I know what you intend.”

  “And what is that?” he asked, his dark eyes glinting viciously.

  “You’re going to use me to get to Ivan, to kill him.” Her breath caught as she thought of her lover dying at the hands of this man. A flash through the years made her realize how very little she actually owed Father. He didn’t have her loyalty, not really. Yes, he’d fed and clothed her in her early years, but
he’d demanded so much more in return. That wasn’t how relationships worked. Family and love wasn’t a transaction. It was caring about the safety, health and comfort of the other person, like Ivan’s care for her.

  “Do you have any idea what that man has done to me?” Father asked, in a final attempt to turn her back to his side. Back to the seething hatred he’d carried with him for decades. She understood the need to have her on his side. And this is probably why he’d taken her from Ivan’s penthouse, rather than used her as a shield while murdering Ivan. If he could turn Jaya against Ivan before killing him, then the death of his enemy would be that much sweeter.

  “You’re finally going to tell me?” she asked quietly. “After all of these years, all the chances you had to tell me why you wanted us to hate this anonymous enemy of yours, now you’ll give up the goods?”

  “Yes, my dear,” Father said, nodding. “You deserve the truth.”

  “Too late, I already know,” she said derisively.

  His mouth dropped open and he stared at her in shock. “He knows who I am?” he sounded almost impressed, as though he’d been recognized by a rock star.

  “No,” she snorted. “Of course not, you’ve been very good at hiding yourself from both him and us, your loyal foundlings. No, I figured it out on my own. You see, Ivan is less reticent about discussing his past. I put two and two together.”

  “And came up with what?” Father snarled.

  “He murdered your family,” she said unemotionally. “He hunted them down and killed them one at a time. If I had to guess, he probably killed your wife and kids.”

  He moved so fast, she didn’t have a chance to get out of the way, couldn’t even if she wanted to since she was tied down. He slapped her across the face, first one side and then the other. Her head rocked back and her ears rang. He gripped her jaw and dragged her forward in the seat, his fingers biting into her cheeks. She felt the tender skin on the inside of her mouth cut into her molars and winced. He leaned in so close she thought for a second, with her now scrambled senses, that he was about to kiss her.