by Bella J.
Hunter narrowed his eyes. “In what? This Rex guy’s father’s death?”
“Yes. Rex’s father was assassinated.”
“By whose orders?”
“Rex’s.”
Hunter rolled his head and shoulders, unable to process all the bucket loads of shit that were currently being dumped on him.
“Okay, this shit is real fucked-up and all, but right now the only thing I care about is finding Scarlet and killing Brent…slowly.”
James leaned his back against the wall and rubbed a hand over his bald head. “It’s not that simple anymore. From the information we managed to gather over the last few months, it seems that Rex and Brent knew each other before Rex took over for his father. Brent offered to hook Rex up with the right people to ensure he took over sooner rather than later.”
“Let me guess, soldier boy is using Brent to get close to Rex.” Hunter turned around and felt like he could bash his own fucking head open against the wall. “The motherfucker! I knew he was trouble!”
“Yeah. Colton saw an opportunity and took it. If anyone knows where his sister is, or if she’s even alive, it’s Rex. Nothing happens in his world without him knowing about it.” James shook his head and closed his eyes. “Rex is cunning, ruthless, and a fucking genius when it comes to running his empire. He’s one clever son of a bitch.”
“Okay.” Hunter turned around and walked up to James. “Enough. We’ve wasted enough time. I don’t care who the fuck this Rex guy is, or about whether Colton finds his sister or not. I don’t give a shit about anything right now other than finding Scarlet. So where the fuck is she?”
James pushed away from the wall. “Brent took her back to Bella Vista Estate.”
“What? Are you fucking kidding me? That’s only a few hours away. What the fuck are we still doing here?”
Hunter rushed to the door, but James intercepted and blocked his way. “He’s there, Hunter.”
“Who? Brent? Good, then I can kill him while I go get your daughter.” Hunter tried to sidestep around James, but James moved in front of him again.
“No. Rex. Rex is there too.”
Hunter stepped back. “What the hell is he doing there?”
“We don’t know. We got tipped off about half an hour ago that Rex entered Bella Vista. We don’t know why, and we have no idea what the setup is, which is why we haven’t been able to go get my daughter yet.”
Hunter cocked a brow. “I don’t get it. You said this guy’s circle is impenetrable, so who the fuck tipped you off?”
James placed his hands on his hips. “Unfortunately, I can’t tell you that.”
“Are you fucking kidding me?”
“Even though this has now become a personal matter, there is still information I’m not at liberty to give you.”
Hunter wanted to fucking roar. “Your daughter’s life is in danger and you’re not at liberty to give me information that might help me keep her safe?”
“What do you think I’m doing, huh? All I’ve ever done was try to keep her safe.”
“And a hell of a lot of a good it did her.”
James glowered at him, and Hunter was sick of all the mind-fucking bullshit games everyone was playing. What did a man have to do to get straight answers out of these people? One would think that since his daughter’s life was at risk, he wouldn’t give a fuck about the rules. But oh, no. Rules were this fucking man’s life it seemed.
Hunter broke the deafening silence between them first. “I don’t care what the fuck you’re going to do, but I’m going back to Chicago and I am going to find her. And then I’m going to break Brent’s fucking neck before I cut Riggs’s goddamn heart out.”
“We can’t do anything until we know why Rex is at the estate. Until then, we need to sit tight.”
This time, Hunter did try to pull his hair out of his skull, thinking he was about to lose his shit any second and try to rip Baxter’s head off.
“Are you fucking insane, Baxter? Scarlet is currently with the fucking psychopath who hurt her in the worst possible way. Who the fuck knows what he’s doing to her right now. And you want to sit down and lay out a plan? Would you like that in a Word document, or would you prefer it in a table format on a fucking Excel spreadsheet?”
James snorted. “I know what you’re thinking.”
“You don’t know shit.”
James cocked an eyebrow. “I want to get her back as much as you do, Hunter. But if we’re going to be reckless and stupid, we won’t be rescuing anyone. We need to sit tight until we figure out what the hell Rex is doing there before we can make a move.”
Hunter crouched down to the ground, holding his face in his hands, screaming into his palms. This was not how it was supposed to go down. This was not supposed to fucking happen. He was supposed to keep her safe, just like he promised he would. Scarlet was supposed to be safe—at his side. Instead, she was gone. Taken by the man she had been running from for years, and all Hunter could do was sit there and listen to the shit Baxter was telling him.
Hunter stood up straight and peered at James. “I don’t care if the fucking president is at the estate. I don’t care if fucking Hitler got resurrected and decided to take up residence at Bella Vista, I’m going there, now, and I’m going to get her out.”
“Hunter, if Rex is there, you won’t even be able to get through the front gate without being shot.”
Hunter brushed past him. “I’ll take my chances. But I am not just standing around here and waiting for the fucking grass to grow while I have no idea what kind of hell Brent is putting her through.”
James turned around to face him. “Do you think this is easy for me? Knowing exactly where my daughter is being held by a man who raped her, and I can’t do shit about it?”
“Did you give a shit about her twenty-four years ago when you decided to let her grow up without a dad?”
“Judge me any way you like, but I did what I thought was right. And right now, it’s fucking killing me knowing that I can’t go help her this very second.”
“Then go help her!” Hunter shouted.
“I fucking can’t!”
Hunter and James were standing so close, glaring at each other with their faces inches apart. The atmosphere was thick with tension, the make-a-move-and-I’ll-take-you-down kind of tension. Both of them were breathing raggedly, fists balled and veins pumping fucking lava.
Hunter was first to speak. “Then what the fuck do you suggest we do? Sit around and wait for whoever to let you know it’s okay to go get her?”
“We just need to wait until we know the reason why Rex is there. It’s unlike him to move around in the open, especially making unscheduled stops at a place like Bella Vista. There’s a reason he’s there, and we need to know what it is.”
Hunter leaned in closer. “I don’t give a fuck why he’s there. I’m going.”
He was done chit-chatting. He spun around and headed toward the door when James called after him. “One day, Hunter. Just give it one day. If we haven’t heard anything by tomorrow morning, we’re going in. But I am begging you, just one day. If we go in there blind, there’s a big chance not one of us will walk out of there alive—Scarlet included.”
Hunter paused, hung his head, and cursed. The desperation in James’s voice was loud and clear, but the desperation in Hunter’s heart was clearer, more determined.
He turned around and gave James a challenging stare. “I’m going back to Chicago, now. So you have about three hours to figure out why this Rex character is there. If you haven’t figured it out by the time I get there, I’m going in. Even if I have to fucking kill every goddamn person on the motherfucking estate with my bare hands. I’m going to go get her. Now.”
Chapter 18
Scarlet couldn’t remember the last time she ate. But when Brent said those words, telling her how he was going to breed her, she vomited. Her stomach emptied itself, and she spewed out her last meal right there on the barn floor.
“Oh
, come now, Little Red,” Brent said when he gave a step back, narrowly escaping being covered in vomit. “Is it really that bad to think about having my child?”
She tried to wipe her mouth against her arm. “I’d rather spend eternity being tortured in hell than have your child.”
“Well, unfortunately, eternal torture is not an option for you right now. You will bear my child, which means I will fuck you…multiple times. Soon.”
Scarlet snorted, still tasting the acid of her vomit in the back of her throat. “I’ll kill myself before I let you do that.”
With a wry smile spread across his face, he circled her, only to press his chest against her back, rolling his hips so that she could feel how hard he was.
“I’ll never allow that. Not even death will help you escape me.” He wrapped his arms around her and palmed her breasts, squeezing her flesh hard in his palms.
“Don’t fucking touch me!” Scarlet jerked against her restraints, trying to bite back the tears, but failing miserably. Even though she wanted to remain strong, she couldn’t. Brent knew how to crack her. He knew she was close to giving up. And knowing that Riggs killed Hunter, there was no hope for her to cling to. Should she even be able to escape, to get out of this alive, there was no more hope left for her. Her life was over, and with every inch of her body Brent touched, more and more of her withered and died. So why should she continue to fight?
“I’m done, Brent,” she whispered, the saltiness of her tears mixing with the aftertaste of the vomit in her mouth. “Do whatever the hell you want. Just know that the first opportunity I get, I will end my life, end it all.”
“Then I guess I’ll just have to make sure I get my fill of you before you do.” Abruptly, Brent tore the front of her shirt, and Scarlet yelped when he pulled down her bra, exposing her breasts. “And I’ll start right now.”
Scarlet closed her eyes as more tears spilled over her cheeks. The chains above her clanked and rattled as her entire body shook. But she would not beg. She would not plead like she did all those years ago. This time, she would not allow herself to make a fucking sound while he defiled her body all over again. She would rather have her teeth pierce her lips and bleed than beg for mercy.
When she heard the sound of his zipper, Scarlet bit into her lower lip to keep herself from crying out.
She felt his grisly, slimy hands start with the button of her pants. “You ready, Little Red? You ready to be reminded who you really belong to?”
Scarlet lifted her face up to the roof and opened her eyes, staring at the ceiling, thinking this was just more proof that God didn’t exist. If He did, how could He let this happen? How could He let all of this happen to so many girls and women around the world?
And most importantly, how could He allow Hunter to die? Hunter was her last hope, her last saving grace, but now he was gone, and she was left alone in this God forsaken world with a demon like Brent.
The moment she felt her pants button pop, the doors of the barn cracked open and slammed to the sides. She looked in front of her, and when she saw who stood by the doorway, she sucked in a breath.
“Colton,” she whispered weakly.
His gaze briefly met hers, his face straight and unreadable. But the second he noticed her torn shirt with Brent’s arms wrapped around her waist from behind, his hands starting with her pants, Colton’s eyes darkened.
He moved his gaze to Brent, whose face was hovering over Scarlet’s shoulder. With balled fists, Colton gave two steps toward them.
“I need to speak to you,” he said to Brent.
“Can you not see that I’m fucking busy at the moment?” Brent removed his arms from around her waist and stepped away from her.
Colton’s gaze darted from Brent to Scarlet, and back to Brent. “We have company, and I thought you’d like to know.”
Brent straightened his jacket sleeves. “Well, who is it?”
“It’s Rex.”
Brent stiffened. “What?”
“Yeah, he arrived ten minutes ago. He’s waiting for you on the back porch.”
Brent pulled his hand down his face. “Did I hear you correctly? Rex arrived here ten minutes ago and is now waiting for me on my back porch?”
“Yes.”
“Then why the fuck are you only telling me this now?” Brent yelled, and Scarlet jerked from the fright. Colton, on the other hand, didn’t even fucking blink.
“We searched for you, Brent. We couldn’t find you.”
“Fuck!” Brent started to pace. “What the fuck is he doing here?”
“I believe he used the words personal house call.”
“Shit.”
Scarlet remembered Colton talking about this Rex person back in Davenport. She also remembered Brent mentioning him when they kidnapped her. Who was this guy? And why did it seem that Brent was…scared of him?
Brent inhaled deeply, closing his eyes like he was trying to calm himself. “Okay.” He turned to Colton. “You stay here and do not take your eyes off her.”
“I’d much prefer to go with you.”
“This isn’t a discussion, Mr. Riggs. Do not let her out of your sight.”
Colton glanced at Scarlet. “Fine.”
“Good.” Brent turned and faced her. “I’ll be back soon, then we can continue this.”
Scarlet glared at him, wishing she could pop his eyeballs from his skull.
“Let me go see what this fucker wants,” Brent mumbled as he walked out of the barn.
The second he was out of sight, it felt like Scarlet could breathe freely for the first time since she woke up. She sagged down, her tied wrists now supporting all her weight. Exhaustion suddenly took over and she didn’t care that her arms were hurting like hell.
“Scarlet.” Colton rushed over to her and took her face in his hands, forcing her to open her eyes and look at him. “I’m going to cover you up, okay?”
She just nodded. She was too exhausted to speak.
Colton carefully pulled her bra back, covering her breasts, before trying to cover her up as much as he could with the torn fabric of her shirt. She couldn’t care less that he was touching her, even though she now hated him almost as much as she hated Brent.
He had betrayed her in the worst possible way, but there was a part of her that felt relief when she saw him standing in the barn. Why, she didn’t know.
Colton buttoned up her pants before grabbing a can and filling it with water from the outside tap.
“Open,” he ordered, holding the tin close to her mouth.
Scarlet didn’t know how thirsty she was until she felt the first drop on her lips. Then it felt like she couldn’t swallow the water fast enough. Water spilled from her mouth, down her chin and throat. But it felt cool on her skin that seemed to be burning—burning from the inside.
“Do you want more?”
She shook her head, and kept her eyes fixed on his.
“Why?” she whispered.
Colton tossed the can to the side. “Right now, I’m sure you have a lot of questions that start with why. So you need to be more specific.”
“I already know why you did it. I want to know why you’re helping me now.”
He glanced around the barn and walked toward a small round table at the far end. Scarlet watched as he picked it up and placed it next to her. When Colton reached for her waist, she jerked to the side, the chains complaining above her head.
“I won’t hurt you, Scarlet.”
She kept her eyes on him the entire time as she let him wrap his arms around her waist and position the table beneath her, allowing her to sit and take some strain off her wrists.
The relief was indescribable.
Colton stepped back. “You know why I did it?”
“Your sister.” Her strength was waning and her voice was soft—too soft.
“I’m sorry.” Colton didn’t look at her.
She snorted. “I get it. It’s a fuck or get fucked world out there. I’m just kinda tired of the one
always getting fucked.”
“If there was any other way, I never would have done this. But I’m running out of time, and I have no choice.”
“Stop. Stop justifying your actions. It won’t change anything. You betrayed me to find your sister. I get that. Blood is thicker than water, right? Besides, I’m tired. I’m done running. This is my fate and it’s time I accepted it.”
“No!” Colton launched himself forward and grabbed her cheeks between his palms. “You listen to me, you do not give up. Like Hunter said, you keep on fighting. Do not let him win.”
She smiled weakly. “Hunter.” She snorted. “I even get why you killed him. You never liked him. God knows I hated him at first…until I…”
“Fell in love with him,” Colton finished her sentence.
More tears rolled down her cheek and she wiped them away against her arm. “It doesn’t matter now, since you killed him. Nothing matters now that he’s dead.”
He stared at her with dark, sad eyes. “Scarlet, I’m sorry.”
“Fuck you, Colton. Don’t act all remorseful now.”
“That’s not what I’m doing.”
“You threw me under the bus and now you’re trying to pull me out from under it? I don’t think so.”
Colton roughed his hands through his hair. “Just…things aren’t what they seem right now, okay?”
“What? So I’m not as fucked as I think I am? Am I not bound with fucking chains, hanging in a goddamn barn, waiting for my psycho cousin to come rape me again?”
“Please, Scarlet. Just don’t give up. I know you’re here because of me, and it’s killing me. But just don’t give up yet.”
Another tear slipped down her cheek. “It’s too late, Colton. It’s too late for me now.”
Chapter 19
Hunter stormed through the front door of House Haven. When he stopped in front of the stairs, he thought about the last time he walked down those stairs with Scarlet’s hand in his. Things weren’t good between them. In fact, things were real shitty. But deep down, he knew he wanted her—he wanted her for more than just a few sex marathons between the sheets and against walls. At first, she was nothing but a huge fucking pain in his ass, making him wish he never got tangled up in her mess. And then, without him even realizing it, he started to feel more for her than he ever thought possible for a man like him.
