She stiffened. She hadn’t seen him since he’d virtually thrown her into this room and locked the door after they’d arrived here yesterday. However, it was obvious his mood hadn’t changed. It was just as foul and dangerous as the moment he’d forced her from that camp at gunpoint. He’d barely spoken to her on the trip upriver to where they’d boarded the helicopter to bring them to the castle. “Skipping a meal isn’t doing damage,” she said. “I didn’t have an appetite. I’ve been cooped up in this glorified harem for two days and I was sick of it. I’ll eat when I’m hungry.”
“You’ll eat when I tell you to eat,” he said coldly. “Things are different now and it’s time you learned it. I’m through with indulging you.” He came into the room and slammed the door. “There are always ways to force you to do whatever I like. I taught you that before, Sasha.”
“But you lack the means to do it now. Those girls you used to persuade me are safe. You can’t touch them any longer.” She gazed at him steadily. “Unless you intend to go back to beating me. But didn’t that defeat the purpose of keeping me healthy and undamaged?”
“I always manage to get what I want. This time it might mean I have to reach out and take what I need, but that might only be more satisfying.” He dropped down on the gold satin tufted couch and crossed his ankles on the matching hassock. “And you’re being very disrespectful of my beautiful castle. I spent two years having it built to my exact specifications. Even Reardon is impressed by it. He once offered to buy it for an enormous amount, but I couldn’t bear to let it go. It was worth it to me just to know I had something that he wanted.” He glanced around the suite. “But you’re right, it does resemble a harem in both appearance and purpose. I intended it to have this exotic Arabic ambience. Using it to keep you locked up and secure is only an additional advantage. I have three suites like this that I use once a year to entertain very important guests who are allowed to sample sexual partners of every description. You can see the locks are necessary. Naturally, one would want to make sure the women and men brought here for that service were confined and available at all times. Of course, the races are the most important entertainment to be provided, but for some people sexual stimulation seems to add to the pleasure.”
“I’m sure you’re among them,” she said jerkily. “I remember Jeanne Palsan.”
“And others,” he said softly. “I knew you hated knowing what I was doing to those students. It made the pleasure all the more exciting for me. It was a game I enjoyed.” His lips thinned. “Until you spoiled it for me. You believe you’ve not only beaten me but made a fool of me. I have to change that. You have to learn that if I choose, I could let you be used as one of the whores who occupy this suite.”
Her heart skipped a beat. “Yes, I suppose you could do that. But you told me it would be counterproductive.”
“And it might be. But I might not be able to resist. You’ve made me very angry. I’ll have to see what method of control I should use on you. Let’s see…” He tilted his head. “The oldest subjugation known to man?” He paused. “Or bringing in Alisa Flynn to make you come to heel.”
She inhaled sharply, her body tensing.
“No answer?” he asked mockingly. “Of course I know her name now. After the humiliation I went through, did you think I wouldn’t immediately find out everything connected to the sons of bitches who were responsible? What do you believe I’ve been doing for the last two days?”
“I have no idea.” She must be very careful if she was to get through these next few moments. She could almost feel the rage he was emitting. “I tried not to think of you at all. Something unpleasant, I imagine.”
“You’d better start thinking about me.” His voice was hoarse, his eyes glittering. “Because everyone connected to what happened to me in that jungle is going to pay. That attack came out of nowhere like those damn drones, but now it’s right in front of me and I’m going to find out every detail. I already know a lot about Alisa Flynn. It’s all over the news. I had no idea when I shot the bitch that she was spearheading that operation. I only thought she had a connection with you and might be trying to save you.” His lips curled. “But now the CIA is saying that she was much more important, that the operation would never have taken place without her invaluable help. How very heroic of her. No mention at all that she had a close connection to a Sasha Lawrence who was enrolled at St. Eldon’s Academy. Let’s discuss that, Sasha. Who is Alisa Flynn to you?”
There was no sense in lying any longer—and it would probably be dangerous. “My friend,” she said simply. “I guess some people would call me her ward. And the reason the CIA probably didn’t publicize any connection is that they didn’t know about me. Alisa doesn’t tell the CIA everything. She has a very dangerous job that might put anyone close to her at risk. Besides, she’s a very private person.”
“Evidently. She wasn’t available to give any interviews, so I dug deeper and found out that she’d been taken to a hospital in Geneva to treat her wound.”
Sasha tensed. “But she’s all right? They said she was okay?”
“What do I care? The CIA didn’t say anything different. She’ll live until I determine how to kill her in the most painful way possible. And you’ll be there to see it.” His voice harshened. “If I’d had any idea what kind of associations she’d been forming, I’d never have let her live that day I shot her.”
She moistened her lips. “You’re talking about the CIA?”
“Bullshit. I’m talking about Gabe Korgan. He flew her to Geneva.” His teeth were gritted. “And you barely have to read between the lines of that speech the director made about how wonderfully the CIA had performed to free the captives to see Korgan moving behind the scenes. I made phone calls, and his name kept popping up. How long has she known him?”
“I’m not certain. I’ve never heard her talk about him.” That at least must have the ring of truth. “Not long. Why does it matter?”
“Because this isn’t the first time Korgan has gotten in my way. A few years ago, he sent a team of special forces after me when I was invading Noura. I was forced to cut the operation short and move on to the next country on the list. I had a silent partner at the time who wasn’t pleased with the decision. I need to know if the CIA and Korgan were working together at the time.”
“If they were, it didn’t involve Alisa. You don’t need to sharpen your knives and go after her. Look, Alisa never talks about her job to me, but I’m sure she had no deep plot brewing against you. I wish there had been. The only interest she had in you was that you’d kidnapped me. It was entirely your own fault that you caught her attention.” She frowned as a sudden thought occurred to her. “Silent partner? Everyone knows you work alone.”
“Do they? Perhaps because I’m the important one in any partnership?”
“That would be your opinion,” she said absently. “But you’re cautious and you don’t seem to want to appear stupid or careless to this partner. So he’s more important than you want anyone to know.” She was thinking back over their conversations in these last weeks. “You’ve spoken about some of the people who work for you, and there was Baldwin, but you had no respect for him.” She suddenly snapped her fingers. “Reardon. Two or three times you’ve mentioned a Reardon. The last time was when he offered to buy this castle. You’d definitely have respect for a man who could afford to do that.”
“And am I supposed to admire the fact that you’ve figured that out?” he asked coldly. “I never made any real attempt to hide my association with Reardon from you. You weren’t that important. I always knew you were meant to fulfill only one function in my life. That function may be connected to Reardon, but it really has to do with the horses in that stable we passed on the way to the castle. As long as I get what I want from you, you’ll stay alive. When I don’t, that will be the end.” He paused. “And I never intended that you get in the way of my business arrangements with Reardon or anyone else. So I’d advise you not mention it to Reardon
during the next week. He might make a demand with which I wouldn’t be willing to comply if he gets nervous about your curiosity.”
“You mean he’d want you to kill me? I wouldn’t think that would bother you.” She smiled recklessly. “If it does, just strike another deal with him. You’re obviously two of a kind.”
“The only reason I’d have problems with it is that I can’t afford to have you dead if you can produce the results I need in that race in two weeks.” He tilted his head. “So tomorrow you’re going to go down to the stables with me and show me you deserve to live another day.”
“Two weeks?” she repeated. “I can’t believe that you’d arrange a race to take place in two weeks when you were still in the middle of Szarnar Jungle.”
“I didn’t, it was set up for two months from now. But the minute I arrived back here, I called and changed it to two weeks.” His face was flushed with anger again. “Everyone was laughing at me. I needed a chance to save face.” He growled. “And there were financial considerations.”
“Why? I’ve heard nothing but you muttering about this race you want me to win, but I really know nothing about it. How many horses are in this race?”
“Two.”
“What?”
“That’s all that’s necessary.” He shrugged. “Reardon and I are very competitive. Seven years ago we decided it would be amusing to have a race to see which one of our horses is the fastest thoroughbred from our respective stables. So I set up a festival of sorts every year and invite thirty or forty guests with very deep pockets to come here to bet on the race and make it more interesting. Of course, the biggest bets are between Reardon and me. They became larger and larger, and the stakes are not always cash.”
“And who won?”
“I won the first two years. Reardon won the third and I came back and took the fourth. Then the son of a bitch managed to buy Nightshade, a Triple Crown winner, and he’s won the last two races. I couldn’t let him do that to me.”
“How long is the race?”
“A mile and a half. The same as Belmont, the longest race in the Triple Crown. We had to make it interesting. I wanted to make sure everyone knew I was better than Reardon.”
“Until you weren’t. How terrible for you,” she said sarcastically. “So you decided you’d pick up a few new thoroughbreds yourself by raiding St. Eldon’s? You must have been desperate.”
He got to his feet. “I’m never desperate. I just look for opportunities.” His grasp bit painfully into her shoulders. “You were an opportunity, and I thought I might find a horse fast enough to beat Nightshade.” His voice lowered to silken softness. “And I got lucky, didn’t I? I found you, and I found Chaos. So you’re going to make certain I win this next bet with Reardon. Because I’m going to need to get a new start after Korgan and your friend Alisa robbed me of those little bitches I was going to ransom.”
“I told you I won’t promise anything about Chaos. He can’t be ridden.”
“You’d better change his mind. Because if you don’t, I’ll make it my life’s work to hunt down Alisa Flynn and make certain that she suffers for what she did to me.”
It was the one weapon she’d hoped to prevent him from gaining against her, she thought in despair. “That’s an empty threat. You’d do it anyway.”
“Probably, but you might be able to bargain if you give me what I want. You’ll have to try, because I remember how very friendly the two of you appeared to be in that photo. I think you care very much for her. We’ll have to see tomorrow, when you whisper to Chaos that he has to please me.”
“Those people who told you there was no such thing as a horse whisperer were right.” Why was she even trying? She knew it was no use protesting. He would only listen to what he wanted to hear. “I’m good with horses, not a miracle worker. I won’t be able to help you.”
“You will,” he said. “I have faith in you. And I’m afraid I’d consider it a cardinal sin if you betrayed that faith. Don’t do it.” He paused and reached for his phone. “I thought you might need a little encouragement, so I took the precaution of getting Alisa Flynn’s phone number so she can join our party. Would you like to hear her voice? I would.” He was punching in a number with vicious force. “And I want her to hear mine and know what’s in store for her. I want the entire world to know.”
The phone was picked up, and Sasha heard Alisa’s breathless voice. “Sasha?”
“No,” Masenak said. “Sorry to disappoint you. Just a little technical trick I did with my phone to make sure you’d take my call, bitch. I believe you know who this is, don’t you? I put a bullet in you. I assume you’re still at the hospital recovering from it?”
“Masenak.” Alisa’s voice was shaking. “Sasha. Where is Sasha?”
“Why should I answer you? You and Korgan can burn in hell before I let you know anything about that little whore. You think you’ve beaten me? You’ll never beat me. Everywhere you go, I’ll be behind you. You’ll never be sure when I’ll reach out and take you down.” His voice was suddenly heavy with malevolence. “But that won’t be enough. Maybe I should tell you what happened to your Sasha so that you can realize I’ve already made the first installment in payback.” He paused and then said softly, “Pretty little Sasha. Such a pity. The minute I heard all about who you were and what you’d cost me, I killed her.”
Sasha stiffened in shock. She opened her lips to speak, but Masenak was glaring at her. This wasn’t the time to aggravate him even more toward Alisa. Give him the victory.
“You’re not saying anything, Alisa,” Masenak said mockingly. “Did you think I wouldn’t punish you? That I’d let anyone make a fool of me as you have?”
“No, I believe you want to punish me,” Alisa whispered. Sasha could hear the agony in her voice. “And I believe you’re capable of anything. How—did you kill her?”
“Are you asking if I was merciful? No, I wasn’t about to use anything as quick as a bullet. We were going upriver at the time and I drowned the bitch. Slowly. Very slowly. Drowning is a very painful death if done correctly. I was thinking about you when I did it.”
“You bastard.” Her words were vibrating with agony.
“Ah, that hurt, didn’t it? I thought it would. I’ve enjoyed talking to you, Alisa. I don’t believe I can resist calling you again whenever I feel the need to reminisce about our mutual friend. Perhaps I’ll give you more details next time.” He cut the connection. Then he looked at Sasha. “And perhaps if you’re a good, obedient girl I won’t make that call. You could hear how she was suffering. She must love you very much. I almost felt sorry for her.”
“Liar. You were incredibly cruel to her.”
“Yes, but I did find that conversation almost addictive. That is the truth. And you’ll have to do exactly as I tell you so I won’t indulge that addiction.” He turned toward the door. “I’ll see you at six A.M., Sasha.”
Chapter
10
Alisa’s Room
University Hospital, Geneva
Are you sure you couldn’t trace that call?” Alisa asked. “All that technology you have. There should be some way, Korgan.”
“Yes, there should,” Korgan said. “Wherever he is, Masenak is in an area where he can’t be hacked. Which probably means he’s reached Jubaldar.” He added quietly, “But he had to be lying to you, Alisa, Sasha’s not dead. He was just saying that to hurt you.”
“Or to hurt her.” Alisa was struggling to keep her voice steady. She was still shivering, as she’d been doing since she’d taken Masenak’s call thirty minutes ago. “Or to force her to do something she didn’t want to do. Anything is possible.” She drew a deep, shaky breath. “The only thing that I won’t accept is that he’s killed her. That would hurt too much. I couldn’t take it.”
“Because it’s not true,” Korgan said. “I was afraid you’d believe him.”
She shook her head. “I told you, I can’t do that. I have to believe Vogel’s report. Masenak wanted to tea
r me apart, make me bleed. I could hear it from the moment he came on the line. That’s why I asked how Sasha died. I hoped it would give me some confirmation one way or the other. And it did. He couldn’t resist making sure it would hurt me and chose drowning while they were going upriver. He’s right, it’s not an easy death. But I’m glad he did, because Vogel reported Sasha being on that helicopter after they’d left the river. She was still alive.”
“Yes, she was,” Korgan said gently. “And that means that no matter how he feels about you, he still has a purpose for keeping her alive. It has to be a damn strong one if it could survive that big a blow to his ego.”
“Chaos,” she said curtly. “It has to be Chaos.” She was trying to think, but all the ugliness and pain and shock Masenak hurled at her had stunned her. “But you’re right, he does hate me, and I can’t let it touch me. There should be some way I can turn all that hatred he’s feeling toward me against him.” She reached up to rub her temple. “But I can’t seem to think of that now. I can’t think of anything but getting out of this hospital and on that plane to Morocco.” She headed for the door. “Because he lied. She’s still alive, Korgan. I know she’s still alive…”
* * *
Akbar Village
Atlas Mountains
1:40 A.M.
“The village should be just below this ridge.” Korgan pulled the Land Rover over to the side of the road. “Want to get out and stretch your legs? We won’t go into the village itself. It gets a lot of tourist traffic since it’s in the foothills, and that’s not why we’re here.” He was out of the car and around to the passenger side the next minute. “Gilroy said that he’d be here as soon as he could break free of the elders he was talking to.”
“Elders?” Alisa took his hand and let him help her out of the car. This wasn’t the time to be independent. She was stiff and aching from the drive from Mohammed V Airport in Casablanca to the mountains on these bumpy roads, and her shoulder was throbbing. This was a very welcome break. “What elders?”
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