Master of Secrets

by Sienna Snow

  “Dante will be here in a few hours to escort your bride to her new master. Fuck her to your heart’s content until then.”

  Trevolo left, shutting the door behind him. I waited a few minutes before I let the rage take over and hurled my glass across the room, shattering it against the wall near the front door.

  Ana stepped into the room. From the worry etched on her face, she’d listened to every word of my conversation with Trevolo.

  “Are you going to hand me over to Sebastian?”

  “I let another man fuck you in front of Trevolo and God knows who else to get you off the island. What do you think?”

  “Will they expect me to have sex with Sebastian again?”

  “Who knows? Probably. I don’t know.”

  The thought of it was like a knife in the heart. But if it meant Ana was safe…

  Her eyes widened. “Not happening. That was a onetime thing.”

  “You said you enjoyed it.”

  She glared at me and stalked in my direction. “I did but that doesn’t mean it’s something I want to experience again and especially not with others as if they were watching live-action porn.”

  “Ana. The women and children are here. You heard Trevolo. He’s auctioning them tonight.” I pulled her to me, wrapping her in my arms. “This is what we’ve been working for. I’m going to hand you over to Sebastian.”

  Anaya

  * * *

  “The hell you are. We are a team. At this moment, I’m not your woman. I’m your Solon partner.” I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. He really thought I was going to sit back and let him do all the dirty work.

  “It’s the only way to get you off this island without risking your life. I won’t be able to focus or relay the right information if I’m worried about you.”

  “If Trevolo’s goons come anywhere near me, I swear I will break every one of their noses.”

  “They aren’t going to come near you. I’m giving you to Sebastian in the next hour.”

  “You’ve got to be out of your mind. I’m not going anywhere.”

  “Ana, listen to me. I hand you over early, then Sebastian can leave with you. No matter what he says to Trevolo, his yacht is within thirty minutes of here.”

  “And what are you going to be doing in the meantime?”

  “I’m going to finish my assignment and free those women and children who have been through God knows what.”

  “What about Ele?”

  “She isn’t part of my mission, but I planned to get Ele back to her family too.”

  “Her sister sold her. That’s not family.”

  “Her parents mourn her every day. With Trevolo here I can have his bitch wife handled.”

  It sounded so easy, so feasible, but it wasn’t something I believed would go off without a hitch.

  “And what am I supposed to do sitting on Sebastian’s yacht? I’m not really a sit-back-and-let-the-menfolk-save-the-day kind of girl.” I cocked a hand on my hip.

  His lips quirked up. “As if I didn’t know this.”

  “I’m serious, Ian.”

  “Figure out the best way to tell your brothers you’re marrying me.”

  I wasn’t sure what to say to that. He’d mentioned being together during passion but marriage? Again?

  “Nothing to say about that?” He slipped an arm around my waist and drew me to him. “I love you, baby. Let me save the day this one time. You can be your badass Selene self another day.”

  There wouldn’t be another day. I was leaving Solon. I was ready to be home, with my family, with Adrian. I’d barely spent any time with anyone in Vegas for so long that I missed so many things, especially the births of my nephews. And now Henna was expecting a girl. The only one out of all the Lykaios kids. I wanted to be there.

  “Ian, nothing is as easy as you are saying it’ll be. What if something goes wrong? At least give me a gun or something.”

  “And where do you plan to hide it in your see-through clothes?”

  I glanced down and sighed. “Point taken.”

  “Now go get ready. We are going to make a surprise visit to the main house. And if anything goes wrong, take the path leading left at the bottom of the terrace stairs. There’s a small cave along the cliff. Wait there for me.” He pulled out a satellite phone, typed something, and then dropped it to the ground, crushing it.

  “What did you just do?”

  “Called my ride. But first we need to get you on yours.”

  We made our way to the main house to hear loud shouts and the sobs of a woman.

  Adrian pressed a finger to his lips and then pushed me behind him.

  “You know the punishment for disobeying me. Do you want me to give you to the men?” Trevolo’s rage was evident, and I feared for whomever he was yelling at.

  “Your threats don’t scare me anymore. You’ve already taken everything from me. My child, my life,” Ele screamed back at him. “Do what you have to.”

  Child?

  I tugged on Adrian’s sleeve. He shook his head.

  “What has come over you? Since when does it bother you to get the information I want?”

  “Since you took our child from me and gave him to your bitch wife. Since you whored me out to your highest-paying clients.”

  Holy fuck. The baby Catarina Trevolo had given birth to wasn’t hers. Hell, she’d never been pregnant. Her weight gain had been a show, and the fact she was so pissed off that her gowns didn’t fit was because it wasn’t baby weight she had to lose.

  Dear God, that sweet little boy was Ele’s, and they’d stolen him from her.

  “You make it sound like I pass you around from man to man. It was two times. I had no choice—they asked for you.”

  “And now you are handing me out again?”

  “Bonaparte is losing the prize he is taken with. I have to do something to keep the bastard happy.”

  “But why me?”

  “Because you are the most valuable jewel on the island to me. He knows it as does everyone else. If he accepts you, then there is no need for him to attend the auction and risk the trouble he could give me about the items on sale.”

  “Give them someone else. Your favorite, perhaps, but not me. There are countless women willing to spread their legs for him.”

  “There is no other choice. He likes you. I’ve seen him look at you. Do you think I want the bastard touching what’s mine?”

  Adrian glanced at me, as if trying to convey something. Then it hit me. He was worried about what Trevolo said.

  I shook my head at him—I knew he had no feelings about Ele outside of getting her out of her situation.

  “I’m not yours. You took me from my family, raped me, and then stole my child. I will always hate you.”

  The hard echo of a slap reverberated from the terrace.

  “Ungrateful bitch.”

  That was when Adrian grabbed my hand and pulled me up the steps.

  “Are we disturbing anything?” Adrian drawled, forcibly jerking me forward and causing me to fall to the ground where Ele sat covering her cheek with her hands.

  I gasped and glared at him.

  “Not at all.” Trevolo examined me with a smirk. “Trouble in paradise?”

  “Call Weber. I see no point in wasting time. She’s ready to go.”

  “What caused the change of mind?”

  “There is no point in training a slave for another man, no matter how sweet the cunt.”

  “Ele, get up and call Weber. Once he leaves, the island will be clear. We will start our auction.”

  Ele stared at me. It was easy to see her rage and hate for the man who’d taken so much from her.

  “Did you hear me?” Trevolo towered over Ele.

  Ele nodded, pushing herself to standing. Then, after she caught her breath, she turned and left.

  I remained on the ground, looking between the two men who watched my every reaction.

  “Come sit, Anastasia.” Trevolo pulled out a chair. />
  I rose and sat on the chair.

  “Whatever training you put her through has worked. I expected her to stand up and try to either punch or kick me.”

  I’ll oblige you, fucker, if you’d like.

  “Ana knows that there are consequences for bad behavior and rewards when she listens.”

  “I’ve been thinking.” Trevolo ran a finger along my neck, making my skin crawl. “How would you feel if I gave you something more valuable than a chance to bid in the auction?”

  Adrian folded his hands and leaned against the railing. “I’m listening. What is it you are offering?”

  “Elenora.”

  “Let me get this straight. You are offering me your prized house mistress?”

  “Yes.”

  “To keep?”

  Trevolo stopped his strokes on my skin and I was grateful, but his hands moved to the back of my chair, gripping it tight and all but making it crack. “Yes.”

  This was so bizarre. No, it was fucked up on a whole crazy level. Trevolo had feelings for Ele. I doubted it was more than viewing her as property, but the thought of giving her to anyone didn’t sit well with him.

  “At what cost do I get Elenora?”

  “For your bride and your departure from my home.” He paused. “Immediately.”

  “And the monetary compensation we agreed to previously?”

  “It stands.”

  “Then there is nothing left to say but done.”

  No one said anything for a few minutes, but I could feel Trevolo’s agitation.

  If Adrian left with Ele, then how was he going to get the women and children out? There had to be a plan B he hadn’t told me about.

  That thought pissed me off, but I had to stay in character. He was so going to get a piece of my mind when we were alone again.

  Footsteps echoed from inside the house, and the second Sebastian and Ele came into view, Trevolo said, “She’s yours. Take her and leave.”

  “What?” Ele looked between Trevolo and Adrian.

  “Your master has given you to me,” Adrian said, stepping in her direction.

  Her eyes clouded with tears. Something told me they weren’t tears of sadness.

  Sebastian walked toward me, holding my gaze. “Does this mean you are relinquishing claims on this creature?”

  “Yes. Enjoy her.”

  “Oh, I will. There is no doubt.” Sebastian’s tone was amused. “I may invite you as a third in the future if you aren’t too busy with Elenora.”

  “Now, gentlemen. I believe it is time for both of you to leave.” Trevolo’s voice was calm but the clenching of his fingers on the back of the chair told me he was anything but.

  Before anyone could move, a group of helicopters approached at a fast speed.

  “What the fuck is that?” Adrian demanded of Trevolo.

  “You tell me. You’re the security expert.”

  “Get down,” Sebastian yelled, just as a shot echoed in the air.

  Grabbing Ele’s arm, I pulled her under a set of tables. “Stay down, Ele.”

  “Ana, go now,” I heard Adrian shout. “The copters are circling back around. I don’t want you to get caught in the crossfire when Trevolo’s security comes out.”

  “Who are they?” I asked Sebastian who was crouched behind another table.

  He didn’t answer, only said, “Get to safety, now. Your people will kill me if anything happened to you.”

  I tried to identify the aircraft, having no luck until the all-black helicopters turned, revealing a small scorpion on their tails.

  It was Solon.

  “Dammit, Ana, stop stalling and go,” Adrian yelled.

  I scanned the area for him but couldn’t see where he was.

  Ele and I rushed out from under the table and stopped as we saw Trevolo covered in blood from a bullet wound to the head and lying on the ground with his eyes open.

  He’d been the target.

  Ele rushed to him, kicking him and spitting on his face. “I hate you. I hate you. I hate you.”

  I dragged her away, taking the path Adrian had said led to the cave.

  “Stay close.”

  “Who are you, really?”

  “Just someone like you who got caught by the scum of the earth.”

  We made it to the beach in record time, using the foliage as cover. A wave of gunfire echoed from the main house, followed by shouts.

  “Let’s go, Ele.”

  In the distance I saw a yacht. That had to be Sebastian’s. Then I noticed two speedboats approach the beach.

  “That’s our ride, Ele. We’ll hide in the cave until we see Ian and Sebastian.”

  Ele tilted her head. “You call them by their first names?” Then her eyes grew wide. “You knew them before here.”

  “It’s complicated. We will fill you in, once we get to safety.”

  That was when I noticed Sebastian and Adrian heading toward the speedboats. I heard Adrian calling me to come toward him. Just as Adrian looked in my direction, Sebastian pulled out a gun and shot him in the chest.

  Adrian jerked back, collapsing on the sand.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Anaya

  * * *

  “Noooo,” I screamed.

  This couldn’t be happening. Not after all we’d come through.

  I’d finally gotten him back.

  Why? Sebastian was his friend. Why would he do this? None of this made sense.

  Tears filled my eyes as I fell to the ground.

  I watched in horror as uniformed men picked Adrian up and carried him to the rowboat, all but throwing his limp body in.

  I had to get to him. I couldn’t let them throw him away like he was nothing.

  “Ana.” Ele tugged at me. “We have to get to safety. We have to find a place to hide.”

  I pushed down the pain of my heart shattering and nodded. “The cave. Ian said we’d be safe in the cave.”

  “I know where it is. Follow me. It’s this way.”

  We ran into the tropical forest, Ele leading the way.

  Just as we reached a clearing, two men jumped out, grabbing us.

  “Let me go, you bastard.” I fought the hold on me, punching the man in the face.

  “Fuck.”

  His grip broke as he fell to the sand, bleeding.

  That was when I heard Ele struggling. She wasn’t trained—I had to help her.

  A knife would have really come in handy right now.

  I ran toward Ele, jumping on the attacker’s back. He slammed me into a tree, but I held on to his neck. With my weight keeping him off balance, he dropped Ele, giving me enough time to choke him until he passed out.

  “Hurry,” Ele called.

  We rushed down a narrow path but stopped dead in our tracks when Sebastian stepped in front of us.

  “Not so fast, little dove.” He sounded nothing like the man I’d known for years.

  “You bastard. How could you? You…” I couldn’t get the words out.

  He grabbed me by the hair and pulled me toward him.

  “What did I do? I got rid of a troublesome asshole who thought he ruled the nest.”

  “He trusted you. He let you…” I trailed off, feeling disgusted by the night we’d had together.

  “He let me taste his prize because he had no choice. I bought you. Now you’re permanently mine.”

  “Like hell I am.” I elbowed him in the stomach, but he didn’t even flinch.

  His grip only got tighter. “You think that’s supposed to hurt. I grew up at the knee of Liam Weber. Pain is a meal he served regularly.”

  One of the men who attacked Ele and me reached us, wheezing and out of breath.

  “Could have told me she packed a punch. Jace is knocked out cold.”

  “What would be the fun in that?” Sebastian smirked and pulled out a syringe.

  I began to thrash and then clamped my nails onto his arm. Then my training kicked in and I swept my leg behind me, hitting the back of Seb
astian’s knee.

  “Motherfucker.”

  We both toppled to the ground.

  “Dammit, Ana.”

  All of a sudden, my mind grew heavy and I couldn’t lift my head.

  The last thing I heard as I lost consciousness was, “You never make anything easy, do you? No wonder he loves you so much.”

  I woke to the feeling of extreme nausea. My head hurt and my body ached.

  Where was I?

  That was when it came to me.

  Adrian.

  Oh God. Oh God. Oh God.

  I wrapped my arms around my waist, keeping my eyes closed and letting tears soak my face.

  How was I going to go back home and tell Penny and my family what had happened? That was if I made it out of this alive.

  Adrian had worried about me coming home in a body bag and now it was me who had to live with the very real scenario.

  My body jumped and I realized I was on some type of boat. Opening my eyes, I looked around.

  What the fuck.

  I was on a king-sized bed in some kind of high-end cabin. Everything was polished and new. It looked so much like the yacht Henna owned. This had to be the owner’s suite.

  I glanced down at my clothes and I was no longer in the godawful sheer gown. Instead, I wore soft cotton lavender pajamas.

  Anger rose like a raging fire. If for one second Sebastian thought I’d let him replace Adrian, he had another think coming.

  I’d spent too many days pretending to be something I wasn’t. I’d fight until I died.

  I jumped out of the bed, stumbling as a wave of dizziness hit me.

  Fucking drug.

  After a few breaths, I had myself under control.

  I moved to the attached bathroom. After using the facilities, I searched the cabinets for anything I could use as a weapon.

  “Jackpot.”

  In a drawer was a straight razor. I was well versed in the use of this baby.

  I tucked it into the back of my pants.

  I moved back into the cabin, going toward the door. Pressing my ear to the steel, I listened for any sound.