dangerously low level. He knew it sounded menacing, and he hoped to hell it scared the shit out of Fat Man.
He closed the distance between him and Martin, and he grabbed Martin’s shirt collar and hauled him up close. “You tell me where she is, you fat fuck, or I’ll take great pleasure in carving you into little pieces and feeding your ass to the buzzards. I’m sure you’ve heard of what happens to people who cross the devil.”
Martin’s eyes bulged out of his head as he glanced right and left. He motioned frantically toward the end of the hall. “L-let’s go into m-my office. Perhaps we can clear this little matter up.”
Jack released the shaking man then followed him down the hall and into his office. Martin sat down behind his desk while Jack opted to stand. He wanted to maintain his intimidation over the sleazebag.
“I’ve had a lot of interest in Mia,” Martin began as he mopped at his brow. He leaned forward and continued in a whisper. “The girl is being auctioned off tonight. You’re certainly welcome to bid on her.”
Jack swallowed the huge knot of rage building in his throat. He wanted to reach across the desk and strangle the bastard with his bare hands. Auctioned? Like a hunk of meat. It made his blood boil. Mia was his, and no one else would touch her. Or they’d die a long, painful death.
He forced himself to smile. “Indeed. A slave auction? It sounds very intriguing. Where might I find this auction?”
“I can call ahead and make sure you’re given admittance,” Martin said hastily. “I’ll give you directions. Whatever it is you need.”
Jack leaned over, his nose inches from the foul-smelling breath blowing from the bastard’s mouth. “Even better, inform whoever is holding the auction that I am interested in making a preempt offer, but first I want to sample the merchandise. As I was unable to do last night. It’s the least you owe me. If I’m satisfied, I’ll make it worth your while. If I’m not, I’ll leave her to your highest bidder.”
Martin’s eyes bugged out, and sweat rolled profusely from his face. “I no longer have any control over what happens with her. I turned her over to Drake. He handles the auction details. I’ll give you the address and directions. But that’s all I can do, I swear. You’ll have to make your offer to Drake.”
He scribbled frantically on a piece of paper then shoved it toward Jack.
Jack collected the piece of paper and shoved it into his pocket. “You better hope Drake will entertain my offer, Fat Man. Because if he doesn’t, I’m going to hunt you down and feed your carcass to the buzzards.”
Jack turned and walked out the door.
Martin heaved a great sigh of relief then reached for his phone. He punched in a number, cursing when he had to redial it three times.
He shoved the receiver to his ear and waited.
“Get me Drake. We have a big problem.”
Mia opened her eyes to complete darkness. She blinked, trying to bring her surroundings into focus, but the black void was suffocating.
Her tongue lay dry and swollen in her mouth, the aftereffects of the drug dulling her senses. She swallowed then licked her cracked, dry lips.
As she slowly became more aware, aching discomfort registered in her arms and legs. She was upright, yet her legs bore none of her weight. She gave her hands and feet an experimental wiggle. Her wrists were bound together, her arms stretched high above her head. Her shoulders burned from the strain of her weight.
A bead of sweat rolled down the side of her neck then slid down her chest. Her bare chest. She was naked and spread-eagled, suspended from some sort of device.
She yanked at the ropes binding her wrists, but they held fast and dug painfully into her skin. Fear crawled over her body. Her stomach rolled and rebelled as nausea threatened to overtake her. Her encounter with Martin in his office rushed back in a flash. A slave. He was selling her like a piece of meat at market.
She gritted her teeth and fought the panic that ripped and tore at her consciousness. The little bastard wouldn’t get away with this. Jack would save her. Oh God, where was she? Where was Jack? She closed her eyes and took long gulping breaths to try and steady her frazzled nerves.
She wanted to scream. Wanted to rage against the animal responsible for her captivity. But she didn’t want to alert him to the fact she was conscious. Who knew what would happen to her then? So she bit her lip to staunch the moan of desperation that fought to escape her.
For how long she hung there in the dark, she didn’t know. It seemed an eternity but in reality, it could have been minutes. Or it could have been hours.
Lights turned on, flooding the room and blinding her. She squinted against the bombardment. She heard footsteps, and she blinked rapidly so she could see who was in the room with her.
She finally focused on a figure standing a few feet in front of her. She forced herself to meet his gaze head on, refusing to buckle to the fear and panic clawing at her. “What do you want?” she demanded.
The man merely smiled. He pulled a whip from behind his back and slapped it against his leg.
“I’d save my breath. You have a rather long night ahead of you.”
Smug bastard. If she could get her hands free, she’d delight in choking the oily little worm.
“Why am I here?” she bit out.
“You’re going to be auctioned off to the highest bidder. You’ve outlived your usefulness at the club, and we’ve had a lot of outside interest in you. There are quite a few gentlemen willing to shell out a lot of money to possess you.”
Mia’s eyes widened in horror. “That’s not legal, asshole. You can’t sell a person. I’ll never agree to it.”
The man laughed. He walked around her, the slap of the whip against his leg echoing in the small room. She could see cameras had been set up in various positions, all trained on her.
“There is nothing more beautiful than a woman in bondage. Except a woman writhing in pain, struggling against her bonds. It’s a sight men go crazy for. Submission is the ultimate turn-on. Knowing a woman is theirs to do with as they wish.”
Mia trembled, her stomach in knots. She was afraid. Jack. Would he find her? Would he look for her when he didn’t see her at the club? Or would he think she’d run again?
“You’re a sick fuck,” she said in disgust. She was careful to keep her anger front and center. It gave her something to concentrate on. Gave her a measure of control when she had none.
He chuckled. “I almost wish you were mine to tame. Ah yes, Mia, you’re going to turn a tidy profit for me.” He gestured toward the cameras. “Your new master is watching. Waiting for the time he can claim you. Bend you to his will. Make you serve his every desire.”
She glared up at the cameras. “I won’t do it.”
“You have no choice.”
Her chin sank to her chest. Her strength was fast failing.
Across the room a door opened.
“Cut her down and take her to the bedroom. We have a customer. Martin called over, said to give him what he wants.”
Mia lifted her head in the direction of the voice to see a man in a dark suit standing in the doorway.
“Martin forgets he is not in charge here,” her captor said in a silky voice.
“I think you’ll be interested in his offer,” the second man said. “He has rather interesting connections. It would be to our advantage to hear what he has to say.”
“Very well. Leave her here until I’ve spoken with our guest. The auction is set to go live in half an hour. If I have need of her, I’ll summon you.”
The man with the whip circled around in front of Mia. He touched the tip of the leather to her cheek and stroked softly downward. Then he turned and walked away.
Mia slumped downward again, breathing a prayer of thanksgiving at her temporary reprieve.
“Please, Jack, find me,” she whispered.
CHAPTER 10
“Tell me, Mr.... what did you say your name was?” Jack looked up at the well dressed man who’d entered the sma
ll
Jack looked up at the well dressed man who’d entered the small sitting room. “I didn’t,” he replied brusquely. He eyed the whip that dangled from the man’s hand and tried to control the murderous urge that assaulted him.
He glanced over to the two armed men who’d kept him company while he waited to be seen. How many more there were, he wasn’t sure. The house was well guarded from the outside as well as the inside.
The other man smiled. “I see. A mysterious one. Tell me, what is it I can do for you?”
“You have a woman I want.”
The man’s brow arched. “I have many women.”
Jack eyed him steadily. “Blond, shapely, nice tits and ass. Going to auction tonight.”
The man’s eyes flickered. “You must mean Mia.”
Jack nodded.
“And what is your interest in her?”
“We have unfinished business.”
The man sat down in an armchair and set about pouring a drink from a crystal decanter on the end table next to him.
“Would you like a drink?”
Jack shook his head.
“My name is Drake,” he continued. He picked up his glass and swirled the contents before taking a swallow. “Eric tells me you have connections. Is this true?”
Jack slowly raised his shirt to bare the tattoo on his abdomen.
Drake’s eyebrow came up. “You’re him aren’t you. The one who escaped the raid. The police are looking for you, and yet here you are, interested in a woman. Odd, don’t you think?”
Jack willed himself to relax, to act nonchalant. He slipped into a role he’d played to perfection for the last two years.
“I lost my slave in the raid,” he said with a shrug. “I’m looking to replace her before I head south to lay low. Isolation gets lonely, if you know what I mean.”
Drake grinned. “That I do. What are you offering?”
Jack pinned him with a hard stare. “I paid for the bitch last night, and she skipped out on me. I have no intention of paying for goods I haven’t sampled. I want an hour with her. If I like her, I’ll be very generous in my offer. I’d ask that you forego the auction until you’ve entertained my offer.”
Drake set his glass down and continued to study Jack. “You want to sample the merchandise? I’m sure you know that’s unheard of.”
“I have no intention of paying for pussy unless I know it’s prime,” Jack said lazily.
“I would expect some sort of deposit. Nonrefundable of course,” Drake said smoothly.
Jack crossed his arms over his chest. “And I said I’m not paying a dime until I know what kind of product I’m getting. Do you doubt my word?” He said the last menacingly and enjoyed watching the smarmy bastard squirm in his chair.
Truth was, he’d love nothing more than to have blasted in with guns blazing, but he had no idea what he was dealing with. He had to play this cool. Make sure Mia was safe. And hope like hell Kenny showed up with the troops soon.
“Very well,” Drake finally said as he rose from his chair. “I have a few stipulations of my own. Your ‘sampling’ can be of benefit to us both. I’ll expect to film your session. If you don’t purchase her, it will be valuable footage to show my prospective bidders. And a warning: my men will be watching. Just so you know.”
Jack willed himself not to knock out the jerk’s teeth. The veiled threat pissed him off. Like the sons of bitches wouldn’t be watching regardless of whether they considered him a threat. He nodded his acceptance of the terms, not trusting himself to speak.
Drake motioned for him to follow.
“I’ll escort you to a more appropriate room and bring Mia to you. When the hour is up, I’ll expect an offer. Otherwise you’ll be asked to leave.”
“Fair enough.”
Drake nodded to the two men standing a few feet away. One of them walked up behind Jack and proceeded to pat him down.
“Never can be too careful,” Drake said with a smile as he reached for the wallet pulled from Jack’s pocket.
Drake thumbed through the wallet, then, seemingly satisfied with what he saw, he handed the wallet back. “You can follow me, Mr. Kirkland.”
Jack followed Drake down a long hallway and into a plush bedroom. A king-size bed stood in the middle of the room. As Jack gazed around, he saw hooks in the ceiling as well as on the bed-posts. An old-fashioned wooden stock sat at the end of the bed, and a multitude of whips, cuffs, nipple clamps, beads and every other imaginable sex tool lay neatly arranged on a long table lining the far wall.
The wall adjacent to the table had a large mirror encased in it, two-way, no doubt. He looked around for the cameras and noted at least two. He would have to be damn careful not to give himself or Mia away.
His stomach clenched at what he’d have to do. It was ironic. In order to save Mia, he would have to have her in a way he’d always wanted. He only hoped she’d forgive him. That she’d understand. And if she didn’t, he could live with that just as long as he got her safely out of here. Even if it meant earning her contempt.
“Wait here,” Drake said. “I’ll return with the girl.”
Jack took a deep breath and lounged casually in an armchair facing the bed. He didn’t want to appear nervous or agitated.
A few minutes later, the door opened and Drake walked in, shoving Mia in front of him. She was completely naked except for a collar around her neck. Drake held a leash attached to the collar.
She stumbled as Drake pushed her again. “On your knees, bitch,” Drake ordered Mia. “Greet your temporary master. If you please him, you may find a home with him. If not, you’ll be sold at auction later.”
Mia slowly raised her head and looked at Jack. Her eyes flashed with rage. She was pissed. Good. They hadn’t broken her spirit. She’d need every bit of her wits about her if they were going to get out alive.
As she continued to stare at him, he saw something else mirrored in her depths. Something other than anger. Relief. Trust. He didn’t deserve her trust. He’d let her down, and yet she stared over at him, calm, composed, though her rigid stance belied her fear. He stared at her, willing her to understand, to continue to trust him as he did what he must.
He strode over to her, hoping she’d remain quiet until he could get rid of Drake.
“You may kiss my feet, slave,” he ordered harshly.
She blinked in surprise then seemed to compose herself, hiding her emotions behind an indifferent mask. Drake shoved her down, and she caught herself with her hands, her face just inches from his feet. After a moment’s hesitation, she pressed her lips to the tops of his shoes then slowly pulled away.
“Very good,” Jack said approvingly. Then he looked over at Drake. “You may leave us now.”
Drake looked as if he’d say something, but nodded and backed out of the door.
Jack collected the leash in his hand and pulled Mia to a standing position. He faced her away from the mirror. She stood stiffly as he walked around behind her. He pressed his chest to her back and gently brushed aside her hair. Then he bent his mouth as if he were going to nip at her neck.
“We’re being watched.” He waited for the words to sink in, allowing her time to digest the situation. “I need for you to trust me, Mia. Do whatever I tell you, no matter what. We’re going to fuck. We’re going to put on a show for these bastards. Concentrate on me, sugar. Nothing else. When I give you the signal, I want you to pretend to faint. We can’t simply walk out. We’re going to have to fight our way out. Do you understand?”
She nodded slightly.
He closed his eyes briefly, regret sawing through his chest. And shame. He hadn’t ever wanted her to see the real Jack Kincaid. Would she hate him? It didn’t matter. Her being alive mattered. Her inevitable contempt for him didn’t.
He steeled himself and stopped fighting his arousal. Embraced it, allowed it to wash over his body. Images of the past flickered through his mind like a fast-action movie. Mia in his bed, his mouth on her, her legs wrap
ped around him. The aching desire he felt whenever he so much as touched her, thought about her. He grabbed onto that desire and harnessed it.
“Get ready to begin,” he murmured as he stepped away.
He circled back around in front of her. “On your knees,” he said sharply.