“I changed my mind.”
She snorted at him. “I’m not waiting for you to get out of prison. After they catch your ass, you’ll be in for another twenty years.”
He gave her an enigmatic look, saying nothing else. When he showed up at her doorstep, then she would believe him. He had no intention of not seeing her again once he regained his freedom. She didn’t need to know that yet, or she would probably run back to France or Milan or whatever other fancy places she had lived before. The only new places she was going to be visiting for a while were the places he took her.
Chapter 9
Grace lay on the mat, staring at the tiny sliver of moonlight coming in, with Ice lying next to her.
“You never told anyone what happened while you were kidnapped?”
“No. It wasn’t anyone’s business.” She was curled into a stiff ball next to him, her back against his chest.
“They offer you money to talk?”
“Yes, and I told them to stuff it.”
There was a brief silence. “If I had known, I would have done things differently.”
She swallowed hard. “It happened a long time ago.”
“I shouldn’t have grabbed you like that. I’m going to be straight with you. I plan to fuck you when we get out of here, but I wouldn’t force you.”
She rolled over to face him. “Winston didn’t rape me, Ice.” She saw the surprise in his eyes. “All the gossip magazines, my therapist, my family—they all still think he did, but he didn’t. He took something more precious than my virginity. He took my two best friends.”
“The two models he killed?”
She nodded. “We had gone to modeling school together, started our careers together. We were so excited. I wasn’t as pretty as them. They were beautiful. I was given a chance because my mother pulled some strings to get me in.
“Dad had a break before his next picture was starting, and Dax was going to start his first movie. We decided on a big vacation in New York during fashion week. Mom asked if my friends wanted to come. They were so thrilled to meet my parents they jumped at the chance.
“We were there for two days when my parents and Dax came down with a flu bug. We didn’t want to stay cooped up inside, so we went shopping. None of us could drive in the States, so we took a cab, spending the entire day shopping. It is one of the best memories of my life: going to the different stores, even stopping to eat at an old-fashioned hamburger joint. We all had milkshakes and fries. It was my first hamburger. My mom never let me and Dax eat junk food, so I was in food Heaven.
“Afterwards, we went to catch a cab. The valet motioned for one when we went outside, and we all climbed in without our bags, talking about what we had bought that day.
“A voice came over the radio almost as soon as we pulled out. ‘If anyone sees Rocky, tell him to call me then call me and tell me you gave him the message. He hasn’t responded for calls in twenty.’
“‘What happened? A driver went rogue?’ I joked and we laughed, but the driver didn’t respond.
“I felt a pinch on my arm and turned toward Simone and Avril. Both of their expressions were terrified. Simone reached out to touch the plastic card on the back of the seat. Rocky Rodriquez was on the nametag, and the man in the picture looked nothing like the man driving the cab.
“We all held each other’s hands and started crying and screaming when we passed our hotel. He pulled over in an alley, turned around, and shot Avril in the face. Just like that, she was gone. He told us whoever made a noise was next. Neither of us made a sound. Then he pulled into his house. I’ll never forget the sound of that garage door closing.
“He kept us for six weeks and when the police came, I was too afraid to answer when they called out. I sat there until they found Simone and me in the basement. Her hand was still warm. She never knew they had come for us.”
“God.” Ice pulled her close but she tried to pull away, not wanting physical comfort from him.
“Ice, do you think she knows she's not in that basement anymore?”
“Yes, baby, I do. I think she knows both of you are free.”
“But I’m not.”
Ice’s heart sank at her words. He hated Winston for kidnapping her, and then he had done the same thing. She wasn’t lying here next to him because she wanted to, but because he had taken that choice away from her.
“I’m going to get you out of here as soon as I can.” Easing his rigid control briefly, he wanted to reassure her. Usually he cared only about his own feelings; wanting Grace to feel a measure of safety was a first for him.
“Okay.”
“Trust me?”
“Yes.”
Ice was humbled by her trust. He had never experienced sweetness like hers his whole life. Women he had taken always wanted him and knew he had nothing to give other than his dick, but Grace pulled emotions out of him he never felt before. A woman like her didn’t belong in his life.
If he was honorable, he would walk away from her and never see her again when they got out of this mess; however, Ice knew he wasn’t. When a man found a priceless diamond, he didn’t throw it back. No, he held onto it and never let it go. That was what Ice had every intention of doing, too. Of course, he would break it and grind it down until it was exactly what he wanted.
* * *
“What’s the name of your bike club?” Grace asked before drinking the hot coffee Max handed her as soon as she had woken up.
Max winced. “It’s a motorcycle club. And it’s the Predators.”
“Oh, that’s the tattoo on Ice’s back. How come you didn’t get a nickname?”
“Max is a nickname.” His tone was insulted.
“It is? I thought it was short for Maxwell.”
“No. Didn’t you ever watch Mad Max? He was a son of a bitch who went crazy and killed everyone when his wife was killed.”
“And you were nicknamed after him?”
“Yes.”
“How did she die?”
Max suddenly stood up. “I’ve got to take a piss.”
She turned to look at Jackal. “Have you noticed he’s overly sensitive?”
“Why don’t you tell him that?”
“I wouldn’t want to hurt his feelings. How did you get your nickname?”
“I stabbed my best friend in the back after he fucked my bitch.”
Jackal wasn’t sensitive; he was a jackass. She smiled to herself at her small jibe.
“What’s so fucking funny?”
“Nothing.” She didn’t think he would appreciate the joke. Unconsciously, she sought out Ice, finding him next to Fade at the steel door. She was about to look away when Fade jumped to his feet and opened the door. Both men rushed in.
Jackal saw what she was watching.
“Now they only have to get his cell door open. At least they can give him food and water until then,” Max said, sitting back down at the table.
Jackal gave Max a warning look, but Grace was watching Church and two other men draw closer to the table. She was about to warn them when suddenly one sprang forward, grabbing Jackal from behind. Church and the other one went for Max.
She screamed, standing up, her chair falling backwards, but someone grabbed her from behind, pulling her toward them. Her foot caught in the chair, but whoever had her didn’t stop pulling. Her foot finally wrenched free and this time, she gave a scream of pain.
“Ice.” Frantically, she looked to see if he was coming, but several prisoners were holding the door closed, not letting Ice and Fade out. Grace realized then it was going to turn dangerous. The men had plotted to attack Ice and his men.
As Church fell back against the table, Max knocked the other man to the floor then lunged at the others moving toward him, taking them all down.
Jackal pulled his weapon from his waistband and reached backward, stabbing the one holding him in the leg, slicing him open almost to his kneecap.
Two other men Grace had seen Ice talk to occasionally made fo
r the ones holding the door closed. The one with dark-brown hair picked up a chair, slamming the group in their backs. They fell away and the metal door flew open. Ice and Fade came out, fury on their faces, and began fighting the ones who had tried to lock them inside.
While the whole room became engulfed in fighting, Grace was lifted to her feet. She was then dragged to the doorway and out into the hall toward the metal door the guards controlled with the lone working camera.
Ice grabbed the man and pushed Grace back toward the hallway. Fade caught her before she fell, lifting her up, and carrying her back inside the glass room.
He sat her down next to the wall, pinning her against it with his back. Anyone who tried to come close, he threatened with the tool he had used to open the steel door. They backed away, afraid they would end up on the floor with the ones Jackal was mercilessly ripping apart one at a time.
Ice finally managed to get control of the prisoners. The ones who had begun the attack lay littered around the room.
“You all right?” He pulled her from behind Fade, lifting her into his arms and carrying her to a table. She wasn’t aware of the broken whimpers passing her lips.
“Baby, quit crying. You’re breaking my heart.”
She stared at him in confusion. “I’m not crying.”
“Where are you hurt?”
“My ankle.”
When he lifted it in his gentle grasp, she bit down the cry that would have escaped and made herself breathe through her nose until she calmed down.
“Why didn’t you let me go? Another second and I would have been out of here.” Her accusing eyes never left him as his fingers searched her swollen ankle. She tried to jerk it from his grasp.
“Give me your shirt, Fade.” Ice’s gentle behavior disappeared.
Fade took off his shirt and handed it to him. Ice ripped it into strips then started winding them around her ankle without a word.
Grace turned her head away, unable to look at him. He told her he regretted involving her. Yet when the chance for her to leave had come, he had stopped it instantly. It was her own fault for feeling betrayed. She of all people knew how criminals’ minds worked. Winston would pretend to be her friend, only to hurt her over and over again while he had her. Ice was no different; he just used a different method.
Ice sat down on a chair when he finished, lifting her from the table and onto his lap.
Furious at him, she smacked his face and tried to get up, ignoring the pain she was causing her foot. “I hate you,” she spat. “Don’t touch me. You could have let me go!” She beat at his chest with her fists.
Ice caught both of her fists in his hand, pulling them behind her back and holding them in one of his. His other hand went to her face, making her meet his eyes. “As soon as I can, your pretty little ass will be out of here. Do you understand me?” He gripped her hands harder. “Don’t ever hit out at me again. I told you I would let you go when I could. And I’ll touch you any fucking time I want to.” One of his hands went to her breast, laying claim to the flesh. He didn’t move his fingers and explore, making sure she knew she didn’t give him orders.
“I believed you! You promised I wouldn’t get hurt.” She wildly waved her foot in the air. “Well, I did. So, no, I won’t believe anything you say ever again.”
Ice removed his hand, pulling her closer until her breasts were flat against his chest. His hand slid to her hair, forcing her to be still. “Baby, you can deal with a sprained ankle. If you’re going to be my woman, you’ve got to toughen up.”
“You freaking asshole. I wouldn’t be your woman if you were the last man on Earth. You think I’m weak-minded enough to fall for the man responsible for me being a hostage in a prison?”
“You’ll get over it.” His grin sent her blood boiling, but she could see it was useless to argue with the insane man. Instead, she closed her mouth, not saying another word.
“Ah, the silent treatment.” He stood up, placing her gently down on the chair.
He motioned for Max. “See if you can do a better job this time,” Ice said, moving away.
A red-faced Max sat down next to her.
“It wasn’t your fault—”
“Yes, it was. I was too busy talking and not paying attention. You saw them coming before I did.”
Grace felt bad his pride was hurt then wanted to smack herself for actually feeling sorry for him. She had to get her emotions under control. These men were not her friends; they were her enemies.
Chapter 10
Ice sent Fade in to open the last door between them and freedom. Jackal stood to the side of the door, his posture challenging anyone who dared to come near.
“That was close.”
“Too close,” Ice stated grimly.
“I shouldn’t have had my back to those fuckers.”
Unlike Max, Ice hadn’t had to reprimand Jackal; he knew he fucked up.
Ice sighed. “She grabs your attention and doesn’t let it go.”
“I know better, never got distracted before. She’s got a hell of a smile.”
“Yeah, too good. It’s going to get her in trouble.”
“Already has.” Jackal left no doubt of his meaning.
Ice changed the subject. “Keep an eye on Fade. I want him out fast. The longer it goes on, the chances increase for one of us to go down.”
He moved away. He was fucking tired; he hadn’t slept since this had begun. Both nights, he had gotten up as soon as Grace had fallen asleep so his brothers could take turns sleeping. It was catching up with him.
Grace had almost gotten away. If that metal door had opened, a team of tactical officers would have swarmed them within seconds. It had been a close call. He would have had to end the job, and he always completed a job once he took it. Grace had been an unanticipated problem, which made the job more dangerous. The warden and the law enforcement breathing at the door had a huge weight on their shoulders for a happy outcome.
Ice saw Grace turn her head away as he walked past. She was still pissed, and she was going to have to stay that way a while longer. He was going to finish the job first then get her the hell out of here. She was going to hate his fucking guts before she tasted freedom again.
He walked up to Church lying on the ground, holding a bunched-up shirt to his side. He savagely kicked his foot out, landing it next to the wound.
“Does it hurt?”
Church groaned in pain and dragged his sorry ass up to sit straighter against the wall. “I’m going to pay you back for this, Ice.”
“You're not going to be doing shit. All you had to do was stay out of my way. I warned you, Church.”
“I won’t always be in here, Ice. When I get out, I’ll be looking for you,” he threatened.
“I’ll be ready anytime you want,” Ice said as he watched Grace get up and walk to the bathroom as Max talked to Buzzard.
Furious, he followed her, but she beat him to the door, closing herself inside before he could reach her. Max turned around and saw her gone, jumping up from the table. When he saw Ice leaning against the wall next to the bathroom, he hung his head and sat back down.
He waited impatiently for the door to open, and when it did, he pushed her back inside before she could stop him. He picked her up, pinning her against the wall.
“Woman, have you no sense?”
Her startled eyes widened then darkened with fury. “How dare you! When I go to the bathroom is no business of yours.”
“What would you have done if one of those men pushed you in here then locked the door? Wonder what all he could have done to you before we could get the door open.”
“There’s no lock on the door.”
“He could take his shoe off and push it under the door.” His explanation had her turning pale.
“I didn’t think.”
“Next time, tell Max. Don’t sneak away from him again.”
“I won’t.”
Ice saw she had realized her mistake and softened. “Ba
by…”
“Don’t call me that anymore.” She tried to wiggle away from his grasp. “I’m still mad at you. You could have let me go. You’re all talk. You’re a liar and a…criminal.”
“Don’t hold back. Tell me what you really think,” Ice mocked.
“All right, I will. You're smart enough to lead those men who would die for you out there, but you can’t hold down a normal job, lead a normal life. You’re just as sick as Winston was.”
Ice’s blood ran cold at the comparison. “Don’t compare me to that sick fuck again, or I’ll turn you over my knee and smack that ass. I’ve not laid a hand on you other than to steal a kiss a kid would take. I won’t make that mistake again.”
His mouth closed over hers before she could protest. His tongue thrust deeply, widening her mouth, sliding against her own. His hand found the firmness of her breast, squeezing the plump fullness and sweeping the nipple with his thumb. Then he leaned his weight to the side and brought a leg up until she was straddling his thigh, her feet off the ground. Ice felt the heat of her pussy through the thin material of his pants.
He pressed her back against the wall, giving her more of his weight. His fingers went to the buttons of her blouse, unbuttoning several before sliding his hand inside, as his mouth broke free from hers.
“I jerked myself off thinking of these.”
Her hands clutched at his shoulders, opening and closing as if she couldn’t make up her mind what to do. He saw her hesitation and took advantage of it completely, unbuttoning the rest of her shirt. The cream blouse hung down her sides, showing the prim bra which fastened in the front. Unsnapping it with one hand, he leaned down and took a nipple into his mouth, sucking it, using his tongue to lap at the bright-cherry tip.
When he felt her wiggle against his leg, his hand slid roughly under her skirt until he reached the pussy he had fantasized about, his fingers finding her wet. He used the pad of his thumb to grind her clit while a finger slid deep inside her.
Her mouth went to his throat as she began shaking. He raised his head, looking down at the wet tip of her breast then lowered his head to the other one. Her hips jerked in response.