Gregory snapped his fingers and the bodyguard who’d let her inside the house stepped into the room. He kept his gaze locked on Vanni. “You’ve met Bruce. I wouldn’t attempt to leave just yet if I were you.”
It was a threat. “You know what? Keep my things. I’m out of here.” She tried to walk around Bruce but he blocked her path. She halted and stepped to the side to get past him but he moved with her. “Get out of the way. You can’t keep me here against my will.” She was scared.
“I can.” Gregory sounded confident. “You and I need to come to an understanding.”
She turned and stared at Carl. “Tell them to let me out of here.”
Carl rounded the desk and took a seat behind it. “We’re not engaged any longer.” He glared at her. “Don’t speak to me or expect me to help you. You fucked that creature. I will never forgive you for humiliating me this way. I’ve lost clients since the news broke. Payback is a bitch and so are you for doing this to me. You deserve whatever happens next.”
You asshole. Vanni faced his father. “Tell your bodyguard to get out of my way.”
“Have a seat.” Gregory pointed to a chair by the fireplace. “We need to discuss what you owe us.”
“No.” She backed away. “I returned your mother’s ring to your son. I don’t have anything else that belongs to your family.”
“You’ve cost us a lot of time and money.” Gregory pointed again. “SIT!”
“You can get your deposits refunded for the reception. They said four weeks’ notice was the cutoff point. I paid attention to that. Send me a bill if they don’t return all of it. I’ll put it on my credit card.”
“I’m not talking about the wedding.” Gregory’s voice rose, his expression angry. “Sit your ass down in that chair.”
She refused. “I know everyone is upset about what has happened but I think we should take a few days to calm down. You especially. I don’t know why you’re so upset. You always hated me. You should be throwing a party to celebrate that the engagement is off.”
“Bruce.” Gregory jerked his head in her direction.
The large man advanced. Vanni tried to get away but found herself trapped in the corner. She tensed when his beefy hands gripped her upper arms and he yanked hard enough to take her almost to her knees. He dragged her over to the chair and dropped her into it.
“Stay there.” He backed up a few feet and opened his jacket, making sure she could see the shoulder holster and gun.
She was mute and terrified. Were they going to kill her? Shoot her? It didn’t make sense. She huddled in the chair, too afraid to do anything else. Gregory strutted to another chair near her and sat, a smug look on his features. He crossed his legs and his expression cleared of all emotion.
“Here is what is going to happen. We’re holding a press conference tomorrow. You’ll read the statement we wrote telling the world you were drugged and raped by that creature in the video with you.”
She opened her mouth to deny it but wasn’t given the chance to speak.
“You’ll stay here tonight as our guest. Mable is out buying you a nice outfit that will make you appear tragic and I expect you to shed lots of tears. Tell her, Bruce.”
The thug cleared his throat. “Sobbing would play out better. We’ll have Mable do her makeup so she looks really pale and add some dark shadows under her eyes to give the impression she isn’t sleeping.”
Gregory smiled. It was ice cold. “Nice. I like that idea. Of course Carl will stand at your side, Travanni. You’ll also wear my mother’s ring as if the engagement is still on. We wouldn’t want anyone to think we would abandon you after such a heinous crime was committed against you. My entire flock of parishioners is going to be very supportive. We’re going to take you into the fold and help you heal.”
“I wasn’t raped.” They’d lost their minds. Maybe it was how they were dealing with the stress. She tried to ease out of the seat slowly. “I’m leaving now.”
Bruce put his hand on the butt of the gun. “Suicide would work too. She couldn’t withstand the trauma of such a highly publicized sexual assault. I can stage it easy and the press will eat it up.”
She sagged in the seat. He was threatening to kill her. She wasn’t stupid. They were nuts. She turned her head and stared at Carl, hoping he at least remained sane. His gaze held hers.
“She still hasn’t put it together.” He shook his head. “So cute but so dumb. It was one of her best traits. Now I see how annoying it can be, Dad. You had her pegged.”
“Put together what?” She glanced between father and son.
“Dad, you deal with her. I’m sickened by this mess.” Carl stood and left the room.
Vanni watched him go and resisted bolting out of the chair. Bruce still touched his gun when she dared glance at him. She’d never make it to the door if he really intended to shoot her. She addressed Gregory. He seemed to be in charge.
“What is going on?”
He blinked. “We know that creature didn’t drug you. Bruce paid the bartender to do it.”
All her muscles seemed to go lax. She just gaped at him.
“Do you know how many hundreds of thousands of dollars I had to pay to get my hands on B-47?”
“What’s that?” She had a horrible suspicion though.
“It’s what was in your drink. They have a long, boring name for it but that’s what the man I bought it from called it. Batch forty-seven. It makes sluts show their true nature.” He glanced up at Bruce. “What was the total we paid out?”
“Almost seven hundred thousand,” the man murmured.
“Nasty business dealing with that man but it’s a war.” Gregory shrugged. “You fucked up our plan by going into that bar. It was supposed to be a woman we hired without any ties to us but she ran late. You sat next to that creature instead. You caused us a hellish day yesterday while we figured out how to make this work to our advantage.”
“It will,” Bruce confirmed.
“We’ll see.” Gregory studied Vanni. “We need a victim. Otherwise we would have just drugged the creature and let witnesses watch him kill her. As tempting as that was, I was afraid the NSO could spin it that he’d had a mental breakdown from the atrocities done to him in the past. They really enjoy playing that feel-sorry-for-us card. This way we’re pitting you against one of them. Fathers, brothers, mothers and sisters are going to side with you after you tell them how you were drugged and raped by that creature. We’ll put you out there every few days with the media and really work the angle of how your life was destroyed by the event. I think it would be a nice touch if you say you caught him slipping a vial into his pocket but didn’t think anything of it until after you realized what he’d done.”
“She could say he explained it as some liquid vitamin he takes and that he bragged about putting it in her drink after she started feeling unwell. That should kill any bullshit they come up with when they deny he drugged her. It implies forethought.” Bruce smiled. “We can spin this any way we want now that we are in control of her. Bleeding hearts will eat it up.”
“I agree.” Gregory gazed at her. “We’ll write your speech and practice it before you’re put in front of the cameras. One of my parishioners is an acting coach. She’ll work with you to get your gestures and facial expressions just right while you read from the cards.”
It wasn’t a nightmare. She was wide awake. “I won’t do it.”
Gregory’s composure evaporated and he grabbed the arms of the chair, his face twisting into a mask of rage. “You will do every damn thing I say or you will tragically be found dead with a suicide note blaming the NSO. That’s not what I want. I need a live victim to parade around in front of the cameras and that’s what you’re going to be if you want to stay alive. I’ve got too much invested in this.”
Bruce reached inside his pocket for gloves then put them on. The sight terrified Vanni. It implied he was about to do something criminal and he didn’t want to leave fingerprints. They were really p
lanning to kill her. She glanced at the door.
Think. “Bullet holes in my back isn’t suicide.”
She launched out of the chair, knocking it over, and ran to the door. The expectation of being shot, of feeling searing pain, drove her into a healthy sprint. Her parting words were the only protection she had, hoping they thought better of shooting her in the back.
The front door loomed and she managed to unlock and yank open the door. She reached inside her pocket, fisting her keys as something hit her shoulder blade. It hurt. She would have screamed but couldn’t. Electricity jolted through her body and she convulsed, hitting the floor hard. It stopped and she lay there panting.
Gregory bent down and chuckled. “Tasers really look painful. Did that hurt as much as it appeared to? She might have some bruises now.”
“We’ll blame them on that creature she fucked. It will look better for the cameras anyway. I might knock her around a bit more if she keeps attempting to run.”
“Let’s try to avoid that since she’s been photographed a few times at her apartment by the press.”
Bruce crouched next to her. She flexed her fingers but they were slow to respond. Her body felt sluggish and everything ached. More pain made her flinch while the guard removed the darts imbedded in her skin. She was pretty sure she was bleeding. It hurt bad enough.
“Fine.”
“I mean it, Bruce. Don’t mess her up. What if a medical examination is required? How are we going to explain what you just did to her?”
“The NSO security carries the same brand. I made sure of that before I bought this one. We can blame it on them.” Bruce rolled her. He dropped the Taser and reached into the inside pocket of his blazer. He withdrew a glass vial, smiled at her and gripped her hand.
Vanni tried to jerk away but she didn’t have the strength. She watched as he pressed her fingers to the sides and lid of the small glass bottle. “What are you doing?”
“Insurance.” When he was done, Bruce pulled a plastic bag out of his other pocket and dropped the vial inside. He waved it at her. “See that small amount of liquid inside? It’s B-47.”
“You’re framing me for the drugging?” She was recovering and tried to scoot on the floor to get away. “You people are nuts and stupid. You can’t blame me too. You’re trying to pin it on the NSO. At least try to make sense.”
Gregory stood and held out his hand. “Give it to me.”
Bruce passed over the plastic bag with their so-called evidence. Gregory smiled at her. “Have you ever heard of New Species laws, Travanni?”
She struggled closer to the door.
“I do my homework on those beasts. They are vicious.” He waved the bag. “Do you want to know what would happen if you were to go against my wishes by doing something really stupid at that press conference tomorrow? I’d have this hand delivered to the NSO gates.”
Bruce straightened and reached down, grabbing her by the front of her shirt. He fisted it and hauled her ruthlessly to her feet. She almost collapsed but he yanked her forward and spun her to face Gregory, his free arm hooking painfully around her waist to keep her against him.
“They are far worse than we are.” Gregory placed the bag inside his pocket. “If I can’t use you to my advantage, I’ll put you at their mercy. They don’t have any. We’ve spent money on private investigators searching for Mercile employees in hopes of getting them to talk in front of the cameras about how brutal New Species really are and the deaths they caused when they were still chained and caged. Do you want to know what we found? Nothing. They just disappeared off the face of the Earth to never be seen again. I think the reason the NSO doesn’t allow helicopters to fly over their Homeland or Reservation is because we’d see the graveyards where they bury their victims.”
Vanni struggled against Bruce but it only hurt when he squeezed. She stopped. It was pointless. He was a brute and too strong.
“They aren’t kind or friendly. They are just good actors.” Gregory tapped his pocket, as if she needed a reminder of what was inside. “The only way you’re going to survive is to be more useful to me alive than dead. Do you understand? They’ll kill you if I send them the vial.”
Gregory paused, seemingly distracted as he watched Bruce subdue her. It was obvious he enjoyed her distress. The vile creature refocused and continued his threat, “Bruce will also have the bartender swear he saw you dump something in that beast’s drink. They’ll have all the evidence they need to believe you’re guilty. I’ll be the hero who discovered you used us to get close to them at that conference. They won’t believe I was behind it since I’ll just say I realized you were using my church. Do you see where I’m going with this? I win, no matter what. Screw me over and you’ll pay for it. I need a victim, Travanni.” He grinned at her. “Do you feel like a victim?”
She refused to respond.
He looked at Bruce. “Escort our guest to one of the rooms. I would never accuse her of being overly bright so perhaps she needs time to realize that we own her.”
Bruce lifted her and spun toward the stairs. She clawed at his arms and he cursed. One hand gripped her throat and he leaned down enough to put his lips against her ear.
“You don’t want to piss me off, little girl. My plan was to find you after you fucked that creature, beat you to a pulp and leave your destroyed body in that alley. They would have gotten the blame once that video was sent out. Gregory thinks you’re more useful as our press whore. Push me. Please. I had my heart set on making you into a punching bag.” He chuckled. “I love hearing screams.”
She stilled in his arms.
He chuckled and continued up the stairs. It was uncomfortable but she didn’t dare complain. Bruce was a sadistic bastard who terrified her and was probably a serial killer.
He carried her up to the third floor. It wasn’t a place she’d explored on her only visit. A guard waited up there and nodded at Bruce as he opened the door. The guy didn’t even glance her way or meet her frantic gaze. There was no hope that he’d help her. Bruce stepped inside the room and dropped her hard onto her feet. The parting push was just for meanness.
She stumbled and turned. Bruce grinned. “The walls have been soundproofed. Gregory brings prostitutes here and doesn’t want anyone to hear that he enjoys a little kink with his sex.”
She wasn’t surprised at anything Gregory Woods was capable of anymore. She’d thought he was kind of prudish but he was just evil.
“He was afraid reporters would breach the grounds so the windows have been sealed off. There is no escape. I’ll be posted at the door. You try anything and I’ll hang you from that ugly chandelier.” He fisted his hands and weaved around as if he were boxing. He stopped and smoothed down his jacket. “Understand? Nobody is going to care how bad I hurt you as long as whatever outfit Mable picks hides the bruises.”
He backed out and left Vanni staring after him. She finally jerked out of her horrified stupor and took a good look at the room. Other than a massive bed it was empty. The windows were closed off. He hadn’t lied about that. Thick boards had been nailed over them. She inspected them and knew no amount of prying was going to unseal them.
She glanced at the bed and shuddered. No way was she going near the place where Gregory had sex with his paid women, especially if it involved violence. She sat on the floor instead and hoped that Beth would call the police when she got home after her outing with her sister.
Beth is going to know something is wrong. She had to have faith in that. She’ll call the police and they’ll come here looking for me. I just have to keep it together until then.
Chapter Eight
Smiley had never had an issue with being called to Justice North’s office but a sense of dread clung to him. He entered and took a seat without being asked. Justice, Fury and Bestial were already present.
“What has happened now?” He glanced at all three males. “I know it isn’t good.”
“No.” Justice cleared his throat. “It’s not.”
/> “Is Vanni well?” Smiley couldn’t shake the fear that the drug may have harmed her.
Fury leaned forward and braced his elbows on his knees. “The Woods Church is holding a press conference this morning. Pastor Woods is accusing you of drugging and raping his son’s fiancé. He’s saying it happened in the human world so you should face human laws. He wants you charged and prosecuted in the human courts.”
Smiley hadn’t seen that coming. “I didn’t do it.”
“We know,” Bestial growled.
“We need to find Vanni and have her tell them we were both drugged.” Smiley stood. “She knows I wasn’t responsible.”
Justice stood. “She’s holding the press conference with them. I understand that you wished to believe she was innocent but it’s become clear she did drug you. They set you up and she was part of it.”
Jericho entered and paused by the door. “I’m sorry.”
Smiley turned his head and glared at him.
“You need to admit you were wrong about that female.” Sadness flashed in his red-hued eyes as Jericho took a deep breath and expelled it. “I was hopeful for you but she’s accusing you of a forced breeding. She plans to stand in front of cameras and tell them you drugged and harmed her.”
“There is good news,” Justice stated. “The video clip doesn’t support that. She was clearly the sexual aggressor.”
“They’ll use the drug to blame her behavior.” Fury sighed and shook his head. “This is a mess. Tim wants to send a team to grab her before the news conference.”
“I told him no. It will only make us appear as if we have something to hide.” Justice came around the desk and stopped in front of Smiley. “Regardless of how this plays out, you are safe. They don’t have the right to come here to demand we deliver you to their authorities. We will fight this and prove it was them. It just might take time.”
“Why would anyone believe I would need to drug a female to share sex?” Smiley’s temper flared.
“The Woods Church has always stated we must drug or pay females to make them agree to be mounted by us.” Jericho snorted. “Tell the news cameras to pan our gates and get shots of the females who show up here with signs asking us to take them as mates.”