Buttons & Lace Read online

  I looked out the window and tried to remain calm. Tears burned the back of my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. This man couldn’t be worse than the man I just left. It wasn’t possible. Wherever I was going would be better than the place I came from.

  I just had to keep telling myself that.

  And try to believe it.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Crow

  She thought she’d been saved.

  Idiot.

  She thought Bones was bad? Wait until she spent some quality time with Cane and me. We would show her what a true nightmare was. We would show her what evil looked like in its purest form.

  She’d probably change her mind about the syringe.

  She stayed on her side of the car and didn’t make a sound, quiet as a mouse. Her handcuffed wrists rested on her legs, and her eyes were focused out the window. Slight tremors shook her body. She was scared but trying to hide it.

  If she thought she was scared now, she was in for a surprise.

  We arrived at the base an hour later and pulled into the compound where prying eyes couldn’t follow us. We’d hit Bones and his men hard. They were too disoriented to come after us. Most of his on-site men were killed, so he’d have to call for more backup.

  We were safe—for now.

  The SUV parked, and we jumped out of the car. I walked around to the other side to retrieve our new captive. I got the door open and yanked her out.

  She almost fell to the concrete because her steps couldn’t keep up with me. She hissed under her breath at my ferocity but still didn’t say a word.

  I gripped her by the back of the neck and escorted her inside. The other men removed their bulletproof vests and set their rifles down, the danger gone. Cane and the rest of the guys came in right behind us, a spring in their step from the victory.

  “Fucker didn’t even see us coming.” Cane walked in and immediately poured himself a whiskey. “Fucking asshole. I shot him in the arm just to make him scream. It was awesome.”

  The woman stood in the center of the room with her hands cuffed in front of her body. She watched all of us in detail, trying to find an escape route. She kept a cold look on her face, refusing to show any fear.

  I unlocked her cuffs because there was no reason to keep her in chains. There was nowhere for her to run. Nowhere for her to hide. If she tried to escape, it would be an interesting spectacle.

  When I came near her, she gave me a venomous look. If she had the chance to kill me, she would. There was no apprehension in her eyes. She loathed me, possibly loathed me more than her old master.

  Like I gave a damn.

  Cane downed his glass in a single gulp then wiped his lips with the back of his forearm. He stared at the woman with longing, his thoughts disappearing into his trousers. The other men stared at her as well, like she was the main course of a feast.

  Cane pressed the back of his forefinger against her cheek and slowly dragged it down. “Wow. Aren’t you pretty?”

  She slapped his wrist away instantly. “Get the fuck away from me.”

  “Whoa,” Cane said in surprise. “This one’s feisty. After a raid, I usually like to unwind. I’m going to take a round with her.” He grabbed her by the wrist and pinned it behind her back. “See what Bones is so obsessed with.”

  “Have fun.” I poured a glass of whiskey. “Let the boys have a go afterward.”

  “I don’t know,” Cane said as he squeezed her. “I might be a while.” He turned around and marched her toward the bedroom.

  Her breathing escalated, and she went into panic mode. She stomped her foot as hard as she could on Cane’s boot, making him scream out in pain and momentarily release her.

  Then she grabbed his knife from his belt and immediately went for the soldier closest to her, slashing him across the chest with such ferocity she looked like an assassin.

  The men scrambled for their guns, needing to put this bitch down before she did some serious damage.

  One of the men jumped on her from behind and grabbed her by the wrist, but she head-butted him then flung his arm down, breaking it at the elbow. Her knife slashed him, making him bleed.

  Damn.

  She sprinted at full speed for the door.

  Cane gripped his wound. “Fucking bitch. Get her!”

  The men chased after her, disappearing down the hallway. Their shouts carried to us in the main sitting room. Even now, she was a handful.

  “It’s a goddamn circus.” I slammed my glass down and joined the men, needing to saddle this wild bronco. I jogged through the hallway and followed the sound of their voices. A dead soldier lay on the ground from a stab wound to his chest. I kept going until I reached the entrance hall.

  The woman tried opening the window, but it was locked. All of them were locked. The front door was bolted shut. The men tried to lunge at her when she got too close. They didn’t use their guns because we couldn’t kill her—yet.

  I pushed through the men and reached the front of the mob. “Enough.”

  Her eyes scanned the room, searching for something she missed. Desperation marked her face. She needed to leave but couldn’t find a route. Her eyes quickly turned to the knife, and I knew what her next thought was.

  “Stop,” I ordered.

  She grabbed the hilt and aimed the knife right at her heart.

  “None of these men will touch you. I give you my word. Stop.”

  She pressed the knife against the neckline of her dress. She lacked any ounce of hesitation. She accepted her death as an old friend. She wanted to leave. She wanted to bleed out and die. It probably sounded better than the alternative. “Like your word means anything to me.”

  “It means the world.”

  “You told me to never trust anyone.”

  “I’m not asking you to.” I held up my hand then slowly lowered it. “Drop the knife. Come on.”

  “I’d rather die than be a slave. I’d rather die than live another moment in this hell.” Her bottom lip quivered from the emotion, the destruction of her life. Her eyes still carried their fire, their hatred. But she’d had enough. She’d been pushed too far, and now she cracked. Her wrist moved for the blow, ready to say good-bye to the world.

  My thick legs propelled me forward and got me there just in time. I threw her wrist down and knocked the knife out of her grasp. It clanked against the nearby window then dropped to the floor.

  “No!” Her knees collapsed underneath her as the anguish took over. “Just let me die. Have you no mercy?”

  I caught her as her body slackened and crumpled. She fell against my chest, aiming right for the floor. I wrapped my arms around her then scooped her into my arms.

  She lay there as a limp corpse, no longer caring what happened to her. She didn’t care about anyone or anything. I could hold a knife to her throat, and she wouldn’t blink an eye over it.

  I carried her into the main room.

  “You knocked that bitch out?” Cane poured vodka on his cut then bandaged it up.

  I walked into the bedroom and set her on the mattress. There was one window in the room, but it was covered with metal bars. The room lacked any decorations and didn’t have any furniture. The bed was just a mattress on the floor. A bathroom connected to it, but it was just as plain. It was a prisoner cell—with some privacy.

  The second she was on the mattress, her body came back to life and she crawled away from me, sitting as far away as possible. Her arms crossed over her chest for protection, and she refused to look at me. She eyed the window with heartbreak. Her tears never fell, but I knew they formed. “I’m not a slave.” The strength of her voice reverberated off the walls, amplifying in my ears. “I may be a prisoner, but I’m not a slave. You can try to do whatever you want to me, but I’ll fight back—every single time. When you least expect it, I will kill you. And that’s a goddamn promise.” She finally turned her gaze on me, and her eyes were colder than the arctic winter. Her promise burned bright like a star. She wasn’t afraid
of me. She wasn’t afraid of my men. She would get her retribution one way or another.

  “I’m a man of my word.”

  “You’re a criminal. A kidnapper. A rapist. Your word means horseshit.”

  My body tensed in response. My heartbeat quickened, and I felt the burn course through my blood. Her fight, her ferocity, shined like a beacon right into my soul. It set my body on fire, making my cock hard in my trousers and my hands desperate to touch her.

  I pulled out the syringe.

  She eyed it, immediately turning cold. “If you think I’m letting you stick that inside me, you have another thing coming.”

  “I’m asking you.”

  “You’re asking me?” she asked incredulously. “Like I would ever agree.”

  “If I leave you here, which was my original plan, you will be fucked constantly. The men will take turns, and you will never have a break. They won’t even let you sleep. If you think Bones is bad, you have another thing coming. We are the men who make up night terrors, not nightmares. We are the men who give evil a definition.”

  She tightened her arms in response, taking me seriously.

  “I may be evil, but I have a few rules. The first one is, I always keep my word. If I tell you something, it’s law. Alright?”

  She clenched her jaw tightly, refusing to agree with me. She needed to be defiant, to oppose me whenever possible.

  “I’m giving you this syringe because I need to transport you. I can’t do that if you’re conscious.”

  “Fuck. You.”

  The insult aroused me, not offended me. “If you don’t cooperate, I’ll have to leave you here. And if I leave you here, you’re going to wish you were with Bones.”

  She shivered noticeably. “And where do you want to take me?”

  “My home.”

  “Why can’t I see it?”

  “I don’t want you to know how to get there. I don’t want you to know how to leave.” I held up the syringe. “Do we have an understanding?”

  She eyed the syringe, her lips pressed tightly together. “I think you’re just drugging me so you can fuck me without a fight.”

  I chuckled because she couldn’t be more wrong. “I want to fuck you with a fight. That’s how I like it.”

  Her face paled.

  “What’s it gonna be?” I spun the needle in my fingertips.

  “If I go with you, you’re going to hurt me. You’re going to rape me.”

  I held her gaze and didn’t deny any of those claims. “Or you can stay here and be fucked in your mouth, your ass, and your pussy all at the same time. Your choice.” I was the lesser of two evils, and we both knew it.

  She hid her reaction, but a whirlwind of emotions swept through her. “Blindfold me. Don’t drug me.”

  “No.”

  She narrowed her eyes when she didn’t get her way.

  “I’ve seen what you can do. You’ll run the second you get a chance. You’ll grab the steering wheel and drive us off a cliff. And I don’t make compromises. Like I said, my word is law.”

  She pulled her knees to her chest.

  “I’m growing impatient.” I stood up and pocketed the syringe. “If you want to stay here, that’s fine. But this offer won’t come again. If you choose to stay here, you’ll remain here for a long time.”

  Her eyes shifted frantically back and forth, unsure what to choose. Either decision brought her pain. But what would bring her the least amount?

  I turned to the door because I didn’t have time for this. If she wanted to be stupid, she could be stupid.

  “Okay. I’ll go.”

  I stopped by the door and slowly turned around.

  “You give me your word you won’t touch me when I’m...drugged?”

  Now I understood her darkest fear. She hated the lack of control. She hated the inability to participate in her fate. Most women would prefer the drug. They were tortured and raped without having to experience it. They just had to suffer through the soreness the following day. But that’s not what she wanted. “Yes.”

  She swallowed my words before she scooted to the edge of the bed and pulled her hair aside. “If you lie to me, I’ll make you regret it.” She exposed her neck, submitting to me.

  I got harder at the thought of overpowering her. She was a rival opponent, a woman who couldn’t be easily tamed. She wasn’t like the others that I met. She didn’t bow to my feet and behave as an obedient dog. She had a backbone, and she fought mercilessly. The fact she made a sincere threat when she had no way to execute it was oddly charming.

  I sat beside her on the bed and placed my hand around her neck, feeling her powerful pulse underneath my fingertips. A thrill shot through my spine at touching her. She allowed me to come close. She allowed me to do something to her. Now all I could think about was fucking her hard on this very bed.

  But I wouldn’t break my word.

  I inserted the syringe and gave her the drug.

  Her eyes immediately fluttered then drooped. She reached for the mattress and slowly laid herself down, unable to fight the spell that pulled her under. She battled to keep her eyes closed, but she quickly lost that war. Her eyes closed, and she fell asleep.

  A minute passed while I stared at her. I watched her chest rise and fall slowly. Her lips parted slightly as she fell into a deep sleep. She looked helpless when she was unconscious. The fiery woman I just met was no longer present.

  I scooped her into my arms and carried her out.

  “What are you doing?” Cane asked.

  She was light in my arms, soft like a feather. Her arms hung limply by her sides as she remained asleep. “She’s coming with me.”

  “What?” Cane demanded. “Why?”

  “Because I’m the only one who can break her. You just saw what happened. One of our guys is dead, two are injured, and you’re still bleeding.”

  “I still want my turn with her.”

  “Not today, Cane.”

  “Well, I will get my chance. Even if it’s in your bed.”

  If I weren’t holding someone in my arms, I’d punch him in the face. “Keep talking to me like that, and you’ll never get your chance.”

  Chapter Sixteen

  Pearl

  When I woke up, I was in a new place. Sunlight filtered through the open window, and the sound of chirping birds filled my ears. Several of them spoke to each other, communicating in their own language that I would never understand.

  The light warmed my skin, making me forget the coldness of winter. It pounded past my eyelids, beckoning me to wake up even though I was still exhausted.

  My eyes finally opened, and I took a look around.

  The shutters of the window were pushed out, welcoming the breeze into the bedroom. Beige curtains were pinned back, contrasting against the brown painted walls. The top of the window curved like an oval, making me think of an ancient arch.

  I studied the rest of the room. A brown circular couch curved around a circular table. The furniture was white and accented with gold pillows. A TV hung on the wall with a cobblestone fireplace underneath. A white vanity sat against the wall with brushes and antique containers of makeup. The room was large enough to be a house. The door in the corner must’ve led to a private bathroom.

  It was the first time I’d woken up peacefully since I’d been kidnapped. It was the first time the delightful sound of birds acted as my alarm clock. I hadn’t seen an open window in months, and I didn’t really appreciate how good that felt until now.

  I got out of bed wearing the same dress I’d been wearing the night before and headed to the window. The shutters were wide open, and I could see endless rows of vineyards. It led to the hills in the distance. Not a single house was in sight. I was isolated, away from the nearest city.

  The sun was high in the sky, and it touched every piece of earth as far as the eye could see. I stood on the second story and saw grass at the bottom. It was lush and dark, darker than the leaves on the vines.

  M
y fingertips rested on the windowsill, and I felt freedom course through me. I could jump out the window and run as fast as I could, getting lost in the rows of grapes. The idea was so tempting and easy.

  But why was it so easy?

  I turned around and examined the contents of my room. There were shelves full of classic books and a pile of magazines on the shelf underneath the table. I spotted the case with a single red rose. It was fresh, just picked that morning. Underneath it was a handwritten note.

  Don’t run.

  There was no name, but I knew who left it.

  I investigated the bathroom. It had pristine tiles, and the vibrant decorations hinted at Italian culture. Even though it was a glorified prison, it was beautiful. I could only dream of living in a place like that.

  I left the bedroom and approached the doors that closed off my bedroom from the rest of the house. If the bedroom window was open, then I assumed that meant I could venture into the house.

  I opened the doors and stepped into the hallway. A grand staircase was to my right, while the hallway continued to the left.

  A voice appeared out of nowhere. “Good morning, miss.” A butler appeared in a full suit. He held himself with grace despite his older age, and friendliness lingered in his eyes. He seemed harmless, even sweet.

  “Who are you?” I blurted.

  “Lars. I’m pleased to make your acquaintance.”

  That didn’t answer my question.

  “His Grace was just about to sit down for breakfast. Would you like to join him?”

  Did I have a choice? I was hungry. And I did want answers. “Okay.”

  “Okay?” he asked. “My question requires a yes or no.”

  I gave him an irritated look. “Sure.”

  “Good enough. Follow me.” He led the way, taking the staircase to the bottom floor. The same archway of my bedroom window mirrored the doors and other windows. The tile was shiny enough to be brand new, and the area was spacious in its luxury. My captor didn’t just live in a mansion. He lived in elegance. Bones’s home was bland and ugly—just like him. This place had taste.

  Lars escorted me into a dining room. A large window took up one wall, highlighting the vineyards on the opposite side of the house. The mahogany table was big enough to seat sixteen people. Did he regularly invite sixteen people to dinner?