by M. S. Parker
“And everyone else is just collateral damage?” My heel hit the wall and I knew I was there. The window was to my left, a desk to my right. If I was going to do this, I needed to do it fast.
“I truly am sorry,” Pierre said. “This is just business.”
And then he lunged.
Chapter 11
Carrie
Just as Pierre started to make his move and my brain began to work on some sort of gibberish I suppose had something to do with fight or flight, the door opened.
Vincent let out what I assumed was a string of curse words in his native tongue and Pierre turned.
Maybe it was a reaction to what Howard had done, maybe it was instinct. Most likely, it was my self-defense classes kicking it. Whatever triggered it, I reacted.
My hand closed around something solid and heavy and I swung it at Pierre's head.
I had one of those moments where things seemed to go into slow motion.
I watched Pierre start to turn his head as the statue arced toward him. There was a moment of surprise in his eyes, followed by the realization that, no matter how fast he moved, he couldn’t get away. The head of the statue slammed into the side of his face with a hollow-sounding thunk and the momentum spun him around. His eyes rolled back in his head and his body dropped. Blood sprayed from his mouth and I was pretty sure there were a couple pieces of teeth in it too.
As he collapsed to the ground, sound and speed came back into the world. My mouth hung open in shock and I could hear my blood rushing in my ears. Sure, I'd had a face-off with Howard that had been violent and physical, but I'd at least known Howard had been a sleaze before he tried to rape and sell me. I'd thought Pierre had been my friend. The swiftness he’d gone from being savior to killer took my breath and was more than a little shock to my system.
“Carrie?” Vincent said my name, his tone cautious.
I turned toward him and he took a step back, his eyes flicking down. I followed his gaze and saw him staring at the statue still clutched in my hand. One side of it was smeared with blood.
“Fuck!” I dropped the statue. I looked at Vincent and I could feel the horror on my face.
“Gavin told you I am on your side?” Vincent's voice was cautious.
I nodded. “I'm sorry about your daughter,” I said automatically.
“Thank you,” Vincent said hurriedly. He glanced behind him into the hallway and then down at the two men on the floor. He frowned. “I don't understand. Why would the man Alizee sent to kill you also kill her security guards?”
“He didn't work for Alizee,” I said. “He said he was from a rival family in Corsica.”
Vincent's eyebrows shot up and he came closer, this time looking at Pierre rather than me. “He said that?”
“He was supposed to discredit Alizee or something...” My short-circuiting brain finally remembered how to work enough to communicate what I should've been doing instead of standing here talking to Vincent. “Shit! Gavin!”
“Where is he?” Vincent asked.
“I don't know,” I said. “But wherever he is, he's with Alizee and that can't be good, especially if she's telling him she's going to have me arrested.”
Vincent looked confused, but I didn't want to waste more time by trying to explain, especially not when I'd already let myself waste time freaking out.
“Find something to tie him up with.” I gestured toward Pierre. “And call the cops. We might not have enough to take down Alizee right now, but Pierre's killed four people I know of and tried to kill me.”
“And you are going to...?”
“Find Gavin,” I said as I leaned down toward Pierre. I'd spotted something useful. “And if Alizee has done anything at all to him, I'm going to kick her scrawny ass back to Corsica.”
Chapter 12
Gavin
I was pretty sure there were a lot of men who would've loved to have a woman as beautiful as Alizee try to seduce them, and more than a few who wouldn't mind if she was a complete psychopath, but I wasn't one of them. And I probably wouldn't have been one of them even if she hadn't been threatening to arrest my girlfriend.
“It’s very simple,” she said as she pressed her body against mine. “You give me what I want and things in France do not become complicated for you and your lover.” Her hands were at my waist, tugging my shirt from my pants.
My hands curled into fists. I didn't know how to get her away from me without having to physically manhandle her, and I knew that wasn't a good idea. She was already accusing Carrie of a crime she hadn't committed. If did anything she didn't like, I had no doubt the next set of false charges would be against me. Vincent might be able to help, but it might cost him everything.
“I promise,” she continued as her fingers skimmed over a strip of bare skin at my waist, “you will enjoy it.” She smiled at me. “So much so that you may ask for more.”
I put my hands on her shoulders as one of her hands dropped to the front of my pants, cupping my still soft cock. Her mouth twisted into a scowl when she realized I wasn't enjoying her ministrations. I seized the opportunity to move her away enough that I could step out from between her and the wall, putting distance between us even though she was still between me and the door.
“It's not going to happen, Alizee,” I said firmly. “I am not going to have sex with you. Carrie is innocent and I'll make sure everyone knows it. I don't care how many officials you buy off, you're not going to pin some theft on my girlfriend just because I can’t get hard enough to fuck you.”
“I believe I will,” she said. “I may even find more items she stole to ensure she enjoys the hospitality of a French jail for a while.”
I bit back the insult on the tip of my tongue and focused on trying to find a way to get out of here and look for Carrie. I had no doubt Alizee had security guards all over and they could easily take me down. Even if it was just me, I wasn't sure I could get out. But it wasn't just me. Carrie was here somewhere and I knew Alizee would call the cops on Carrie if I ran.
“Alizee, think about this.” I decided to try to reason with her. “If I don't want to have sex with you, it's going to be difficult for me to... perform. It won't be satisfying for either of us.”
She laughed. “Come now, Gavin, do not play coy with me.” She took a step toward me, making sure she was still positioned between me and the exit. “I am quite a skilled lover. I have no doubt I can... persuade you to be an active participant.”
Apparently I was being too subtle. I glanced down at my jacket. There was one thing I could say that would definitely get my point across. I hadn't wanted to put it quite this bluntly, but she wasn't really leaving me any choice. “You know that blackmailing someone into sex is rape, right? And what you just said, you're taking about non-consensual sex, Alizee. That's illegal. So how about you just take a step back, let me and Carrie leave, and we can pretend like none of this happened.”
“Rape?” She raised an eyebrow. “Americans have funny notions about sex. A woman cannot rape a man who is able to perform.”
I made a disgusted sound. “Unfortunately, there are Americans who would agree with you about that.” I started to edge toward my jacket. “But I don't think I'll have a problem proving it.”
“I do not understand.” She scowled at me. “This is not a betrayal of your precious lover.” The words dripped with scorn. “You would do this to protect her. Is that not a, as you Americans would say, a free pass? You are being given the chance to fuck me without repercussion from Carrie. She cannot claim you cheated and there would be no guilt as your reasons would be noble.”
“You don't get it,” I said. “I don't want a ‘free pass,’ Carrie is the only woman I want.”
I was within arm's reach of my jacket. I didn't want to grab it now, not when I still didn't have a clear line to the door. I could knock Alizee down if I had to, but if she had some of those massive men within shouting distance, I wouldn't get very far. I would need a better head-start.
&nbs
p; “Very well,” Alizee said.
She reached toward the fireplace and picked up the poker. From the look of it, it was iron and while the point wasn't knife sharp, I had no doubt it could be used to kill. She pointed it at me.
“If that is your final word, then you will wait here while I have my men bring Carrie to us.”
Her obvious threat told me she wasn't bringing Carrie here so she could let us both go together. Well, that and the fact that I'd see how vindictive she could be.
“I am going to hurt her while you watch. And then I will have my guards hurt her.”
Alizee and Howard would've been a match made in heaven, I thought. I remembered what it had been like to see Carrie tied up and know that Howard wanted to rape her. I'd never forgotten the expression of fear and pain on her face. I couldn't put her through that again. No matter what it meant for me.
My shoulders slumped and I gave a weary sigh. I didn't have a choice. Well, I did, but it was a shit choice. I could keep telling Alizee no and then watch her torture Carrie because I didn't want to do something I found distasteful. Or I could do what needed to be done and protect the woman I loved. Sleeping with Alizee would hurt Carrie, I knew, but I trusted she would understand why I did it.
I had to make a decision and it came down to which was the lesser of two evils, which would hurt Carrie less. When I thought about it that way, it wasn't difficult to know which was best. Knowing it and having the guts to follow through with it were two totally different things, however.
“Okay,” I said. I kept my voice flat, not wanting Alizee to know how much this was costing me. “I'll do it.” The words were sour in my mouth. “I'll fuck you.”
Chapter 13
Carrie
It wasn't as hard as I thought it'd be to find where Alizee was stashing Gavin. I couldn't take super-sleuth credit though. I just spotted the security guard standing in front of a hallway vacant of people. If he'd only been looking toward the party and blocking the hallway from wandering party goers, I wouldn't have thought anything of it, but the way he kept glancing behind him indicated there was someone back there.
I kept near the wall as I made my way along the edge of the crowd toward the guard. As I grew closer, I could see him shift his weight from one foot to the other as if he was nervous. A thin sheen of sweat coated his forehead.
He turned as I approached and rattled something off in French. I held up a hand so there was no mistaking my meaning.
“Look.” I pitched my voice low so no one else could hear me. “I’ve been watching you for a while. You're so hot. Have you ever had sex with an American woman? ”
“American?” His English was heavy accented, but understandable. “You think you are better than a French woman?” He laughed.
I grabbed his crotch and leaned in closely to whisper in his ear, “If you’ve never tried, how would you know? Are you willing to take the chance you'll miss out on something amazing? I’ll blow you mind, among other things.”
He didn’t reply, but I could feel him getting harder. That was answer enough.
“I tell you what. Meet me in that room and I’ll show you what a real woman can do to a hot, strong stud like you.” I nodded in the direction of one of the rooms behind him.
He waited for a moment, then nodded and turned aside to let me pass.
“Give me five minutes to get ready, hun.” I winked as I walked into the hallway. I could feel his eyes on me.
Inside, I thought I'd have to try every room in the hall, but I quickly noticed that only one of the first four doors were closed. I doubted Alizee would've stationed the guard so far up in the hall if she was down at the other end. She and Gavin had to be behind the closed door.
A locked door, I was sure. I glanced toward the guard, but he'd vanished. Probably just to the bathroom to prepare himself for what he thought was going to be the time of his life. I looked at the door again. I'd seen enough brothel raids to know I could either try to slam into it with my shoulder or I could try to kick it in. I slipped off my high heels as I weighed my choices.
I wasn't tiny, but I was far from a large, muscular person. I wasn't sure my shoulder would have enough force behind it to break the lock. I'd had a cop once explain the best spot to kick on a door to get the right angle to break the lock. I knew I could put a lot of force behind it and that I could hit the right spot. The problem was my dress. It was far too tight for me to get my leg up where it needed to be.
Dammit! I grabbed the slit in the side and pulled. After a moment, the seams gave and, with a tearing sound, the slit ran all the way to my waist. I was flashing my panties every time I moved, but that wasn't my concern at the moment. I had only one chance to get this right. If I didn't break the door down in a single kick, Alizee would know I was out here and that would be bad.
I closed my eyes and took a slow breath to steady myself. “Here goes nothing,” I muttered.
The jolt that went up my leg as my foot connected was painful, but it barely registered. I was too focused on the now open door. I raised the gun I'd stolen from Pierre and entered quickly, sweeping from side to side like I'd seen the cops do when they went after a trafficking ring.
Alizee stood frozen, her hands inside Gavin's open shirt while his hands gripped the edge of the table behind him, as if her touch was painful.
“Get the hell away from him!” I ordered.
Gavin was staring at me, but I didn't look at him. I kept my eyes on Alizee. She glared at me, but slowly backed away.
“First you steal from me and now you threaten me with a gun?” Alizee eyes were flashing. “You are putting yourself into worse trouble.”
“Shut up,” I snapped. “We both know I didn't steal anything, which means you detaining me was kidnapping.”
“But you are carrying a firearm,” Alizee countered.
“I took it off of the man who killed the guards you had outside my door.” I sidled around, never taking my gun off her. “Seems you have enemies in Corsica who're willing to kill to see you discredited.”
Shock rippled across her face and, then, was gone. She hadn't known and it had thrown her off balance. That was good. I wanted her off her game.
“I know about the human trafficking,” I said. Vincent might not like it, but it was time to put all the cards on the table. At least, our cards, I wouldn't share his secrets. Once Alizee was in custody, if Vincent wanted to accuse Alizee of killing his daughter, that was his business.
“You know nothing,” Alize said scornfully.
“I know you use your clubs as fronts where your clients, if they have the money, can buy sex or even a person. I know you take frequent trips on your yacht and that you have the resources and connections to make sure it's not thoroughly inspected.” I was just a few feet from Gavin now.
“You can prove none of this,” she said, waving a dismissive hand. “My government will not take kindly to Americans accusing a citizen of such things.”
“But we're not your only accusers,” I said. “Even so, you held both of us against our will and, the way it looked when I came in, were about to engage in sexual assault.”
She gave me a smile meant to provoke. “He was enjoying it. In fact, he agreed to fuck me. You interrupted.”
“Carrie, I–” Gavin started.
“I know,” I interrupted. “Either she's lying or she threatened to kill me unless you had sex with her. I know you'd never cheat on me.” I wasn't saying it for Alizee's benefit or because this wasn't the time for this kind of discussion. I said it because it was true. I trusted that Gavin wouldn’t willingly allow Alizee to touch him.
“Foolish,” Alizee hissed. “If you had given me what I wanted, you would have your club, money, a place in Cannes. To succeed in this business, you must be willing to do whatever it takes.”
“No,” I disagreed. “There are lines, and you crossed them. All of them. And, right now, a friend is calling the cops. You're finished, Alizee.”
She stared at me for a s
econd, her face frozen. Then she let out an inarticulate cry of rage and grabbed something from where it had been leaning against a wall. I had a split second to register that it was a fireplace poker, and then she was running toward Gavin, her arm up and ready to strike.
“Stop!” I shouted, even though I knew it would do no good. I had to give her the chance. When she didn't take it, I pulled the trigger.
The bullet slammed into her shoulder, spinning her around. She cried out in pain, dropped the poker and then fell to the floor. I hurried over and kicked the poker away. Gavin loosened his tie, pulled it off and tied Alizee's hands together. She let out a stream of curses in several languages, but we ignored her. Gavin fastened the end of the tie to the table leg and then went in search of something to use for her legs. I kept the gun trained on her, looking up only when I heard someone at the door. It was the guard I'd talked to. He looked down at Alizee then back up at me as I now pointed the gun at him. He slowly raised his hands over his head.
Gavin returned, grabbed the guard and tied them both securely with what looked like a curtain tie. Once that was done, he looked at me. The adrenalin rush was making my hands shake.
He gently took the gun out of my hands. He stashed it in his belt and then wrapped his arms around me. I pressed my face against his bare chest, breathing in the scent of him.
“I love you,” he whispered.
Before I could respond, his mouth covered mine. Oblivious to the guard, Alizee or the sirens in the distance, he kissed me slowly, thoroughly. His tongue explored every inch of my mouth as if trying to memorize it. I responded with equal enthusiasm, wanting nothing more than to forget what had happened and lose myself in the man I loved. I'd come too close to losing him too many times. Never again, I promised myself. Never again.
Chapter 14
Carrie
We were still kissing when the cops showed up, but both of us refused to be embarrassed about it. It was Vincent who’d alerted them and I knew he had explained things when I saw the understanding look on one of the officer's faces.