Somehow the slippery fucker wriggles out from beneath me and slams the gun into my arm, the one still recovering from the accident. I release a hiss and fight to gain superiority again but he keeps using the butt of the rifle to hit out and I have to release him to fend off the blows. Then the wood connects with the side of my head and everything goes white. I sag and roll to one side. Peering up through the mist crowding my vision, my heart sinks when Lucas comes to his feet and towers over me. I picture Jess and her hurt expression. I hope she forgives me. If I never see her again, I hope she forgives me.
Lucas takes the time to tie my hands together with some red rope—presumably something he’d intended to use on Jess. He loops the rope through the radiator, the metal cold against my hands. My sprained arm twinges in protest. Why hasn’t he killed me yet? I guess he’s still hoping Jess will make an appearance. I can’t help but grin then. Mitch and Connor will protect her for as long as it takes. They should be watching over her now and they’ll do whatever is needed to bring Lucas to justice.
A footstep sounds on the outer stair, ringing against the metal and stalling my breath. Then another. Cramps of dread strangle my insides. There’s no way it could be, but I can’t help think… I lean my head back against the wall while my tender arm throbs. It can’t be her. Please, God. Don’t let it be her. Lucas grins and I stare at the door, unable to look away, unable to do anything. Powerless.
Several more footsteps and Lucas flashes a grin at me. “Let’s surprise her, shall we?”
He flicks off the light, throwing the room into darkness. Only the faint dusting of light through the open window allows me to track Lucas’s movements as he positions himself by the door, rifle in hand.
The door opens, letting in a sliver of orange glow from the street. “Hunter?”
“Run, Jess!”
But it’s too late. Her scream as Lucas lunges for her tears through me. Jagged pain shoots through my heart. I failed her. When he flicks on the light, he has her pinned against him. He juggles the gun and thrusts it into her side while his other hand comes across her mouth. Jess’s gaze connects with mine and she sobs against his hand.
I curl my tied hands into fists, aware I’ve signed the death warrant for both of us. “I’m sorry, princess,” I murmur.
***
Jess
Hunter’s bruised and battered face, his bound hands and the wash of despair in his expression force another sob out of my throat, barely quashed by Lucas’s sweaty palm. The uncomfortable jab of metal against my ribs tells me all I need to know about the situation.
We’re in big trouble.
Lucas drags me backward and shoves me onto the bed. “If you move,” he barks, “I’ll kill him.” He motions with the rifle toward Hunter.
My mind whirls as I try to make sense of the situation. I have no idea if Lucas will make good on his threat but he nearly killed us by cutting Hunter’s brakes. What other choice do I have but to play along?
With rough movements, Lucas binds my hands behind my back, then ties my ankles together. I keep myself tight, fight the temptation to struggle. Hunter’s life is at stake.
“Motherfucker,” Hunter spits. “Bastard. Motherfucking bastard. I’m going to kill you if you touch her.”
Lucas smirks and I throw Hunter a pleading look. Leaving me for a moment, Lucas climbs off the bed, strides over and punches Hunter. I squeal and Hunter spits blood onto the floor.
“You’re in trouble, Lucas. No way you’ll cover this up. If the police don’t get you, my buddies will. They’re trained in shit like this. You’ve fucked up big time.”
“Shut up.” Another hit.
I close my eyes to Hunter’s pain.
“Let her go and you can do what you want with me. You can be on your way. No one will follow you if you just let her go, I swear.”
“Shut up or I’ll start breaking your fingers.”
“Oh God,” I whimper.
“You’ll be hunted like an animal. They’ll kill you in a far worse way than you could imagine. We’re like brothers, see. Hurt me and you hurt them. Hurt Jess and you’ll be in more trouble than you know. Being in jail will seem like a cakewalk compared to what they’ll do to you. Let her go.”
I hear a crack and a muffled groan of pain. Hunter falls quiet and tears burn my closed lids. There’s a rustle and when I open my eyes, Hunter is gagged with a strip of red cloth.
“There,” Lucas declares and goes to lock the door. “Let’s get on with this shall we?”
I tug at the ropes and wince. My wrists are beginning to burn and my shoulders ache. I glance around the studio flat as Lucas sets up a camera. Every move he makes echoes in the empty space. Clearly he’s been planning this for a while. The bed is made up ready for whatever he intends and he flicks on a studio light that illuminates the already bright white walls. I swallow and look at the door. I can make it there I think but I can’t open it without my hands. And where would that leave Hunter?
“Try anything and I’ll cut you,” he hisses while he adjusts the camera legs. “It won’t show but it will hurt.” He smirks. “Don’t want to mar you before your big performance.”
My teeth knock together as chills spread through my body. I draw my chin up and pray he can’t see my fear even though I feel like fainting. Lucas was always the kind of guy who enjoyed preying on vulnerable people. I refuse to let him see how scared I really am.
“So what are you planning to do? Shoot a film with me and what? Sell it? Put it online? You’ll just be handing the police all the evidence I need to get you convicted of rape.”
He wipes his hands over his jeans and steps over to me, a glint of malice in his eyes. “I offered you so much. You could have been famous. I gave you a job when no one else would.”
“You ruined my life,” I spit.
“I didn’t make you do anything you didn’t want to do.” He folds his arms across his chest and looms over me.
“I had no idea what I was getting into. You make me sick. You prey on vulnerable girls. You ruin their lives for profit. And what do they get? Abuse, diseases and humiliation.”
“You could have been one of the best, baby.” He curls his hands around my upper arms and hauls me to my feet. “If you’d have just played it nicely and done as I’d asked, you could have reached the top and started earning big bucks.”
“If I’d have slept with you, you mean.”
“None of the other girls ever objected.” Lucas’s upper lip curls. “You probably would have enjoyed it, whore. But you’ll never know now. I’m afraid you won’t find much of this enjoyable.”
“The girls never objected because they didn’t want to lose their jobs. They were poor enough with the wages you paid. And I doubt very much anyone has ever enjoyed fucking you!”
He twists me suddenly, making me lose my footing, and throws me back onto the bed. A muffled sound of protest comes from Hunter. My head snaps back, hurting my neck and I release a yelp as I bounce against the mattress. More scuffling sounds and Lucas whirls around to snatch a knife from his bag of tricks in the corner. “Try anything,” he warns, “and I’ll cut her.”
I can’t see Hunter from where I am, but it sounds like he relents and stops whatever he was doing. Despair flows over me but I’m glad I won’t have to hear Lucas break any more of his fingers.
Knife in hand, glinting in the bright light, Lucas stands over me. “It’s all about paying your dues, something you’d never understand. You think all the big porn stars didn’t have to work to get to where they are? You’re just a spoilt brat. You always were. And I’m going to teach you a lesson.” He climbs onto the bed and crawls across me, pinning me with his weight. I can barely suppress a shudder of revulsion as his breath washes over my face and I feel the hard length of his erection bumping my hip. “You were the only one,” he whispers. “The only one stupid enough to say no. You had everything. The looks, the body, the big innocent eyes. The camera loved you. But you had to fuck it all up.”
“I was glad to be out of there. In fact—” I force a laugh “—I’m glad you demanded I sleep with you. It gave me the incentive to get out of that life.”
“You fucked everything up for me too, you little bitch.” Spit sprays across my face, forcing bile into my throat. “I couldn’t focus after that. The studio never cared who I slept with before but suddenly I wasn’t allowed to fuck the girls. Said I was too rough. I was forcing them. I’d get the studio in trouble. You ruined everything.” His hands come to the neckline of my top and his gaze drops as he pulls the material away. “Now,” he hisses, “I’m going to ruin you.”
Panic surges through me, the unwelcome hands tugging at my top make me breathless and light-headed. “You’re going to ruin yourself,” I whisper. “You’ll go to jail.”
“I won’t.” His lips twist and he yanks my top. The rip echoes through the room and I release a panicked cry. In spite of my squirming, he has no troubles holding me down with his weight. “I’m going to be long gone and your video will only ever be seen by one person. After this, I’ll be rich enough to live wherever I want.”
Ice coldness fills my veins and I still. “What do you mean?”
“Someone is willing to pay a vast amount for a video of you for their private collection.”
“Why?”
Lucas lifts a shoulder and sets to work pulling the torn cotton from me. “Rich men feed on power. What’s more powerful than having control over someone’s life?”
“My life?”
“Yes, whore. Your life.” He slides off me and drops my torn top to the floor. “You, baby, are going to be a superstar. You’re going to feature in your very own snuff film.”
“S-nuff...as in…?”
The wash of calmness in his expression and the hint of excitement in his eyes makes me wretch.
“Today you’re going to be fucked. And then I’m going to slit your throat.”
More grunts of frustration and Lucas spins around to slam Hunter to the ground with a back hand. “I’ll cut you both! I’d cut you now if I didn’t want you to watch as I ruin her,” he screams.
Coming back to the bed, he unsnaps my jeans with one hand. I writhe and fight him but he brings that knife to the waistband of my trousers and I freeze, the touch of metal against my skin forcing a trickle of sweat down my chest. With practiced movements, he slices open my jeans, cutting and tearing at them until they’re nothing but scraps and can be ripped away with ease.
In only my panties and bra, goose-bumps prick my skin but whether I’m cold or terrified, I’m not sure. Tremors wrack me. When he kills me, what will it be like? Will it hurt? Is it quick? Absurdly I keep thinking what a mess it will make against the white bedding. But I guess that’s why he chose it.
“Why try to kill me if you wanted to do this?” I ask, not really caring but praying for some kind of delay.
“I was trying to kill him,” he replies through a clenched jaw as he thrusts a finger toward Hunter. “You weren’t meant to be on the bike. He kept getting in the way.”
He puts the knife aside and stands to turn on the camera. I stare at it, silently entreating. No one is watching but someone will eventually. Some rich person who cares nothing for people. Maybe I can make them see I’m more than just a nameless woman.
“You ready, baby?” Lucas taunts.
“Fuck you,” I spit.
I roll when Lucas climbs onto the bed. He drags me back but I do it again. Then I thrash and kick with my bound legs. I catch him in his erection and he curses and backhands me. Stars break out in my vision but I won’t give up easily. Not when Hunter’s life is at stake too.
“Keep still,” Lucas hisses.
“Never.” I thrust out my feet as he tries to pin me and catch his stomach.
“Do you want him to do die?” Lucas’s face is wild, his short hair in disarray, his dark eyes bloodshot and wide.
“Do you want me to cooperate?” I cry.
“You’re in no position to negotiate.”
“Let him go and I’ll play nice. You can fuck me. I’ll pretend to enjoy it if you want. Just let him go.”
Hunter’s cry sounds like a no. I twist my head, see the anguish in his face and silently plead with him not to do anything stupid. He presses his back against the wall and struggles to his feet. Lucas goes for his gun.
“Don’t!” I scream.
A crash sounds. The door splinters. I wait for Hunter to fall but he doesn’t. No blood stains his chest. There’s another crack and the locked door judders. Someone is kicking it down.
It’s enough. I struggle off the bed and fall to the floor with a smack. Pain shatters through me. Lucas spins and from my position on the floor, I see Hunter lunge, the rope tearing away. Blood drips from his wrists where he must have been working them free. The rifle bangs and plaster from the ceiling rains down on them both, covering them in a snow-like coating. Hunter smashes his head into Lucas’s face and the man staggers. Another blow to the stomach from Hunter and Lucas collapses to the floor.
The door bursts fully open and Mitch and Connor storm in. Mitch’s eyes widen when he spots me. In one stride, he’s at my side and pulling me to my feet.
“Help him!” I cry.
Mitch shakes his head and wraps an arm around my shuddering half-naked form. “Looks like Hunter has everything in hand.”
I glance over and see Lucas curled in a ball. Hunter kicks him and tears the fabric from his mouth. “Touch my woman,” he spits. “You sick fuck.” Another kick and Lucas cries out. “I’ll fucking kill you.”
Connor strides over and grabs the abandoned rifle before tugging on Hunter’s arm. “He’s not worth jail time. You’ve got a woman who needs you, remember?”
Hunter glances at me, swears and delivers one last kick to Lucas’s side. The man goes limp. Panting and hobbling slightly, Hunter takes me into his arms and clamps me to him. “It’s over now, princess.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
Hunter
After a long day of sitting in a car, watching a potential cheater, I’m grateful to be home. It’s easy to become jaded watching people like that but Jess will draw me out of my bad mood. Stepping in through the door, I shut it and inhale deeply. Can’t get sick of that new apartment smell, especially when it’s mingled with the scent of Jess’s coconut shampoo. She must have just showered.
Unable to resist a grin as I drop my car keys on the kitchen side, I draw in another deep breath. Strange. Smells like… motor oil? Voices reach me from the balcony and I curl a fist.
Connor.
Eyes narrow, I stalk out onto the balcony. Connor and Jess stand side by side looking out over the city.
“Well, isn’t this cosy…” I drawl.
Jess whips around and grins. Connor shakes his head. “Nice to see you too, Hunter.”
I come up to Jess’s side and put an arm around her shoulder, hold her close to my side. “What brings you over, Connor?”
“Just checking the new place out. Nice.”
“That’s it?” I raise a brow.
“Pretty much.” He glances at his watch. “I’ve got to get going. I’ll see myself out.”
Scowling, I watch Connor leave before turning back to Jess. “What was that all about?”
She shrugs and turns to stare out at the view. With the sun slowly dropping, the tall buildings are cast in an orange glow, silhouetting them against the sky.
I wrap my arms around her waist, loving how she sinks into me with a sigh. “Might not be a penthouse, but we do have an awesome view.” I draw back slightly to drop my gaze between us and eye her leather clad legs. I’ve not seen her in leather for a while and I must admit, it’s a damned nice view too.
Jess tilts her head back against me. “No regrets?”
She’s talking about selling Mam’s house. It was hard, letting go of what she’d worked so hard for but Jess reminded me that there’s more to life than work and Mam wouldn’t have wanted me struggling to make the payment
s. I’d locked myself in the past and it was time to let it go. I suspect my mother would have been thrilled to know I’d finally settled with a gorgeous girl.
“None.” I skim a kiss over her neck and feel her shudder. “You?”
She laughs. “As if.”
“I think Connor has a crush on you,” I mutter.
Another laugh. Why is that so funny?
“Hardly. Connor and Mitch have taken it upon themselves to play big brothers ever since you charged them with protecting me.”
“I didn’t say Mitch. You think he has a crush on you too?”
Jess turns in my hold and wraps her hands around the back off my neck. “Quit scowling and listen. I did not say Mitch has a crush on me. Neither of them would dream of touching me. You know they love you too much.”
“You can’t blame me for being jealous, not when you look so fucking hot in those trousers,” I grumble.
Truth is, I trust those two with my life as I do Jess. Doesn’t mean I want them looking at her though. Sometimes I’d like to tuck her away and keep her from everyone but then I remember the side she only shows me. The real Jess. And I’ve got to admit, it does quite a bit for my ego to have her trust me with that.
“Well, I am wearing these for a reason.” She kisses the corner of my mouth and slips out of my arms before I can press the kiss deeper. With that sexy strut of hers, she strolls over to the door and glances over her shoulder. “You coming?”
I gulp and nod. “Yeah, sure.” I don’t know what the hell she’s up to but seeing that cute ass all in leather does something to a man’s brain.
We head down to the parking lot underneath the building. Jess stays frustratingly quiet, refusing to answer my questions. She takes my hand and leads me through the dimly lit car park. A few weeks ago I’d have been worrying about her being in the dark parking lot after Lucas skipped bail, but having read the papers the other day, I can relax. Seems he didn’t want to go to jail and jumped in front of a tube train when the police tracked him down.
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