She leaned over the chair, stroking Lucky between the ears with one hand and the wolf with the other.
Max cleared his throat. He may as well get this over with. “So, we need to, uh, talk.”
She went still. Her gaze shot to his. She lifted a brow.
Heat crept into his cheeks. “In the living room earlier…” He trailed off, unable to get the words out.
She sat up in the chair, her gaze locking on his. “In the living room earlier…what?”
Shit, he was so not good at this kind of thing. “I, um, you shouldn’t have kissed me.” His face grew hotter. “And I shouldn’t have kissed you.”
Her gaze remained steady on his. “Why not?”
He looked away. “Come on, Jennie. You know why.”
“No, I don’t.” Her voice had grown defensive. “Why don’t you enlighten me?”
He ran a hand over his face. He was still embarrassed by what he’d told her about Emily and Laura earlier. He didn’t want her pity. How did he say this without embarrassing himself even more? Or offending her?
“You know about Laura.” He cleared his throat again, stared down at the floor. “I haven’t been with another woman since she died and I…” He trailed off, his cheeks warming, feeling like an idiot. “And you’ll be leaving soon.”
“So you can’t kiss me?” Her gaze narrowed. “The world’s not going to come to an end, Max.” She rose and headed for the coffee pot. “You survived the loss of your wife and daughter. A kiss isn’t going to kill you.”
When she said it like that, his fears sounded ridiculous. His face grew hotter.
She poured herself a cup of coffee while Max stared silently at the floor, wishing he hadn’t said anything.
“For the record,” she said, turning to face him. “You’re a damn good kisser.”
He was? Heat spread through him and unexpected pleasure tickled his chest.
Don’t give in to it. Don’t be a fool. She’s dangerous.
“There’s nothing wrong with being attracted to me, Max. You won’t go to hell for it. I’m attracted to you too. You’re a good looking guy. I kissed you because I wanted to.”
He cleared his throat. He didn’t think his face could get any hotter. “It can’t happen again.”
Her brow arched. “Are you saying you didn’t like it?”
He groaned. “No.” Why did she have to be so persistent? Bold and outspoken, she was a complete opposite from Laura. And damn, but he was starting to like everything about her. Part of him wanted to kiss her again, just to see what would happen. The other part, the chicken shit, wanted to boot her out right now. Kick her ass out the door before he became too attached to her. He was better off alone. Safer.
She stepped up to him, set her coffee mug on the counter next to him. His heart rate kicked up. His gaze locked on hers.
Jennie pressed her body against his, tilting her head back to look up at him. She wrapped her arms around his neck. “How long has it been since you’ve felt another human touch?” Her fingers tangled in his hair. She stretched up on her tiptoes and drew his head down to hers until their foreheads touched. “You don’t have to be alone anymore, Max. I’m here now.”
Max hissed out a breath. He grabbed her arms and shoved her back. “No. This can’t happen. I like being alone.”
His heart hammering wildly in his chest, he turned on his heel and stalked away.
Before he caved and gave her exactly what she wanted.
Before he took what he desperately wanted.
Her.
* * *
Jennie let out a sigh as Max disappeared down the hallway. Lucky let out a soft bark, then slinked down the hallway after Max. The door to the master bedroom slammed shut. There went a man who was terrified of getting too close. What was he so afraid of?
She retrieved her coffee mug from the countertop and took a sip. Admittedly, she’d been pushing him to see how far he’d let it go. She wouldn’t object if he made love to her. Hell, she’d welcome it with every beat of her heart. She didn’t think she’d ever been this attracted to a man before. From the moment she’d opened her eyes in Max’s guest bedroom and seen him entering the room, she’d felt an instant attraction to him. There was just something about Max that drew her to him. It wasn’t just his good looks. Max was kind. Gentle. Giving. A savior. He was a rare treasure. And he’d saved her life, even though he was suspicious of her. He could have left her out there in the car to freeze to death. He didn’t have to save her. Yet he had.
She wouldn’t give up. She knew he felt something for her. She’d felt it in his kiss, in the gentle way he’d comforted her. Had seen it in his eyes. Whether he admitted it or not, he wanted her.
Yet she sensed he was afraid. After what he’d gone through, she didn’t blame him. Guilt trickled through her. She shouldn’t have pushed him like that. The man had suffered a lot. It was selfish of her to want more from him than he was willing to give.
But damn him, he couldn’t live alone out here forever. It wasn’t healthy. Jennie desperately wanted to get to know him better. Figure out what made him tick. She wanted to break down his walls.
Figure out how to wiggle her way into his heart.
The thought surprised her. But it was true. She was starting to care a great deal about Max Montgomery. She couldn’t image life without him in it. What would she do when she got her memory back?
Oh God, what if she didn’t get her memory back?
A flash of pain pierced her skull. She clutched her head and moaned.
Then a memory surged into her brain...
“Now I got me a new play thing named Jennie Jones.”
The man snickered, eyeing Jennie through the holes in the hood he wore. He approached Jennie’s bed, his boots clomping with a menacing sound across the concrete floor. Jennie forced herself to not look away. To stare him down.
He stopped before her.
“How do you like to play, Jennie? Emily over there’s a party pooper. She doesn’t like to play. But she’s young still. I bet you can show her a thing or two, right?” He ran a finger down Jennie’s cheek. Jennie refused to flinch, refused to let him see how terrified she really was. She swallowed. She glanced at the girl in the bed next to hers. Emily stared at her wide-eyed with what looked like guilt written all over her face. Jennie frowned. She was certain she’d never met Emily before. So what was the guilt about?
Jennie jerked her gaze back to her abductor.
“I like to be the queen,” she whispered. “Spoil me.”
The man chuckled. “I’ll just bet you do. Daddy’s girl. But there’s only one royalty in my house, bitch, and that’s me.” His hand flew out, smacking her across the face. Jennie gasped, covered her throbbing cheek with her free arm. She turned her head and glared at him.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the girl Emily give a quick shake of her head as if to warn Jennie to be careful.
“I’m the king around here, and you’ll do whatever I like.” He glanced at Emily. “Right?”
Emily nodded quickly, her gaze downcast.
The man snickered again. He climbed up onto the bed and leaned over Jennie, his cold black stare never wavering from her face. “Let me show you just what it is I like...”
His hot breath fanned over her neck.
“I have an urge to beat something today.” He leered at Jennie, his mouth curving cruelly behind the slit in the hood. “I think it’s time to break you in.”
Jennie’s heart pounded. She tried to be brave like she told Emily, but she trembled with fear.
“Please,” Emily whimpered next to her. “Don’t hurt her.”
His gaze swung to Emily. “You want me to hurt you then?”
Emily cringed back against the wall. “N-no.”
“Then shut up.”
“We’re going to play my favorite game today, Jennie. Master and Slave.”
Jennie lifted her chin. “It would be more fun if you let me be the master.”
Jennie’s heart slammed into her ribs. Her breathing quickened. Oh God.
He leaned closer. Slapped the belt against his palm again. And again.
“It’s time to play, slave girl.”
The belt swung toward her…
Jennie gasped, her legs trembling, as the memory faded away. She sagged against the counter, sucking in air.
Oh. My. God. The man’s evilness hovered around her like a thick fog, creeping beneath her skin and into her bones. She was positive it was the same man who’d tried to snatch her just over an hour ago…
Obviously, whoever he was, he wanted her back. He was willing to sneak into Max’s house to try to abduct her again.
Jennie shivered, wrapping her arms around herself. Was Emily still alive? If so, Jennie vowed she’d save her. Bring her back to Max.
She’d go back into the lion’s den for Max. She’d do anything for Max.
He’d saved her life. She owed him. She had to go back for Emily.
But first she had to remember what had happened and where she’d escaped from.
She had to do it as soon as possible.
She had a feeling the man would come back for her.
And he wouldn’t let her escape a second time.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
A door slammed from somewhere above.
On no, he was back!
Emily shivered beneath the thin blanket. She hoped he hadn’t found Jennie. Prayed Gray and Jennie had gotten away and would send help soon.
The stairway door creaked open. The light clicked on. Footsteps thundered down the stairs.
As her eyes adjusted to the light, Emily saw he was alone. That could only mean he hadn’t found Jennie. Or she’d gotten away from him. Hope filled her chest. If Jennie had truly gotten away, she would send help soon. Emily knew she would.
He stumbled across the room, paused near the bed. His cold black eyes stared down at her through the holes in the hood.
“The bitch got away. Can you believe that? I had her in my grasp, and that fucking wolf came out of nowhere.”
Gray was still alive? Yes! She loved that wolf. Gray had tried to save her from her abductor and had received a severe beating in the process. If she ever got out of here, she’d spoil Gray rotten. Lavish her with dog treats and a big plush bed…
“I need you to clean the bites. Come on, get up.” He grabbed her arm. The key slid in to unlock the shackle from her wrist. The shackle was thick, heavy, and solid. Her wrist sported numerous chafes and cuts from years of wearing it. The man left just enough slack in the chain so that she could lay down at night, but not enough chain for her to do any more than sit or lay down on the bed. And because a key was required to remove the shackle, there was no chance of wriggling free. She knew, because she’d tried numerous time to pull her hand out of the shackle, but it was too tight.
Yanking her up from the bed, he dragged her toward the stairs.
Emily’s legs gave out on her from lack of use. She stumbled into him. He let out a snarl and yanked her up.
“Move!” He shoved her toward the stairs. If she was brave, like Jennie, she might try to run now that she was free. But Emily had never been brave. She’d been mentally beaten down and physically abused by this man for over three years. A captive. As she stumbled up the stairs, her only thought was to not anger him too much so he wouldn’t be rough later…because sometimes, if she pleased him, he was nice to her. Sometimes he even made it good for her, telling her she was pretty and touching her gently in places that no one else had before. Deep down she knew it was wrong, that he was a cruel man. But she had nothing to compare it to. No one to compare him to. She’d never even had a boyfriend before. If she hadn’t snuck out that night, she might have been Tommy Christensen’s girlfriend, but she would never know now.
The man had never been kind to Jennie like he sometimes was with Emily. But then Jennie had fought him from the start, whereas Emily had never defied him. She had always done what he wanted. She was so pathetic. She wanted to be like Jennie.
Her breath hitched. If she’d been brave like Jennie, she might have escaped too.
They reached the top of the stairs. He turned her toward the bathroom at the end of the hall. He shoved her back against the counter while he removed a first aid kit from the cabinet and sat on the toilet lid. He handed her the medical kit.
“Here. Fix me up.”
Emily’s hands shook as she opened the kit. He set his foot on the counter and rolled up his pant leg. Gray’s fangs had sunk into his skin about halfway down his calf. The wound wasn’t bleeding anymore, but she could see puncture marks where the wolf’s teeth had penetrated his skin. It was red and swollen. Emily hoped it got infected. Hoped he died of infection.
“What you waiting for? Clean it up.” He slapped her on the butt. Hard. She nearly lost her balance.
Emily went to work. First she opened the bottle of alcohol and dipped a cotton swab in it. She dabbed at his wound. He hissed, his eyes darkening as he watched her through the hood. Emily noticed he kept his gaze averted from the wound and never once looked at it. Was he squeamish? Did the sight of his own blood make him nauseous? A momentary satisfaction surged through her at his pain, at his weakness. She wanted him to hurt like he’d hurt her. Wanted him to suffer like she’d suffered.
Emily finished cleaning his wound. She slapped a large Band-Aid over the puncture marks. Before she could step back, his hand wrapped around her wrist. He dropped his leg to the floor and pulled her closer. His black eyes changed from meanness to lust. Emily knew that look. Her heart pounded in her chest. Maybe, if she pleased him, he’d be gentle this time…
He dragged her from the room and across the hallway to his bedroom. He sank onto the bed, pulling her on top of him. His hands grabbing her butt, he pressed her down against his erection. She closed her eyes, trying to be brave like Jennie. Jennie had told her if she blocked it out, she could get through it. But Emily had never been able to block it out. And sometimes, when he was gentle, almost loving, she even liked it.
And that shamed her. Because he was evil.
“Look at me Emily.”
She opened her eyes. The expression in his black gaze resembled regret. She’d seen it before. Though not often. Sometimes he told her he was sorry and that he didn’t mean to hurt her. That she was simply a means to an end.
“You’ve been a good girl, Emily. Not like that bitch Jennie.” His hand slipped inside the elastic waist of her pajama pants. “You deserve a reward today.”
He touched her, rubbed, stroked. She felt his erection swell beneath her.
Block it out. Ignore it. Be like Jennie.
He unzipped his jeans.
Emily squeezed her eyes shut.
Don’t look. Don’t feel. Go someplace else. This is not happening.
His breathing quickened. “Touch me Emily,” he whispered in her ear.
Emily obeyed, her hand grasping him and stroking just the way he liked. She was too afraid to fight. Too cowardly to do anything but what he wanted her to do. She tried to convince herself he was raping her and that she didn’t like it, that it was wrong, but his fingers kept touching her, stroking...
“You’re beautiful,” he whispered, gently running a finger down her cheek. She wondered if he meant it, because she didn’t feel beautiful.
As soon as he was done, shame washed over her. He shoved her off him. Her legs buckled when her feet hit the floor and she barely managed to catch herself. She pulled her pants up, embarrassed by what she’d allowed him to do. Ashamed that she hadn’t fought him. Mortified that she’d liked it. Just for a few seconds.
He got up from the bed, zipped up his jeans. Emily averted her gaze.
At least he hadn’t hurt her
this time. She almost wished he had. Then she could allow the hate to fester inside. But when he did this…she was left confused. Sometimes she almost believed he cared for her.
“I’ve got to get that bitch back before she sends the cops here, but Max will be expecting me now and I won’t be able to sneak in like I did before.” He lifted a hand to rub his face through the hood. The hood wiggled slightly to the side. Emily caught a quick glimpse of his jaw before it settled back over his face. Who was he? That feeling that she knew him from somewhere settled over her, but she couldn’t figure out who he was or why she thought she knew him somehow.
His black gaze settled on her. The meanness returned to his eyes. “I’ve got an idea.” He snagged her arm and yanked her after him as he left the bedroom.
“You’re going to help me get Jennie back.”
* * *
Max’s house phone rang at 4:16 a.m. The shrill ring startled Jennie awake from where she’d been dozing in the computer chair. Gray lifted her head from off the floor. The wolf’s ears twitched.
The phone rang again. She glanced at it, then jumped up from the chair and peered down the hallway to Max’s room. Should she answer it? Was he still asleep? If he was, she didn’t want to wake him. But if someone was calling this early in the morning, it had to be important, right?
She rushed back to the desk and snatched it up after the third ring.
“Hello?”
“J-Jennie, is that you?” The frightened female voice caused the hair to spring up on Jennie’s arms.
“Who is this?”
“It’s Emily,” the voice whispered. “Are you okay? How’s my dad?”
Emily.
Jennie’s heart pounded in her chest. “I’m fine. He’s fine. Where are you?”
“I’m still here.” A slight pause. Then, “Will you tell my dad I’m sorry?” A slapping sound came over the line. Emily gasped. Whimpered.
Jennie’s pulse raced. Had someone hit her?
Another voice came over the line, this one male. “Are you listening, Jennie? You better be. If you don’t get your ass back here pronto, I’m going to gut Emily piece by piece, tear her apart limb by limb. Got it? No more games, bitch. Her life is in your hands now.”
Abducted (Unlikely Heroes Book 2) Page 10