by Sykes, Julia
Her heart leapt as her phone rang, and she quickly fished it out of her purse, anxious to hear Jake’s voice. But when she saw the caller ID, she frowned. “Blocked number.” She decided to let it go to voicemail. It was probably a solicitation call.
The call ended, but then the phone started ringing again immediately. “Blocked number.” Maybe it was just acting weird because Jake was calling from an international number? But no, he was supposed to be arriving back in Charleston in a few hours; he had to be in the air right now. Did he have a phone on his jet?
Mallory rolled her eyes at herself. Of course he has a phone on his jet. What doesn’t he have?
She answered quickly before the call could end. “Hello?”
“Is this Mallory Williams?” The voice was deep and distorted, like in movies when bad guys used voice modifiers to disguise themselves.
“Who is this?” She asked, her voice suddenly high and nervous. This had to be a prank or something. But how did they know her name?
The voice didn’t answer her question. “Bring me five-hundred-thousand dollars, or Jake Cleary dies.”
Mallory’s hands went numb, and the phone almost slipped from her fingers. “What?” She asked faintly.
“Bring me the money, or I’ll kill him,” the voice said simply.
Mallory was trembling. This couldn’t be real, couldn’t be happening. “How do I know you’re for real?” She asked, trying to make her tone hard, but it was still high-pitched, terrified.
Then she heard Jake’s voice in the background, and her blood went cold. “Mallory,” he groaned her name.
The End… For Now
Collared
Book 6 of Captured by the Billionaire
Julia Sykes
© 2012
Chapter 1
Mallory’s blood turned to ice at the sound of Jake’s voice calling out her name. Her legs no longer able to support her, she sank down onto her couch.
“Miss Williams?” The unnaturally deep, distorted voice harshly called her back to attention. “Do you understand? I will not hesitate to kill him if you don’t bring me the money within the next hour.”
“Please,” Mallory’s voice was strained. “I don’t have that kind of money.” What was she going to do?
“Then you’ll have to figure something out,” the voice said pitilessly. “I’m texting you directions to his location. Come alone, or we kill him anyway.”
“Please,” Mallory forced out, her tone strangled. “I’ll get you whatever you want. Just don’t hurt him.”
“That is entirely up to you, Miss Williams.” The phone went dead. Mallory was shaking so hard that the phone slipped from her fingers and clattered to the floor. It beeped three times, letting her know that she had a text. She reached down with trembling fingers and scooped it up. As promised, the kidnappers had sent her directions to where she was supposed to go.
Her first instinct was to get help, to call the police. But no, they had told her to come alone. She swallowed down the fear rising in her throat. She couldn’t risk Jake.
It wouldn’t take more than twenty minutes to reach his location. That gave her just under forty minutes to come up with five-hundred thousand dollars. A mad giggle escaped her. It might as well have been five-hundred million; she had just over one thousand dollars in her bank account. She raked her fingers through her hair in frustration.
What am I going to do? She wondered frantically, wracking her brain for a solution.
Then it came to her: the diamond and sapphire necklace that Jake had given her. He had said it was worth one-hundred thousand dollars. It was only a fifth of what the kidnappers asked. Could she bluff her way through it? How would they know its actual value? Mallory had never been a good liar, but she didn’t have a choice. It was her best chance.
But the necklace was at Jake’s house, and that was twenty minutes away. She didn’t have much time. Pull it together! Mallory commanded herself sternly. She willed her legs to cease their trembling and forced herself to her feet. Adrenaline was pumping through her veins now, giving her strength. She had to move faster. Grabbing her keys from the hook at her front door, she dashed out of her house and flung herself into her old Corolla. She pushed it to its limits as she sped towards Jake’s house, praying that she didn’t get stopped for speeding. By some miracle, she found herself tearing down his driveway fifteen minutes later.
But she couldn’t allow the staff to see her upset; they would know that something was up. She forced herself to ease her foot back off the gas pedal, nearing the manor at a more normal pace. Breathing deeply through her nose, she struggled to slow her shallow, panicked breaths. Still, she couldn’t help half-jogging to the front door.
The wait between her ringing the bell and the butler arriving at the door seemed to take a lifetime. When he finally opened it for her, she tried her best to seem casual.
“Won’t Jake be home soon?” She asked.
“Yes,” the liveried man answered. “He should be back in an hour or so. You’re more than welcome to wait for him.” Thank god her presence didn’t raise any suspicion; she had spent enough time here that it didn’t seem odd for her to be at the house when Jake was out.
She stepped over the threshold when the man opened the door and quickly made her way to Jake’s bedroom, hoping that he had stored the necklace there. Flinging the door open, she began unceremoniously ripping open drawers, throwing out their contents as the frantically searched.
Frustrated tears welled in her eyes as she realized she had torn through every drawer in the room to no avail. Jerking her fingers through her hair, she looked around wildly. Then she spotted it: a large, lidded box crafted of cherry wood sitting atop Jake’s chest of drawers. Her heart sank when she saw that there was a lock on it. She vainly tried to pry it open, breaking her nails as she scrabbled at the tiny crack between the base and the lid. Finally, with a sob of frustration, she flung the box at the wall. It dented the wooden panels on impact, but there was a crunching sound that accompanied the loud bang when it hit the wall. Mallory dropped to her knees and let out a sob of relief when she saw something glinting brightly; the box had broken open. Picking it up, she threw it down to smash it against the floor, and it broke open.
She scooped up the sparkling necklace and shoved it into her purse. Then she fled the room, taking the stairs two at a time as she headed for the corridor that would lead her out of the house. She checked her watch; she only had twenty-five minutes to get to Jake. Struggling to still her heaving chest, she headed for the door as slowly as she could force herself to.
The butler looked at her quizzically as she neared the exit. “Miss Williams?” He asked.
Mallory turned, not knowing what to say. “Um…” She began. “I forgot something at my house.” She didn’t have time for this conversation! Her car would barely make it to Jake in time.
An idea sprang to mind. “Do you think I could borrow the Jaguar?” She asked quickly.
The butler’s eyebrows rose. “I can get Thomas to drive-” He began, but Mallory cut him off.
“I’d really like to take it out myself. I’m sure Jake wouldn’t mind.” She had no idea if Jake would mind under normal circumstances, but considering their predicament, she was sure that he wouldn’t be too mad.
The man seemed torn, not wanting to deny her, but clearly worried that he would get in trouble for it. Finally, he sighed. “I’ll get you the keys.”
Relief washed over Mallory, and she found herself impatiently bouncing in on the balls of her feet once he left to get the keys for her. As soon as they were in her hands, she said a quick, “thank you,” and was out the door. She half-ran to the old carriage house that served as Jake’s garage. When she was finally in the driver’s seat, she cranked the ignition, the car letting out a satisfying roar as it came to life.
And then she was tearing down the drive again, headed for the highway. She tried her best to swallow her panic down as she raced towards Jake, slowing on
ly when she glanced at the directions that the kidnappers had sent her.
I don’t know what I’ll do if anything happens to him, she thought desperately. I can’t let anything happen to him.
In that moment, she realized the depth of her feelings for Jake. I love him, she thought in wonder. She had never really been in love before him. He had opened a whole new world to her, and her life was better for having him in it; she couldn’t imagine her life without him now. She was wracked by guilt as she thought of how she had hurt him the last time she had seen him, refusing his offer to collar her. But now she would do anything to erase what she had done. She hadn’t wanted to be owned, but now she saw that Jake already possessed her heart.
And why was she realizing this just now, when it might be too late? What if the kidnappers had already killed him? What if they realized that the necklace wasn’t worth what she claimed it was? But there was nothing else she could do; she couldn’t abandon Jake. She knew that a part of her would die along with him.
Following the directions that had been texted to her, Mallory pulled off of the highway onto an old dirt road that was barely discernible. She plowed ahead regardless. Someone had clearly already driven through here, breaking through the brush that would have otherwise destroyed the Jag.
A few miles later, she arrived at an old shack, a moonshine distillery that had clearly been abandoned for some time. The sun-bleached grey wood was rotted, and the tin roof was rusted a reddish-brown color. Mallory shivered as it reminded her of dried blood. Dark was falling now, and she had to pick her way carefully through the brush that had grown up around the building.
Suddenly, a strong arm snaked around her waist, pulling her back up against a hard torso. Mallory’s scream cut through the silence of the wood. There was something cold and sharp at her throat.
“No one can hear you, bitch,” said a soft, cold voice in her ear.
Her heart was in her throat, beating wildly. “Please,” she whispered. “I have your money. Please let Jake go.”
But the man just chuckled, his breath hot on her neck. The knife moved away from her vulnerable throat. But Mallory didn’t have time to breathe a sigh of relief; it had only been moved to press against her ribs. She was trembling now.
“Move,” the voice commanded, increasing the pressure of the knife. An involuntary whine escaped Mallory as terror washed over her. She did as he bade her, moving slowly as the man kept a grip on her shoulder while he prodded her forward, his restraining hand keeping her from running.
When they reached the door to the shack, he called out: “I’ve got her. Open up.”
The door creaked open, and Mallory gasped when she saw who was standing in the threshold.
“Got you, bitch,” Celeste smiled triumphantly.
Chapter 2
Mallory was shocked, dumbstruck. Celeste stepped out of the way, and the man prodded her forward into the shack, the tip of the knife pressing through her thin dress, cutting shallowly into her skin. She hissed in pain and quickly walked through the door. He guided her to a rusty metal chair in the center of the otherwise empty room and shoved her roughly down onto it. She heaved a sigh of relief as the knife was drawn away from her, but the man had only released her momentarily. His hands were around her arms, jerking them behind her and securing her wrists together with a cable tie. He pulled it so tightly that the hard plastic bit into her skin. She winced, but didn’t allow herself to make any other show of discomfort; she wouldn’t give Celeste the satisfaction.
The bitch was looking down at her now, her face twisted into a leer.
“Where’s Jake?” Mallory asked, suddenly panicking as she realized that he was nowhere in sight. “What have you done to him?” She felt sick as a series of gruesome images flashed before her eyes, images of Jake, broken and dead. No, they couldn’t have killed him; she had brought them the ransom within the timeframe that they had demanded.
“I brought you what you asked for,” she said desperately. “Please. Wherever he is, let him go.”
Celeste laughed, a cold, cutting sound. “You really aren’t the sharpest tool in the shed, are you? Honestly, I don’t know what he sees in you.”
“Where is he?” Mallory demanded, trying to match Celeste’s cold tone.
“He’s probably just landing at Charleston airport,” she answered coolly.
“You’re lying to me,” Mallory insisted. “I heard him.”
Celeste’s smile widened. “Did you now? Did it sound something like this?” She pulled something small and black from her jeans pocket and pressed a button on the side.
“Mallory!” Jake’s voice groaned.
“It’s from the tape, you stupid bitch,” Celeste explained, gloating. “Of course I had a backup. Did you really believe that I would have given the only copy to Charlie here?”
Mallory was stunned, at a loss for words. God, she really was an idiot. She had walked right into Celeste’s clawed clutches. Her cheeks heated in shame and anger, and she pulled at her restraints. She was only rewarded by the bite of the plastic as it tore her delicate skin.
“So what is it that you want, Celeste?” She spat out. “Do you think that getting rid of me would possibly make Jake fall for you? I know you want him, you gold-digging whore.”
Celeste moved so quickly that her arm was a blur. Her hand cracked across Mallory’s face, her long nails raking across her skin. She felt the skin tear on the inside of her cheek and tasted blood. Her head spun so hard that she felt sick for a moment.
“How dare you?!” Celeste asked angrily. “We both know that you’re the money-grubbing slut here, waitress!” She pinched the bridge of her nose and closed her eyes, making a visible effort to calm herself. When she opened them again, she was glaring at Mallory. “But now thanks to you I’ll never have him. So I’ll have to settle for his money. I’m going to get rich and then get so far away from here that they’ll never find me. No way am I going to jail.”
Mallory breathed a small sigh of relief. Maybe Celeste would just take the necklace and let her go. “I brought your money, if that’s what it you want. It’s in my purse.”
Celeste raised an eyebrow. “And where did you come up with five-hundred thousand dollars?” She asked even as she rummaged through Mallory’s purse, which was still strapped over her shoulder. Mallory wanted to reach out and slap her across the face, to wipe that smug smile away, but her restraints stopped her short. Her hands curled to fists, her nails digging into her palms.
Celeste’s eyes widened when she pulled the necklace out of the bag, and she lifted it up to the light of the spare bulb hanging from the ceiling. She eyed it covetously as it sparkled, throwing back little stars onto her face where the diamonds reflected the light.
“Well, this is a pleasant surprise,” she breathed. She looked up at Charlie, who was staring at her illuminated visage like she was the most beautiful thing in the world. “Help me put it on, dear?” She asked, her tone sweet but her eyes cold. He rushed to comply, his fingers lingering at her neck as he clasped it at her nape. Mallory’s blood boiled at the sight of it on Celeste; she wanted to strangle the bitch with it.
“Until we get you a real collar,” Jake had said. It was more than just a pretty piece of jewelry; it was a symbol of his affection for her. Mallory yearned to have it back. But she bit her tongue and schooled her features to an unconcerned mask. No way was she going to give Celeste the pleasure of seeing her upset.
The blonde ran her long-nailed fingers over the jewels. “Thanks,” she gloated. “But I want a tad bit more than this prize.” She turned her attention back to Charlie. “He should be back by now. I think it’s time to call Jake.”
Smiling, she advanced on Mallory. When she had reached her, she gripped her hair at her scalp and wrenched her head back. “I think we need to add a touch of drama to this. He may care for you, but how much are you worth to him, waitress? You’re going to beg for him to save you,” she whispered evilly.
No way. Mallo
ry refused to give this bitch anything she wanted. She pinned Celeste with a stony stare, but said nothing. The blonde looked into her eyes and saw the resistance there. Never letting go of Mallory, she reached her hand out to Charlie.
“The knife, please,” she said crisply.
Mallory felt a flutter of fear as she eyed the glinting blade in Celeste’s pale hand. But she wasn’t going to give in to threats.
“Make the call,” Celeste ordered in a clipped tone.
Charlie fished Mallory’s phone out of her purse and then straightened. It took him a moment to scroll through her contacts, and then he dialed. Mallory could hear the phone ringing; he had left it on speakerphone.
It rang once.
“Mallory,” Jake’s voice was warm, clearly pleased that she had called so soon after he arrived home.
Charlie held the voice distorter up to his lips. “Jake Cleary?” He asked.
There was a moment of shocked silence. Then: “Yes?” His tone was apprehensive.
“I want one-hundred million dollars, or I will kill Mallory Williams.”
Mallory’s eyes bulged. One-hundred million?! God, what a fool she had been for thinking that they would be satisfied with five-hundred thousand.
“What?” Jake’s voice was quiet, strained.
“You heard me, Cleary. Transfer one-hundred million to my offshore account within the next hour or I’ll kill her. Slowly.”
“That’s your cue,” Celeste hissed at her, giving a sharp tug on her hair. Mallory just glared at her, refusing to play her game.
The bitch smiled. She placed the point of the knife on Mallory’s upper arm. “Beg,” she whispered.