I reared back at her vehemence. “Sorry?”
“I know exactly what you were doing down there.”
I frowned and shook my head, but guilt flooded over me, and my face heated. “I wasn’t doing anything.”
“Bullshit. If I didn’t smell sex pouring off you, I’d have known anyway.” She gestured toward my office. “Did you forget that you have cameras down there?”
The blood drained from my face. “What are you talking about? You don’t have access to those screens. They’re protected by my computer password.”
“I’ve been working here long enough to see what that is, Hayden.” She spat my name, as though using it to spite me instead of calling me sir, as she was supposed to. “Do you think I’m stupid? How many times have I been cleaning the office while you’ve been working?”
My mouth dropped. “You used my password to get into my computer and you watched me and Jolie down there?”
“Yes, I saw everything, so don’t try to pretend like you feel nothing for her.”
I lifted my eyebrows, my eyes widening. “What the fuck, Loretta? You watched us have sex?” The idea of Loretta watching while I screwed Jolie made me sick to my stomach.
“I had to know for sure. You kept insisting there was nothing between you. If you hadn’t lied to me, I wouldn’t have been forced to watch. Believe me, it wasn’t something I enjoyed, seeing you all over that little tramp. I thought more of you, but it seems I was wrong.”
Anger burned away my embarrassment. “First of all, it’s none of your goddamned business who I have sex with. Secondly, it’s possible for a man to fuck a woman and not feel a single thing for her. Did it ever occur to you that maybe that’s how I’m keeping her in check? Thirdly, you finding out my password and going into my computer is way out of line, Loretta. I’ve fired employees for far less.”
She straightened her shoulders. “You think you’re going to fire me? And what happens then, Hayden? You’re an intelligent man. You must understand that I know far too much. I could have you locked up just like that.” To highlight her point, she snapped her thumb and fingers together.
I glared at her. “If you report me for anything, Patrick Dorman will stay alive. Is that what you want?”
Her eyes narrowed. “You know it isn’t.”
“Then I suggest you let me do things my way.”
Externally, I was playing it cool, but inside I was shaking and furious. I hated the idea of Loretta standing in my office, watching Jolie and me when we were in such an intimate situation, knowing she’d have been able to flick between the screens and see us from whichever angle she wanted. I was sickened at the possibility of her getting turned on by such a thing, getting a kick out of it. It also made me realize that perhaps I didn’t know this woman as well as I thought I did. It never occurred to me that she might break my trust and gain access to a computer she knew was out of bounds. I’d assumed that because we were united in our loss of our loved ones and our hatred of Patrick Dorman that I’d be able to trust her inside my home as well. I remembered being shocked and irritated by her quick use of the Taser on Jolie, but had blamed myself for giving it to her in the first place, but now I wondered if it had been the right thing to do. Because she was a woman and older, I’d wanted her to have something to both protect herself and to stop Jolie getting away. The Taser had achieved that, but had she been a little quick to use it—a little eager?
“I suggest you get out of my sight,” I told her. “I’ll decide what to do with you later.”
My housekeeper gave me one final scowl before she turned and stalked away. I exhaled an angry, frustrated breath and allowed my shoulders to relax. The buzz I’d experienced after fucking Jolie was long gone, and I was irritated at Loretta for tainting what had happened.
I didn’t know what I could do. I needed Loretta here, and she was right when she said she knew too much. It didn’t matter if she spilled her guts after I’d killed Jolie’s father, but I needed her to keep her mouth shut before then.
I didn’t think she’d actually say anything—not before our mission had been achieved, anyway. She had too much invested in this as well, and she wasn’t going to just throw it all away.
Besides, she was right when she said things were getting complicated between me and Jolie. I thought they were about as complicated as things could be between a man and a woman, but that didn’t mean I wanted anything to change. But change was probably the only thing I could rely on in this situation. I had the boat now, and I could take her off the island and onto the mainland, and then the next part of my plan could begin.
Our time together was limited, and right now all I wanted was to make the most of it. If that meant spending the rest of our time together with my cock buried in her pussy, mouth, or ass, then that was exactly what I planned on doing. Something tightened in my chest as I remembered how she had been worried about me. She’d been frightened that something had happened to me when I’d swum out to the boat. Did that mean she cared about me? Or was she just relieved I hadn’t left her in Loretta’s hands? I remembered how she’d felt pressed up against me, how her hair had smelled slightly musty when I’d buried my nose in it. I’d put my arms around her and I’d held her. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d hugged another person. And it had felt good. Addictively good.
I stopped by the downstairs bathroom to clean up, and then went to my office. I needed to change all my passwords, and not only those on my computer, but all the ones for the files on my computer, too. I knew now that I couldn’t trust Loretta, and who the hell knew what else she’d learned during her time here. The process was going to be dull and time consuming, but I didn’t have any choice. The possibility that she’d already meddled with things on the computer concerned me. I had my email accounts on there, and one badly sent email could mess up everything.
I fired up the PC and changed my password to something completely different, and then opened my email to change that as well.
Something stopped me.
There was an email from my contact back in the prison where Patrick Dorman was being held.
The cops showed him the letter. It’s had the desired effect. Time for the next move.
It was only a few sentences, but I knew exactly what it meant. So, Henry and Javier had managed to do their job before they’d been arrested. The police had shown Patrick Dorman the letter Jolie had written in the hope that he would be able to tell them something about its contents that they wouldn’t be able to derive without him. They clearly had no idea where Jolie was, no leads, or otherwise they’d never have shown him the letter. Jolie’s words in the note had upset her father, and that was a good thing. By the time we set the third act into motion, he’d be fully primed to make use of the opportunity I’d make sure one of the people I’d paid off laid open to him.
This meant I needed to get Jolie off the island sooner rather than later, and something inside me relaxed at the thought. I’d always thought of this place as my sanctuary, my home, but having Loretta invading my privacy like that had left me edgy. Fuck. What the hell was I going to do with her? I couldn’t just fire her and send her home, could I? What if she tried to cause problems for me? It would be easier to simply leave her here and take Jolie instead. It wasn’t as though I planned on coming back to the island. While I didn’t want to reward Loretta, she could make use of the place while I was inside, paying for Patrick Dorman’s murder, and it would be one less thing to worry about.
I’d spent so much time bringing people onboard and making sure I was surrounded by those I thought were loyal to my cause, but now I wondered if they were only loyal to my money. My driver and pilot had clearly had something extra running on the side that I didn’t know about, despite me paying them both a hefty wage. I was disappointed that they’d put everything I worked for in jeopardy purely to earn a little extra.
People weren’t loyal to other people, only what they could get out of them.
But the idea of it just
being me and Jolie on the boat for twenty-four hours or more appealed. No one would be able to touch us there. It would just be the two of us. I was sure Loretta would give me grief about leaving her behind, but after what she’d done, there was no possibility of me taking her along. Of course, I also had to consider the possibility that Jolie was only using me, and that she had no intention of helping me kill her father, but there wasn’t much she’d be able to do on the boat, especially if I kept her hands cuffed. She wouldn’t be able to swim like that, and I was far stronger than she was, so she wouldn’t be able to push me overboard. In fact, I could keep her locked up in one of the cabins, and she wouldn’t be a threat to me down there.
I made up my mind. We’d leave first thing in the morning.
I finished up changing all my passwords then called Loretta into my office.
The moment she stepped through the door, I could tell she still had her back up about me and Jolie. The atmosphere crackled between us, and her mouth was a thin line, her dark eyes hard stones in her face.
“I’m going to take the boat first thing in the morning,” I told her, “and Jolie will be on board with me.”
She scowled. “What am I supposed to do?”
“You’ll stay here and take care of the house, like you’re supposed to.”
“How will I know what’s happening?”
“I’ll call you.”
Her jaw tightened. “I want to know that Patrick Dorman is dead. You promised me that.”
“I know, and I will.”
She shook her head. “I don’t know. I don’t like the idea of you and that woman alone on the boat together. You might think you can trust her, but you can’t. She’ll do something to mess this whole thing up, I know she will.”
“No, she won’t. I’ll make sure of it. She’s handcuffed, and I won’t release her.”
“She’ll flutter those big blue eyes at you, and you’ll practically throw her the key.”
I slammed my hand down on the desk. “No, I won’t.” I almost said, ‘I learned my lesson after last time,’ but managed to keep my mouth shut. Loretta didn’t even know about that part of what had happened. I couldn’t imagine what her reaction would be if she knew Jolie had already almost escaped, and that she’d used the boat to try to get rid of me. There was no way Loretta would let me continue with the plan if she knew.
She sniffed, and anger rose inside me. I tried to hold it down—knowing what Loretta had already lost—but I wasn’t used to having people tell me what to do.
“Just do your job, Loretta, and let me do mine. Another few days, and this will all be over, and then you can go back to living your life.”
Her eyes narrowed. “My life was over the day my daughter died. I don’t care what happens to me after this. I only want to see that man dead.”
I softened my tone. “Then you and I want the same thing, so why are we arguing?”
“I want to come on the boat. I’ll watch over her, make sure she doesn’t try something stupid.”
The last thing I needed was Loretta watching over Jolie. She’d seen quite enough when she’d gotten access to my computer and watched us through the cameras.
“No, I need you here.”
“What for?”
Jesus Christ, talk about a dog with a bone. She wasn’t going to give up so easily.
“I need you here to coordinate things if something goes wrong. What if I need someone to call for help, and we’re all together? How is that going to work?”
Her lips thinned, and I clenched my fists to my sides. That disapproving expression made me want to wrap my hands around her throat. But I wasn’t a man who was violent toward women—at least I hadn’t been until I’d met Jolie, and that violence had been necessary.
But she exhaled a sigh, and her shoulders dropped. “Fine, if that’s what needs to be done. If you let down your guard and start to trust that little bitch, and it messes this whole thing up, don’t think for a minute that I won’t say I told you so.”
I could keep Jolie under control. Or at least I hoped I could.
“Good. I’m glad we’re agreed. And once this is all over, you can say whatever the hell you like.”
I figured it would hardly matter then. I’d be behind bars, Patrick Dorman would be dead, and Jolie would be... Fuck. I didn’t know what Jolie would be doing. I guessed I’d let her go, and she’d go back to living her life. I’d have to make sure she didn’t go down as being an accomplice, and while I’d always planned for Loretta to get through all of this without being affected, after her recent stunt, I was no longer so sure.
Chapter Eleven
I must be losing my mind, letting Hayden Vale into my head and body like that. And heart, too? Could I ever let him into my heart? This was wrong on so many levels, but I couldn’t change the way he’d taken over my thoughts, and the way my body reacted every time he was near.
I was sticky and sweaty from the sex, and though my hands were still cuffed, I needed to take a shower. It would be awkward, but it needed doing. I figured the metal could get wet. At least Hayden had torn off the t-shirt. I couldn’t help the smile that touched my lips. I had the feeling he’d probably enjoyed doing that.
He had the boat back now, so we’d be moving off the island soon.
The idea filled me with a combination of anticipation and dread. I hoped to get away long before ever coming face to face with my father, but the possibility of seeing him again made me panicky and lightheaded. I was terrified of what my reaction would be, and I knew the main thing I was fearing was that I’d feel something that resembled how I’d felt about him when I’d been a child. I’d loved him so much growing up. He’d been the fun, easygoing one, always tickling me to make me laugh, or sneaking me treats after Mom had said no. I knew it was all an act, of course. He’d been very good at hiding what he really was—a coldblooded killer. It was part of what made him good at what he did—his ability to make people love him—and that didn’t stop when it came to his family. We were part of his guise; I saw that now. People saw him as a safe, reliable family man, who kissed his wife often in public, and who was happy getting on the ground to play with his children. And we’d played along, his willing victims.
My anticipation came from the possibility of freedom and also knowing I’d be spending time with Hayden. The cuffs still around my wrists told me I shouldn’t be wanting to, and reminded me that he was my captor, not my friend, but I couldn’t deny that there was something alluring about him.
I went into the bathroom and stepped beneath the shower. Quickly, I realized there was no possibility of washing properly without getting the handcuffs wet. I guessed it didn’t matter. The cuffs would dry quickly enough, and they seemed expensive, so I doubted they’d rust. I hoped I wouldn’t be wearing them long enough to find out. The handcuffs were my own fault, anyway. If I had never tried to escape, I wouldn’t be wearing them.
The thought jarred me. I shouldn’t be thinking like that. Being kidnapped wasn’t my fault. Wearing handcuffs wasn’t my fault either. I’d struggled for so many years believing I’d been to blame for what had happened with my father, and just when I finally thought I’d beaten the guilt—or at least was making an effort to beat it—Hayden Vale came into my life.
The metal cuffs were soaked now, so I ignored them as I soaped my body and hair then rinsed myself down. My body felt pleasantly used as I ran my hands over my ass and between my thighs. I shouldn’t like what he was doing to me, but I couldn’t help it. I also understood why Hayden had done what he had by taking me, and maybe it was that understanding that allowed me to forgive him, at least in part. I didn’t think I’d ever forgive him for snatching me in the way he had, but yes, I did understand why he did it.
Clean and refreshed, I shut off the water and climbed out. It was awkward trying to get the towel around my body when I had my hands cuffed together, but I used my teeth to hold one part while I pulled the other part around me. It dawned on me that I wasn’t going to b
e able to get a t-shirt over my head either. At least I could get it over my head and shoulders, but any farther down and it would bind my arms to my body. Shit.
With the towel hooked awkwardly around me, I went to the drawers in the bedroom. I remembered stepping out of the shower after I’d first been brought here and how I’d entered the room to find Hayden standing there. A part of me wished I’d find him here now, but I was alone.
Pulling open the drawers, I rifled through the contents. Most items were t-shirts and tank tops, and I wouldn’t even be able to get a bra on in my current situation. After my escape attempt, I didn’t think begging Hayden to undo the cuffs long enough to allow me to get dressed was going to work. He’d think I was using it as an excuse to take my chance and make a run for it again. But I didn’t want to sit with only a towel half wrapped around me until he made another appearance. I also didn’t want to only be in a towel if it happened to be Loretta who came down to me next. The older woman set my teeth on edge, and being half naked around her made me feel even more vulnerable.
I slammed that drawer shut and tried the one below. I closed my fingers around something soft and silky and pulled it out. It was a dress that at first I thought was strapless, but then I saw it had thin halter straps that tied around the neck. It wasn’t ideal, but I’d be able to step into the dress and pull it up.
I located a clean pair of panties, though I’d still have to go without the bra, and then I pulled on the dress, covering my bare breasts. It was awkward trying to tie the halter-straps with the metal jangling around, but I managed.
Pleased with myself, I smoothed down the skirt. I felt halfway respectable. Was this what I’d end up wearing on the boat with Hayden? A little thrill surged inside me, and I pushed it back down. We weren’t going on vacation.
Now I was clean and dressed, I was once again at a loss as to what to do next. I’d lost track of time and was unsure if it was nighttime outside. The lights still hadn’t been lowered in the room, but since I’d spent the previous twelve hours or so in total darkness, I guessed I couldn’t rely on that anymore.
Broken Minds Page 8