Vincent gave his man’s hand a pointed look, which he immediately removed from Jenna’s arm and then he stepped away from her. Zach stared at her for a moment and then back at Vincent, frustration etching his features. She knew what he was thinking. She had finally been within his grasp, asleep under his roof once more and in need of his help. Now she was being torn from him and he would have to let her go without complaint.
With a heavy sigh, he approached Jenna and reached for Lola. "I’ll take her."
Panic filled Jenna. She hadn’t even spent time with her daughter. Her arms tightened involuntarily around her baby and her eyes squeezed tightly shut as the unfairness of the situation crashed over her. She felt Zach’s hands tug at her and she took a quick step away from him shaking her head.
"Please," she whispered faintly.
Her anguished eyes flew open and met the hard ones of Vincent Corey. She gasped at what she saw there. The blazing fury and possession crashed through her, weakening her knees until Jenna found her legs sinking underneath her, unable to hold her weight. Tears of humiliation welled up in her blue eyes and spilled over as she collapsed, the cold marble floor pressing against her bare legs.
"The child comes to."
All eyes went to Vincent, who stood staring down at Jenna, his expression indecipherable. He wrapped his fingers around her arm and pulled her to her feet, careful not to jostle her baby. His eyes flickered over the sleeping child before returning to her face. Jenna’s shocked gaze didn’t leave his face. The blood drained from her cheeks and she shook her head frantically, her eyes wild.
"You… you can’t have her!" she cried hoarsely, clutching Lola tightly and trying unsuccessfully to step away from him. His fingers tightened on her arm and he pulled her back into his space.
"What the fuck is your problem?" he grunted, shaking her by the arm. "I’m taking you with me and if you don't want to go without her, then she goes with us."
"I remember what you said to me," she hissed up at him, anger seething from her every pore. "You said you’ll make me a slave, use me up and throw me away. I’m not going to let you have Lola, you fucker!"
Lola murmured and shifted in Jenna’s tight hold. Jenna loosened her arms and kissed the girl’s downy head. Once her daughter settled he leaned down, oblivious to the audience witnessing their tension and snarled in her face, "I don’t want the kid, Jenna Campbell, I want you. Leave the kid, or bring her along, I don’t fucking care, but decide now."
She stared up at him with utter hate and spat, "She comes."
Vincent jerked him head in a nod and turned to his guy. "Go get the kid’s stuff."
"You can't take my daughter," Zach protested. "I have custody!"
Vincent turned glacial eyes toward Jenna’s ex-husband. "We both know your daughter was a weak excuse to see Jenna once a week. That’s not going to happen again. My lawyers will be in touch before the week is out. Trust me, you don’t want to fight this."
Vincent turned away from Zach without waiting to hear a reply. Jenna didn’t get a chance to see how Zach took Vince’s ultimatum because Jared closed in behind her, protecting their backs. She clutched Lola tightly against her chest and followed Vincent.
Ten
How many times could a woman go into shock in one week? Jenna wondered as she sat between Vince and Jared in a big black truck. Surreptitiously she reached under Lola’s sleeping form and checked her own pulse. Strong but fast. Her breathing was too rapid. She was probably having a panic attack. She couldn’t stop thinking about Vince’s threat to make her a slave, use her up and throw her away.
She glanced at him under her eyelashes and caught him staring at her with a frown on his face. He was sitting on her right, while Jared was driving the truck. She squeezed her eyes shut. Her poor brain wouldn’t stop trying to decipher the word slave. He meant housecleaner, right? He was going to make her clean his floors and toilets and wash his clothes until she was all used up?
Of course that’s what he means, Jenna. Because he kisses all of his housecleaners. God, I’m an idiot.
"Why’s she blonde?" Vince interrupted her thoughts.
She looked at him sharply.
He reached over and flicked the blanket off Lola’s forehead, indicating her full head of blonde curls with a raised eyebrow.
"Your hair is fire engine red, the ex has brown hair. She looks like you other than the hair. You cheat on that asshole or something?" he asked gruffly.
Jenna’s jaw dropped and she shoved his hand away from Lola’s head, pulling the blanket protectively back over her sleeping daughter's head. She glared at him like she wished he would drop dead pretty instantaneously.
No such luck.
"Fuck man," Jared snapped quietly so as not to wake Lola. "You’re such an asshole. You can’t ask a woman shit like that."
Vince ignored his business partner and raised a brow at Jenna. "Asked you a question. I want to know what kind of woman I’m taking home."
Jenna pressed her lips together in fury and swiveled her head around to look at him with eyes that glowed cobalt fireballs. "Oh yeah," she snapped. "I was so bored when Zach was in court that I had an endless stream of blonde pool boys parading through my bed!"
He sat up straight and gripped her chin hard, pulling her face toward his. She cried out softly, but he didn’t let go. He stared her down until she knew she had to give him what he was looking for or suffer more of his dominant wrath. Out of the corner of her eye she could see Jared’s fingers tighten on the steering wheel.
"It runs in my family," she whispered, dropping her eyes from the intensity of his. "When I was a child my hair went from blonde to strawberry blonde to red."
He released her chin and let her settle back into her seat. "Was that so hard?" he grunted.
She glared out at the passing streetlights. Was it so hard for him to act civilized?
She didn't know how long they drove, but sooner than she hoped for they were pulling up to a house. It looked like a normal house, not like Zach's ridiculously huge mansion. It was cottage-style, with shutters and a garden. It was pretty.
It couldn't belong to her captor.
"Is this your house?" she asked incredulously, when they exited the vehicle.
"Yes."
He wrapped a hand around her arm and pulled her up the walk toward the house. Over his shoulder he spoke to Jared. "Make sure the security is tight. They are to be extra vigilant and report any activity. I'll expect you in the morning, you'll be on babysitting duty since you like her and the kid so much."
"Fuck, man," Jared grumbled.
"I'm right here," Jenna reminded them. "I can hear you."
They both ignored her. Vince punched in a code to the box next to the door and then turned the handle. He pushed her through and turned to say goodnight to his friend. "Be here by 10.”
Closing the door, he turned to her.
Jenna backed away, hefting Lola against her. She was beginning to feel the weight of her daughter in her aching arms. Vince narrowed his eyes to where she was clutching Lola against her.
"Give her to me," he grunted reaching for Lola.
"No!" Jenna gasped, horrified. She jumped back, tripped over something and started to fall.
"Jesus fuck!" Vince snarled, grabbing hold of her and hauling her upright. "What the fuck is your problem, woman? Just trying to help you."
"I don't want you touching her," she hissed at him. "You can do whatever you want with me, but you don't touch my daughter."
His eyes glowed with either fury or desire, she wasn't sure which. "I may just take you up on that." He turned and walked away from her, down a dark hallway. "Follow me, I'll show you where you can put the kid."
Jenna glanced longingly at the front door but decided to follow him. He'd said something about security to Jared, which meant there were probably guys out there watching the house. Maybe an alarm system set to go off if she made a run for it.
Vince showed her into what she thought was prob
ably a guest room. It was pretty generic; white walls, queen size bed with a blue blanket on it and a chair in the corner. "The kid can sleep in here."
"Lola," Jenna snapped as she lowered her still slumbering daughter onto the bed. "Her name is Lola. Not kid."
He shrugged, and then crooked a finger at her when she straightened. "Come here."
Jenna's heart pounded with trepidation. She willed her feet to move, to take her over to him. She didn't want to cause a scene that might wake Lola up and frighten her. But her body refused to move, refused to go willingly to the man who had promised her pain if she didn't follow through on his plan.
Vince lost patience and, giving her a dark look, grabbed her wrist and dragged her away from the bed, out the door and down the hall. Jenna stumbled after him, reaching out for the wall so she wouldn't trip as they walked.
He shoved her through a door at the end of the hallway and closed it behind them. Jenna blinked, blinded when he turned the light on. When she finally could see, he was looking at her with an annoyed, frowning expression. His looks were so harsh that his frown terrified her. The tattoos on his neck and face stood out in stark, vivid detail.
"Did you fuck him?" he demanded.
"Wh-what?" Jenna stammered the word, not understanding what Vince was asking.
"Did you fuck Zack?" he demanded again, waving his hand to her outfit. "You're dressed for fucking."
Jenna gasped and wrapped her arms around herself, drawing the fabric as tightly closed as she could. Of course this move just molded the silky fabric to her curves and drew his sharp gaze.
"No, I didn't," she said as dignified as she could. "And I wouldn't."
Vince grunted, still staring at the outfit like he wanted to kill it. "He give that to you to wear?"
"Yes," she said slowly, backing a step away as he stalked toward her.
"Take it off," he ordered.
Before Jenna could refuse his hands were on her, tearing at the fabric. She slapped at him, but she may as well be trying to fight off a giant for all the effectiveness her struggles had. Within seconds he'd stripped off both the robe and the negligee, leaving her completely naked except for a pair of black lacy panties.
As she watched open-mouthed, he ripped her outfit to shreds, letting the pieces fall to the floor. "You will not wear things from other men."
"I... what?" she could barely comprehend what he was saying to her.
He took the three steps separating them and reached for her. Jenna jumped away from him and found herself backing into a bed. She glanced down. It was a very big bed covered in a fluffy white duvet and pillows.
Vince took hold of her chin, tilting her face up to his. "You belong to me now, you're my woman. I don't want you near other guys unless I say so, you got me?"
"Uh, no, not really," she said, bewildered. "Are you keeping me as a... a slave, like you said you were going to? What happens to Lola?"
He shook his head. "You aren't listening, Jenna. You're my woman now, not my slave. As for your daughter, you can do whatever you want with her."
Jenna shook her head, trying to wrap her brain around his words. "Your woman? Like a... like a girlfriend?"
"Exactly like a girlfriend," he agreed. "And if all goes well, my wife."
"But we don't even know each other!" she exclaimed. "You can't just decide you want to marry someone after one meeting."
He grinned down at her, a flash of teeth. "Not the meeting, baby, the kiss."
She stared at him, suddenly feeling a melting in her limbs as she remembered the kiss. It had taken hold of her, enthralled her, made her forget what was happening to her in her own house. Had it been the same for him? Had it rocked his world as much as hers? She hadn’t realized, thought it was just his way of intimidating her.
As she looked at him his expression changed, the sinister thug dropping away to be replaced by a wondering look. He brought a hand up and rubbed his thumb over her cheek. She blinked and glanced down at his hand. He had a tattoo of the word hell on his finger. It scared her into pushing his hand away and sliding sideways out of his reach.
She couldn't forget who he was, couldn't let him get into her head. He was a kidnapper, a man who had threatened her and sent men after her. She was also pretty sure he was responsible for Steve Buffalo’s death. Not directly, Enrico had done that part, but Vince had been the one to order the hit. She couldn't trust him.
"Please," she begged, looking up into his dark eyes. "Let us go."
"Not happening," he growled, his expression hardening again. "Don't ask again."
She felt to her bones that she needed to listen to him when he made statements like that. He was dead serious and every particle in her body screamed that he was dangerous. Attractive and a great kisser too, but still deadly.
"Please, can I go sleep with Lola?" she asked, blinking tears away as she said her daughter's name.
He looked as though he was about to deny her request, but then stopped and thought about it. Finally, he nodded. "Go."
Jenna didn't pause, she ran for the door. She was about to rush out into the hallway when his voice stopped her. "Jenna." She stopped, turned her head to look at him and waited. He strode toward the dresser and pulled a drawer open. "You only get one night."
He threw something at her and she automatically reached out to catch it. She looked down and found a large men's T-shirt in her hands.
"Goodnight," he said, dismissing her.
Jenna ran.
Eleven
Jenna woke slowly, savouring the feeling of knowing she'd just had her first good night's sleep in over a year. Without opening her eyes she stretched, her arms sliding against smooth soft sheets. She shoved a hand under her pillow and rolled onto her side, preparing to go back to sleep.
Then she remembered where she fell asleep the night before. In the bed of her captor, Vincent Corey. Well, maybe not his bed exactly, but one belonging to him. And her daughter was there, which is why Jenna slept so well. She was used to lying awake late into the night worrying over her ongoing custody battle with Zach, or stressing about understaffing and bad conditions at the prison. She opened her eyes and sat up, scanning the room for Lola.
When she didn't see her daughter she slid out of the bed, reached for her wrap and hurried out of the room. She wasn't overly worried though. For some reason she felt safe in Vince's home. Though she was angry with him for essentially kidnapping her and her daughter, there was something about him that felt reassuring. Probably because he hadn’t pushed the sex thing last night. Between that and allowing her to keep Lola, he’d shown her he had a heart.
Jenna caught the scent of bacon and followed it until she found herself standing in a kitchen. "Hello," she said softly, bewildered at the scene before her.
Lola was sitting on a high stool at the kitchen island, facing a shirtless Vince who was flipping pancakes in one pan while bacon sizzled in another. He was talking while he cooked, speaking in a low voice to Lola, when he heard Jenna speak. He lifted his head, his dark eyes piercing her as they landed on her. His hardened gaze seemed to soften as he scanned her from head to toe. Jenna gripped the doorway as she gazed at all the glory that was Vince's chest. He was his own category of rippling muscles. Big shoulders, arms, pectorals... her gaze slid down to his belly where a neat little trail of hair went right into his low riding sweatpants. He was covered in tattoos on one side of his chest and stomach, and down that arm. The ink was beautiful, the work more artistic than she’d thought.
Lola twisted on her stool and shrieked, "Mommy!” pulling Jenna's attention back to her daughter. Instead of sliding off her seat, she twisted around awkwardly and lifted her arms toward Jenna.
Jenna rushed forward and gathered the little girl against her. When she tried lifting Lola into her arms she realized she was attached to the stool. Jenna carefully set Lola back in her seat and looked down at her. She was strapped to the stool with a belt. Jenna's lips twitched in amusement as she realized Vince had created a
makeshift highchair for the little girl.
"Wanted her to be safe," he said gruffly.
Warmth suffused Jenna. This big, bad man had taken steps to ensure Jenna's precious daughter would be safe in his home. To make sure they would both be safe. She felt shy and awkward in the morning light pouring through the kitchen windows, but she also felt safe. Her lips titled in a small smile. "Thank you," she murmured. Turning to Lola, she asked, "When did you get up?"
Vince answered. "Woke up about a half hour ago. I caught her before she could wake you up and brought her out here for some breakfast. Hope that's okay." He poured coffee into a cup that had a picture of a bear on the side that said, ‘I don’t always kill things, but when I do it’s because they were things, and I’m a bear.’ He handed her the mug and pointed at a container of cream on the counter.
Was this the same man that'd kidnapped her? This man was almost... sweet. Of course, Jenna knew enough to know that men could act one way and be the complete opposite. She'd fallen in love with Zach before he showed his true colours. She wasn't going to be fooled twice.
"Sure," she said cautiously, pouring cream into her mug.
"Sit," he pointed at the stool next to Lola. "Eat."
He set a plate in front of Jenna, heaping with more pancakes than she could possibly eat. Though she was certainly going to try. She slid onto the stool, set her coffee cup down, and reached out for the fork he was handing her. She shoved a huge piece of pancake into her mouth and groaned loudly, rolling her eyes toward Lola as if to say, ‘are these the best pancakes ever, or what?’ Lola giggled and Vince chuckled as Jenna fell on her food, eating heartily. She'd been so stressed for so long that her appetite had suffered.
She watched him flip pancakes while she ate her breakfast. Lola chattered away happily as if her life hadn't been completely disrupted. Jenna was a little surprised that the little girl didn't once mention her father. Had Zach left her completely to the care of nannies? A rush of anger and protectiveness hit her bringing tears to her eyes. She didn't lift her gaze so Vince wouldn't see, but he must have felt some of her emotion.
Loving Vincent: A Mafia Romance Novella Page 4