by Jessie Jones
"The guards don't want the extra attention you and I would bring to John and his current situation. This is the way I came in. The car is waiting for us just on the other side of this tunnel. We had to park further away because paparazzi were already gathering outside."
Gillian couldn't explain it, but something about the whole situation was off. A sudden rush of fear had her abruptly turning around and running smack into the guard's muscular chest. Her eyes widened in terror when she saw a different guard before her with a gun in his hand. "What the hell is going on? You're not the guard who brought me here!"
"Just keep walking, bitch, and you won't have any problems," the guard growled in a deep, Russian accent as he roughly turned her around and pushed her across the tunnel entrance. "I would also advise you to keep your mouth shut."
Gillian's body began to tremble and shake in fear. "Pandora, we need to run!" she whispered breathlessly as she turned to see the beautiful, Greek woman smiling at her. Before Gillian knew what was happening, Pandora walked up and slapped the American doctor across the face. The force of the blow jarred Gillian's body and her face began to throb.
"Man, that felt good!" Pandora cruelly chuckled as Gillian's head turned and their eyes met. The Greek woman then drew back her hand and slapped the other side of Gillian's face. When Gillian cried out, Pandora again laughed and said over her shoulder in perfect Russian, "Just throw the whore over your shoulder and let's get going. Galen doesn't like to be kept waiting."
When the guard attempted to grab Gillian and throw her over his shoulder, she immediately began kicking and hitting him. The guard cursed and blocked her blows, but her size was really no match for his large, six-and-a-half-foot frame. Tired of fighting the smaller woman, the guard rammed his shoulder into Gillian's stomach and hoisted her struggling form up over his shoulder. Gillian cried out in pain and beat at his back but stilled the moment she heard the gun cock. She let out a shaky breath when she felt the cold steel press to her head and she saw the second set of boots.
"I thought that might quiet you down," the unidentified second guard said as he pulled the gun from Gillian the moment she settled down. Then to his comrades, he said in Russian, "We've wasted enough time. Let's go."
Gillian's mind raced as she hung upside down. How was she going to escape? Her stomach and face hurt, and she felt as though she was going to pass out. She attempted to take a couple of deep breaths and calm her racing heart. A peek at her surroundings told her that she was under the hospital, but Gillian had no idea where they were taking her. What had happened to her own personal guard, Simon? John had introduced her to him at the chateau before they had left and Simon had accompanied her to Bennet's office. Was he working with Pandora? Had John really been shot, or had Pandora made up the lie to get Gillian to follow her?
Gillian saw light and immediately felt the rain hitting her back the moment they exited the tunnel. She saw the second set of boots disappear from behind her, but before she could even think about attempting to escape, she was shoved into a sleek, black limousine. As soon as the door slammed shut behind her, Gillian sat up on her knees and tried to open the door, but it was locked. She jiggled the handle and kicked at it, but it would not budge. When she heard the soft, male chuckle behind her, Gillian froze. Who the hell was in the limo with her?
Turning to see who was behind her, Gillian let out a loud gasp of horror when her emerald eyes saw Galen Stavros sitting across from her. The breath caught in her throat, and she felt as though she was choking as his pale blue eyes roamed over her body and an evil grin played on his lips. Wanting to get as far away from him as possible, Gillian scooted back in the seat. She looked around for an object that she could use as a weapon, but none was to be found. Terror filled her when Galen adjusted the bulge she saw growing in his pants. If this son of a bitch was going to try to rape her, she wasn't going down without a fight. Finally catching her breath, she willed her frightened body to calm. She needed her wits about her if she was going to escape.
"You are even more beautiful than I remember, Gill." Galen smiled as he finally spoke, his eyes feasting on her voluptuous frame. The mid-thigh, grey sweater dress fit her body like a glove, and the black knee-high boots she wore hid the calves she used to wrap around his back during sex. Now, she was wrapping those same curvy, soft legs around the man he hated most. Pure unadulterated rage filled every ounce of his being. When his pale, blue eyes found hers, he said in a very dark, deadly tone, "You have been a very difficult woman to find. At one point, I began thinking that you were dead, but instead, I find you living and working in London, not to mention fucking John Kenric."
"Galen—" Gillian began softly but was cut off by the Greek man quickly closing the distance between them and slapping her soundly across the face. She was unprepared to find his hands wrapped around her throat and him putting pressure there. The pressure made it difficult for her to breathe but did not cut off her air supply completely.
"Don't you say a fucking word! I should kill you right here and now for all the shit you have put me through," Galen growled, inches from her flawless face. "Do you know how worried I have been about you? I loved you, dammit! You were supposed to be my wife! How am I supposed to forgive you for the things you have done to me? How can I forgive you for fucking John Kenric?"
Tears fell down Gillian's face as she closed her eyes and saw John. Why was fate so cruel? She had finally found a man who made her feel safe and loved. Even though she had only known the British billionaire for two weeks, Gillian had fantasized about a life with John since the moment she had met him. He had been so strong, demanding, and had wanted her from the start. Gillian felt so alive when she was with John, and now she was afraid that she would never see him again. Gasping for air and feeling her body begin to go limp as Galen continued to choke her, Gillian allowed the darkness to take over. John's face was the last thing she saw.
Galen released Gillian's slender neck the moment her body went limp. He then watched her lifeless body fall back on the leather seat. The Greek businessman closed his eyes and held his breath a moment as she lay motionless. Galen had not wanted to kill her, but she had intentionally upset him. His eyes flew open and a great sense of relief washed over him when he heard her gasping for air. Brushing back the fallen, black strands of hair from her porcelain face, he leaned over to place a soft kiss on her lips. Gillian Morgan wasn't dead after all! Galen would make her his wife and knew that she would grow to love him, even if he had to beat her into submission. Sitting back in the seat, he dragged her limp, delicate frame into his arms and cradled her.
"Change of plans, Francesco. I need to stop off at my home before heading to the airport," Galen said in his native language as he lowered the glass that separated him from the driver.
"But your father, sir—"
"Can wait," Galen responded tightly before the driver nodded in agreement. Then, he raised the glass.
An hour and a half later, Galen's guard dropped Gillian's limp body down roughly on the white sofa. The jolt had the beautiful American opening her eyes and letting out a loud moan of pain. Realizing she was still with Galen, she quickly looked around the room to see if there was a way for her to escape. She felt a tear slide down her face when she saw the guards positioned around the room. How the hell was she going to get out of here? Even if she could escape, she had no clue where Galen had brought her.
"I'm glad you finally woke up, Gill," Galen said as he poured himself a glass of whiskey. "I was going to have a doctor come in if you didn't soon. I want to make sure my girl is able to fly." When Gillian said nothing in response to his statement but darted her eyes toward the door, he chuckled. "I suggest you get the thought of escaping out of your head, sweetheart. There is no way in hell I am going to let you get away this time. On the contrary, I plan on flaunting you around just as that bastard Kenric did."
Tears filled Gillian's eyes when Galen mentioned John. Why didn't she tell John that she loved him? Gillian wished that
she could have told him the truth, but her damn pride got in the way. She desperately wanted a relationship with John, but there was no way that he would want her after Galen was finished with her. The Brit would only realize that she was missing once his guards realized she was not at the hospital. She had no doubt John would assume the worst.
When she opened her eyes, she felt the bile rising in her sore, abused throat as Pandora walked up to Galen and kissed him passionately on the lips. Fighting the urge to vomit at the Greek woman's betrayal, Gillian grabbed her throat and painfully whispered, "You stupid whore! I can see why John no longer wants you. He'll make sure you get what you deserve, Pandora. I just wish I could be around to see it."
Rage filled Pandora as she broke the kiss with Galen to walk across the room. When she reached the beautiful American, the Greek model slapped Gillian across the face. Fury exploded in Pandora when Gillian's head barely moved from the blow and her darkened green eyes met hers. "Why can't you just die, bitch?" Pandora screamed as her hand landed across Gillian's cheek again. Rubbing her throbbing hand, the Greek yelled, "You turned John against me! He loved me before you came into the picture. I was going to marry him and have his baby, but you ruined everything. Now he hates me!"
"John was never going to marry you, Pandora. You were his whore and nothing more," Gillian whispered hoarsely, her face aching. "You ruined your relationship with him, not me."
"I'll ruin you, bitch!" Pandora yelled as she went to wrap her hands around Gillian's throat. However, before she could touch her, Pandora let out a blood curdling scream as Galen plunged the knife into her heart. The Greek woman's cries became soft whimpers as the man twisted the cold steel in her chest before pulling it out and plunging it back in. Pandora's eyes closed and her body collapsed in Galen's arms before he let her go and her dead body hit the floor with a loud thud.
Just as Pandora's body hit the antique, terracotta floor tiles, the blackness claimed Gillian as she passed out on the couch. The moment her head hit the cushion, a storm of bullets began raining down on Galen and his guards. As the guards began dropping dead around the room, Galen fell to his knees and scurried around the room looking for cover. Diving behind the couch, his heart pounded out of his chest as an eerie silence fell over the room. The breath caught in his throat when he heard the sound of boots cracking broken glass. Galen knew who was coming for him, and he was absolutely petrified! If Galen was going to die at the hands of John Kenric, then he was taking Gillian with him.
As John cautiously stepped into the large room with his most trusted guard, Luther, the breath caught in his throat and his eyes flooded with tears when he saw his precious kitten lying unconscious on the couch. He could see from where he was standing that she was breathing, and a wave of relief washed over him. However, the relief was only momentary. What if Gillian had been struck by a bullet, or what if she was bleeding to death? John's instinct was to run to her, but he knew that Galen was hiding behind the couch, and he didn't know what the Greek bastard was planning. The last thing John wanted to do was to put Gillian in any further danger. He was going to have to play this safe.
"Come on out, Galen!" John yelled as he cocked the gun he was holding in his hands. He then slowly crept toward the couch where Gillian lay as he motioned for Luther to go the other way. "Don't try anything stupid, bitch! You're dead! Just accept it and take your punishment like a man."
Galen momentarily froze at John's words. He knew the Brit had him cornered, but if he was going down, so was Kenric. Pulling the gun out of his waistband, he opened the barrel and began to fill the chambers with bullets. "I've waited a long time for this, Kenric! I just wish dear old Dad was here to see you die!" he shouted. "I not only get to kill you, but now I have Gillian. I only wish you could be around to watch me fuck her." Getting up on his knees, Galen shot to his feet, but before he could even cock his gun, a bullet from across the room was deposited directly between his eyes. As his head flew back with force, the life rushed from Galen's fading existence as he landed in a pool of his own blood.
Tossing aside the gun that just killed Galen, John quickly ran to Gillian. He didn't fight the tears that fell down his masculine face as he rolled her unconscious body over on the couch. Scooping her up, John hugged her tightly to his chest. Thank God his kitten was alive! She didn't look as though she was bleeding from anywhere, but he could see the swelling and bruising beginning on her face and neck. What exactly had Galen done to her? As he cried and rocked her in his arms, John secretly prayed that the Greek had not raped her. Although he would love her the same, women typically did not recover from that type of repugnant trauma. Could Gillian forgive John for putting her in harm's way? Even if kitten could forgive him, John didn't think that he would be able to forgive himself for almost losing her.
"Boss man," Luther said as he lightly touched John on the shoulder. He felt tears moisten his own eyes as he watched his employer intimately holding Gillian. Luther had never seen the Brit this upset before. "I hate to bother you, but we need to get Gillian checked out by a doctor, mate. He's waiting on the plane as we speak. Do you want me to carry her?"
"No! I have her," John said quietly as he placed a chaste kiss on Gillian's soft, pink lips. When he pulled back from the kiss, John held his breath as he watched his kitten open her emerald eyes and bring a hand up to stroke his bearded face. "I'm so sorry, kitten," John wept, kissing her again. "I love you. I'm so sorry I couldn't protect you. Please don't hate me."
"John…" Gillian smiled weakly, her voice whisper soft. "I didn't think I was ever going to see you again. Are you real, Bear?"
"I'm real, kitten." John smiled back, wanting to reassure her. "You're safe, and Galen is dead. We have to get you to a doctor, though, kitten. I'm going to have to move you."
Gillian barely shook her head in response before John swooped her delicate frame up carefully in his arms. She groaned loudly in pain as she buried her sore, battered face against his muscular chest. Inhaling his masculine scent, the tears poured from her eyes with the realization that she was safe in his arms. She wrapped hers around his neck and kissed the pulsing vein there before she whispered in his ear, "I love you, too." Knowing that she was protected and secure in his strong arms, the blackness claimed her once again.
To Be Continued…
Jessie Jones
My name is Jessie Jones and I am a 43-year-old woman who is a new author with Blushing Books Publications. My debut novel, “The Taking”, is the first installment of the “Finding Forever” series. I have been telling stories since I was old enough to talk, however, didn’t begin writing them down until I was about 7 years old. I am currently not married, and I live in the Middle of Nowhere Indiana with my sister, nephew, and 5 rescue babies (all dogs). When I am not writing steamy, erotic romances you will find me traveling, ghost hunting, watching scary movies, playing with the four-legged babies, and listening to Panic at the Disco.
You can connect with me on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100045892626808 or at Twitter at https://twitter.com/JessieJBooks . You can also email me directly at [email protected]
Don’t miss these exciting titles by Jessie Jones and Blushing Books!
Finding Forever Series
The Taking
The Seduction
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