by Linzi Basset
The pain throbbed in his guts, constant and with a warm glow, but not in a nice way. When it waned he could move, when it returned all he could do was hold still and try to breathe until the excruciating waves passed.
Gideon didn’t know how much longer he could last. His strength was declining with each passing moment. He knew he had internal bleeding, no doubt from ruptured organs caused by the violent beatings and torture he’d been subjected to over the past three days. He would never have believed that the human body could withstand so much pain. He didn’t think he had it in him to keep resisting their demands. But he was close. Pain had become his constant companion, so much so, that he’d forgotten what it felt like to breathe without agony searing through his brain.
His arms had lost feeling long ago from being strung up so tight. Worse was that he was left to stand in his own piss and feces. The stench combined with the smell of blood, sweat, and his own fear in the dank basement made him want to puke, but he swallowed it down. He refused to give them any more pleasure than they already got from torturing him. He wasn’t left alone for long and expected them to return soon.
Gideon had lost sense of day or night a long time ago. He only concentrated on taking the next breath, on swallowing the few drops of water they trickled down his throat now and then to ensure he didn’t die before they were ready.
“Time to wake up!”
The voice barely penetrated when he was doused with a bucket of salt water. The slithering streams enveloped him as closely as his own skin. His screams echoed in the room, a harsh alto to the tormentor’s booming laugh. Every cut on his body stung as the salt washed through it.
“Fuck you!” Gideon yelled. He winced as swirls of pain mercilessly penetrated the cells that should be protected by smooth skin but were open and raw. He gasped for breath until the initial ache ebbed and he could lose himself in a moment of newfound weightlessness.
“Open your eyes, Clark. Don’t be rude to your visitor,” William Seely sneered as he fisted a clump of hair and yanked back his head. He roared as Gideon spat into his face.
Crack!
Gideon’s head snapped sideways from the vicious fist that struck his jaw. Blood splattered against the wall behind him.
“Look, Clark … your pretty little sis came to say hi. Now isn’t that dandy?”
Gideon felt the world give way as the words penetrated. He looked wildly around the barren room. “No!” The blood froze in his veins as his gaze fell on Jordan where she was tied to a chair. Her head slumped to one side. “What did you do to her?” he croaked in a whisper.
“Apart from a little tap against her skull, nothing … at least not yet. Get my drift, Clark?”
“I swear to God, if you hurt her—”
“Yes? Then what? You’ll slap my wrists?” William idly circled Gideon. He seemed unperturbed by the vile smell that flowed upward to fill his nostrils. “I guess now I’ve got the incentive that’s going to make you give me the code to release the money to its rightful owners. Or what say you, my dear friend?”
Gideon screamed as William dug his finger into an open cut in his side and ripped the skin further apart.
“My patience has run out. Give me the code to have that transfer released, Clark, or,” he laughed humorlessly as he pointed his thumb at Jordan. “You’re gonna watch my men take their pleasure on your sister. Believe me, they will make sure she won’t be able to walk for months to come.” His cackle echoed like a doomsday prophet through Gideon’s mind. “That is if she survives, of course.”
A husky moan from Jordan caused Gideon’s mind to stall. He had to keep the fucker’s attention from her.
“You’re a fucking coward. Why don’t you untie me and I’ll show you survival?” he spat in disgust.
William was unperturbed by the insult. He hunched down in front of Jordan, smiling as her eyes flickered open. She looked around in confusion. Her gasp of horror was filled with fear when her gaze found Gideon.
“Oh, my god! Gideon,” she whimpered and struggled against the ropes holding her in place.
“Now, now, settle down. We don’t want your pretty ankles and wrists burned by the ropes, right?”
“Let me go! He needs help,” she wailed as she took stock of Gideon’s naked body, which seemed to be covered in blood, cuts, and bruises. “No! Get your fucking hands off me,” she struggled and jerked as William traced his finger between the shadow of her breasts.
Her screams slammed back from the soundproof walls as he clamped his fists around her breasts and squeezed brutally.
“Stop! Let her go!” Gideon’s hoarse shout was drowned by Jordan’s as William gave her breasts a vicious twist. He watched her eyes roll back in their sockets before she passed out. “The code … I’ll give you the code,” he whispered in defeat as he watched her pale face worriedly.
William stood in front of Gideon. “I’m warning you, Clark. Fuck with me and that is child’s play to what I’ll do to her next.” He snapped his fingers. “Bring the laptop, Hank.” His eyes didn’t leave Gideon’s until Hank returned. He logged into the account which Gideon had supplied after he’d broken all the fingers on his left hand.
“I’m waiting.”
Gideon swallowed. It didn’t matter anymore. That money was corrupt and he didn’t want any part of it. But he’d be damned if he gave them access to anything more to spread their villainy further across the country. That was the only reason he’d been fighting to hold out until someone came to save him.
“The code is good for one transaction. If you try it again, it will send a warning to the bank and the account will automatically be locked,” he said. “Water, please.” His voice cracked.
“Give him a few sips and then stop wasting time.” He watched as Gideon slurped up the water. “Enough. Give me the code.”
“ZP9378UX401,” Gideon stammered. He felt relief surge through him as William fisted the air moments later.
“Done. Good, Clark. Now was that so hard?” William let out an evil laugh as he eyed Jordan. “At least now I know how to get you to sign over Crown International quickly too.”
Gideon lifted his head and pinned down William with a scathing look. “You just signed your own death warrant. He will kill you for touching her and hurting her like that … he’s gonna fucking rip your head from your neck while you’re still breathing.”
“Who?” The quiet voice sounded like a loud firecracker in the silence following Gideon’s harsh warning. His eyes sought out the dark figure who had been watching silent and undetected from the corner of the room.
“Jack Blackmore. Jordan belongs to him.”
William seemed rattled by the appearance of the large man as he stepped closer to Jordan. He stood watching her prone form silently.
“I didn’t expect to see you here, Mr—”
“Of course, you didn’t,” the stranger cut him short. “Take her upstairs. A woman should be treated with respect, Seely. At all times, especially in front of her brother.” He watched impassively as William and Hank carried Jordan’s body up the steps.
Gideon was surprised when the man turned to face him until it dawned on him what it meant. He wasn’t going to walk out of this house alive. Not after having seen the face of one of the leaders of the Sixth Order.
“Yes, I see you realize your fate, Mr. Clark. It’s quite unfortunate that the sins of the father have to be paid by his children.”
Gideon detected a flicker of pity in the glow of the lion-like eyes that traveled over his abused body.
“I’m quite surprised that you’ve managed to last this long. I wouldn’t have imagined either you or your sister cared so much about what happened to your father’s company.”
“Why? Why like this? Why didn’t you just approach me and offer to buy it,” Gideon asked in a stammer. He could feel the strength seeping from his body.
The full lips quirked into a smile. “Now why would I waste money on an entity I have no interest in when I can have it
for free? Your father knew the risks when he signed up with us, Gideon. He understood that everything in his life belonged to us the moment he was accepted into our realm. We invested too much time and money to set up Crown International as the money laundering shell company to start again from scratch.”
He tapped Gideon on the shoulder. “Now, be clever, Gideon. You,” he grunted as his eyes traveled over Gideon’s body again, “based on the signs of internal injuries, I’m afraid might not see the light of day again, but your sister doesn’t have to follow in your footsteps. I trust you’ll make the wise decision.”
He pivoted and started up the stairs. Gideon’s voice cracked. “Where are you going?”
This time a Cheshire smile curved the man’s lips. “I’m going to become better acquainted with your twin, Gideon. She is a delectable little morsel after all.”
“No! Leave her alone! You can have the fucking company. Just leave her be!”
But Gideon’s shouts fell on deaf ears as the basement door slammed shut behind him.
“What have I done?” Gideon whispered, broken. “We should never have come to the US.”
Jordan’s thoughts were disjointed when she opened her eyes. She winced as she moved her head. The lump on the back of her skull was still throbbing but it was no comparison to the stinging pain pulsing in her breasts.
Her vision cleared. The room was cast in semi-darkness with only a slither of light shining into the bedroom from the door of the bathroom that had been left slightly ajar. She blinked as she realized her arms were bound when she wanted to rub her eyes. She stilled and tried to move her legs. A chill traveled over her as she glanced down. She was naked and tied spread eagled to the bedposts. Fear owned her in that moment.
“Gideon?” she whispered as a vision of his bloodied and bruised body flashed through her mind. She could see how weak he was and it filled her mind with torment. If he didn’t get help soon …
A shadow moved closer to shape into a muscled man standing over her. She could see the glint of his eyes in the dim light. His voice sounded deep and far away as she tried to disassociate herself from the here and now. It didn’t take much calculation to know what was about to happen.
“So, you are Jack’s new fluff. I have to admit. He has good taste. As always.”
Jordan didn’t move as he trailed his finger down the inside of her arm.
“This time, the mark I’ll leave will destroy him, knowing that I have taken what belongs to him.” He unbuckled his belt, laughing as he watched Jordan jerk in reaction.
“I seem to remember Jack prefers a little kink, which means you would like a little heat added to the spice before we start, isn’t that so?” he said colloquially. He wasn’t perturbed when she tried to yank her head out of reach as he stuffed a cloth into her mouth. Before Jordan realized his intent, he pulled back his arm; the belt swished through the air.
Crack! Crack! Crack!
The leather struck hard and ruthless against her inner thighs. She screamed and sobbed into the gag as pain seared through her with one strike after the other that continued to rain on her thighs, stomach, and finally against the soft folds of her labia.
“Jesus!” she screamed inside her mind as the breath left her. He hit her so hard, she saw black dots dance in front of her eyes. She had never experienced such pain.
The belt landed on the carpet with a dull thud. He leaned over her and removed the gag. She spat in his face.
“You're a fucking bastard, a coward,” she choked through sobs that wracked her frame.
He laughed and straightened. “Strange that people tend to believe using the word coward in situations like this would make a difference.” He unzipped his cock and calmly palmed himself as he kneeled between her legs. “I don’t particularly care what you think of me, darling,” he hissed against her cheek as he leaned closer.
Tears flooded her eyes and forced their way past her closed eyelids as he flicked his tongue over her jaw. She could smell the aroma of a smooth whiskey on his breath. She fought every instinct to buck and fight his weight as he lowered his bulk onto her chest. She cringed as he pressed his turgid shaft against her mons.
“So soft and warm. I can see why Jack has been taken by you. Although I expected a little more spunk. Open your eyes,” he barked.
“Fuck you. You don’t get to give me orders,” she sneered through clenched teeth. Her heart screamed for Jack but her mind knew she had no one but herself to blame.
“You are a feisty one, after all.”
“Help … gghh.” The belated scream for help ended in a gurgle as he curled his fingers around her throat and squeezed. Her eyes opened in surprised shock. They were wide with fear, her lips parted as she gasped for breath. She could see the excitement in the tightening of his lips in the luminescent bluish beam of the moonlight that shone onto his face through the window. She whimpered and closed her eyes. She refused to watch his face light up with power and lust. Her fingers turned white as she closed them into a tight fist.
His hand tightened around her throat. His movements on top of her turned frenzied as he humped his hard cock against her vulva. His lips turned into a grimace of pleasure as he watched her struggle to draw a breath.
Jordan panicked as the ability to breathe was officially cut off by his cruel hold. Her legs twitched in alarm as she started to struggle in earnest, bucking violently, desperate for oxygen.
His eyes glazed over, completely in a zone. His hold on her throat increased from the pleasure of watching her choke. Her eyes flickered as she lost the struggle to breathe, unconsciousness closed in on her as a gurgle rasped from her throat and her head lolled to the side.
“Yes!” he shouted. He reached between them, groping for his cock. That was what he wanted, her prone body, helpless and vulnerable in the face of his power. The sound of his skin slapping against her limp body echoed through the room. Ejaculation was instant. He leaned back and watched her eyes open shortly after as he pumped the final squirts of his release to cover her mons and stomach. He got up and walked to the bathroom to clean himself.
When he returned he stood beside the bed watching silent tears run down her cheeks. The thought of him violating her body while she’d been passed out was too much for Jordan to bear, while at the same time she was thankful that she had been unaware of the deed. She bore back as he leaned forward.
“You will remember me, darling, every time Jack pushes his cock inside your hot little cunt, it’s my hard sword that you’ll remember and feel driving into you instead.”
She turned away her face and stared blankly at the wall, refusing to respond. His laugh was evil.
“You will remember, darling. Mark my words.”
Jordan didn’t move. She felt dirty, disgusted by the drying ropes of ejaculate he had spurted over her as she’d come to. Her eyes were empty as she stared into the darkness surrounding her. The drone of the voices outside the room filtered through her mind. She heard every word but she didn’t listen to what they meant.
She should’ve taken heed to what Jack had said and not followed her own stubborn mind. More than that, they should never have accepted the inheritance.
Regret always came too late. The thought seeped into her mind. A dry sob rendered raw the silence. No amount of analysis was going to turn back the clock. She had made the wrong choices and had to bear the consequences. She only prayed Jack found them before Gideon died.
She closed her mind to what the future now held in store for her as the dark voice echoed in her mind again.
“You will remember, darling. Mark my words.”
Chapter Eighteen
“It’s done.”
A pregnant silence followed Jack’s curt announcement into the phone.
“I’m sorry I placed you in this situation, Jack. I know you hate keeping anything from your team.”
“Why not tell him? Sean is risking his fucking neck being so closely involved with the Alenichev family, Alex. What more does he
need to do to win your confidence in him?”
“He has my full confidence, Jack.” He hesitated. “You, better than anyone, know the risks involved when it comes to covert ops and crime syndicates.”
“You’re worried that he might fall in love with the Russian Princess and inadvertently cross the line,” Jack stated bluntly. A long-forgotten memory scratched at his mind. He forcibly shoved it back into the part of his brain marked censored, to destroy. It served no purpose to dwell on past mistakes, no matter how one might regret them. What was done was done and could never be undone.
“Among other things. I can’t take the chance that he might fold under pressure should Vladimir Alenichev ever find out his true identity. We can’t afford to allow the MOKV schematics to be uncovered or, god forbid, leave the country in the hands of the Russian mob.”
“Which won’t happen.”
“Thanks to you. We don’t speak about this again, Jack. It’s now in your hands. You know what to do should the need arise.”
Jack didn’t respond and ended the call. He slumped lower in the chair. He was tired, but his body had been conditioned over the years to withstand days of sleeplessness and hunger. He would survive a couple more hours. His thoughts turned to the picture of Jordan as she had stood in the front door, watching him drive away the previous night. He was still shaken at how right it had felt to know she cared and was worried about his safety.
He checked his emails for the security detail reports to confirm that all was well at his house as well as Gideon’s. His lips thinned as he read the entry just before midnight of Kane and Jordan arriving at Gideon’s house. According to the final log, they were still there.
“Stubborn is not the word,” he mumbled. He looked up as the door opened. Max’s head appeared around the doorframe.
“About time you got to work. Do you have a minute? I need your sharp intuition.”
Jack pushed to his feet. “Only if there’s something to eat. I’m fucking starving.”
“Well, there’s a surprise.”
“Can your sarcasm, mate. I didn’t have breakfast.”