I knew what he was doing. If Rue was being kept at Frankie’s, going to the house rather than have someone come here might give us the chance to see her again. Not only that, it would give us an idea about the layout of the house and if there was any way we could get in there without someone noticing.
His tone grew hard. “I said we’d send someone back. If you think I’m going to invite you both to Frankie’s house, you’ve lost your goddamned minds.” He grabbed the brunette girl, May, and she let out a whimper. “Now, do your jobs, or Frankie will decide you’re not worth keeping alive.”
His partner took hold of Skye and yanked her toward the front door of the apartment. The young woman glanced over her shoulder, peering through strands of her blonde hair, and threw us a smile that was both grateful and laced with regret.
Kodee stood in the middle of the apartment, his broad shoulders tensed and arms folded across his chest, while the men pulled the young women from the apartment and shut the door behind them.
Even after they’d left, he didn’t move, just stood there, staring at the door.
“It was worth a try,” I told him.
He turned to face me, his features hard planes carved in granite. “Didn’t work, though, did it?”
“We’ll figure something else out.”
“I just thought, now that we know where she’s being held, if we could get into the house, we might be able to come up with a way of getting her out again.”
I nodded. “I know, but we’ll work something out. This isn’t over yet. What about Dillon? If he’s not being held at the house with her, it might mean he’s at the restaurant?
Kodee frowned. “How is that possible? Wouldn’t someone see him?”
“The staff all know what the Capellos are like. I guess as long as he’s somewhere the general public aren’t likely to stumble across him, or hear him, then it wouldn’t matter.”
“True. What are you suggesting?”
“That we check the place out.”
Kodee shook his head. “You’re crazy. How do you think we can do that? A big black guy and a man in a wheelchair are hardly going to go unnoticed.”
“We’re going to have to find a way. If we know where Dillon is, we can’t just leave him there.”
“Once Rue has done her thing in court, the Capellos might let him go.”
I raised my eyebrows. “Do you really believe that? Once they’ve got what they want from Rue, they’re more likely to kill him. They’re only keeping us alive because we’re useful to them.”
“So, we need to make sure they knew Dillon is useful, too.”
I sighed and ran a hand through my hair. “I just don’t think that’s going to be enough.”
Even knowing where Dillon and Rue were being held didn’t seem to have gotten us any closer to bringing us back together.
Chapter Fourteen
Rue
I’D BARELY SLEPT ALL night.
My thoughts had been filled with images of Dillon with the gun pressed to his head, and Ryan in the wheelchair. The men I loved were suffering, and I hated that I’d played my part in that.
Time was running out.
Every day that ticked past brought me closer to the day I’d have to stand in court and tell everyone what I’d seen Joe Nettie do to Cisco King. If one of Nettie’s friends didn’t manage to kill me before that, they’d most likely do it afterward, for revenge.
I went to my bedroom door, but, unsurprisingly, it was locked.
The boredom was one of the worst things, just sitting around, waiting for others to decide my fate. I took a shower, and when I came out, a tray of food was sitting on the bed for me. Someone had come into the room and left again, and I hadn’t even noticed. The thought gave me the creeps.
I was hungry, though, my stomach rumbling. At least Frankie was treating me better then Joe Nettie had. Nettie had often locked us girls away with nothing to eat for a day or more, and then would laugh when he threw it in to us and watched us fight among each other for the scraps. The only times we’d be given access to a shower and a change of clothes was when we were wanted for sex, so any relief we might have experienced at being clean and dressed was quickly wiped away.
Joe Nettie definitely wasn’t a good man, and I was happy to be able to play my part in getting him sent away for a very long time. I just wished I wasn’t dragging everyone else down with him.
A knock came at the door, and it opened. Frankie Capello’s familiar shape filled the doorway, and I drew my knees up to my chest, instinctively protecting myself.
“Rue,” he said, “I have someone I would like you to meet, and I want you to be on your best behavior.”
I didn’t like the sound of this. “Who?”
“He’s a very wealthy man who’s looking to make a purchase.”
My stomach felt as though it had dropped out of my body. “A purchase. Do you mean sex?”
God, he was prostituting me out now.
“No, not exactly. I mean you. This man is looking for companionship, as well as everything else that comes with it. He’s seen your photographs, and he’s extremely interested.”
“But—but what about the court case?”
“Don’t worry. You’ll still testify—nothing will get in the way of that happening—but the sale will happen after.”
My mouth hung open, hardly able to believe what I was hearing.
“You’re going to let me testify, and then you’re going to sell me on.” I was horrified.
“Of course.” He seemed genuinely perplexed that I would find this unthinkable. “What else did you think was going to happen? The moment you walk out of that courtroom and everyone knows you went ahead with the testimony, you’ll have a target on your back. I’m actually doing you a favor here, Rue. You’re going to be whisked away to some far-off land and will be allowed to live. What more could you possibly ask for?”
“To be allowed to go back to Kodee and Ryan, and for Dillon to be freed.”
He chuckled. “Come on, now, Rue. You can’t actually think I’m going to allow that to happen, not after what those men did.”
“So, what’s the point in me testifying, if you’re not going to let us get back together?”
His tone grew hard. “I’m letting your friends live, that’s what. I could have shot every one of you when we were out in the forest, but I didn’t. I was kind. I was merciful. And this is the thanks I get? I can change this around quickly enough, Rue. Just say the word, and I’ll put out an order for each one of those men to receive a bullet in the head.”
I leaped to my feet. “No, no! Please, don’t do that!”
“Then I suggest you do as I ask. There is a man here who will pay a lot of money for you, and I want you to make sure he is happy about the price. Don’t worry, you’re not expected to give him the full goods just yet—not until after the trial, when he’ll have paid in full—but I do expect you to leave him longing for it. I don’t want him backing out of this deal. Do you understand me?”
Tears filled my eyes. What choice did I have? If I didn’t do what he wanted, the others would end up dead.
“I’ll do whatever you need me to. Just don’t hurt the others.”
“Good girl. That’s what I like to hear.”
My skin crawled, but I couldn’t let him see. To keep the others safe, it was important I play along and do what he wanted. But my heart sank at the idea of being sold off to another man. What was it with these powerful males, that they needed a subservient woman rather than one they were equal to? I thought that said a lot about them and how they clearly needed their egos stroked more than they needed a challenge.
“Make yourself presentable,” Frankie told me. “I’ll give you half an hour.”
He backed out of the room and closed the door behind him.
I sank onto the edge of the bed and covered my face with my hands, holding back a sob. Should I give in and succumb to my fate? What was the point in fighting all the time when nothing was going to change
?
I touched the necklace at my throat. We were all joined, the four of us, our lives entwined. That didn’t just end because someone had come between us. If anything, it should only make us more determined to be together. Giving up wasn’t going to help anyone.
With a sigh that came from the depths of my soul, I forced myself to my feet and went to the closet to select a dress. Not that the dress even mattered. These men weren’t interested in what we wore, not really. Perhaps they liked to have a beautiful woman on their arm, but mostly they just liked the power they held over us.
My thoughts went to the other two girls who were currently here. I assumed their fate was to be the same as mine. I wished there was a way I could help them, but I couldn’t even help myself.
I selected a short red dress and carried it into the bathroom to change. The red contrasted well with my dark hair and pale skin. I used a little makeup to highlight my lips and cheeks, and mascara to thicken my lashes. Kodee, Ryan, and Dillon would have approved. Sudden tears pricked my eyes, and I flapped my hands in front of my face, trying to dry them. Frankie wouldn’t be impressed if he came to collect me, only to find me with mascara streaked down my face. Though I knew from experience that some men liked that kind of thing. The sight of our tears and the sound of us begging made them hard.
The door opened without even a knock preceding it, and Frankie stepped through. He looked me up and down and gave a nod of approval.
“He’ll be pleased with you.”
“Who will?” I dared ask.
“Your new master. And if you value your life, Rue, you’ll be thankful to him for taking you. You can’t stay here once the trial is over. Everyone will have seen your face. Joe Nettie has a lot of friends, as you’ve already discovered, and there will be plenty unhappy with your appearance in court.”
I couldn’t help myself. I had to try. “So, let me go back to Kodee and the others. We can all leave together.”
“And what do I get out of that? My bank balance will be looking pretty for some time after what I’m being paid for you, and if I let you go to them, they’ll have to leave as well, and then I’ll lose the city’s best forgers.”
I had nowhere to go with that, nothing more I could offer or suggest. He was always going to take care of himself at the expense of others, and I knew nothing I could say would make any difference. Perhaps I should have been happy he was speaking to me at all, rather than hitting me and telling me to shut the fuck up and get on with what was wanted of me.
“Now, come with me,” he continued.
I put my head down and nodded. I had no choice.
He led me out of the room and down through this wing of the house. I passed other doors and wondered who was behind them. I hadn’t seen the two other girls since the other day. Were they even still here, or had they been moved on already? I listened hard, trying to get any sense of there being life behind the doors, but it was impossible to tell.
I was led through the house to the drawing room. Leather couches, dark wooden paneling on the walls, expensive rugs covering the floors. As we entered, a man who’d been sitting there, nursing an amber beverage in a heavy-bottomed glass, rose to his feet. His suit was expensive, his dark hair slicked back from his face with product. I guessed him to be in his late thirties to early forties. He wasn’t ugly by any means, by there was a coldness to his expression that I recognized as being shared by many men like this. They’d shut off their hearts from any genuine feelings, anything that meant something real. They worshipped gods of money and power and respect, and to them, little else mattered.
“Hello.” He smiled, one corner of his lips curling. “Rue, isn’t it?”
I nodded, keeping my gaze cast down. He took hold of my hand and lifted it to his lips, kissing the back.
“It’s very nice to meet you, Rue. My name is Davide Fleming.”
“I’m pleased to meet you, too, Davide,” I lied.
He still hadn’t let go of my hand, and I wanted to yank it from his grasp, but I knew doing so would displease him.
“Come,” he said, “sit with me for a while.”
I did as he requested and perched my ass on the couch beside him. I would rather have sat on a different couch entirely, but I knew that was going to piss off Frankie, who was watching from the doorway.
“Have you heard of a country called Malta?” Davide asked. “It’s in Europe.”
I shook my head. “No, I’m afraid I don’t know much about other countries.”
I didn’t know much about the country I lived in either. The only education I’d ever been given was to do with pleasing men, and learning to read and write hadn’t been included. Ryan had spent time with me, teaching me my letters, but I still struggled. Even if this man showed me where his country was on a map, it wouldn’t have meant anything to me.
“It’s very beautiful there,” he continued. “Lots of sunshine, fresh food, close to the ocean and beaches. I think you’ll be very happy there, Rue.”
I nodded and kept my head down, not wanting him to read my thoughts. I wanted to tell him that I’d never be happy anywhere if I wasn’t with the men I loved, but I knew how that would be taken.
Inside, I was screaming and throwing things and telling both these men exactly what I thought of them, but if I let my true feelings show, I wouldn’t be the one who was punished. I didn’t know where Dillon was being held, but each time a smart retort appeared on my tongue, I brought back the image of him with the gun jammed against his temple, and the comment quickly faded away. I sat, externally docile, while my teeth and fists were clenched, as I held in my true thoughts and emotions.
His hand landed on my thigh, massaging lightly, moving higher.
“So, what do you think?” he asked.
I pressed my lips together and nodded. My voice came out as a squeak. “It sounds beautiful.”
“I’m glad you think so.”
My dress was short, and I suddenly wished I had chosen something else to wear. His hand went higher, and I wanted to push him away, but Frankie was watching from the doorway, and I couldn’t risk displeasing him.
He nudged his hand between my thighs. “That’s right, good girl. Show me what you have to offer.”
Swallowing my revulsion, I parted my legs, giving him better access. My underwear was a mere slip of material.
The guys wouldn’t hate me for this. They’d understand I was only doing what I had to. I would never betray them.
But that didn’t stop my heart from breaking as his fingers met the juncture of my thighs, pressing against my pussy over the top of my panties. He rubbed me with two fingers, slow and firm, and my core tightened in response. Unable to help myself, my body responded, flooding me with wetness. I’d been conditioned to react in this way over the years, and even when my head said no, my body betrayed me.
Davide must have noticed, as he smiled. He was watching my face intently, judging my reaction.
“You like that, don’t you? I can feel how wet your pussy is already. Does it feel good when I touch you like this?”
I squeezed my eyes shut and nodded, not wanting him to see the lie on my face.
“I think we can make each other feel good, don’t you?”
He leaned in and swept my hair away and kissed my neck. He took hold of my hand and placed it over the top of his pants. His erection tented the material, and with no other choice, I rubbed him. Would he want me to unzip him and free his cock? It felt strange with Frankie standing behind us, but perhaps Davide liked it when others watched. I knew plenty of men did.
He pushed my panties to one side, and his fingers met with flesh. He penetrated me, and I gasped, turning my face from him, doing my best to pretend he was someone else. That I was someone else.
“Unzip me,” he commanded.
I did as he said, pulling down his zipper and reaching into his pants. He wasn’t wearing underwear, and the hot, silky skin of his dick filled my palm. I worked automatically, curling my fingers
around his girth and pumping him in time to the rhythm of his fingers inside me.
Involuntarily, a low moan escaped my lips, and I tilted my hips. I hated that pleasure built in my core, even though I hated what was happening. My nipples had hardened and were rubbing against the front of my dress.
“That’s enough.” Frankie’s voice cut through the moment. “You’ve had a taste. You’ll have to wait until the deal is done to get the full experience.”
To my surprise, my potential new owner didn’t give Frankie any argument. I quickly snatched my hand away from his dick, relieved to be given a reprieve.
He slipped his fingers from my pussy then lifted them to his mouth and sucked them off, one by one. He leaned into me, conspiratorial, and spoke against my ear.
“Your current owner is a tease,” he said, his voice a low growl. “We’ll finish this when you’re mine.”
I squeezed my thighs together, my arousal fading, and stared down at my lap, not knowing how to respond. Was this man going to be my future? I didn’t want that. Just being near him made my heart ache for Kodee, Ryan, and Dillon.
I wanted to get back to my room so I could wash. I’d be able to smell the sweet muskiness of his cock on my palm. I got to my feet and stepped away.
“I can always take her early,” Davide offered Frankie. “I’m happy to make the payment now.”
But, to my relief, Frankie shook his head. “No, she’s needed until the end of the week. After that, you can do whatever you wish with her.”
Davide flashed me a knowing smile. “I guess I will have to wait until then.” He nodded, slow and deliberate. “Until then, Rue.”
Chapter Fifteen
Dillon
I’D MADE THE DECISION to make a break for freedom.
I spent another night lying on the cold, hard floor, this time with my hands still bound behind my back. Meathead hadn’t un-taped them when he’d thrown me back in here, so even though I was no longer sitting up against the pipe, I was in a worse position than I had been when I’d first woken up in here.
Captivated with Them (Dirty Twisted Love, #3) Page 8