Total pages in book: 77
Estimated words: 74581 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 373(@200wpm)___ 298(@250wpm)___ 249(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 74581 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 373(@200wpm)___ 298(@250wpm)___ 249(@300wpm)
“Gives me plenty of time,” Constantine says to me as he drags me to a small black car parked in the shadows outside.
Plenty of time for what? I want to ask him. But the truth is, it’s plenty of time to do fucking anything. I’m completely at his mercy, and the man is bent on vengeance.
I try to note where we are but can’t. I’ve never seen this place in my life, and it has the distinct feeling of being both desolate and inhabited. As we make our way to the car, I see a rickety old steel sign.
Butcher and Son
I’ll remember that.
So far, I’ve pieced together that he’s likely called in favors to escape. He thinks I had something to do with my father and worked with him so that I could find out information. Something tells me he doesn’t believe the truth, that my father didn’t even know I was there. He’s met up with his Bratva brothers and likely some neutral alliances or friends who also owe him favors. And he’s going to do something with Petrov?
What is he going to do with me?
He opens the door to the sleek black car. I don’t know the type of car, but it smacks of luxury and grace, with a matte ivory leather interior, gleaming chrome accents, and a roomy interior. I’m not here to admire the car, though. He drops me unceremoniously on the passenger seat.
I watch as he walks around the car and opens the driver’s side door. He folds his large bulk in the driver’s seat with a sigh of contentment. Bet it feels good to sit in the driver’s seat again. The engine comes to life and purrs when he turns the key.
Still, he doesn’t speak. I have so many questions and so few answers.
I watch as he takes something out of his bag, reaches over, and ties it like a blindfold around my eyes. I’m plunged into darkness. This I can handle better than small places, but I still hate the feeling. I’m guessing I’m not allowed to see where we’re going next. Like the warehouse, it’s probably a safe place for men like him to go.
I startle at the sound of his voice because I don’t expect him to speak.
“You may say that you’re innocent, Clare. You might tell me your father’s not the DA, or that he is but you have no idea what he’s planning.” I startle at the feel of his hand on my leg. “But know this. I’m very, very well-versed in the art of hostage interrogation. In fact, my brotherhood often calls me in just to perform that job. One might even call it my specialty.”
I knew it. I could tell just from his stare, even when he was the one in chains on the other side of the table.
My stomach clenches. He can interrogate me all he wants, but I won’t give him the answer he wants because I can’t.
I freeze when his hand travels further up my leg. He shoves my dress aside.
“You wore this to taunt me, didn’t you?” I don’t respond. I jump when he gives my leg a sharp smack. “Answer me when I ask you a question. Now let me ask you again. You did this on purpose. The dress. Your hair. The entire outfit, just to show me you could, didn’t you?”
I absolutely did it as a power play.
I think before I respond, but finally nod my head. Yeah. Yeah. I did.
“That was a very bad girl thing to do. Do you have a bad girl fantasy, Clare?”
Bad girl fantasy? I don’t even know what that is.
I shake my head from side to side.
When he clucks his tongue, I startle. “Now, Clare, no lying, or I’ll have to punish you for that, too. Are you lying to me?”
I shake my head vehemently from side to side. I do not have a bad girl fantasy or whatever the fuck.
“You sure about that?” he says in a low taunt that almost purrs. “You don’t get wet when you think about being punished?”
I gasp around the gag when his thumb travels to the inside of my leg, my senses magnified with my eyes still blindfolded. He brushes one large, calloused finger along the tender skin. “I won’t interrogate you the way I’d interrogate a man, Clare.” I can almost hear the smile in his voice. “No, little ptichka. I have much different methods in mind for you.”
He threatened to hurt the man that wanted to hurt me. What does he mean, then?
Am I safe from everyone but him?
Chapter 7
Constantine
It feels intensely good to be back amongst my brothers again.
I had friends on the inside of DesMax, but nothing compares to my inner circle of soldiers. The men who would lay down their lives for me. The ones who obey without question. Who can be trusted with even my darkest orders.