Page 42 of Claimed By the Boss

“You’ve already taken all of my money.” I search his face. “What more could you want from me?”

“Cut the act.” Gino leans in close enough for the stale sweat on his clothes to reach me and waves my phone in front of my face. “We want Nolan Rockford’s contact information.”

Confusion fills me before I shake my head. “He’s just my boss at the club. I don’t have any way of reaching him outside of work.”

“Bullshit!” He throws my phone against my chest, and it bounces onto my lap. “You’ve been with him for over a week!”

Fear pulses through me. “I’m not lying. He never gave it to me. But Tony works for Mr. Rockford. Get the number from him.”

A bitter laugh comes from my right, and Tony steps around a stack of crates. “That pompous asshole only deals with his club managers through a middleman unless he’s actually at Velvet Oasis, and he’s not returning my calls.”

“Then you know how it is.” Desperation seeps into my voice. “I’m just a server. Why do you think I’d have a direct line to him when you don’t?”

“Too bad for you, then.” Gino crosses his arms over his chest. “We’ll just have to find another way to gain Nolan’s attention.”

“Please.” Tears prick at the corners of my eyes. “I mean nothing to Mr. Rockford.”

“Nice try.” Gino grips my chin, malice in his beady eyes. “Bugrov told us how protective he was about you.”

“After that, it wasn’t hard to figure out whose Mark is on your nape.” Tony rubs his hands together. “You’re carrying the next generation of Rockford children, aren’t you, Leo?”

The blood drains from my face. “No. I’m not pregnant.”

“Stop lying!” Gino backhands me across the face, the force of the blow rocking my head to the side and blurring my vision. “Someone like Nolan Rockford wouldn’t keep you close without a reason.”

“The reason no longer matters.” Desperation creeps into my voice and my eyes burn, but I refuse to cry. “We took a test today, and there’s no baby. Why else would I come back to that shitty apartment?”

Gino grabs my aching face, and his dark eyes bore into mine, searching for deceit.

“Please…” I choke out through the pain. “I’m telling the truth.”

“Fine, I believe you.” Gino releases me and strides away.

Tony casts me a pitying look before he follows, and the bang of a door closing echoes through the room.

I slump forward, coughing and struggling to catch my breath.

The room grows colder as the hours tick by and shivers wrack my body. Gino may accept that I’m not pregnant, but that doesn’t change their plan. If it did, he wouldn’t have left me tied up here. He still intends to use me somehow, and I can’t allow that to happen.

Even if Nolan doesn’t love me, he’s a good man, and he might try to save me. I can’t let him put himself in danger on my behalf. I need to find a way out of this nightmare.

My muscles strain as I test my restraints for any signs of weakness. The rough ropes bite into my skin, but I ignore the stinging pain as I twist and pull, hoping to loosen them. But all my efforts are in vain, and the knots remain tight.

“Dammit!” Tears trickle down my cheeks, and my frustration mounts.

I scan the room for something—anything—that could help me escape. The warehouse is filled with crates and boxes, but nothing is within reach, and my heart sinks.

A scream of anger rips from me, and I strain as hard as I can against my ropes. Blood pounds in my head, and my muscles shriek in protest.

As fast as it came, the burst of energy vanishes, and I sag, my body limp. As I do, the left armrest wiggles slightly, and my breath catches with excitement.

Leaning over, I examine it and spot where the top piece I’m bound to had separated a little from the dowel that attaches it to the seat. The glue that holds it together must have been weakened.

Hope unfurls in my chest, and I focus on rocking the armrest back and forth, slowly but surely loosening it.

“Come on, come on.” Sweat trickles down my temple, and my gaze jumps to where I last saw Gino and Tony.

Time is running out, but for the first time since my abduction, I allow myself to believe that escape is within my reach.

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