Page 42 of Locked Down

“Oh, he did.ToldCal Wallingford that, along with Jeff Wright, Dave Bixby,andCongressman Harris.Harris was pissed at your uncle earlier because he had changed his mind on backing Harris’s environmental bill if it makes it to the SenatebutthenAustin mentioned you and how good it would be if you found someoneandsuddenly Harris was all smiles.There were a few others in the circle as well. So just be warned. Your uncle is looking to find you a powerful husband. Someone he can join forces with because all Washington marriages are either mergers or acquisitions.”

The horror of what Daisy was saying washed over her.Her uncle was putting her up for auction.Highestbidder wins, and the bidsare basedon who has the most power. Uncle Austin wouldn’t do that. She stared at the marble countertop as her stomach hit her knees.Fuck.Yeshe would. That’sexactlysomething her uncle would do. Bile rose in her throat. She needed to get out of there.

“Are youokay?”Daisy asked.

Vic lookedat herselfin the mirror. Her face had lost all color.She’dplayed right into her uncle’s handswearing this dress.“Um, yeah, fine.I…just…wow.”

“I’m sorry to shock youbutit’s better that you know. I had no clue and was a lamb led to the slaughter.”

“What do you mean?”Vic asked.

“I went on a date with…a married man at the behest of my boss.I thought it was fun and what could it hurt?Turns out,it could hurt me. Washington is all about power. That’s it. Powerand the clout it brings you.Don’t ever think differently.”

Vic stared at Daisy.“The Speaker…”she couldn’t say the words.

“Trafficked me?”She gave another bark of laughter.“Not as such, and I certainly had a choice, but he made it clear that he was open to helping me with the relationship should I want it.”She straightened.“I was an idiot. I made the choices I made. It was my mistake.”She met Vic’s gaze in the mirror one last time.“Don’t make the same mistake. Live your own life. Do your own thinganddon’t trust any of themout there, not even your uncle.”She squeezed Vic’s arm as she walked past and left.

Vic’s head was spinning. Could it be true, she asked herself again? Surely her uncle wouldn’t do that, would he? The door opened again, admitting several women. She nodded to them and headed out of the bathroom.

Less than three weeks, and she was leavingD.C.,and her uncle. Any guilt she was feeling about going died in the bathroom with Daisy’s words. She would confirm what she already knew in her gut, that Daisy was telling the truthandthen she would plan her escape. There would be no notice for her uncle. She would be here one day and gone the next.

She entered the room and located her uncle. He waved her over. She gritted her teeth and came to a stop beside him.“Gentlemen.”She nodded her head to acknowledge the group. Wright, Bixby, and Harris were therealongwith Bob Sampson and Tyler McKenna. Sampson and McKenna were junior senators from Colorado and North Carolina, respectively. Moremen who would love to curry favor with her uncle.

“I was just telling these gentlemen what a treasure you are,”her uncle said as he put his arm around her.“After what we’ve been through lately, well, it just makes me more aware of the importance of family.”He turned back to the circle.“You know,I couldn’t have gotten through everything if it weren’t for her.She’s just such a help. Not only is she whip-smart, but look at that beautiful smile.”Her unclegave her shoulders a squeeze.

Vic’ssuppressed a shudder and swallowed hard trying to keep the contents of her stomach inside.Daisy had been right about her uncle pimping her out. Oh, not so obviously that she could call him on it, but hewas holdingher out there like a prized filly at an auction.Sheturned and met his gaze. She could no longer deny it. Her uncle, the man she’d thought saved her from a life on a commune because he cared, wasinfact, just another captor of sorts. She’d gone from one bad situation to another. Well, she was no longer a child. She could make her own decisions and take responsibility for her actions.

“Yes,”she agreed in a clear voice,“I also have good teeth.”The men stared at her, smiles faltering. She smiled back.“Sorry, Uncle Austin, but you made me sound like a piece of horseflesh wheninfact,I’m a woman.”She shot her uncle a look that saidexactlywhat she thought of this littlegame,and witnessed the first flicker of unease in her uncle’s eyes.Justyouwait.

Turning, she offered an even bigger smile.“So, Philip, I understand you’re proposingsomenew legislation.”The man’s face lit up.Two could play this game.She glanced atAustin. She could string all these men along for the next few weeks and then disappear.

Her uncle was right about one thing, though. She no longer wanted to call him uncle. That word ceased to have any real meaning for her. He wasnow,and would be forever more, just Austin. Vic was now all alone in the world.So be it.Alone had to be better than being a part of this family, didn’t it?

EIGHTEEN

Ryker watched Vic from across the room. He had no idea what wasbeing saidbuthecould tell by the stiffness in her shoulders that she was upset. Her fake smile didn’t hide her distress, at least not from him. Funny how he’d only known her for a few daysandyet he could read her like they’d been friends for years. And what he was reading now, he didn’t like.

He also didn’t likethe waythe men in that little circle were ogling her, although he couldn’t blame them. Vic looked stunning in that dress. It complemented her hair and her eyes, and there wasn’t a man in the room who didn’t notice her curves. The whole situation made Ryker want to go over and throw a coat over her.No,whathereallywanted todo wastake her back to his place and spend the next several days in bed with her.

One of the men, Wright, laid a hand on Vic’s arm. She smiled up at him. Ryker had to look awayorhe would go over there and do something stupid yet very satisfying to Wright’s face. He took a deep breath and scanned the room.

It seemed like anormalD.C. gathering, but the undercurrent wassomething altogetherdifferent. As his gaze bounced around the room, it becameobviousthat Davis was the center of attention.Sneakinglookshere and there, appearing to be engaged in theirownconversations but in reality, they were watching Davis.And when the moment came that they thought they could ease into the conversation he was having, they jumped on it. Davis was suddenly the man of the hour. He’d become the man with the most power in the room, which didn’t make sense.But Ryker stayedalert,because his mom and grandma’s voicesin his head whispereddon’t let him pee down your back and tell you it’s rain.

Twenty long minutes later, Davis gave him the signal. It was time to go. Ryker told Tony and Vince to bring the SUV to the front. Melvin stayed with him. Minutes later, theywere headedback to the house. Ryker sat in the front with Tony, while Vince was in thefollowcar with Melvin. Davis was on his phone in the back seatandVic was staring out the window. The tension was like a bow on his nerves, scraping in an odd, discordant manner. He needed tobe finishedwith this job. He was off-kilter, and he didn’t like it.

“I didn’t appreciate your comment, Invicta.”Davis’s voice cut through the darkness.

“I didn’t appreciate yours,”Vic shot back.“You made me seem like a coveted heifer at the fair.”

Ryker tensed atthe argumentative tone in Vic’svoice.He wasn’t sure if he should be proud of her or scared she was pushing the limit.

Davis’s voice went cold.“Those men are important.I want them to knowwhat a valuable asset you areto me.”

“You want them to know I’m singleandby datingmethey’d have access to you.”The venom in Vic’s voice made Rykerimmediatelywant to pull her into his arms. She was hurting. His desire to hurt Davis grew tenfold.

“There is nothing wrong with trying to look out for you. You’ve been through a traumatic experience.I thoughtmaybe going out on a date or two would make you feel better. I’m your uncle, it’smy job to look out for you. Those men are smart and ambitious.Is it wrong to want you to find someone who will be able to be a good partner,be able totake care of you in the style to which I want you tobe accustomed?”

Ryker knew he was shoveling a pile of manurebutit was the type of crap Davis excelled at. It sounded logical. Ryker foughtthe urgeto turn around and see if Vic was buying it.

---