Page 6 of My Merciless Don

The irony was that, with her strong resemblance to Amy, I couldn’t help but look twice, thrice, my body reacting to the familiar even as my mind tried to tell it to stand down. Her resemblance to Amy was really messing me up and I couldn’t help thinking that someone was deliberately fucking with me.

Only one name came to mind.

Aleksandr Yegorov, my nemesis.

The compound in Pasadena looked like an ordinary estate on the outside. A standard split level estate style house set in three acres, surrounded by ten-foot-high concrete fences topped with electrified barbed wire. Underground though, there was an entire warren of rooms for storage, accommodation, training, and even dungeons. It was its own little city, and I was the mayor.

Valerio dragged Audry out of the car and marched her into the house with me following behind. She was remarkably cool and calm for someone who had essentially been kidnapped.

Unless this was part of her plan.

I couldn't imagine why she would want to be kidnapped but then again, I couldn't imagine why anyone would be insane enough to steal from me. I had her hung up by her wrists, toes just scraping the ground, in her sexy little teddy outfit, and turned the heat all the way down. I figured by the time I made some phone calls, and had a meal, she would be ready to talk and give me some real answers.

I was so heartily sick of her quips; and much as I hated to admit it, she was fucking me up. Hearing her words coming from Amy's face was making me feel like I was going crazy.

Aleksandr Yegorov you will pay for this.

I called my accountant.

“Bad news Marco. My hacker said he traced the transaction to the source. And the source was you.”

This did not surprise me seeing as she probably used my iPad. I have to admit that was pretty clever of her. She could have gotten away with it completely, if she hadn't waited for me on my bed in her underwear.

Taking a deep breath, I knew it was time to call my associates - the Lamberts, Colberts, and Hellers. They had to hear from me what was going on.

I explained as best as I could that an issue had arisen, but I was sorting it out. “I've already found the source of our problem. I'm getting them to fix it now. All I ask for is a little patience.”

Seeing as, in ten years of working with them, I hadn't once let them down, it was the least they could do for me.

This business doesn't exactly operate on trust, and I knew they would be fidgety until the money was back where it belonged. That meant I had to get Audry to tell me where my money was. Now that she had marinated enough to reflect on just how bad this could go for her, it was time for me to play good cop.

I went to my sister's room, and collected a pair of sweatpants and a sweatshirt, as well as some vans. “Here’s hoping you're the same size as Amy.” I murmured to myself knowing that my late fiancée and my sister had worn the same size.

I stepped into the dungeon, to find her struggling. Her nipples were peaked, their shape apparent through the thin silk of her teddy. She was twisting from side to side, her face contorted with the effort, as her feet strained to touch the floor. I knew she had to be exhausted and cold.

I walked right up to her, looking into her liquid brown eyes. They were so like Amy’s, and yet not. Amy hadn't been a shrinking violet, but she had been shy and retiring, her eyes demure, and soft. A shy smile always peeking out through them. It's the thing I miss about her most - the fact that she smiled with her eyes.

Audry had the very same eyes, but they weren't smiling. They were regarding me very cynically. Even in her pain her lips were twisted in a smirk. Her eyes dared me to do my worst. They told me that I could never touch her soul, whatever I did to her body. It was such a mind fuck.

I put my hands around her neck, eyes locked with hers and squeezed. I wanted to see the fear come into her eyes, the realization that she’d lost.

“Harder daddy.” She whispered, tilting her head to give me better access.

I snatched my hands away, eyes narrowed in annoyance that she’d got to me so easily.

“That all you got?” she whispered.

I blinked, reaching up to unlock her shackles. Maybe she had a fetish for pain. If that was so, she wouldn’t get any satisfaction from me.

She dropped to her feet with a sigh of relief, rubbing the feeling back into her wrists. I thrust the clothes at her. “Get dressed. Then we can talk.”

I moved towards the door turning my back on her. I figured she would try and attack me, and then try to escape, but even if she managed to knock me out – which, frankly, doubtful - there was no way she could negotiate the maze that was our underground layer, and escape, without being caught.

To my surprise, she didn't try anything. I heard the rustling of fabric, and then a loud sigh. “I'm decent,” she said snarkily.

I turned around to face her, and smiled. The clothes fit her perfectly. “You did as you were told. That is an excellent start. Good girl.”

CHAPTER SIX

---