Page 97 of Taming Achilles

The door opened, flooding the darkened space with light. A man’s silhouette filled the door, his features darkened. I didn’t need to see his face to know who it was.

Geo walked in, his leather shoes clicking lightly on the concrete floor.

“How charming,” he slowly said, that deep brogue filled the room with its heavy disdain. “The Princess and the beast.”

I narrowed my eyes, “You’re getting your fairy tales mixed up.”

What the bloody hell was he doing here? Everyone knew not to interrupt my fun.

“Aye, you’re right.” There was a low, growling threat in Geo’s voice. What was he thinking? This wasn’t protocol. I hadn’t given a signal for interference. “Maybe I’m the beast in this story.”

He lunged towards me, and I squealed, dropping the pliers on the floor with a clatter. Geo grabbed me by the throat, and slammed me against the wall.

“Should we break him?” he asked me, loud enough for Rhodes to hear. “Shall we destroy him before we kill him?” The tip of his nose caressed my cheek. “He’s in love with you. He thinks you’re his. Shall I show him he’s wrong?”

I tried to squirm from his hold, both delighted and scared by what he was doing.

Cold, rough, matted metal pushed underneath my jaw. My gun. My Rugger. I knew what it was on instinct.

“Stop moving, Princess,” Geo said. “Stop.”

A corner of his mouth lifted in a crooked smile, his white teeth bright in the dim lighting. His deep brown eyes were molten. Like melted chocolate threatening to scorch my skin.

Two days, I had gone without food and water. My filthy hair was matted with the dank smell of fear and desperation that hung in the air. But Geo was like a fresh breeze on a sunny day, frightening away the fog of darkness.

“Is your boyfriend going to watch this happen, sweetheart?” he asked, as I stood deathly still. His hips thrust into me and I felt the damning heat of his hardening cock. “Is he going to watch me make you mine?”

The rattling of Jason’s chains cut through the air.

“You son of a bitch!” he screamed. “She’s mine! You can’t come between us! She’s mine!”

Without turning his head, Geo said in a loud, clear voice, “Who is the head of the conspiracy to control Kemet?”

Kemet was once a barren desert. It had no value for agriculture, and refugees from numerous wars ended up in that hostile terrain until it was deemed it’s own de-facto status as belonging to no government. Refugee camps turned into permanent dwellings, until shanties and lean-tos transformed into communities. Alex Baas had run the largest camp, until it swallowed everyone around it.

Brett, Ajax, and I had been tasked to work together to figure out who was sponsoring the two militant factions that tried to control the area. That led us to Alex, then to Jason Rhodes. Now, to my own father.

“Was Victor the head of that Hydra?” Geo bellowed.

Rhodes began to laugh. It was a crazed, maniacal, sound that made my blood run cold.

“You think Victor was in charge?” He pulled his head back, as if it was too heavy, then laughed at the ceiling. “There are more of us than you could possibly imagine.”

“Give me their names,” Geo said, the gun staying at my throat. I swallowed, wondering if there was a bullet in there, or if he had cleared it like he had before. I wasn’t sure.

But it thrilled me. I hated to admit that. The power in his hands to take my life, or to give me pleasure was a feeling that weakened my knees because I knew - I just knew! - that he would never harm me.

“Give me a name, or I kill her,” Geo said, burying the barrel deeper into my skin. I winced at the pain.

“We don’t get names!” Rhodes’ earlier bravado turned into panic. “Why would we? We never know who is who. No links. No ties. We just do our part.”

“Your contact was Victor,” Geo said. “I know that, so what use are you to me now? Why shouldn’t I put a bullet into your skull?”

Rhodes’ head drooped forward, his earlier exertion getting the better of him, as his eyes fluttered closed.

“He’s a media mogul,” he said, low and quiet. “That’s all I know. I swear.”

That was the absolute, undeniable truth. I could hear it in his voice.

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