Page 69 of Ruthless Intent

I’m surprised by the surge of pleasure it sends through me. She isn’t the scared little girl I imagined her to be. She has fire. Which means that it’s going to be even more fulfilling when I break her.

“Get in the car.” I don’t open the door for her, and stride around to the driver’s side.

I pause with one hand on the door, and look over the hood of the car, when she doesn’t move.

“Do we have to do this every time? Get in the fucking car, Ashley.”

“I might have signed a contract, but I still have rights.”

“You also still have a mother.” I check the time on my watch. “That can easily change in the next sixty seconds.”

The threat hangs between us.

“Forty seconds.” I take my cell out. “I’d think carefully about whether you really want to call my bluff on this. Thirty-five seconds.” I tap the screen and scroll through to the number that will put me through the town sheriff. “Thirty seconds.”

“You can’t treat me like this!”

“You signed the contract. I can treat you any way I please. Twenty seconds.”

She throws open the car door and gets inside.

“See. You can do as you’re told.”

She doesn’t reply.

“Fasten your seatbelt.”

There’s anger in every movement as she clips it into place. I start the car, and turn so I can drive to the gates, and through.

“What am I supposed to tell my mom?” She breaks the silence a few minutes later.

“Nothing. It’s all in hand.”

“What does that mean?”

“It’s no longer your concern.”

Her lips press together, and the rest of the drive is made in silence. As we get closer to my intended location, I start a countdown from fifty in my head. I’m curious how much attention she’s paying to her surroundings, and when she’ll recognize where we are.

I’ve reached seven when her sharp intake of breath warns me she’s finally figured it out.

“No. No! Why would you bring me here?” One of her hands goes to the seatbelt and she fumbles as she tries to unclip it and open the door at the same time. “Stop the car. Let me out.”

“I’m not slowing down. If you jump out, you’re going to break something.”

“I’d rather die than go back there.”

“Then tonight is going to be very interesting, and I’ll have a lot of explaining to do in the morning.”

“Zain, please. You can’t possibly want to go in there.”

I park on the drive, cut the engine, and turn to face her.

“You can walk to the door yourself, or I can carry you there.”

“Please … don’t do this.”

“Ten.”

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