Page 120 of Pure Vengeance

That was more like it.

“Let’s not ruin things by giving away any clues.” Releasing her neck, he glanced at the small table behind her, which housed the tools he’d need next. “All you need to know is that I’m thrilled to have you here. You are positively incandescent, little girl, which confirms all that I already know.”

“What’s that?” Her hesitation suggested she was truly too afraid to hear the answer, but being a generous master, he gave it to her, anyway.

“You were made to be mine.”

CHAPTER SIX

Escalation

Hannah

Panic spiraled in circles in Hannah’s mind, shifting from the muted dread that merged with her incessant headache to the outright alarm that made her next breath seem impossible. All the while, his words danced in her mind, teasing her with vile jeopardy.

‘You were made to be mine, made to me mine, mine…’

She’d dealt with Lawes’ menace before and somehow crawled to freedom, but this version of him seemed darker and even scarier.

The idea that he’d hunted her down, had been tracking her, then planned to take her was suddenly too much for her to comprehend. She tugged at the straps holding her wrists in place against the dirty-looking dentist’s chair. She’d hated being his prisoner at the dental practice, but at least the equipment there had been clean. Hell, she couldn’t recall seeing a shinier-looking setup before. It was a shame it had all been a ruse for Lawes’ andFuller’s sadism. If they’d truly intended to help her, perhaps she wouldn’t be so petrified of dentists.

Her throat dried, her vulnerability inspiring a new and equally disturbing thought that hadn’t occurred until that moment.

Had Lawes been Saul all along?

Struggling to recall all the things she’d told the anonymous man online, her stomach contracted at the repulsive thought. He hadn’t said so, but the timing of his sudden reappearance made sense and begged an even graver question—if the monster looming over her was the sexy and kind man she’d been flirting with, then what must he think?

Hannah—the woman who’d played the victim and sobbed in court—was the same one who’d talked about ties and floggers in the online dating app.

I was the victim!She stiffened at her own defiant internal voice.Nothing I told him changed that. Nothing justifies what he did…

Looking around, she still couldn’t believe she was caught in his trap again. How on Earth had she let this happen? Why hadn’t she been smarter? She could have taken Shannon’s offer of a ride after Saul had stood her up. Why hadn’t she?—

“First things first.” Clapping his hands together, Lawes strode out of view behind her chair.

Her breaths were labored as soon as she could no longer see him. Like all predators, Lawes was often easier to manage when she knew where he was and what he was doing.

“Mr. Lawes?” She despised the tremble in her voice as she searched the area she could see for evidence of him. “Sir?”

“No need to worry, little girl.” His voice carried from the rear of where she was bound. “I’ll be back with you in no time.”

She bit down on her lips at what she assumed was supposed to be a reassurance. The strange thing was that, however muchshe loathed him, she realized his words were consoling. She would rather know what the son of a bitch was up to. His absence surely only meant trouble for her.

“There.” He returned with what she recognized as a well-practiced smile, draping one arm over her bound body. “There’s no need for panic.”

Panic?Was he joking?

Yet reluctantly, she was forced to accept that she did feel calmer in his presence. Even though it was insane, and she would never admit it. She and Lawes had been through so much turmoil already. Could it be that, on some crude and ridiculous level, they understood each other?

Her gaze followed his hand, trailing along his skin to the bottom of his short-sleeved shirt. She was loathed to confess it, but his arm looked more muscular than she remembered it being, and on anyone who wasn’t intent on capturing her, she might even have said it was sexy.

Stop this!She squeezed her gaze closed for a moment, silently admonishing herself.He’s not sexy.Nothing about this ordeal is sexy!

“Can I ask a question, Mr. Lawes, sir?” Compelling her concentration on the question seemed to help focus her mind. If she knew the bastard as well as she feared, he’d have something terrible planned for her. Best she speak while she could, and if that meant using his self-imposed honorific, then so be it.

“Well…” His brow rose as though she’d caught him off guard. “Okay, little girl, but don’t delay me for too long.”

Apprehension knotted in her belly, but she resolved herself to be brave. She might not get another chance to voice her queries.

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