Page 119 of Captive Souls

“Piper,” he drawled, stepping back. “I’m so glad to have you here.”

And just like that, all of my plans, all of my control, went out the window.

Piper

My heart was throbbing in my feet as I walked into the room. And not just on account of the uncomfortable shoes. I felt the eyes of every man in the room on me as I slowly and with faux confidence walked into the opulent office.

Stone’s inky gaze coated me in filth, but that’s not what almost brought me to my knees.

It was Knox, standing there, flanked by two armed men, standing stock-still, almost shaking with rage, not meeting myeyes until I was almost right in front of him. I might’ve flinched had I not retreated into such a deep part of myself. He was furious. I could feel the rage emanating from him, lashing against his skin like knives. I knew that he’d been confident in whatever he’d been about to do, willing to die in the process and without regret. And I knew I’d gone and ruined all of his plans. Which was the point.

With a deep breath, I looked toward Stone, but not before I caught sight of what was behind him.

My breath caught, and my mask slipped when I saw what was on the wall.

Stone, who hadn’t missed what caught my eye, smirked. “Ah, yes. I was just discussing with Knox my appreciation for his talents. Though I haven’t yet had the pleasure to see you in your entirety, Piper, this paints a picture that you will not disappoint.”

The way he spoke, the ownership he obviously felt over my body, made my skin crawl. Not as much as that painting, that sacred object being on display there, used as a torture device, a trophy for Stone. Sullying it in a way that should’ve been against the laws of nature.

“I’m glad you like it,” Somehow, I kept my composure. “You can consider it a wedding gift.”

Stone paused, his smile clearing from his face as confusion took its place. I reveled in unsettling him. A marker that I was going in the right direction, that I just needed to hold steady.

“I’ll marry you,” I told Stone, refusing to look at Knox even though his stare was flaying layers of my skin and flesh, down to my soul that was his and his alone. “On the one proviso you let him go.” I tilted my head to Knox, keeping my stare on Stone.

Stone’s confusion turned to contempt, his lips pulling back in a sneer. “And what convinced you to think I’m deluded enough to believe that you’ve had such a quick change of heart when youwere so … insistent about where your heart, and your cunt, laid at the motel?”

His tone was pleasant, which made the crude words all the more biting. Stone’s true nature was leeching out of his $10,000 suit like snakes slithering through crevices. The anger he felt was fraying his control.

It gave me hope. That he was so furious, betrayed by thinking he could own a woman without consequences, that she’d bow down to him. That anger was my way in. And the delusion that despite all the evidence presented, he still had the arrogance to think I wanted him.

“My heart hasn't changed,” I told him honestly. “I’m still repulsed by the way you’ve gone about this whole thing.” I waved my hand. “I wasn’t lying in the beginning. I wasn’t interested in you. Not in the slightest.” I paused to lick my lips, moving just a little closer to him, though even the small distance disgusted me. “But now that I’ve had a taste of what it’s like to walk on the dark side, so to speak, I’d be lying if I said it didn’t tempt me. The life you offer”

I leaned forward, ignoring all of the tension in the room as I straightened Stone’s already perfect tie, my fingers steady as they stroked the expensive fabric.

In my periphery, Knox shifted on his feet where he stood, unable to remain still with the outrage he obviously felt as I touched Stone. I ignored him, gazing at Stone through my heavy lashes. The man was tense, not wholly convinced, but I didn’t miss the hunger, the triumph in his eyes. He really was fucking stupid enough to think a woman could still want him after kidnappings, beatings, attempted rapes, just because he had money and power.

After silently counting to three, I let go. “And then there’s the case of my sister’s life being in danger.” I took time to inspect my nails, which had been polished just a few hours before.The dirt underneath them from the garden in the mountains of Appalachia was long gone. I missed it like a body part.

I looked back up at Stone who was regarding me with distrust. “It’ll push a girl over the edge. I don’t want to run my whole life. I want a secure life. You can give that to me, can’t you? You have the power to give that to me, don’t you?”

Though he surely hadn’t become the head of a crime organization by believing everything he heard, I knew that I was breaking Stone down. Men were so simple. Stroke their ego, tell them they’re powerful, and they’d be putty in your hands.

“Yes, Piper,” he replied, the knife still in his hand. “I have the power to give youeverythingbeyond your wildest dreams.”

I nodded, batting my lashes. “I expect you’ve done your research on my past.” I’d been thinking a lot about what Knox didn’t know about me. He’d explained that his ‘job’ had been rather last minute, that he’d been overly confident in his ability and hadn’t done the usual research into my background.

It only made sense that Stone would’ve, especially with the resources and time at his disposal. He wanted to control me. And he was smart enough to study me in order to do that.

Stone bobbed his head in response.

“Which may serve as more evidence as to why security is so important to me. Recent events made that all the clearer. And the violence your men didn’t hesitate to inflict upon me.” I raised my hand to my eye. “Along with their casual references to gang rape and attempted rape.”

I could feel white-hot ire radiating from where Knox stood, inches from me. The need to reach out to touch him was so overwhelming it hurt.

But I kept my attention on Stone. “I’ll have to request that there be no more violence against me and my sister, nor threats of sexual abuse.” I said this all blandly, as if the existence of such things didn’t fill my belly with immeasurable feminine fury.

Stone watched me carefully. “As my wife, no one would lay a hand on you. But me, of course.”

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