Page 54 of Power and Possession

But the look on his face I couldn’t excuse.

It was the truth.

How did I not see it sooner? He seemed to have dropped his vendetta against my father, he confided in me, and wined and dined me across Europe. He took me to the opera, art galleries…he held me when I cried.

I’d wrongly assumed he did it for sex.

I watched Steele drive away after his last plea to me. I wasn’t ready to face him, and there was no way in hell I was going to have dinner with him.

My head pounded, so I finally left my bed. I went to the bathroom, and underneath my sink was the medicine container that was previously in my apartment. I internally cursed Steele,pissed off by his thoughtfulness, and angry that he’d chosen to be a criminal. If only he wasn’t a criminal, it would be easier—

To what? Love him? To be with him?

I looked in the mirror as I dry-swallowed two ibuprofen. My eyes were red and swollen, my hair messy from both sleep and the way Steele had been playing with it. I had dark circles under my eyes, and my cheeks were pale. I looked like a woman who had been sobbing over the loss of a loved one.

For the millionth time, I tried to sort out my feelings. But no matter how many times I attempted to figure out what I felt and the needs and desires that led me to my actions, I came up even more perplexed. When this was all done, I’d need serious therapy.

I heard a loud, ear-piercing scream. There weren't very many females employed by Steele, so I knew it was Glinda. I rushed out of my room and looked out over the grand staircase just in time to see Glinda running towards the door. Behind her, three men wearing all black pursued her.

“Glinda!” I yelled, concerned for her. My outcry attracted the attention of the men, and they stopped chasing her immediately. The man in front, a huge man with tattoos all across his face, ran up the stairs two at a time. I started back down the hall, running towards Steele's room. I figured he’d have weapons in there. Just as I got to the door, I was pulled back, the man grabbing my shoulder. I turned on the spot and swung, hitting him sharply on the jaw. He staggered back and I entered Steele’s room, looking around. I couldn’t find a weapon in the main room, but I was confident he’d have one in his nightstand. I crossed over into his private space, the space that we had shared together, and opened the drawer. Sure enough, there was a pistol, but before I could grab it, I was yanked backwards by my hair.

“Got her!”

I struggled as he picked me up, and I hollered and smacked him as hard as I could.

“Stop fighting!”

But I would never stop. It took all three of them to drag me out of the house and across the lawn. A helicopter was sitting in the middle of Steele’s property, its rotor blades frantically spinning.

I was shoved inside, and the men jumped in behind me.

The tattooed man spoke to the man in the front seat, next to the pilot.

“Let Mr. Phillips know we have her.”

His words hit my brain slowly, and I realized that these men worked for my father. This was the plan that my father mentioned back at the opera. I was being rescued.

A satellite phone was thrust at my ear, and I took it.

“Ashlynn?” My father’s voice was calm, and I didn’t know how he could remain so unfrazzled in this situation.

“Dad?” The word came out softly, disbelief in my voice. I never really thought he would outsmart Steele and manage to get me back.

“Good. Glad you’re safe. I’ll see you soon.”

He hung up, and the man in the passenger seat took back the phone.

The three other men ignored me as we flew over the French countryside.

I was free.

The helicopter landed at the same private section of the airport Steele used. I recognized my father’s private plane immediately. Now that I was officially in their custody, the men who’d captured me (or rescued me, rather) were less hostile. They flanked my side like my own private guards as I walked up the steps to the aircraft. My knees shook a bit as I made my way into the cabin. I never thought I’d see my father again, and I was just seconds from being reunited.

I looked around the cabin, my eyes narrowing as I took in the empty seats. I turned around to ask the men where he was,but they were already back in the helicopter.

He hadn’t even bothered to show up at the airport.

Tears stung my eyes as I sat down and fastened my seatbelt. There was no crew other than the pilot, no one to tell me where we were headed, but I didn’t really care. I found myself thinking about the things I’d left behind. My mom’s afghan was in my bedroom at Steele’s, and I wondered if he’d save it for me or burn everything that was left behind. At least he’d been gone when my father sent his cronies to retrieve me. He’d be furious when he came back and found me gone. I was sure he’d try and get me back—especially after the lengths he went to get me back from the Irish. And especially since he loved me.

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