Page 1 of Cruel Ice

Chapter One

Declan Flynnslowly opened his eyes, and as awareness crept through him, he realized a few very, very important points of information. Important point one…he was not in his hotel suite. Point two…he was not in his plush, king-size bed. Point three…he was tied to a fucking chair.

Faint light shone from the far right side of a dank, dark room—a room that he one hundred percent did not recognize. His head turned slowly as he tried to take in the scene around him and figure out just what the hell was happening. Nothing was familiar to him, and the musky scent of the place made his lips twist down in disgust.

His arms were bound behind his back, and he pulled, testing the ropes that held him.Tight.The rough hemp bit into his wrists. His legs were tied to the legs of the chair by what felt like the same type of rope. Someone had secured him well, all while Declan had been unconscious.

How the hell did I get here?He pushed against the fog in his mind. He’d had a business meeting. After it had concluded, he’d swung by a club. Then…

Declan could remember heading out of the club’s doors. Seeing the long crowd waiting to the side as they vied for theirchance to enter Abyss. Eager people who wanted to get in and dance and drink the night away. He’d turned away from them and?—

Nothing.

He strained against the ropes. They sawed into his wrists, and Declan was pretty damn sure he felt blood dripping down his fingers. His teeth snapped together. Sure, maybe most people would wake to this nightmare situation and be terrified.

Declan wasn’t most people.

He wasn’t terrified. He was fucking furious. “What the hell is happening?” Declan bellowed. Someone had to be there, right? Watching? Waiting? The prick who’d kidnapped Declan and hauled him to wherever the hell he washadto be close. “When I get out of these ropes, I’m gonna kick your ass!” Had his words just been a little slurred?

Sonofabitch, they had been. He’d been drugged. Yeah, that would explain a few things. Like why the hell he couldn’t remember much after walking out of Abyss.

Tensing his body, he began to twist the ropes that circled his wrists. He would get out of this mess, and when he did, he was going to teach his abductor just what a horrible mistake he’d made.The last mistake of your life, you bastard. No one messes with me. I will have you screaming for mercy.

More blood dripped down his wrists and to his fingers as he twisted the ropes. Was his knife still in his boot or had the weapon been removed? How long had he been there? Wherewashe? And what fun ways could he torture his abductor? Oh, how he was going to make the fool beg for mercy. Only Declan never showed mercy. Never. Just ask his father.

Oh, wait. You can’t ask the dead anything.

Declan kept fighting the ropes. Questions rolled through his mind as Declan?—

Soft fingertips fluttered over his shoulder. A husky, feminine voice told him, “I’ll get you out.”

Declan froze.

Those fingertips swept away but the scent of jasmine—and amber—teased his nose. His head whipped to the right as he tried to get a look at the woman who’d spoken. And who’d just offered to free him.

Is she the one who put me in this damn room?“You’re gonna pay,” Declan swore in a low rumble. She would have needed help moving him. Maybe she’d had some grunt goons doing the heavy lifting as they hauled his ass into this hell and tied him to the chair. Whoever this lady was, she would soon learn that you did not fuck with him and walk away.

He never forgave, and he never forgot.

“Pay for helping?” A bare whisper. Mostly just a breath that slid to his ear. “Seems odd. Shouldn’t you paymefor helping?”

Helping? Like he was supposed to buy that? A growl broke from him.

“Be still,” she urged him.

He realized he’d jerked his arms.

“I don’t want to cut you. I found this knife on the floor, and I’m doing my best to saw through the ropes.” Again, all whispered, as if she feared someone else would overhear her words.

His nostrils flared. He pulled in more of that seductive scent. A scent that did not belong in this current hell. Declan heard the faint sawing of the knife as it bit into the rope. Shewascutting him free.

Was this part of the game? The torture? Some weird mind fuck? Not like he was going to be foolish enough to trust her. In this world, he trusted no one. A lesson Declan had learned long ago.

“Almost there…” Soft. “You’re bleeding, by the way.”

Yeah, he was aware of that fact.

“I followed the van that took you. I was behind you the whole time. I called the cops?—”

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