Page 23 of Revenge

“Right.” I nod, but still keep my hands in my lap. There’s no telling what mood he’s in and if I’m getting out of here, I need to be patient. I’ll bide my time until I can catch him off guard and that’s when I’ll strike.

“Eat,” he orders, but his voice isn’t as harsh as I’ve become used to.

I should do as he says, but I don’t trust him. Instead, I watch him like a hawk. He’s doing the same through narrowed eyes. A part of me wonders what’s going through his head, what’s happened to make him like this. Another part doesn’t care to figure out the psyche of a madman.

My stomach chooses this moment to growl so loud that I’m sure he’s heard it from his position across the room. The smug grin that appears only confirms it.

“I know you’re hungry, Princess. No need for niceties. You want to dig into your lunch then have at it. Nothing’s stopping you.”

Hunger takes over all sense and I shovel a decent sized piece in my mouth. It’s been so long since I’ve eaten that I’m famished. The bread and turkey feel like a five-course meal on my tongue. There’s no stopping the groan that slips out as I devour it.

Asher watches me, fascination etched on his face. The sudden attention has me shifting against the lumpy mattress.

“Why are you being nice to me?” I ask between bites.

“I told you, Charlee. You follow the rules and things will go much easier for you.” His eyes narrow at me.

The piece of bread I’m swallowing sticks in my throat, making me gasp for air at his words. I don’t even know Asher’s moved until he’s in front of me.

“Here. Drink this. It should help but take small sips so you don’t choke more.” He kneels down in front of me with a cup of water in his outstretched hand.

I take it from him and do as he suggests. When the choking finally subsides, I watch him for a few beats. He’s an enigma. A puzzle. One I can’t decide if I want to figure out or not.

“What has my father done for you to kidnap me?”

He ignores me and gets to his feet. If he thinks his silence will deter me, he’s dead wrong. I’m not one to give up easily.

I keep at him, hoping my prying will cause him to slip. When he continues to keep quiet, I lose my shit. I jump to my feet and get in his space. “Know what I think? I think you’re a coward.”

“You don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about.” The muscles in his throat flex and I know I’ve hit a nerve.

“I’m right, aren’t I? You’re nothing but a fucking coward. I mean, you kidnapped me and didn’t even ask for any money.” I kept my cool during the phone call, but all bets are off now.

“Be quiet, Princess, or I’ll make you.” His breathing becomes more erratic the closer into his space I get, and I should take that as the warning it is, but I’m too far gone to care about his warnings. As far as I’m concerned, he can shove them up his ass.

“Fuck you! I’m not some little kid you can just order around.” The tip of my finger digs into the enormous wall of muscle, otherwise known as his chest, emphasizing my words and causing his whole body to stiffen.

“Last warning, Charlee.” The words leave him in a low guttural tone, and again, I ignore the signs that I should stop.

The vein on the side of my neck throbs as my temper gets the best of me. “You don’t have the balls to confront my father like a man, so you pick on someone weaker than you. You’re worse than a coward. You’re a—”

“I warned you, Princess.” A hand whips out and grabs me by the back of the head as his other digs into my waist, cutting off my words with his lips.

A gasp of shock escapes me at the sudden movement, and he takes full advantage. Traces of whiskey and tobacco fill my mouth as his tongue thrusts inside, devouring me. My hands fist the cotton material of his shirt to keep from falling over as his mouth continues to work me into stunned silence. Those lips are methodical and demanding as they continue to dominate. To own me. They’re warm and soft, a huge contrast to the cold, hard-ass in front of me.

His fingers thread through my hair, grabbing a fistful and pulling me in further, deepening the kiss. My lips move in tandem with his as our tongues clash together. Every push and pull of his lips has me following his lead, chasing for more.

Stubble from his five o’clock shadow scrapes against the sensitive skin of my cheeks as he continues to work me over with his mouth. His tongue flicks against mine and my body melts further into him. Warmth pools deep in my belly as my toes curl against the cold wood floor and I become lost in him.

When he breaks away, the heat of his body leaves mine and I don’t like how empty I feel at the loss. My lips tingle, reeling from the aftershocks of his touch. His fingers linger on the nape of my neck, leaving a trail of heat behind them. “I’m getting something much better than money, Charlee.”

His fingers tighten their hold on me as he pulls away just enough to whisper against my lips, “I’ve got you, and I’m going to use you to break him.”

Chapter Fifteen

Asher

The minute the water shuts off, I know something’s up. It’s gone quiet. Too fucking quiet. And all of the bodies next to me have disappeared. I wipe away the excess water and open my eyes to find three sets of brown eyes fixed on me.