Page 44 of Callahan's Haven

She sniffled as hot tears ran down her cheeks and she rocked back and forth in the chair, crying for the man she loved while her heart broke apart piece by piece in the dark until nothing was left.

She sat there for what seemed like hours, grieving until she blinked hard when harsh light flooded the room.

“And there’s the princess.”

She squinted at the man smirking at her, his dirty blond hair a little greasy and his smarmy smile marred by the missing part of a front tooth.

“Just look at you.” He laughed and shut the door, closing them in together. “I just can’t believe that bastard Rothe had the balls to bang the daughter of the high and mighty Duncan Sheppard. But can’t say that I blame him,” he said, walking over to her.

Her stomach roiled in disgust when he ran a finger over her wet cheek and then down where he lingered over her breast. “You must be one juicy piece of ass.” He smiled, watching where his hand circled her nipple. “I might have to get me some when all is said and done.” He grinned back up at her. “Too bad I’ll have to wait. We have to keep you nice and healthy as incentive until dear old daddy is dead.”

She gasped, her eyes flying to meet his sinister stare.

“What? You didn’t know?” He smiled again and crouched in front of her. “Yeah. One way or another daddy knew he was on a suicide mission—whether he took out Sadik or not.” His smile broadened. “How does it feel knowing two men will be dead today from trying to protect you? Rotheandyour dad.”

God, did Cal know about this? She shook her head. No, she didn’t think he would’ve been as confident about Saturday being a good day for her. Besides, knowing her dad, he wouldn’t have said anything.

“Don’t shake your head at me, princess,” he said, grabbing her jaw in a bruising grip. “It’s all true.” He let go of her face and then ran his finger down her arm to the leather bracelet. “Huh. This is nice.” He grinned up at her. “You won’t be needing it much longer and my girlfriend likes blue.” He grabbed her hand and roughly twisted her wrist over, the zip ties scouring her skin. He tried to undo the clasp, but it wouldn’t budge. “How do you take this damn thing off?”

She licked her lips and then cleared her throat, needing to keep the relief from her voice. If she could get him to activate the GPS, Cal’s friends could find her in time and stop her dad from killing this Sadik man. She could at least save her father. “If I tell you, will you promise not to hurt me?” It wouldn’t do to be too easy with telling him how to take it off. She didn’t want to arouse his suspicions.

“Ha. No.” He tugged on the leather to work it over her hand under her binding, but the bracelet was too fitted and the ties too unforgiving.

“N-n-n-no. You’re going to break it.”

“Then quit dickin’ around,” he said, pulling on it again, “and tell me how to get the damned thing off.”

She let her lower lip tremble. “There’s a trick to it.”

“Tell me,” he said, squeezing her fingers hard to the point she gasped.

“See the little round button there on the side?” she said, grimacing when he squeezed harder.

He examined the clasp from his still crouched position. “Yeah.”

“Press it three times.”

He did. She took in a breath and held it.

Dear God, let it work.

“Nothing happened.” His aggravated gaze met hers as he tugged her hand hard enough the tie cut into her and she winced. “You lying to me?”

“I-I-I told you there’s a trick. Hold down the long narrow button for the count of five.”

He did. The clasp released and he yanked it away from her wrist and held it up in front of him. “Rothe give you this?” he asked, eyeing her.

She nodded.

“Good,” he said, grinning and putting it in his pocket. “Now every time I see it, I’ll think of how good it felt to shoot that prick.”

Her heart fell again.

“Well, you look just the right amount of miserable.”

She didn’t have the will for any kind of comeback.

“Perfect,” he said, lifting his phone from his other pocket and pointing it at her. “Now, smile for your daddy.”

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