Page 43 of Capturing Victory

“He drugged you,” she whispered.

“Some of the guys were willing when he offered up enough money. Those of us that tried to leave were dragged back by his soldiers and drugged forcibly.” His teeth clenched so hard Jaya could hear them creak. She wanted to reach out and touch him now, despite her earlier fear. No one deserved his fate, despite his youthful arrogance. “He drugged us, used mind control and detonator chips in our necks to keep us in line. I worked for him for seven years. He thought he had my loyalty. Like a beaten dog, forced to eat from his master’s hand.”

Jaya held her breath, tears burning behind her eyelids. She could feel Ndari’s hand clenched around hers. It was Ndari that spoke in a hushed, choked voice. “What happened, Linton?”

For a moment Jaya had no idea who Ndari was talking to and then she realized that Keane’s first name must be Linton. She hadn’t known. He looked up, his sharp aqua blue eyes resting on the princess. After a long, thoughtful moment he answered. “The moment that chip was out of my neck I tracked the fucker down, wrapped my hands around his neck and choked the life out of him.”

Both Ndari and Jaya held their breath for a few seconds. Ndari’s hand jerked against Jaya’s and then she said quickly, with conviction, “Good.”

Jaya was reminded sharply of the times Ndari had talked of free will, free speech, free… everything. Ndari had never really thought herself free. She was a princess, trapped by a country, trapped by philosophy, trapped by law, trapped by family and a brother. She’d envied Jaya her supposed freedom before her capture. But she hadn’t known that Jaya had never been free. The image of Father flashed through her brain; his frowning visage, his anger at her every failure to find and destroy his one single enemy.

Jaya jerked her hand away from Ndari’s, pulled her legs from the pool and stood. She looked up across the rooftops, lit up in the bright hues of another gorgeous sunset. She closed her eyes against the beautiful serenity, turned on her heel and stalked away.

“Jaya…” Ndari called to her.

“Let her go.” Jaya heard Keane say. “Her cage is getting bigger and she doesn’t know how to fly yet.”

Chapter Twenty-Six

Instead of going back to her room, Jaya stormed toward Ivan’s office. One of the guards gave her an alarmed look and jumped in front of the door. She stopped abruptly and stepped back with a frown. “What exactly are you doing?” she demanded, hands on her hips.

“We have orders not to touch you, Miss Jaya,” he said quickly and with authority.

“Uh huh,” she said, quirking a brow and taking a step forward. “Sounds good. Get out of my way.”

“I-I’m also under orders not to let anyone in to see the boss,” he stammered, pressing himself into the door so he wasn’t at risk of touching her.

“Riiight,” she drawled. “Well….” She quirked her head to the side and thought about it. “Not to come across as immature and all… but…” she reached out and placed her hand on his chest, splaying her fingers wide, “get the fuck out of my way.”

He jumped to the side breaking contact with her. The second he cleared the door, she wrenched it open and hurried inside, slamming it shut behind her. She sort of instantly regretted her impulsiveness when she was met with the barrel of a gun pointed directly at her forehead and Ivan’s furious grey gaze. He reholstered the gun when he saw who had entered his private sanctuary, lifted a thick eyebrow and pointed imperiously at a chair as if to tell her she’d better sit or he would bring the gun back out. Jaya took her time sitting, as though it had always been her decision.

Turning back to his desk, Ivan spoke as if Jaya hadn’t just entered the room and interrupted his work. “Is Valdez aware of your interest in the Carlo Cignani?” Ivan asked coolly, though there was an edge of warmth to his voice. “I won’t move on the transaction without his final approval.”

“Fuck you, Ivan!” a woman’s voice said furiously over the speakerphone. “What I say or do to my husband is none of your business. You sold me to him in exchange for a good friend. I’m only doing you this courtesy because the painting will show up on your radar as soon as it goes missing and we both know you’ll trace the heist back to me.”

Jaya’s mouth fell open and she lurched out of the chair, reaching for Ivan’s desk. “Katie!” she yelped. “Is that you? Are you okay, my friend? Last I heard this bastard gave you up to the Valdez cartel. I was so worried about you, kitty cat!”

“Oh my god, XSource! Holy shit, is that you?” Katie shouted, excitement clear in her voice. “I’m doing okay. Just married to Roman Valdez, very much against my will. What about you, I heard everything! I thought Ivan was going to kill you when he got his hands on you!”

“While this reunion is very touching, I’d rather you ladies do it another time,” Ivan said coldly, raising a hand when it looked as though Jaya wanted to speak again. She pressed her lips into a thin line and swore at him silently instead. “Katie, I’m fine with your procurement of Cignani’s Madonna and Child. Do what you like with it. Consider it a wedding gift.” Before she could reply, he pressed the disconnect button. His cool, assessing gaze lifted to Jaya.

“Why are you here in my office, Jaya? You’ve never been here before, so it must be important if it can’t wait.” His cool gaze ran over her curves and then warmed as he took in the way her skirt clung wetly to her legs.

She crossed her arms over her chest and glared at him. “WhyamI here, Ivan?” she asked, frustration heavy in her voice. “I don’t get it! I’ve never really gotten it. I’m a hacker and a damn good one, but you’ve never even tried to use my skills to your advantage. You could kidnap any pretty face and keep her locked up, but for some stupid reason you chose me. I would understand this situation way better if you actually tried to use my abilities to your advantage, but you don’t. It makes no sense. It’s like buying a fancy car and keeping it locked up in your garage and going in to touch it and look at it but never taking it out for a drive.”

He studied her for a moment, a slow, lazy grin spreading across his face. Slowly, deliberately he began stalking her around his desk. The look on his face was different, more relaxed than usual, darkly mischievous. Her eyes widened and she backed away from his advance until her ass hit the edge of the wet bar. Liquor bottles and glasses rattled, making her jump. She tried to edge to the side but he brought his hands down on either side of her. She was reminded of those soap opera villains from the 70’s and 80’s that would trap women in their offices and take advantage of them. She used to put old episodes on for background noise while she was hacking, finding them titillating while she worked.

“But I do want to drive you, sweetheart,” he murmured, bending until he could run his lips along her jawline. She turned her face to the side, intending to move away but instead giving him easier access to her vulnerable ear. She shivered when he pressed his nose and then tongue against the tender spot just behind her ear. “I want to fuck every vulnerable part of you. Hold you down and take you over and over until you’re finally helpless, until you know nothing but me. Until you want no one else but me in your life.” His deep voice penetrated her, while his tongue brushed against her skin, wrapping her in a fog.

Her heart beat heavily within her chest begging her to obey him, telling her he wanted only good things for her. She turned her head to the side and looked up at him, searching his steel grey eyes for a hint of softness. “Why haven’t you asked me to work for you?” she whispered, pressing her lips delicately, helplessly against the edge of his chin, feeling the beginning of his day’s whiskers rasp against her. “Why won’t you use me? Is it because you think I’ll use my knowledge to escape, to leave you?”

His hands tightened on her arms. The bar rattled at her back. “I know you will,” he growled, his voice back to its usual coolness.

She blinked and looked past him, ignoring the clench of his hard hands on her body and the possessiveness of his hold. She was looking inward, trying to figure out what she would do if she did manage to get her hands on a computer. More and more Ivan was pulling her into his world. He was confusing her with his crazy concern every time she got injured or put herself in danger. His possessive love was beginning to take its toll on her. But she owed her loyalty to someone else… didn’t she? The man that called himself her Father, the man that fed, clothed and provided her with shelter for years.

“Let me go,” she whispered.

“Never.” His answer was instant.

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