Page 67 of Emma's Element

“Goes without saying. What was the company?”

“Torrent Industries.”

“Doesn’t ring a bell.”

“It didn’t for me either until this dickwad behind me stepped into the room. Very clever, Mr. Rayne, using a synonym of your name for the company you use to hide your dirty deeds.”

Marcus sighed. “Of course, torrent is just another word for rain. And exactly how long has this been going on?”

“Well, the exceptionally vile Colleen had been receiving payoffs from certain paparazzi for as long as she’s worked for you, I’m sorry to say. But her association with Torrent Industries started two years ago.

“Right around the time I stopped taking Charlie’s calls.” He shook his head at the overwhelming amount of duplicity that surrounded him.

“You’re smarter than you look, darlin’,” Harrison leered.

“I know, which is why I contacted an acquaintance of mine to break through the last remaining walls I was having trouble with. As soon as he’s done, every scrap of information we’ve collected will go to the authorities. All your illegal activities, your money laundering, your Ponzi schemes, your financials, everything will be tied up in a nice, neat bow for the Feds. I’m betting you have maybe twenty-four hours left before you all become wanted fugitives.”

“Fuck,” Charlie fumed. He stalked to Emma and struck her across the face with his gun. Emma’s head snapped to the side with a cry of pain. The blood pounded in his ears, and even with his hands restrained behind his back, he strained forward, intending to take down his brother. He was stopped by the minions before he could get close.

He tried to buck against their hold, needing to get to Emma. He saw only red, the flame of his rage blinding him until he heard Emma calling his name.

“Marcus, stop. I’m okay. Don’t fight them, they’ll kill you.” The crack in her voice froze his movements. He focused on her, attempting to contain the violence rolling through his veins. The blow had broken the skin on her cheek, blood trickled down the side of her face. Seeing her blood nearly had him losing himself in a rage again until her soft voice penetrated. “I’m okay. Please. Stop.” Her eyes jerked to her left where Charlie was standing. His gaze darted to his brother, and the barrel of the gun pointed directly at him.

He breathed deeply through his nose to calm himself, his nostrils flaring. After a few deep inhalations, the pounding pulse in his ears dissipated. He needed to keep his head; he couldn’t help Emma if he were dead. But seeing her bleed, seeing her stoically fight back the tears of pain, was more than he wished to endure.

“Aww, Honey. Don’t worry,” Colleen mocked. “I’m sure it won’t scar too badly. And who knows, maybe it will be an improvement for someone so . . .” She paused and raked her gaze over Emma. “. . . bland. I mean, seriously, Honey. What could you possibly see in someone so common-looking?”

“She has more beauty in her little finger than you could ever wish to have,” asserted Marcus.

Colleen moved fast, snatching Emma’s hand. She grasped her little finger and wrenched it to an impossible angle. “You mean this little finger?” Emma’s gasp of pain ripped through his heart. He wanted to surge forward but didn’t dare.

“Let her go, babe,” Harrison ordered. Colleen held on, wrenching the finger more as she stared defiantly at his father. Marcus could tell her defiance was not going to be tolerated. Harrison turned his evil gaze on Colleen and issued one order. “Now.”

Colleen huffed out a breath but released Emma’s finger. She tried valiantly to contain it, but he still heard the barely discernable whimper. The sound made him want to drop to his knees to offer up anything they asked for.

“Do you think what the bitch said is true, Dad? Should we go?” Charlie whined.

“No worries, Charlie, my boy. Once we have what we came for, we’ll have enough to disappear with.”

Charlie didn’t look convinced. There was a nervousness to his demeanor that said he wanted to run. Marcus watched him closely; the hand holding the gun trembled slightly. Charlie was still cowed by their father. Could he use that as a weakness against them?

“And do share, Harry, what is it you wanted again?” Harrison’s eyes flared with the use of the hated nickname. His large hand went to Emma’s throat, his fingers digging into her tender skin. Shit, he needed to remember not to taunt him while he still held Emma.

“We’ll get to that, but we have other business to handle first. Get his phone.”

Shorty snickered, and Marcus fought to control his eye roll. Did this idiot think everything was amusing? “Sure thing, boss.”

After digging out his phone, Harrison ordered him to sit on the ground, where Stretch wrapped the tape around his ankles before securing Emma too but with her hands in front of her. She was pushed down to sit next to him.

Harrison had Marcus’s cell and was trying to unlock it. “What’s the passcode?” he demanded. He didn’t answer. Harrison turned to Emma and backhanded her. A heartbreaking moan slipped out as her head hit the wall with a sickening thump. A rush of rage stormed through his body as his gaze raked over her face, cataloging the bruises already forming. When his eyes settled on her beautiful dark ones, he perceived nothing but fierce determination even as she blinked back tears from the pain. His stomach twisted catching the shimmer of tears and her determination to hold them back. Seeing her in pain had bile burning in his gut.

Marcus growled, bristling with anger and unable to hide his weakness. Everyone could tell the way to get him to do anything was to threaten Emma. And hewoulddo anything, give them anything to keep her safe. “Three-six-six-two,” he said, giving him access to his phone.

“How cute. ‘E-M-M-A,’” he said while punching in the numbers. Marcus could hear the audio from the video he’d taken as Harrison watched it while a smile twitched at the corners of his mouth. “So, that’s what you saw last night. This doesn’t prove much. No names are mentioned.”

“That may be, but if anything happens to us, someone will figure it out and know exactly who to look for.”

“Anybody else see this?”

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