Page 157 of Serving the Mogul

But then he started probing around and I groaned. I cursed and gagged. Then I kicked at him in self-defense.

My foot connected with him, but it was a glancing blow and didn’t appear to have any effect.

“You might as well stop,” Cecil said, batting my leg aside. “You will not do any damage, the shape you’re in. Keep this up, and I won’t stop Simone the next time she talks about beating on you.”

He rose as he spoke, thankfully releasing my hair.

I squeezed my eyes shut, bright pinwheels of painful color exploding against the backs of my lids.

“You…” I clamped my mouth shut and breathed shallowly through my nose until the urge to puke subsided. “You’re a pig, Cecil.”

“And you’re an ungrateful bitch. Without me around, Simone would pound on you until you looked like a leftover hamburger.” He circled around, coming to a stop at my back.

I flinched when he put his hands on my shoulders. “But I hear your new boyfriend isloaded, sugar. Loaded, and crazy about you, it seems.”

“I’m going to puke,” I muttered.

He squeezed hard, fingers digging into muscle and bone like he wanted to leave an imprint of his hands. “Go ahead. But you’ll wear it. I’m a nice guy…but notthatnice.”

Nice guy. Sure.

But I stayed quiet, grateful he let go.

The throbbing in my head hadn’t stopped, but if I kept my eyes closed and took in slow breaths, it didn’t hurtthatmuch. Okay, it did. But I’d take what I could get.

No more pissing him off.

I couldn’t afford it.

I needed my head clear so I could get out of here.

* * *

Simone’s runto the gas station took longer than expected. I had no idea what time it was, but sweat had collected on my brow, and my bladder started panging. I wasn’t the only restless one. Cecil lost interest in the strategy game on his phone and rose to pace before the windows.

The room became darker as the shadows stretched across the floor. I said, “Maybe she ditched you.”

“Not likely. She’s smart enough, but she has attention span issues—can’t hold it together for something like this without somebody to help.” He smiled sardonically. “Guess that’s why she’s so pissed at you. You stole her man, and she’s up a shit creek without somebody to tell her what to do.”

He slid me a look. “I’m surprisedyouput up with that shit.”

“Stop,” I said with a sigh. “I’m not explaining or justifying my relationship toyou.”

Something ugly flashed through his eyes and the hair on the back of my neck stood on end.

The sound of a car approaching caught his attention, though.

The muscles in my belly relaxed just a fraction as he turned away. “Damn, Tina. And just when I thought you and I could have a nice little chat.”

Yeah, sure. A chat.

Watching as he moved to peer out the window, I squirmed and jerked the bindings on my wrists. I’d been unconscious when they dumped me in this hard chair and when they’d restrained me, but I was almost positive the thin bands securing my wrists were plastic zip-ties.

A million blog posts and articles online explained how to break out of them. I’d even taken a survival course with a friend in California and had practiced the maneuvers. Slowly, I shifted on the chair.

Cecil’s eyes slammed into me. “Be still.”

“I have to pee,” I said bluntly.

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