Page 38 of The Captive
“What’s this?”she asked woodenly.
“Your script.”He bared his teeth in a cheerless smile.“Please don’t deviate.I’d really like to get this in one take.”
She glanced down at the words scrawled on the paper.“What does this mean?”
“Don’t you worry about that, princess.Just say what’s written.”
Echo stepped forward, holding the camera.A red light blinked under the lens, indicating he was recording.Le Clair came up beside his goon, signaling with an impatient gesture for her to begin.
“As you can see, I’m alive,” she recited.“And I will stay that way as long as you cooperate.”
She hesitated, shooting a desperate look at Deacon, who gave an imperceptible nod.He wanted her to keep going.But that one sentence on the page—it glared up at her like an accusation.And her insides were tied in fearful knots.If she said these words, something bad would happen to her father.She felt it deep in her bones.And as angry as she was with him right now, as hard as it was to accept that her father was the reason she was here, she refused to let anything happen to Hank.She would die before she saw him hurt.
Le Clair waved his hand angrily, his silver eyes blazing with annoyance.
Lana took a breath.“So please, Dad,” she said in a wobbly voice.“Come forward and turn yourself in.It’s the only way to—”
Abruptly, she halted.A wave of defiance swept through her, carrying away the numbness that had plagued her body all week and replacing it with white-hot anger.Enough.She wasn’t playing these damned games anymore.At this point, if these men wanted to kill her,letthem.
She was no longer interested in meek obedience.
“Don’t do what they say, Daddy!”she blurted out, fixing a steely gaze into the camera lens.“They’re going to kill me regardless—”
Pain collided with her cheek as Le Clair’s fist came crashing down on her jaw, jerking her head back with incredible force.Then he moved back, completely unruffled, while her jaw throbbed relentlessly, flushing and swelling from the assault.He’d kept his back to the camera, keeping his identity hidden, and he didn’t say a word as he stepped out of the frame and gestured for Echo to stop filming.
“We doing it again?”Echo said, sounding resigned.
Le Clair paused, a thoughtful expression crossing his angular face.“No,” he finally decided.“Despite the deviation, I think this will have the precise impact I’m looking for.”
With that, Le Clair stalked out of the room, Echo on his tail.Deacon remained, and he turned to look at her with both concern and dismay.
“Why do you keep doing this?”he asked hoarsely.“You need to stop goading that bastard.”
He walked over to the sofa, hesitated for a beat, then knelt down in front of her.One large warm hand touched her jaw, a tender caress to gauge the injury.“Are you okay?”His hazel eyes searched her face.
She opened and closed her mouth a few times, testing the pain.“I’m fine.It doesn’t even hurt anymore.”
“Good.”
She expected him to get up, but he stayed on his knees.Even in that position, he was so big.So masculine.Despite herself, Lana found her pulse speeding up.His now-familiar scent of spice and soap surrounded her, teasingher senses, and his strong, corded neck bobbed as he visibly swallowed.She felt the urge to wrap her arms around him.To bury her face against that muscular chest, just so she could feel safe for a few fleeting seconds.
Which was a total joke.Shewasn’tsafe.As long as she was being held prisoner, she’d never be safe.
“This…” Deacon cleared his throat, but when he spoke, his voice still came out rusty.“This is killing me, Lana.”
Surprise flitted through her.Her throat tightened, making it difficult to speak, so she just stared into his serious brown-green eyes like a mute.
“I can’t stand seeing him do that to you.”The confession seemed painful for him, as if he wasn’t comfortable revealing weakness.Wasn’t happy letting go of his iron control.“When he hit you just now… Jesus, Lana, I wanted to strangle him.”
“You would’ve gotten us both killed,” she said softly.
“I know.”He covered her knees with his hands, holding on tight, but she got the feeling he didn’t even realize what he was doing.Despair blazed in his eyes, along with an emotion she couldn’t put her finger on.“You’re right.We need to do something.”
Hope surrounded her heart.“Are you serious?”
He nodded.“Whatever’s happening here, it isn’t good.I don’t know what Le Clair’s bosses want from your dad, but I don’t think it’s money.And I don’t think Le Clair ever planned on letting you get out of this alive.”
Her breath hitched in fear.“He’s going to kill me.”
