Page 11 of Jase
“I didn’t. I mean…”
There was no use explaining in my lethargic state. From the start, I knew it would come down to this. My bravery and pride were worthless. The monster didn’t care for my excuses. Still, I didn’t do this. I could barely move at all.
“I don’t know how. I didn’t—”
My limbs jerked in at his lunge. A pop merged with my strangled cry as my face bounced against the stone. The slap was powerful. He’d gotten not just my jaw, but a hint of my neck. It wasn’t the sting that caused me to sob. It was that suffocating tightness that clenched the muscles in my throat from the overwhelming, never-ending anxiety. I’d been off the table now for what had to have been hours. I’d tried to sleep, but it was more me passing out in random spurts than actual slumber. Even then, I’d been shackled to the wall. Had a day passed already? Was it time?
“I know you didn’t do it. I did. Stand.”
My bottom lip quivered uncontrollably as I fought for balance. To disobey would mean punishment. I couldn’t afford anymore unless it was to the death.
“Please.”
“Silence.”
He slowly circled around. Shadows climbed the walls, and dirt crunched under his boots. Survival instinct secretly begged me to move. To run. If only there was a way out aside from his voice. If I could just get him to open the door.
Breath tickled my neck making me shiver as he stopped directly behind me. I could barely keep my balance. I was swaying. Rocking. I eyed the large roll of plastic that was new to the room. It was obvious what it was meant for—me.
“You want to know what I want?”
The need to cringe was there but I managed to suppress it.
“Yes.”
His finger traced up my bare spine drawing out the one thing I had withheld. My shoulders curled in, and the repulsive shiver was automatic. “I had quite the thing going on here. For years, my business has gone smoothly. Maybe it was how I was secretly doing things under the table. Regardless, it’s been perfection, smooth, without a hitch. Then, I get you. Out of nowhere, this person takes a shit on everything I’ve worked hard for.
I wanted to turn around and face him. I didn’t. “W-What did he do?”
Large hands locked around my throat from behind, squeezing as I reached for the tight grip. My nails sunk into the flesh of his hands, tearing down, as air refused to come.
“Did you not hear? Did you miss the best fucking part of the show last night?” He gave a hard shake as tears poured from my eyes. “People bid. That’s the way it’s supposed to be. What isn’t supposed to happen is being violated.Contacted. My system is untraceable. Unbreakable. My location is impenetrable. Or it was, until him. Now, I’m exposed and fucked no matter what I do.” He leaned in whispering into my ear. “I have no choice on what to do with you.He wants your life, and he’s willing to make me filthy rich for it. No cuts with my money. No sharing.” He spun me to face him, moving in as he glared. “I’m not sure whether this is your lucky day or mine.”
Chapter 5
Jase
Desire, longing…genius. The first two together were normal. Great, even. It was the third that added disaster to the mix. When you lived in a world where nothing could be hidden, desire and longing didn’t last. Although I didn’t always resort to it, I had a window into everyone’s secret world. Phones, tablets, computers, they were just mirrors for me. With unlimited access, I got to see people without their masks. Lovers became revealed. Business scandals were exposed. Nothing was concealed.
For me, it was a blessing and a curse. Technology was my passion. It made me rich. It also fed the dark side that I tried to deny. Rian knew that, and that’s why he’d tried to keep me away. There was no denying anymore. I crossed the line when I offered to buy that woman. There was no going back, but did I want to?
I’d made myself stay out of the darker parts of the web for a reason, but that night I slipped up. For her, it was a good thing. Kody Marshall was still all over the news. She’d been missing now for five days. The police had no leads. She was all but assumed dead given the lack of evidence.
I gave her life. She gave me a new obsession. I got a glimpse into something I wasn’t sure I could deny anymore. I didn’t want to just save her;I wanted her. To protect her. To heal her. To put her back together again. After what I’d been through, what did that make me?Who…did that make me?
“Walk.”
Dark, wet hair glistened from the headlights of my car as the man gave her a hard push. Kody’s knees skid in the leaves, and she fell to her side causing the t-shirt she wore to slide up. Her feet were already kicking out, trying to gain traction so she could right herself, but she couldn’t see. Not with the thick blindfold covering her eyes. Sobs shook her small frame. Despite being already badly shredded by the cat-o-nine not twenty-four hours ago, she had new cuts and bruises along her neck and arms.
What had I missed since I hit the road?
“Hurry, he’s waiting.”
“I’m t-trying.”
“Try faster.”
She fought to catch her breath as she balanced herself on her knees. Rope tied her hands behind her back, and although I usually loved the sight, I felt no enjoyment in what I saw. Kody may not have belonged to me of her own free will, but I was here to pay for her. On some sick level that made her mine.
