Page 95 of Savage Seduction

“How the fuck do I know?” he snapped. “Do it, or I’ll make you do it. That what you want?” He leered.

Staying pressed up against the wall, I crab-walked sideways towards the door as he undressed me with his eyes. I wanted to give him a kick in the nuts and run for it, but that would give him an excuse to put his hands on me.

And from the distant sound of voices, there were at least three or four others in the house. No way could I make a run for it.

I picked up the carrier bag and dashed up the stairs, conscious of him following close behind. I passed a closed door and heard Jacob talking with others within. But had no time to pause and listen.

Creep was right behind me, pointing up the next set of stairs to the bathroom above. He followed me and waited outside the door. I locked it and wished I had a chair to shove against the handle.

The bathroom window was covered in metal bars too. What kind of freaking house had bars over a bathroom window?

I quickly undressed, hating the mirrored walls, which made me feel watched. But I was immensely glad to strip out of my dirty blouse and skirt and climb into the grimy tub under the steaming hot shower jet.

I could have wept at the sensation of water pounding on my skin, easing my tense muscles, soothing me into a few brief minutes of bliss. Until I remembered where I was.

I hastily shampooed my hair and scrubbed myself, and felt like a whole new woman when I stepped out of the tub.

When I went to fetch the fresh clothes from the bag, all I found was a skimpy, strapless mini dress. A lilac sheath. It was cute, the sort of thing you might have worn on a fun night out with friends. But not while being held captive by a bunch of men, one of whom made your skin crawl.

“Crap,” I muttered, standing there in my towel and searching the bag in vain. There was nothing else in there.

My worn blouse and skirt lay crumpled on the floor tiles, now both dirty and damp. The thought of putting them on again made me want to cry now that I felt human again.

And then it occurred to me that there could only be one reason that Jacob wanted me to clean up and change into something pretty.

Marco! He was ransoming me to Marco, after all!

With a small cry of relief, I hurried into the lilac dress, then roughly towel dried my hair.

Creep banged loudly on the door. “Hurry up!”

“I’m done,” I called timidly, slipping into my nude pumps again since no shoes had been in the bag.

The door opened. Creep marched me downstairs again, past that lounge door behind which hushed voices still talked, and towards the basement.

“But—” I said, then cut myself off.

“But what?” he mocked.

But I had not expected to return here.

He gripped my elbow and hustled me down the stairs and into the cellar. He locked the door behind me.

“Where are you going?” I cried.

He did not reply. His footsteps receded.

I turned to face my damn cellar and noticed something was different. I was no longer alone. Jonathan Landry had joined me.

Chapter 36

BETH

Dressed in a rumpled grey suit, Jonathan looked dishevelled and tired.

He looked shocked to see me. “Beth.” His eyes narrowed as he took in my appearance, my bare legs, the skimpy lilac sheath, my long dark hair loose and damp.

He whistled in appreciation, and a wave of disgust rolled through me.

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