Page 66 of The Damaged Billionaire

“Okay, Daddy. Love you.” She gives her father a peck on the cheek before twirling on her stilettos and walking out of the barn. She looks like she walked off a fashion runway, not someone who is in a barn with dust, dirt, and straw strewn about.

“Tennyson knows I’m here?” I ask, feeling positive that he might know where I am. I look around, trying to work out an escape route, moving my wrists a little more to see if I can get these ropes off my hands.

“Not in terms of location, but I have made him an offer.” Lowering down, he grips my elbow, lifting me up. I look at it, knowing I can’t trust him, but I am at a disadvantage on the floor, so I accept his help as my wobbly legs try to support my weight and I start to stand.

“What offer?” I ask as I move gingerly. My limbs cry out in pain, my head feeling like a balloon. I am sure my hair must be everywhere if my clothes are anything to go by. I look like I have been dragged through the forest backward, and everything hurts. At least they didn’t tie my ankles, probably because I have no idea where I am, with no footwear and no idea where to run to.

“I told him I would let you go, if he gave me half of Singapore and married my daughter,” he says, looking at me. Dread fills my chest. I already know Tennyson will do it. I watch as Geoffery looks over me again, and I can’t believe I thought this man was dapper. His eyes run from my face, down my chest, to my toes and back. He looks different from that night I met him months ago. At the business dinner, he was in a suit, his salt-and-pepper hair styled, looking every inch a handsome silver fox. Now he is currently in worn jeans, a threadbare bare t-shirt, looking all of his years and then some.

“But you know, the more I look at you, I am thinking I wouldn’t mind keeping you for myself.” My body stills, as I feel his hand wrap around my hip. I want to headbutt him, but I need to play the strategic game. I need to be smart about this.

“I don’t think you would want that…” I say, not liking him touching me. Not liking him near me. But starting to play along, I can outsmart him. I know I can.

“Ohh, but I think I would. Wouldn’t you like that? Stay out here at my ranch with me?” he asks, and I wonder for a beat if he is mentally well. Although, he isn’t, because no healthy person would kidnap a woman and leave her in a barn with bruises and torn clothes. I begin to wonder what day it is and how long I have been here because I have no sense of time at all.

“My home is in DC,” I state, making it clear that I am not interested.

“Yeah, but I would look after you. It has been a long time since I had a lady friend out here.” Panic rises more as he steps closer. I can’t move. My feet are glued. I am scared stiff because I have no idea what he is capable of and no idea what he will do next.

“What about Katerina? I don’t think she would like me around,” I offer, looking up at him through my lashes. Trying to play coy, a little flirty, which is so far out of my comfort zone at the moment, and I wish I had a bit more of Saide’s sultry moves right about now.

“Ohhh, Kitty Kat will move to Baltimore to be with Tennyson. Perhaps buy a big family estate just like his brother, make lots of babies, and live the life of a socialite. His mother has already reached out to her. They have a ladies’ lunch planned later this week.” I grit my teeth. Of course Tennyson’s mother would be somehow involved with this crazy family already. He stands right in front of me then, his body so close to mine, I can smell his sweat. I clamp my mouth closed so I don’t vomit, even though my head is still spinning.

“How about it, Willow? Do you want to give yourself to me, or am I just going to take what I want?” he says, his head moving down to my ear, his lips brushing against my cheek.

“What is it that you want?” I ask, my body now shaking uncontrollably, but I downplay it, needing him to undo my hands so I can at least put up a fight.

“Well, you can either spread these beautiful legs for me…” he says as his hands lower over my hips, down my thighs, before they come back up, tracing the sensitive skin on my inner thighs, lifting my dress up on the way. “Or I can take you any way I want to.” I hear his breath shake, see his chest rise and fall quicker, and I can feel him hard on my belly. He is aroused, clearly wanting something from me that I am not prepared to give.

“I don’t think you want to do that…” I whisper, my eyes looking everywhere but at him. My wrists burn as I move them more, trying like hell to get the ropes off me.

“Oh, but I do want this.” His hand travels up my inner thigh to my center, cupping me, and I gasp, clenching my hands, my nails biting into my palms. I grit my teeth as a shiver runs through me in fear, but I feel his lips peck my jaw, and he hums in appreciation, obviously thinking I am into this. His fingers start to move on the outside of my underwear. He is rough, his touch not something I want.

“You want to touch my cock, baby girl, because ever since I saw you that night in Baltimore, I have thought of nothing but you. It will give me great pleasure to fuck the woman Tennyson Rothschild loves.” I grit my teeth tighter, tears burning the backs of my eyes. His hand continues to move on my center, my nails indenting my palms. I bite my lip to the point of almost bleeding. I could run, but he would catch me. I could scream, but no one would come. I could fight, but I know it will be futile. My hands are tied, I have no shoes, I have no idea where I am.

“If I untie you, you will be a good little slut, won’t you? You will let me pull this dress from your body and fuck you right here in my barn?” he says, his voice croaking like he is struggling to control himself. My brain fires; he said his barn, so at a guess, I think I am in Kentucky. I don’t know anything about Kentucky.

“Is that what you want to do?” I murmur, again trying to sound sexy as his lips find my chest. I look up to the ceiling, wanting to knee him in the groin, but I need my hands untied.

“Ohhh, it is one of many things I want to do to you.” His hands circle around my back, and I feel him tugging the rope from my wrists. Now is the time. I am not going to get another opportunity. I need to surprise him and do it as soon as my hands are free.

I feel the rope go slack, and I wait for a beat until I see it hit the floor at my feet, then I immediately start to hit and scratch him before I turn and run. But it is short-lived as my bare foot steps right on a sharp nail sticking up from the barn floor.

“Arghhhh!” I cry out, the pain shooting up my foot excruciating. And I start to hop about, gripping my foot as blood gushes from it.

“You little bitch!” he yells, striding toward me, his hand on my arm firm as he swings me around to face him. I lose my balance a bit and let go of my foot, putting it back onto the floor, immediately regretting it.

But I don’t get out another scream before his hand lands in the collar of my dress and he pulls, the clothes ripping slightly, baring my chest to him.

“No!” I scream, the sound not familiar. It is almost guttural as it leaves my chest. I pull my hand back and slap his cheek so hard my hand stings from the impact, and I try to hobble away from him again.

“You are mine, whether you give yourself to me or if I take you by force!” It takes him two big steps before he is on me again, the bright-blue sky out the window the last thing I see before his hand connects with my face.

CHAPTER FORTY - TENNYSON

Willow’s small cottage is full of people. The normally quiet and serene escape is now full of people talking on phones, walking in and around the house to find a quiet spot to talk. Bob is barking like crazy in the backyard, clearly aware that something is happening, and Betty sits right next to him. Any other day, my eyes would bug out of my head at the two of them getting along, but today my mind is elsewhere.

All my brothers and Beth are here, each of them on the phone calling in numerous favors. Harrison is talking to the police, and Beth is talking with her press team so they can get a handle on this early. Emily is talking with Saide in the kitchen, the two of them making coffee after coffee that no one drinks, yet both needing to stay busy. Meanwhile, Josh sits next to me with a mix of fear and anger on his face. He hasn’t left my side, stuck like glue to me these past few hours. It is like he hates me, but I give him a strange comfort as well.

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