Page 54 of Their Virgins Secret

“Ah, there’s the panic I wanted to see. I knew I was right about her when I bribed your secretary to send me the private investigator’s files. I saw the adoration on your faces that day at the Waldorf. I knew for certain she was the proper instrument for my vengeance when I realized you were paying a fortune to keep tabs on her. ”

“Leeetttt heeerrr goooooo,” Burke groaned, his arms jerking as though he wanted to get his hands around the man’s throat.

Delgado scoffed. “No. And to answer the question in your brother’s eyes, no, she’s not dead. ” Delgado put a hand on her back, sliding it down her curves. “She’s taking a little nap. In fact, I’m not going to kill her right away. That would be far too easy for all of you. You cost my father his life and the consortium I inherited, along with its good name in the business. I intend to get it all back, and your lovely lady will help me. Redheads are so hard to find, and they do so well in the more exotic places of the world. I’ll sell her. Imagine that as you search for her. Imagine all the men who will enjoy her body and her pain against her will. I know I intend to. Good night, gentlemen. I expect the next phase of our game will be challenging for you. ”

And then it began again. Just as he managed to move his fingers with the slightest bit of purpose, the two men who stood over he and Burke, flicked the switch again. Fire lit through his system and he jerked. Angry tears he couldn’t stop blurred his eyes. His head jerked, striking the floor over and over.

Finally, darkness took him.

CHAPTER TEN

Burke came to in little stages. Flashes of reality. Flashes of horror. He blinked his eyes open, then slammed them shut when the lights were much too bright. Every muscle ached. Tired. He was so damn tired, as though he’d run a marathon. His muscles protested at any hint of use. His eyes drifted shut, and he wanted to let sleep take him, but something wicked played at the edge of his consciousness.

Jessa.

The events of the evening slammed back into his head with horrible clarity. Burke forced his eyes open. How long had she been gone? The tiny motel room shook. Thunder. A storm. God, Jessa was out in that storm, and he had no idea where, with a vengeful bastard determined to use and kill her. And where was his brother?

“Cole?”

“Fuck. I hate Tasers. ” Cole sat up, patting his chest. Tiny blood spots dotted his T-shirt where the darts had bitten into his flesh. Burke looked down and could see his own.

He struggled to his feet, his muscles shaking. “We have to go. We have to find her. ”

“Figure out where she is, yeah. What time is it? How long were we out?” Cole flexed his hand and stretched. His skin looked ashen, his eyes red rimmed.

“About twenty minutes. ” Long enough for Jessa to vanish. Long enough for her to be lost forever.

“We have to alert the police, have the airports shut down,” Cole said. “Where’s the phone? Fuck. They took the phones. ” He looked around the room. “They even took the goddamn landline. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. ”

Burke took a deep breath, forcing the air into his lungs. “We have to stay calm and find a phone, call Dex. ” He darted for the door. There would be a phone in the lobby unless Delgado had murdered everyone in the motel and taken all their phones. Burke turned back to his brother. “Look around. See if they forgot anything. ”

He threw open the door and stopped in his tracks. A woman stood outside their room, the rain beating on her. She was turned away from him, her blonde hair wet and mangled against the back of her dark coat. Despite the darkness, he knew who stood there, and he was shocked that the bitch had the gall to ever stand in his presence again.

“Hilary. ”

Cole stomped to his side in an instant. “What the hell are you doing here?”

She turned slowly, as though forcing herself to make the movement. Mascara streaked down her face. Her blue eyes blinked in a vacant shock. Burke had never seen Hilary when she was anything less than perfect. Flawless makeup and hair. Designer clothes in the most flattering styles. Now Hilary was a wreck. She stood there, whole body shaking, and he knew she’d been through something terrible.

He didn’t give a shit.

“Burke. ” His name fell from her trembling lips. She reached an entreating hand toward him. “I’m so glad you’re okay. ”

“Is she fucking serious?” Cole growled low, his jaw tight as he grabbed her arm and jerked her inside, making Hilary cry out.

“Yep, and she’s got balls of steel,” Burke replied under his breath as he slammed the door shut. They needed answers from her. She was definitely the reason he and Cole had been parted from Jessa for the past year. She had to be in league with Delgado, but for some crazy reason she’d come here. Now, they had to use that to their advantage, get whatever information they could out of her that would help them locate Jessa. Scratch that; he had to. Cole would only try to intimidate and bully her. Burke knew how to handle Hilary, and she had a crush on him that he’d use to their advantage.

“Let me go, you animal. You’re just like the men you chase down. ” Hilary fought Cole’s hold, her legs kicking.

God, he was going to have to play this right. He didn’t have time to torture her, though it would have pleased him greatly. But Jessa’s life was on the line, so he had to work fast to gain Hilary’s cooperation. Cole had to stand down.

Burke steeled himself for what he had to do, then turned a scolding look to his brother. “Cole, leave her alone. You’re hurting her. ”

Cole turned, his eyes widening. His expression clearly asked what the fuck is wrong with you?

“You can’t treat her that way. Let her go right now. ” He sent his brother a ferocious look.

Cole dropped Hilary like a poisonous snake. She wasn’t ready for it and crumbled to the floor in a heap.

---