Chapter 12
G enevieve
A prisoner.
If I thought I was being held captive in my own house before, the thought of being taken by Jago brought reality into my mind.
This was a vicious game being played, but I’d perpetuated it with my antics.
I’d thought I’d been smart, able to convince him with the use of force that I wasn’t someone he wanted to tangle with.
I’d been so very wrong.
There was no way of knowing where Marco had been taken.
The vehicle he’d been shoved into had driven away before I’d been ceremoniously led to an awaiting SUV.
While his actions had been brazen, there’d been too many people for any of my men to notice I was being escorted by the enemy.
He’d appeared just like so many other mourners.
I’d been remiss in having both the church and the cemetery surrounded as Antonio had recommended I do. That showed me just how much I had to learn about this toxic and highly dangerous business.
As the driver pulled through the gates heading toward Jago’s house, I twisted my hand around my dress. I’d never felt more vulnerable. He’d even had the forethought of searching my purse, finding the weapon I’d carried with me.
The buff soldier pulled to a stop and the soldier sitting on the passenger seat in the front jumped out, immediately opening Jago’s door. I didn’t bother attempting to get out. I knew my actions would be handled roughly.
Jago opened my door, holding out his hand, which I ignored. I was perfectly capable of doing this by myself. Almost as soon as I grabbed my purse, he took it from my hand.
“I wouldn’t want you getting any ideas, Genevieve. This isn’t a social call.”
“Whatever you say. Darling,” I chided.
He grinned as if all I did was to amuse him but insisted on placing his hand on the small of my back as he led me toward his front door.
Since it was still daylight, I’d been able to gather a better representation of how massive the stone was that surrounded the property. There would be no easy way of escape.
Once inside, he led me to the same room I’d been in before. I felt no comfort being inside, especially when he closed the door leaving us alone.
After tossing my purse onto a table, he took off his jacket without saying anything, pitching it across the back of a chair. The tie was next and as he began to unbutton the collar of his shirt, I couldn’t help but watch him. Even the simple actions were highly sensual.
When he removed a pair of gorgeous cufflinks, taking the time to place them gingerly on his desk, I shifted from foot to foot. I’d never felt so uncomfortable being in anyone’s space. I didn’t have the advantage I had before, my soldiers likely just figuring out I’d disappeared.
“You won’t be able to get away with this,” I told him as he started to roll his sleeves up his forearms.
Seeing how muscular and defined they were had a detrimental effect on me. My nipples immediately swelled, my heart fluttering just like it had done before. I couldn’t seem to take my eyes off the tattoos on his arms, longing to slide the tip of my finger along the intricate design.
“I assure you that I can and I will. In fact, you’ll help me do that.”
“Not a chance.”
He simply lifted his head, his smirk one I wanted to wipe off with my fist.
“How do you propose I do that?” Yes, he had me curious, although I knew what happened to the damn cat who was curious.
“It’s simple,” he responded. “You’ll call off your dogs.”
“My dogs? You have plenty of those.”
His grin was just as infuriating as everything else about him. “Yes, I suppose I do.” He didn’t bother asking me if I wanted something to drink; he simply headed toward the bar, pulling down two rocks glasses from a shelf and grabbing the whiskey bottle.
While I had no intention of becoming inebriated around him, a stiff drink could provide some sense of courage. I was shaking and hated myself for it.
He moved toward me slowly, the smirk remaining.
I accepted the drink, resisting the urge to toss the liquid in his face.
“Excellent. Now, let’s sit down and talk.”
“I prefer to stand.”
“Have it your way.” He chose to sit, taking his time as he eased onto the seat of another chair. When he crossed one leg over another, I was surprised how watching it took my breath away.
“What are you suggesting as far as the alliance?”
“A situation where we work together in protecting our investments, our people, our homes, and building a future. Together.”
The thought continued to create a vast array of emotions. Nausea. Anger. Hatred. Self-loathing. Everything was spinning out of control. What choice did I have? I honestly didn’t know. “For the sake of argument, how would we do that?”
“We’ll get to that. First, there’s the discussion about your punishment.”
“Let me guess. You want the money lost to be repaid.”
He chortled. “Not nearly enough, sweetheart. No, I’m thinking something much more personal.”
“Personal? Like what?” I was becoming incensed at this point.
“Corporal punishment. What else?” He took a swallow of his drink.
I had no clue what he was talking about. At least at first.
He’d dared spank me when I’d been here before. While the incident had been brief, I would never forget how it had made me feel. Both like a child and astonishingly excited. I’d tried to shove the horrible moment into the back of my mind. “What the hell are you talking about?”
He didn’t grin or make a move, but he was staring at me, watching my every reaction. “Punishment with a cane.”
“A cane?” He did not just suggest that.
“Yes. If you were any of my men, I assure you that a bullwhip would be used, but I don’t want to permanently mark your lovely skin.”
Holy shit. I shuddered to my core. “I can’t do that.”
“Then we have nothing to talk about and sadly, Marco won’t live to see his eighteenth birthday.”
I’d never been so angry in my life. I walked closer, lifting my glass. “You said I surprised you. Correct?”
“Yes, you did and almost no one has ever done so in my life. Congratulations.”
“I’d keep that in mind if I were you for the future. You’ll never know what to expect.”
“Then I guess that means we won’t be able to trust each other.” His eyes sparkled as he swirled the liquid in his glass. From where I stood, it seemed there was a golden, luminous glow surrounding his irises.
“No, we will not.” I don’t know if I was biding time or attempting to try to figure out how to get out of this. My mind was still fuzzy, the anger and hurt too much to allow me to think clearly. Plus, I had to admit fear had shifted into utter terror.
We both sipped our drinks, the future of what I would call a twisted alliance in the balance.
He finally exhaled, placing his glass on the small table next to him. “What is your decision, Genevieve? Would you like to plan your brother’s birthday or his funeral?”
“You really are a bastard. One day, I’ll find someone who means something to you and I assure you I’ll be swift in my retaliation.”
“So be it, although you’ll learn very quickly caring about anyone brings nothing but a sentence of death. Does that mean you accept your punishment?”
“Fine. Just get it over with.” Who the hell had the man lost in his life to make him so devoid of humanity?
The way he was looking at me made me flush from anger. “Then undress.”
“What?”
“You heard me. I want to see the marks I create on your porcelain skin.”
“Correction. You’re a sick bastard. When I drive a stake through your heart, I’ll enjoy watching you go straight to hell.”
“Where I belong. Undress.”
The air was ripped from my lungs. How had my life become such a nightmare?
I took a deep breath, holding it until I felt lightheaded.
There was no way around this. If I could just get through the horror, I’d be able to take some time and think this through.
I remembered something my father had once told me when I’d been afraid of something.
“Don’t ever allow fear to keep you from something whether good or bad. Once you face the darkness, you can get through anything.”
My father’s courage that he’d tried to instill in me would be tested.
I moved toward the man’s desk, slowly lowering my glass.
I kept my back to him while I unfastened the sash keeping my dress together.
I closed my eyes and envisioned myself back in New York in my tiny apartment.
I’d never felt unsafe in the big city even though there were so many dangers on the streets.
Of course I’d had Emiliano to keep me from harm’s way.
Now he wasn’t here.
I was very much by myself.
I allowed the material to slide to the tile floor, shivering as soon as it did. Standing now in only my thong, heels, and a lace bra, I’d once thought of the look as sexy. Not any longer.
This was disgusting.
When I heard him suck in his breath, I almost fled the room.
You can do this. Think of Marco. Think of your future.
What future did my family really have? Working with a monster would shatter my soul and steal a part of my humanity.
“What now?” I asked without looking at him.
“The rest, please.”
“The rest what?” I snapped my head in his direction. His eyes were now hooded, his lips parted as he held his glass close to his mouth.
He motioned with the hand holding the glass. “Your lingerie. Take it off. But you can leave your heels on if you’d prefer.”
“What the…”
“My house. My rules.”
I blinked back tears, fisting my hands and returning my attention to the window behind his desk. Why had God forsaken me? Why did I need to go through this? The son of a bitch was testing me. He wanted to break me. That wasn’t going to happen.
My hands were shaking as I wrapped my arms around my back, fumbling as I tried to unclasp my bra.
“Would you like some help?” he asked. There was such delighted amusement in his voice that my anger flared.
“Go fuck yourself.”
“I do love the term fucking. No hay nada como el brutal arte de follar con una mujer .”