Chapter Three
“WHO THE FUCK ARE YOU to MJ, Katya Vlahos?”
The normally tidy and fashionable young woman was disheveled and unkempt. Dark bags underlined her eyes, and she looked like she had been wearing the same set of clothes for days. She had told them to meet her at the hotel rather than her dorm, which aroused their suspicions. But now that they had met, nothing about the Greek heiress added up.
The knob behind them twisted, someone unlocking the door from outside. Everyone tensed, hands ready to pull out guns they had started keeping with them ever since MJ had been taken. To others, it might seem like they were college students playing cops and robbers. If only it was so. In their lives, all of them had, at one point or another, found a life-threatening need to use a gun. There were just a paltry few people they could trust when one had billions of dollars in the bank.
“Relax.” Katya’s voice was weary. “It’s just my brother.”
No sooner had she spoken when the door opened and a tall, dark-haired man walked inside. His first concern was Katya, his eyes zeroing in on her with laser-sharp precision. The resemblance between the two was uncanny, and Helios knew this must be Ioniko Vlahos, one of Greece’s most eligible bachelors as well as being a billionaire in his own right.
“You are okay?” Ioniko murmured in Greek.
Katya nodded. “They’re here asking about MJ.” She gestured to Helios. “He is Helios Andreadis, MJ’s boyfriend.”
Placing himself directly behind the armchair where Katya was seated, Ioniko took his time studying the younger man. He noted the weariness and tension on Andreadis’ face as well as the fierce glint of determination in the gold-flecked eyes. Good , he thought. This was not a man about to give up searching for the woman he loved.
Katya touched the hand resting on her shoulder. “Ioniko, Helios wants to know about us and MJ.”
Ioniko said without preamble, “We are her half-siblings.”
Helios jerked.
“We learned about her existence from the journals our father left us upon his death.”
“I came here, wanting to know who she is, wanting to hate her for being the daughter of the woman who destroyed my parents’ marriage. Papa and Mama were always happy – or at least they were once, but then something happened and it just wasn’t the same anymore.” Katya swallowed. “When I met MJ, I just knew I couldn’t hate her. She’s told me a little about what she’s gone through and I just...I wished we had been there for her.”
“I had wanted to meet her beforehand,” Ioniko continued, “but Katya convinced me to give MJ space because she had just undergone a lot of turbulent changes.” He looked at Helios meaningfully at the word ‘turbulent’.
Faint color stained Helios’ cheeks.
“We are extremely worried about her disappearance,” Ioniko stressed. “Is it true? That she has been abducted?”
“Yes.” Helios’ jaw clenched at the admission. Even now, he blamed himself for what happened. “We’ve kept it quiet to allow us to search for MJ more effectively.”
“I would like to help with the search,” Ioniko volunteered grimly. “I do not mind getting my hands dirty.”
Helios’ smile became menacing. “Neither do I.”
“Then we will get along, won’t we?” Something about the man’s bristling tension bemused Ioniko, and it took him a while to realize that Helios was still having a hard time seeing him as MJ’s older brother. Like any hot-blooded Greek male, Helios saw him as another man who cared about the woman he loved, therefore making him a rival. It was clear Helios hated accepting help from him, but it was just as clear he would take the help offered because of his desire to see MJ safe.
“Helios?” It was Katya who broke the silence. “When...we find MJ, I want to be able to tell her the truth.” Her words were spoken in a fierce tone, a clear warning that she would not stand for anyone getting in her way. “I...just...I just hate myself, for not telling her when I had the chance.” Her voice caught. “When I see her, I want to tell her right away, okay?”
“You will get to see her and tell her that,” Helios said curtly. He knew he was being unfair, disliking the way doubt and grief had already colored Katya’s words. But he did. MJ was alive – and she would stay alive for him.
Ioniko’s own eyes flashed in warning at Helios. “Do not speak to her in such a way. She is only worried about MJ—”
“And I’m telling you, there is nothing for you to be worried about. She will live.”
“I, too, want her to be alive, Andreadis. But we must also be practical—”
“No,” Helios growled furiously. “She’s alive. She’s fucking alive, so stop saying stupid things.” He closed his eyes, digging deep into the darkest part of his soul. He whispered, “MJ...is the type to be savored, even if you only want to kill her.” His eyes opened. “And for that reason alone, I’m fucking telling you. She’s alive – and she’s waiting for me to come rescue her.”
“HOW HAVE YOU BEEN, my dear?”
Manolito’s voice was as pleasant as ever, and she did her best to match it, making sure that she met his gaze straight on as she spoke. “I’m fine.” She had been with him for twelve days now. And for the last two days, she had been allowed to roam freely about her bedroom, with only one ankle chained to the bedpost.
He took a seat at the edge of her bed. “What do you have for me tonight?”
She took one quick deep breath—
Dear God , please let this work again.
—and when she exhaled, she was ready. She took his hand and placed it on her elbow. “Here, twist it.” He did, and the pain made her gasp. Tears stung her eyes even as she smiled at him. “That’s it. Twist it some more.”
He did, smiling like a happy little boy as with each twist, her gasps became shallower and her tears flowed faster.
“Does it feel good?” she whispered.
Lust blazed from his eyes. “Yes.”
“That’s great,” she continued in a whisper. “I like it when you feel good.”
“W-why?”
“Because you’re the only reason I’m alive.”
Fifteen minutes later and Manolito had spent himself in his pants. He bowed down courteously, kissing her knuckles before excusing himself, leaving her with an elbow that felt like it had been run over by a lawnmower.
“I know what you’re doing, you know,” James sneered from behind her as he came back inside the room, his sole purpose still being to watch over her.
She didn’t bother answering him even though she had a feeling he did know. More than anyone here, he was aware of how high her tolerance for pain was. Over the years, one thing she had become really good at was knowing which injuries killed and which injuries looked like it could kill...but didn’t. It was the latter that she used to keep Manolito entertained so he would not think so much about raping her. Maybe, maybe if she kept breaking her bones, he would be satisfied with that.
“Sooner or later, he’ll see through you,” James spat. “He’ll listen to me and know that I’ve been saying the truth all along. You can’t be trusted, you’re a stupid cunt, and once he knows that’s true, he’ll rip into you good.”
She looked over her shoulder. “Just between you and me, James?”
“What’s that, cunt?”
“I think he’ll rip into you first.”
James came at her with a roar.
By the time Manolito’s men had come to her aid, he had scratched her face, left her with a bruised lip, and dislocated her shoulder. But he did what she wanted. She was so badly injured, she knew she would be knocked unconscious because of it. Manolito would be mad at James, not her. All in all, it could add another two days’ delay. Maybe, if she was lucky, it could stretch to three.
As the world swam above her, MJ heard Helios say from behind, Good job, brat.
I knew you’d be proud of me.
I am. So fucking much.
Can I see you now?
Not just yet. But soon.
I love you, Helios.
Love you more than you could ever possibly know, brat. So hang in there for me.
I’ll do my best.