Chapter 12
Chapter Twelve
O liver
Rage, both hot and cold, ran through Oliver.
Rationally, he knew acting on his first impulse was impossible. He wanted to hunt down any man, living or dead, who had hurt this girl bent over his kitchen island. This girl with his blood and spit smeared across her flawless, pinkened skin. How hard would it be to exact revenge from those Diamond Lake Ranch employees?
Difficult but certainly possible.
Londyn held her breath as he moved to the sink at theother side of the island and carefully washed his hands. Watching her obey his commands while fighting the urge to stand was incredibly enjoyable. It might become his favorite past-time while she was alive and thinking of the many scenarios where he could force her submission was arousing as hell.
After drying his hands, Oliver cleaned the blood from his stomach. The wound wasn’t serious, although it bled copiously. Turning his back on her, he rummaged through the same upper cabinet where he’d found the ibuprofen last night and pulled out a small stash of bandages, medicated ointment, and a tube of superglue. With quick, efficient movements, he took care of the injury, sealing the wound with the glue and slapping a bandage over it.
Scooping up the knife used in the attack, he sauntered back to London’s side. He loved how her eyes widened when he crossed her line of sight. She was frightened of him. Of retaliation. Or maybe she was just scared in general.
He took her wrists and sliced through the zip tie, then stood her upright, turning her to face him. She trembled uncontrollably, staring ahead as he smoothed her hair away from her face. Oliver couldn’t help but admire her as she wobbled on weak legs. She really was stunning with her rounded breasts and gently flared hips. Running a thumb over her bottom lip, he contemplated how her mouth would feel on his cock. How he could fuck her throat, and she would let him because she promised to do anything he wanted.
Gray eyes locked with his, flashing with renewed indignation when he pushed his forefinger into her mouth and stroked her tongue until she instinctively closed her plump, pink lips around the digit. For a second, he relished the feeling of the warm depths of her mouth but mentally shook his head at where his lust was heading.
Before he changed his mind and bent her back over the island for his own selfish pleasure, Oliver let her go. Grabbing the robe he’d stripped from her earlier, he wrapped Londyn in it and led her to the living room. There was a plush sofa overlooking the lake, and as he pushed her down to sit, his cell phone buzzed.
Fishing it from his front pocket, he checked the caller’s identity, and his jaw tightened. He clicked the call open.
“Ruel.”
“Good morning, my friend,” Ruel said jovially. “Did you enjoy the evening with your new possession?”
“I did,” Oliver calmly replied. He did not say anything else. Giving Ruel ammunition of any kind was far from wise, and it was a serious matter when the owner himself called to check on them. A few seconds of uncomfortable silence stretched between the two until Ruel finally cleared his throat.
“That’s good. Good. But we have a small problem, my friend.”
“And what is that?”
“You must pay for the most recent loss of a Ranch employee. Not much, but something,” Ruel explained. “One hundred thousand.”
Oliver laughed softly. “Your employee abused my property. And everyone knows how fiercely a Winter defends and protects what’s his. It’s not a matter of funds; it’s a matter of a man assaulting an asset that belongs to me. There was a price to be paid for his audacity, and I exacted full payment.”
“I’m short of two guards now because of this girl,” Ruel complained. “Someone must pay.”
“Speaking of which, you should do a better job vetting those men. They’re fucking your girls before they ever arrive here. My property tells me the one she killed attempted to rape her.” Oliver paced to the wall of windows, leaning a forearm against the glass as he gazed out over the woods below the cabin. “A regrettable accident, according to her version of events.”
“Bah!” Ruel snorted. “Women never tell the truth. Virgin or not, this one is no different.”
“She has no reason to lie to me, of all people. You know me well enough to know I didn’t give a fuck about circumstances before I took ownership. I’m just alerting you to a problem with those you hire. Consider it a favor.”
Ruel was silent on the other end of the line before grumbling, “I will look into it. But still, someone owes me for the man I lost yesterday. Seeing that Number Fifteen is the catalyst for both situations, she can pay the debt on your behalf. We will offer her for use in the main clubhouse. One night for those men who pay for the privilege. We understand her worth is diminished now that she is no longer a virgin, but we can easily get one hundred thousand for her. You can watch, of course.”
Instant, possessive rage flooded Oliver; an emotion more potent than anything he’d ever experienced. His hands clenched with such force that his phone was in danger of cracking apart.
Over my dead, fucking body, will I ever let that happen. No one touches her but me. No one fucks her but me. And no one hurts her but me.
“Like I said, Ruel. A Winter defends and protects what’s his, and I’ve paid a fortune to claim this one as mine. Listen very carefully, as I will not repeat myself. I will personally slice off the balls of any man who dares to touch her and make him eat them off a plate. Is that unclear in any way?”
Londyn’s faint gasp swung Oliver’s attention back to where she huddled on the sofa. Her eyes were wide as she clutched the robe tighter around her body. But was it the blunt statement displaying his obsession that disturbed her? Or was it the sight of the hollow-eyed skull etched in black ink emblazoned across the width of his back? His motto, Bleed For Me, was inked below it.
“This puts us at an impasse, my friend. In this case, I cannot extend your invitation at Diamond Lake Ranch. I must regrettably request that you end your stay.”
Oliver stalked back to Londyn, lifting her chin with a forefinger while Ruel spoke. Her pulse beat rapidly in the hollow of her throat, and as she stared up at him, he slid his hand around the slender column. Her eyes fluttered shut at his overt display of dominance.
His lips curved into a smirk of approval. He didn’t give a fuck that Ruel was evicting him. He hadn’t planned on staying anyway. The resort’s management could not be trusted. Oliver suspected they would try snatching his prize from his grasp, especially if it was discovered Londyn was still a virgin.
“Understood. I hope my stance on this situation does not hinder future dealings with Winter Enterprises.” Oliver’s fingers tightened until a whimper escaped Londyn. To her credit, she did not move a muscle. She remained frozen in place, like a rabbit caught in the stare of an apex predator.
“We will revisit this when tempers are not so high,” Ruel responded, agitated. If the Russian were smart, he’d let this insult go and remember the obscene amount of money Oliver had spent at the Ranch. Not to mention the influence the Winter name carried. Even halfway across the country, it was understood how unwise it was to cross Kingston and Oliver Winter.
“I look forward to it.” Oliver abruptly ended the call, bored with the entitlement in Ruel’s tone. Management had gotten sloppy when it came to the treatment of their girls, but that was not an issue Oliver could rectify on his own. He could, however, take the necessary steps to protect his new possession. And serving her up as the unwilling main course in a gang bang by Ranch members was not going to happen. Just the thought made him want to go on a blood-fueled rampage.
Keeping his hand around Londyn’s throat, he willed himself to calm down. He thought back to how she looked at him. How her eyes drifted over his body, sizing him up and taking note of his strength. In the eyes of someone so young, someone as innocent as she was, Oliver realized he must appear scary as fuck. And if Londyn was frightened of his tattoo, it stood to reason that the words inked just above his barbell-studded cock would terrify her.
He couldn’t wait to introduce her to every surprise he had in store. But that momentous occasion would come soon enough.
“Londyn.”
Her eyes popped open at his soft murmur.
“Go clean yourself up. When you are done, I want you to get dressed.”
“What-what shall I wear? I have no clothes—” Her gaze slid to the phone he still held. She watched as he set it on the coffee table. He saw her fingers twitch as if she were barely restraining herself from snatching it up and dialing for help. Even if she did something as foolish as that, nothing would come of it. After all, the local sheriff’s department ran cover for Diamond Lake Ranch. Hell, the mayor and the sheriff himself were both honorary members and accepted occasional weekend passes to enjoy the Ranch’s many pleasurable offerings.
“There will be something on the bed,” Oliver cut her off, sliding his grip from her throat. He dragged her up from the sofa, his hands hard and unyielding. Guiding her toward the hallway, he ignored the pained furrowing of her brow at his rough handling. She was hurting after being bound and spanked, but there were also cuts and bruises on her bare feet. If he weren’t careful, if he didn’t keep his wits about him, he’d probably wind up swooping her into his arms. Then, like a goddamn romance novel hero, he’d carry her anywhere she wanted to go. “Don’t take too long. We’ll be leaving within the hour.”
“Where are we going?” Londyn asked hesitantly, and Oliver immediately wondered if she might try attempting another escape. Despite her tearful vow to obey him in all things, he suspected she would take advantage of any opportunity to get away.
“To my cabin.” His grin stretched wider when uncertain panic flashed across her pale features. “That’s where the real fun starts.”