Chapter 17 #2
“Quinn, did you know if they managed to get Marian’s bags from the room when Penny was intercepted?”
He got quiet, nodding.
“Yeah, I know it was a tight window, but you all did good. Perfect.” Drayton angled the phone away from his lips, bringing his attention back to me as he raked his stare over my body. He paused, momentarily losing focus. “Where’s the ring?”
“I have a cosmetics bag inside. Black quilted material. The ring is in a small lockbox zipped inside the middle pouch. He won’t miss it. Quinn will need to bring the key. I believe it’s in my purse, but I’m not sure. It would be best if he just brought everything of mine over.”
Drayton relayed the information, getting quiet for only a few seconds before he smiled.
“Perfect. Thanks, Quinn. Just bring it all over.”
His smile fell, but mine was internal. First test, passed. I’d have my things, and Drayton probably didn’t even realize he’d walked right into my trap.
“What do you mean, you’re being watched?”
I scooted closer to the edge at his concern.
“A blonde reporter and a cameraman? What do you mean they asked you questions? Why would they think you have anything to do with Marian’s disappearance?
” A pause. “She said that? How would she know that already? I didn’t have you release anything yet.
” Another pause. “You’re right. They may be watching.
You said her name was Anna Marks?” Silence.
“Channel Six. Next big thing. Right. That means she’ll be ambitious. I’ll look her up.”
More, I leaned forward. Of course.
“I see. Yeah, I think you’re right. Have him bring it over. You stay put. We don’t want to bring any unwanted attention. I’ll call Elec and let him know.”
Elec?
Drayton hung up, immediately dialing and lifting the phone again.
I grabbed the water, taking another drink as Drayton began relaying the information to Elec.
My mother had been his mentor. Hell, she’d trained him since he was in college.
He was her protégé. But what happened to cause him to turn on her?
He was working with Drayton to formulate this kidnapping.
What was I missing here? There was a mystery I needed to decipher if I was going to get the upper hand. I had to figure it out.
Drayton hung up the phone, a smirk on his face as he stared ahead in a daze. He was probably daydreaming about blood and vengeance, and he’d get it thanks to me. But how did I feel about that?
My head lowered through the magnitude of emotions.
Could I allow the murder of an innocent man?
A man who’d chosen to marry me? Who supposedly had wanted to love me?
To build a happy life with me? Did I even believe that to be true?
He’d come for his ring without a doubt, but he wouldn’t pay to set me free.
Was that love? Was that noble or forgivable? No… there was no loyalty.
Shark.
Drayton’s eyes came back to me. He seemed to catch himself as he went right to my breasts again.
“Just because you’re trying to help by handing Bastian over doesn’t mean I forgive you. It doesn’t mean I’m going to go back on what I said either.”
I nodded. “You said I had to prove that I was sorry. You’re going to have me kill Bastian.”
For seconds Drayton didn’t speak.
“To kill is easy. What you’re going to do will be far from that.”
“And you think by making me do this, it will prove my… regret? You think it’ll make me feel remorseful for saying something I clearly can’t remember?”
“I’m making you do this because I may not be able to change the past, but I can sure as fuck control the future.
That man called me a rapist, when in fact, it may be him that hurts women.
He talked shit about my entire family to you.
He touched you. Kissed you. You’re mine, Marian.
You may have fucked up, but there was never any way out after you gave yourself to me.
I told you that when I took your virginity. I said if we did this—”
“Enough. Bastian didn’t hurt women; they wanted money. And you and I were kids. Now you want me to kill him because my mother took me away and I chose him as my future? Drayton, be rational. Are you going to expect me to kill every man I’ve ever been with because they “had” me?”
Drayton’s frame grew taller as he straightened and stared me down.
“What do you mean, every man you’ve ever been with? You’ve only ever been with me.”
“Says who?”
He took a step. Drayton’s breaths became heavier. His body seemed to grow wider and more menacing.
“Says Bastian. He’d know. He’d know if you were with anyone.”
“Would he?”
Another step. Two. Drayton’s top lip was beginning to pull back to expose his teeth as his anger rose. I should have stopped, but I couldn’t. I had to know exactly where he stood. I had to know how far he would go.
“Bastian was thorough, but his men had their flaws.”
“What are you saying, Marian? That you were with other men?”
I shrugged, feigning boredom as I drew my legs up and scooted into the middle of the bed. I lifted, pulling back the new covers and climbing underneath as I eased to lay down.
“I asked you a question.”
I glanced over, still keeping the bored look on my face.
“You asked. That doesn’t mean I have to tell you. Unless this is an order. I am owned now.”
Heavy steps had him kneeling on the mattress. He jerked the blankets down, flipping me onto my stomach. The first slap of his hand to my ass had my head flying up. I screamed at the fire that webbed over my skin. Tears immediately surfaced as I braced for the next.
Whack!
Whack!
Whack!
“When I ask a question, you answer it. Names. Now.”
“No.”
Whack!
Whack!
I screamed, not able to hold it in as the inferno grew. My skin was getting so hot. I was burning alive as arousal merged with pain.
“Marian.”
“No.”
I sobbed, waiting for the spankings, but they didn’t come as I was flipped over to my back again. Drayton moved down, so close that I could feel his heavy breaths against me.
“I want names.”
“You first. What did you expect, Drayton? That I’d never be with anyone ever again after you? That I wouldn’t move on.” Harder, I cried. “Maybe I was with so many men that I can’t remember a name or number. Maybe I was with multiple men at a time.”
“Is that right?”
“Maybe I was.”
“Or maybe you kept your legs closed because you know deep down when I said forever, I meant it.” Fingers squeezed into my thigh, jerking them open.
It was something he kept doing. Something he liked.
“Forever. Face it. You never got over me, Marian, and I never got over you. But I can say that and still say I hate you.”
“To hell with your forever. Hate me all you want. Get pissed at me being with other men. I don’t care.
I’m pissed at you and this stupid holier-than-though front you’re putting on.
You fucked other women. I know you did. And you want to say you never got over me?
You did everything you could to kill my memory short of killing yourself.
You sure as hell tried. How do you know I didn’t as well?
You don’t,” I spat out. “Keep holding to the thought that the na?ve, innocent Marian is who you got back, and I’ll keep pretending that there’s still good somewhere in you. They’re both lies.”