Chapter 5 Hades
Hades
We are an hour from a private island in Turks and Caicos when Persephone finally quiets down. I find it harder to notice the absence of sound. Especially when I’m wearing a truly magnificent pair of headphones that drown out the sound of her muffled struggles.
After she was less than compliant during the boarding process, I ordered her gagged.
But eventually I sip my whiskey cocktail and I notice that the stewardess’s posture is less tense. For the first part of the flight, Persephone begged the attendant to do something to help her. Told her personal details, like her full name and that she has a brother that will miss her.
Trying to make herself more memorable, I would guess. And once I had Persephone gagged, the stewardess only seemed even more frightened.
But now she flicks me a worried little smile as she refills my drink. So I take off the headphones. Persephone doesn’t make a sound. All I can hear is the faint clink of the glasses on the stewardess’s tray as she retreats.
Blessedly, all that is left is silence. Standing up, I turn and walk to the back of the plane.
Persephone is still right where I left her, tied and bound.
Her eyes are closed, her dark eyebrows delicately arched and her rimmed lashes lying still against her heart shaped face.
Her dark head has fallen to the side and her long, raven locks move ever so gently when the plane bumps.
She has devilish, pouty lips and a button nose that make her appear more innocent than she should dare to look.
I can’t make heads or tails out of the bulky sweater she’s wearing. But I know that despite the dynamite of her theatrics earlier, she’s just over five feet tall.
All that fuss. Yet here she is now, sleeping. There is something about her mouth that’s so fucking alluring. I rub the scar that peeks out of my left sleeve, my left eye twitching just a little. It takes me a minute to realize that the alien feeling inside my chest is something akin to desire.
Strange. I almost never feel such wasteful emotions. The lass is a siren, no doubt about it. But the fact that I’m moved by her innocence is… puzzling.
Why should I care about her in the slightest?
She stirs, waking gradually. I sit down in the seat across from her, watching her face closely.
She makes a soft sound against her gag. Then she looks up and startles, seeing me. She pushes up in her seat, glaring at me.
I purse my lips. “If ye promise not to scream and carry on, I can take the gag out of yer mouth.”
She looks at me for a second, taking my measure. Then she nods once.
I arch a brow. “Ye promise?”
She nods again. I rise and cross the cramped space, removing the balled up tie from her mouth. She glares at me again, working her mouth and tongue.
Her first question is pointed and unexpected. “Constantine sent you?”
I raise my brows and my mouth draws down into a frown. “Why would ye think that?”
Her eyes narrow on my face. She has lovely hazel eyes, the green-brown colors nearly electric.
“Why else would you mention his name and then kidnap me?”
She pulls at the plastic zip ties that bind her hands and feet. I consider her for a moment.
Can I let her go? Where exactly would she run?
I dart my gaze around and sigh. “I want to let ye out of yer bonds. We are far enough over the ocean by now that ye have nowhere to go but with the airplane.”
Her tongue darts out, wetting her lips. “Okay…”
“If I release ye, ye have to promise to behave. If not, I’ll have to tie ye up again.”
She lifts her chin, frowning a little. “Okay.”
I pull out the knife I keep in my trouser pocket, springing the rather wicked blade open. A flare of fear splashes across her face as I approach. She swallows tightly and looks away.
I’m not sure what kind of life this girl has led. But I am damn sure that she’s deathly afraid of me.
When I reach down and slide the knife through her bonds, my fingers touch her bare skin only briefly. But there is no disguising the way her entire body trembles.
Nor the strange electric spark that seems to jump between us in the few moments my skin brushes hers.
Persephone flinches. She doesn’t move right away.
No, she waits. All her muscles are tensed, coiled, ready for her moment. And the look on her eyes is one of profound disgust.
I step back and she touches both of her wrists. Her eyes flit to the window, avoiding my curious gaze.
“I’m not with Constantine.”
That gets Persephone’s attention. She shoots me a look that is nothing but bewilderment. “I’m not entirely sure that I believe you.”
I shrug, retaking my seat. “That’s really not up to me, is it?”
Her answering scowl is expected. “I really have to use the restroom. And drink some water.”
I give her a grim smile. “Ye do that. We’re going to land shortly.
Then we should talk again.” I pause. “Dinnae try to get the stewardess on yer side. We know everything about her life. Where she lives. The names of her kids. Everything. It would be unwise for ye to ask her to choose between all of that and helping a total stranger.”
Persephone looks startled. Good, let her be afraid. That’s what I want from her.
I stand up, finding the stewardess just behind me. “Can ye please see that our guest makes herself comfortable?”
She flushes and bows. “Of course, sir.”
I spend the next twenty minutes on a deadly boring but extremely important phone call about finding an appropriate cargo ship that’s already near Algiers. Lining up the contract with a shipping company is not exciting work.
And making sure I have a backup ship is literally twice as dull. But it is vital that everything goes smoothly. There can’t be a single thing left to chance.
Not on the biggest arms deal of my career.
I hang up after the plane lands. Looking over my shoulder as I clatter down the stairs, I see Persephone emerge from the dark plane cabin. She shields her eyes and follows me, a glum pout on her pretty face.
I stride to the waiting limo, holding the door for her. Her footsteps slow as she gets to the dark sedan.
She glances behind her to the plane, pressing her lips together. Looking for a last ditch rescue, perhaps.
I grab her elbow, impatient. “Get in the fucking car, lass.”
Her eyes flash as she tries to shake me loose. “Don’t touch me.”
I let her go, glowering. She slides in the car and I shut the door with more force than is truly necessary. I get in on the other side and then wave a hand to the driver.
As he pulls off, I roll up the partition and glance at Persephone. Her face is screwed up and pinched as she surveys the sandy ground. I can see the shore just beyond her, hear the swell and fade of the waves, feel the hot, salty wind whipping around my face.
“Where are we?” she asks.
Arching a brow, I tilt my head at her. “We are on a private island in Turks and Caicos.”
Her eyes narrow and her lips twitch. “And what happens now? You haven’t said why exactly you fucking kidnapped me and brought me here.”
“I need ye to forge some documents for me. And I brought ye here because I want to use the documents before ye get the chance to run and tell anyone about what I’m up to.
” I suck in a breath and lift a shoulder.
“Ye shouldn’t be detained more than three months.
And I’m not expecting ye to work for free, of course. ”
She crosses her arms, her eyes turning into slits.
“This is the most insane way to conduct business. You could’ve just contracted me to work at home.
Instead, you have broken any number of laws against kidnapping and…
like, human trafficking? To bring me here.
” She shakes her head, agitated. “Who would I have told, anyway?”
I squint out the window. “The FBI. The CIA. Or maybe yer ex-boyfriend.”
Her sharp inhale brings my attention back to her. “I’m not on speaking terms with Constantine, to put it mildly.”
I give her a cool glance. “I dinnae really care.”
Her grimace is enough response, I suppose. I sit back as the driver starts his way up a little hill. At the top is a beautiful beachfront mansion, white stucco walls and an elegant dark wood roof. Two stories sit on immaculately kept shady green grounds.
When we pull up to the large wooden double doors, I glance at Persephone. “Ladies first.”
Shaking her head, she refuses. “I don’t want to get out.”
I crack my knuckles, looking at her mildly. “Are ye asking for my help?”
Her cheeks flush a pleasing shade of scarlet. “I won’t tell anyone. Honest. Just let me get back on the plane and fly home.”
As fast as lightning, I move over toward her and shove her out of the vehicle. She fights against me as I wrestle her toward the front door.
“No! Help!”
She looks behind her, frantic. “Driver! Help me! This man has me hostage!”
The driver is standing nearby. But he nervously looks away, licking his lips. Smart man.
I stop, grabbing both her arms and pulling them behind her back. “Should’ve brought more zip ties, I guess.”
Lifting her slight body, I sling her over my shoulder as if she were no more important than a sack of flour. She shrieks as I carry her through the threshold, flailing and pounding her fists against my back.
“Let me go! Let me go, you fucking asshole!” she howls.
As her fists rain down on my back, I shudder. I don’t like to be touched on my back.
Actually, I prefer that no one touch me, period.
But I ignore Persephone’s protests, carrying her straight upstairs. It’s been a couple of years since I’ve been in this house, but my near-eidetic memory is helpful when I decide where to take her.
I bust into a bedroom, not stopping until I swing her down onto the broad king sized bed. Then I step back, my body shuddering once more.
That’s the most contact I have had with another person in a while, captive or not. My heart is pounding, and my breathing is a bit unsteady as I look at her.
All my nerves are jangling, going haywire at being suddenly stimulated after being accustomed to not touching anyone.
She stares up at me, full of hatred. “I won’t be kept in this room. I’m here against my will. And I’m not here to do your bidding.”
I lean down, invading her personal space.
“Listen to me, lass. Follow the rules. Do the work I ask of ye. Keep yer head down. Yer life will be much, much easier that way.” I pause, enjoying the moment of tension that blooms in the air between us.
“There are many less pleasant ways of getting ye to work. But I’m hoping that ye’ll be smart and not force me to use them. Hm?”
She sucks her lower lip in her mouth, taking a breath. Then she shocks me to the very core.
Persephone places a hand on the lapel of my suit jacket. She looks deep into my eyes.
And she pleads with me in the gentlest tone.
“Hades…” Her eyes mist over. Her hand digs into my jacket. “Please. Just let me go.”
The depth and intensity of anger that bubbles to the surface in an instant surprises even me. I sneer, ripping her hand away and stepping back.
“Ye think ye can charm me, my pretty little lass? Ye think ye can use yer sexuality and yer little help me looks to trick me?” I thunder.
I’m shaking with rage as I stand before her, accusatory.
Her wide hazel eyes darken with fear. “Hades— “
“Stay put,” I command her. “Do not fucking test me. Ye’ll live to regret it.”
Then I spin around on my heel, march to the door, and slam it closed behind me. That fucking manipulative little bitch. I hate the fact that I tremble with anger and some darker, unnamed emotion as I turn and storm down the stairs.