Chapter 9
Kendrick
The Hunter.
The fucking bastard had no idea just how appropriate the name was.
After I’d hunted down every last one of the motherfuckers, maybe I’d etch the name in Lucifer’s skin just before he was tossed behind prison bars.
With some force, I took Reese’s hand, leading her from the room.
Almost immediately, Lucifer approached. I’d sensed his presence in the room behind the mirror.
His attention to details wasn’t about his love of voyeurism, but about his uncertainty of the man who’d enjoyed questioning him and his ridiculous club.
He had every reason to doubt who I was since I refused to play all his games.
Including this one.
I was many things and had insisted I could go undercover and do anything required, but taking full advantage of any woman wasn’t on my bucket list. I’d seen the terror on Reese’s face even though she’d done everything in her power to act as if she could handle anything tossed her way.
She wasn’t cut out for this shit.
The hunger I’d felt before had slowly faded, moving to the sense of what it should have been all along.
Protecting her. As any decent human being would do.
“You barely tasted the merchandise. I’m surprised a thorough man like yourself would stop so soon.” Lucifer was suddenly behind me.
I threw Reese a look, hoping she kept her place by keeping her tongue. The last thing either one of us needed was additional questions at this point. Getting the fuck away from this goddamn facility was the only thing on my mind.
Playing this sick game was testing my last nerve.
“As you know, there is nothing quite like the sheer enjoyment of stripping away a woman’s defenses, bending her to your will.
However, I find myself more possessive of this one than I’ve been before.
When I take her in every hole, I plan on doing so in the privacy of my own home. I’m certain you can understand that.”
He was none too happy, shifting his gaze briefly toward Reese. But he chose not to pick this battle to fight. Good for him. It wouldn’t end well.
“Understood. She is a thing of beauty.”
“Now, as I’m not known for being a patient man, have someone take me to my vehicle so I can enjoy the remainder of my evening.” His arrogance annoyed the fuck out of me, but it was his attitude toward the women than allowed me to take comfort in the moment when I would crucify his ass to the wall.
And I would.
He shifted his gaze from where I was standing next to Reese, taking and holding a deep breath. There would be a full spectrum of eyes watching me.
“Not a problem, Hunter. As I mentioned before, your application will be given full consideration.”
I laughed. “I assure you, Lucifer, that you aren’t the only private club in town. You’re right that I’m a very thorough man.” With that, I’d dismissed him. He was also intelligent enough to refrain from challenging me.
“I’ll talk with Steven. You’ll be taken to the loading dock.” He started to turn then shifted to face me once again. “I hope I don’t need to remind you that secrecy is vital.”
“I’m a man who’s made billions in the last several years alone. I didn’t achieve my goal by reneging on contracts. I also don’t do well with threats as I’m sure you don’t.”
It took him a few seconds before he smiled. “We are very much alike, you and I. I’ve enjoyed meeting you.”
As he walked away, I remained right where I was, allowing a slow smile to crawl across my face, which was undoubtedly seen by the bouncers in charge of protecting the operation.
Soon they would face justice.
Soon.
When I turned, Reese acted as if she was going to delve into a barrage of questions. With a single look from me, she lowered her head as if learning to respect her master.
At least I’d gotten through to her enough that she realized I was her only lifeline. Now I just needed to assume the role instead of pretending to be something I wasn’t.
A fucking monster.
There was no other word that fit better than subhuman. How could anyone, especially well-educated men with the abilities to change the world if they so wanted, act as if they deserved to treat women with such disrespect?
A question with no decent answers.
The evening had not been exactly as I’d expected. Especially in how I felt about Reese.
And the hunger that I’d been unable to ignore.
As soon as the van pulled away into the dark of night, Reese took several steps, trying to distance herself from both me and what she’d endured. She’d said nothing during the blindfolded ride in the van, but I’d felt her constant tremors and heard her labored breathing.
“Stay where you are, Reese.”
“How do you know my name?”
Tilting and shaking my head, as I’d done before, I placed my finger across my lips.
When the vehicle was out of sight, I yanked out my key fob and phone.
She was watching me, still fearful but curious as to the next steps as evidenced by the look on her face and the way her lips were twisted.
Fortunately, Chase had thought of everything given his background, his undercover operations allowing him to provide a better idea of how my cover could be blown.
Including listening and tracking devices.
Using the application on my phone, I scanned the parking lot, searching for anyone who might be paying attention or a hidden group of Lucifer’s men watching my every move.
“You do understand what’s required of you. Yes?” I was tossing out things I knew other slave owners would say. If the fuckers were listening, let them get an earful. She didn’t understand immediately, and I gave her another look. Finally, she nodded in some sense of understanding.
“Yes,” she said through gritted teeth. “I’m required to surrender to your every need.” Her voice quavered as if right on cue.
She might have an idea that I wasn’t exactly who I’d portrayed myself to be, yet she certainly had no reason to trust me. Smart girl.
“Exactly.” I swept the front of the Lamborghini first. “The same rules apply as before. If you try and escape, you will be punished. We’ll go over additional rules once we return to my home. But at all times you will respect me.”
The back of the vehicle was also clear.
While the house was secured with a powerful system that would alert not only me but the other members of the team to a breach, the most vulnerable aspect of the mission was the vehicles I drove.
It took a split second to plant a bug. If the person was highly trained, there’d be no alert on the car’s security system.
That’s why the phone I’d been given had special applications installed in the chip, ones that not even the best experts could detect. With the phone in hand, I moved around the car, even dropping to the pavement on both sides and sweeping my arm under the chassis.
No bugs.
After I’d finished, I opened the passenger door while continuing to scan the parking lot.
There was still a chance we were being watched, but I had my doubts, especially since at least one member of the Raven Intel had stood watch over the area.
While it was still too dangerous to make contact, someone on the team would have alerted me to potential danger.
At this point and as Maverick had reminded me. I was basically on my own, contact on an emergency basis at least at first.
Given Lucifer’s behavior, I had no doubt he’d been taking a closer look at the man who’d defied him.
“Get in.” I held the door open for her, daring the beautiful woman to try to continue with her defiant behavior. I needed to get her to safety as quickly as possible. There was always a chance Lucifer would change his mind.
She peered up at me with a mixture of hatred and uncertainty. Leaning over, I grabbed the seatbelt, forced once again to wait while she decided if she could place any trust in me. Finally, she lifted her arms.
“Who are you?”
“Someone hoping to help.” I closed the door, shaking my head, taking a few seconds to type a text to Maverick.
We’re out.
That was it.
I jumped inside, immediately starting the engine. She’d positioned herself as close to the door was possible, already clinging to the seatbelt as if that was her lifeline.
The engine started, and I roared out of the parking lot, already checking the mirrors.
A few seconds later, I noticed she was watching me as she’d done before, even following my lead by shifting in her seat to check on any vehicles that might be following us.
“You’re worried,” she said. When I didn’t say anything right away, she exhaled. “Let me guess. What you did is punishable in a court of law.”
She had no idea how close she was to making a not so funny joke.
“I don’t like others attempting to force their rules on me, Star.”
In using her stage name, I also hoped she understood that her questions should wait. Every precaution had to be taken, or this would be a one-off with no hopes of freeing the other women.
A few minutes passed of utter silence while I drove. Another sigh was the only reason I knew she was paying any attention.
“Why did you stop?”
This time, her question was almost whispered, the volume so low her words were almost drowned out by the roar of the engine.
“What do you mean?”
“Inside the club. You were supposed to fuck me. A rule. Right? A test.”
At least I could laugh, although not because anything she’d said was humorous, but because the situation was ridiculous.
She’d been paying very close attention, which also gave me hope that she could provide worthwhile information.
The more I knew about Lucifer’s organization the better.
“A smart man always tests the merchandise he’s offered, which is exactly what I did.
Only a savage would take what doesn’t officially belong to him. ”
Yes, my words were cryptic on purpose. But hopefully, a sign that I wasn’t in the same class as the bastards in the club. Although in thinking about her, my cock continued to twitch as the strange desire lingered. I shouldn’t feel anything carnal. This was a case and she was a victim.