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I’d known what kind of man Marcus Holden was going into this, even if I had no idea about the most important parts of him — the part that wasn't really his at all.
The part that I’d left back at a damn bed and breakfast, thinking I was setting him up for the ultimate betrayal.
I kept my head held high as we walked into the room, and my eyes instantly locked on to the figure sitting on a leather chair by the fireplace. It was a little dramatic, if you asked me, but it was the man I’d been looking for.
Marcus Holden.
A part of me was disappointed that he was so fucking handsome. I’d wanted the pictures to be a lie, some kind of front… but no. He was fit and lean — even though he was in his late fifties, it was clear he’d kept his physical health in mind. His hair was a mixture of dark brown with a sprinkle of gray at the temples, and the lines on his face were barely noticeable.
“You’re a hard man to get in touch with, Marcus.”
Fuck, I just couldn’t keep my mouth shut, could I? The loud crack of Nick backhanding me with his good hand made my ears ring almost as much as the impact, but I didn’t let myself fall. I stumbled, and then righted myself. I didn’t even bother to wipe at the gush of heat I felt spilling from my split lip.
Nick had a real penchant for hitting me in the face. Asshole.
“Show respect when you’re talking to him,” Nick hissed as he raised his hand again.
“That’s enough.” The words were cool, clipped, and delivered with the slightest European accent. My eyes turned back to Marcus — he was standing now, walking forward with the same grace that I saw when Jayce moved.
Maybe they weren’t related by blood, but I could see the ways he’d influenced him, the way he’d taught him to carry himself.
The way he’d taught him to look at you like he could kill you with the intensity of his stare alone. I wondered if Marcus Holden chose Jayce because they had the same icy blue eyes.
No. He’d picked him because… well, shit, who wouldn’t?
“I’ve heard you’ve been having fun with my son.” Marcus stopped a few feet in front of me — perfectly out of reach. He wasn’t going to make the same mistakes his men did, was he? It might have satisfied something in my chest if I could have killed him before they took me out.
It might have made me feel better, because they probably would have killed me quickly then. Staring into his eyes, I realized I should have rushed the men while we were still in the car so Nick would have shot me. I didn’t like anything I saw in the depths of his gaze.
“I didn’t know you had a son.” I finally got the words out, letting my lips curve into a smile that stung. “Color me surprised when he came out of nowhere and purchased me.”
At least it was honest. I’d had no idea Jayce existed. How could I have known? Marcus Holden had kept him a secret from everyone.
“Trust me, I was just as shocked. The last time Jayce was with anyone, she was a delightful little redhead who was very interested in his money. I think most of her still works in one of my brothels up north.”
His eyes never left mine as he said it, and it was clear he was threatening me.
Yeah, I would have been better off dying in the car. But since I hadn’t…
“I can definitely tell you I wasn’t interested in that. When I saw him, he was covered in grease and working on a car. Your man Nick here,” my eyes flicked to the bastard in question. “Was yelling at him about being just a mechanic.”
Marcus Holden’s attention briefly flashed to Nick, and I almost felt him tense beside me. “I’m aware of his shortcomings. But he was the one who your boss contacted when they realized they were better off working with me than against me.” Fuck, I guess he did deserve some credit. “So I decided to give him a chance to earn redemption.”
I wondered exactly what he’d been earning before that. Or had they contacted him as soon as I’d gone off plan?
Nick grinned beside me, lapping the praise up like the little shit he was.
“They’ll betray you, you know. The minute they think you aren’t worth the time or effort, they’ll figure out how to take you out or take you in.” I tried to keep my voice casual, tried to keep the slight sensation of panic I was feeling from spilling into my tone. I didn’t want him to know that I knew this wasn’t going to turn out well for me. I didn’t want him to know that I knew he wasn’t just going to kill me.
“Hm, be that as it may, it’s better to have them in my pocket for now. It’s better to have them on my side, so I can take out their little rats when they come clawing around.” His eyes fixed on me again, and the way his lips curved into a grin made me clench my teeth so hard they ached. “They told me I could keep you, did you know that? They said you were a good asset, a pretty whore when you needed to be.” Marcus Holden lifted a hand, and a gun pressed against my temple before he stepped forward. I could feel others in the room aimed at me. There would be no breaking his wrist and taking the weapon away from him. There would be no killing him and finding my way out of here.
His eyes drifted up and down my frame, lingering with a slight hint of irritation on the marks I knew Jayce left on my skin.
“I can be a lot of things.” I offered the words in the same even tone I did everything else, but it took everything in me not to recoil when his hand came out and brushed my hair off my forehead.
“You’ll wish you were anything but what you are by the time I’m finished with you.” He murmured the words gently, his tone soothing, his fingers combing through my hair like he hadn’t just spelled my fate out loud and clear.
“Fuck you.” It probably wasn’t good, saying it with a grin on my face. But…
