Page 55 of Innocent Salvation

Henri swung his gaze and the weapon to Dominique. “Now this bitch. I’d shoot her for free, but I need some information that she’s just not willing to give me. So I’m going to make this interesting.”

“Dad, stop.”

“Come here, button, or I’ll put a bullet in your mother’s head. You wouldn’t want to see both your parents die in front of you, would you?”

His cruel mouth twisted in a grin that told Sebastian he was enjoying this and didn’t care who he hurt.

“Sabine, don’t.”

Henri fired the bullet hitting Dominique in the arm. She screamed, falling. Seb reached out to catch her before she hit the ground.

“Stop, I’ll do what you ask.”

“Snow, no!”

Even as he eased Dominique to the couch, he reached for Snow to stop her, but he was too late. She was beside her father who grabbed her, wrapping an arm around her neck. Snow didn’t show any emotion but gave him a slight shake of her head.

“That’s my girl. Dominique, you have twenty-four hours to give me what I want, or your daughter will be sent back to you in pieces.”

“How could you?” Dominique sobbed, holding her arm which was barely a flesh wound.

“Well, I wouldn’t do it myself, but I have some interesting friends who’ll pay well for a jewel like Sabine.”

With that, Henri backed away, his weapon still on Snow. He didn’t move towards the door, but towards a bookcase, which turned out to be a hidden passage.

Sebastian was frozen. He saw in Henri’s eyes that he meant every word of what he said. He’d kill Snow if he didn’t get what he wanted.

As soon as the door closed, he launched himself at it, scrabbling to get it open, but the seams were flawless. The main door burst open and Bein and Bás rushed in, the two men taking in the scene in an instant.

Bás strode toward him. “Which way?”

Sebastian pointed toward the wall and Bás took charge, leaving Seb to feel like the biggest failure in the world. He’d let the woman he loved be kidnapped by a narcissistic asshole and had done nothing to stop him.

Chapter 22

Snow had always known her father had an edge to him, his temper growing up had been unpredictable at best, but he’d never raised a hand to her in anger and until today she’d never believed he would. Yet, the man who bundled her into the back of a van wasn’t the man who’d raised her.

Jumping in behind her, he grabbed a cloth and aimed the gun at her head. “Turn around.”

Snow did as he asked, needing time to assess the situation before she reacted. Henri bound her wrists tightly, leaving no room for her to move before pushing her forward so she hit the floor of the van with her face. Pain exploded in her cheek making her blink away the tears, but she didn’t give him the satisfaction of crying out.

He bound her ankles as his hands explored her body, making nausea and disgust swim in her belly at the way he was touching her.

He took the gun and her shoes, leaving her feet bare so she couldn’t run. “Naughty, naughty, button. Guns are dangerous.”

“Get your fucking hands off me.”

“Come now, Sabine. It’s only me.”

“Exactly. You’re my father and you shouldn’t be touching me that way.”

Henri’s laugh filled her with fear of the worst kind as his hand touched her inside thigh. “But am I?”

She had no chance to reply to his bizarre comment before she felt the sting of a needle in her neck and her world became fuzzy, before turning black.

When Snow woke, she was on a soft bed. Her body felt heavy with whatever drug her father had given her and her mind was mired with a foggy sensation, making ordering her thoughts a difficult task.

She sat up slowly, sickness swimming in her belly as she tried to swallow past it and take a few deep breaths. Still bound at the ankles and wrists, she saw a light coming from the corner of the room. Henri was sitting in a chair watching her, his fingers steepled in front of him, leg crossed over the opposite knee. He looked relaxed as if this was just another day.