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A strange sound rumbled from my chest, another wave of terror that threatened to drive me over the edge. What did the man want with me? The wave of panic driving into the very core of my being forced me to keep struggling, doing everything I could to free myself. I jerked and fought, the frame of the bed slamming against the wall given my efforts. I couldn’t stop the whimpers and groans from erupting, no longer caring who heard me.
A sizable popping sound was followed by my arm feeling free. All my effort had been rewarded, the strap holding me in position snapping. Excited, I yanked it all the way free then tried to curl my body so I could reach my other arm.
That’s the exact moment the door was swung open.
I jerked my head toward the sound, expecting to see Daniel storming through the door. When all three men I’d planned on killing walked through the entrance, all the fight was ripped out of me. I’d failed. I thought two of them were dead. Oh…
My pulse raced as I comprehended what was happening. How had the two of them survived? It didn’t make any sense.
Shivering, I shifted my gaze from one to the other. I expected to see hatred in their eyes, at minimum anger, but all three men seemed amused. This was nothing but a nightmare. All my fault. All… my… fault.
Alexander approached first, the smile on his face laced with evil. He sighed as soon as he realized I’d managed to free my arm, shaking his head before chuckling. The sound cut through me like a knife. The three monsters had figured out my scheme, using my attempt on Daniel as a setup.
“You are certainly a woman to be admired, even though your actions were deplorable.” There was amusement in Alexander’s voice, a hint of admiration.
Brogan shifted from behind him, moving closer to the bed. As he peered down, all the emotion I’d seen when he’d been gambling had been shelved, his only expression one of rage. Even though Alexander was pure evil, his family controlling all of New York as well as several other states, I’d been most afraid of facing Brogan.
“A very bad girl,” Brogan said under his breath.
“Who are you and why did you abduct me?” I asked, my tone haughty. I still found it impossible that the two of them had survived. The injection I’d given Alexander should have stopped his heart within a few seconds and the other poison used on Brogan should have paralyzed his muscles, keeping him alive only long enough to realize what had happened to him. There was no way they’d survived.
Unless I’d miscalculated, the venomous poison I’d used not as strong as the books I’d read had stated.
Finally, Daniel moved into view, his eyes twinkling with amusement. “Games are no longer going to be played. I suggest you tell us who you are.”
Was he kidding me? I had no intention of telling him a damn thing. I used my mother’s maiden name as my real identity, refusing to accept my father’s since he’d never taken more than ten minutes a visit to give a damn about us. They wouldn’t remember the single time I’d met them, nor would they care.
“I’m not telling you anything. I demand you release me. I don’t know who you are.”
Brogan threw the others a look then yanked my wig off, exposing my real hair. “Even under a mask, sunshine, I can never forget a face. You’re far too beautiful to hide behind a disguise.”
“You did look gorgeous in the stripes from my whip at the club that night. Or let me guess, you were never inside my club and weren’t the one who injected me with poison. You did your research on poisons and the ill effects. I’ll give you that. I guess you didn’t capture in your investigation of the three of us that I have a severe allergic reaction to several items, including bee stings. That required me to keep epinephrine in my possession. What a shame you didn’t know that.”
“You’re crazy,” I whispered, but the sound was hollow.
Goddamn his grin and his stunning good looks. He glanced at the others, then took a deep breath. “I suggest we free her. It’s time our guest understands that what she attempted to do is something we won’t forget or forgive.”
“Agreed. She deserves harsh punishment,” Brogan said in a husky tone as he moved to the end of the bed, proceeding to unfasten the straps holding my legs in place.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I haven’t tried to poison anyone.” I wasn’t certain how long I could continue the charade, but if I could get away from them, even for a short while, I could run for help. But exactly what was I going to say?
Daniel chuckled, finally inching closer to the bed and removing the tether holding my other arm down. “You need to stop pretending. We’re not fools, nor will we be threatened any longer. This can all end here if you tell us who you’re working for.”
Working for?
The bastards didn’t think I could plan and execute their assassinations all by myself? Was the asshole kidding me? My hatred for them shoved aside my ability to find any common sense left in my brain. I lunged toward Daniel, managing to wrap my hands around his throat before any of the three could respond.
When he fisted my hair, yanking my face away from his then firmly dragging me away from his body, I was forced to realize I was up against three brutal men who outweighed me by hundreds of pounds.
“Get her off the bed,” Alexander huffed. “She does need to learn a valuable lesson about the three men who are in charge. In case you haven’t figured it out, Dahlia, you’re our prisoner and it will remain that way until you tell us the truth.”
Brogan dragged me off the bed, his thick fingers digging into my arms as he held me. I shoved my hands against him, able to break the connection, but then a wave of nausea took over. As I tumbled backward, slamming against a piece of furniture, I could barely fight the lightheaded feeling.
“What the hell did you give me?” I whispered, stars floating in front of my eyes.
“Does it really matter?” Daniel asked. “I assure you that the drug you breathed in is mild in comparison to what you gave my friends. I was lenient, kind to you. That might not happen again.”
I shot him a hateful look, loathing his smug expression. “I need water.”
