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Now I realized I had to be in South America. My stomach was full of knots, my mind spinning. My abduction didn’t make any sense. None. Was my kidnapping personal in nature? If so, why? The single reason I could think of was ransom, but my mother and father’s wealth was neither celebrated nor flaunted, at least to the best of my knowledge.
“Where was I kept?” I asked.
Viper thought about my question before answering. “Brazil.”
I was right.
As the pilot finally touched down in what appeared to be a parking lot of a group of buildings, I clenched my fists together. I didn’t like not knowing anything about what was going on. The two of them spoke in Spanish again, the conversation heated toward the end.
Then the pilot flicked his hand as if flipping Viper off. Almost instantly my savior wrapped his hand around his weapon.
“Don’t,” I said without thinking.
He slowly turned his head, narrowing his eyes. Then he opened the door, giving me a look that clearly indicated I needed to wait until he scanned the area. Then he grabbed his goggles, wrapping the strap around his neck before taking my hand.
All I needed was a harsh look from him to know that I shouldn’t say a single word. He helped me jump off the bird, pulling both of us away and allowing the pilot to take off. I should have known he’d remain quiet, his fingers intertwined with mine as he dragged me across the parking lot, constantly searching the perimeter.
“Please tell me where we’re going and where we are? Please. This is Venezuela, isn’t it? I was taken because of some sex trade operation? Or is this about ransom? You seem to know everything about my damn life, so I assume you know this as well. Unless you’re nothing but some crazed bounty hunter or worse, the man who purchased me from the great King.”
He threw me a hard glance, his gaze sweeping up and down. For a brief second, I thought he might actually give a damn that I was suffering not only physically but emotionally as well.
I wasn’t certain my imploring voice meant anything to him, but when we’d shifted into a bank of colorful midrise buildings, he shifted me into what was little more than a small alley between two. Cautious as usual, he checked to ensure that no one was in close proximity before saying a damn word.
“For a woman in captivity, you certainly seem to have a decent hold on your surroundings and possible outcome of your incarceration.”
“Just what in the hell is that supposed to mean? That I was in on this? That I planned my goddamn attack?” I’d never been the kind of woman to react without thinking, but at that moment, I wasn’t the same girl as I’d been two weeks before. So I slapped him hard across the face. “How dare you assume anything about me because you read some dossier compiled by my parents or the internet? I’ll repeat. You know shit about me.”
I was shocked the force I’d used was enough his head jerked to the right. After a few seconds, he backed me against the side of the building, planting his hands on either side of me. As he leaned over, I realized just how massive his body was. I wasn’t a short girl by any means at five foot nine, but the stunning man was at least six foot four, two hundred and fifty pounds of solid muscle. With the way he was standing, I was able to see more of his perfectly sculpted arms, black ink covering both, vines drifting into the fingers of one.
“I will assume the people I work for ruled out the possibility you were a party to this international situation that has dozens of people on edge. It would seem your parents are very influential, which is the very reason I’m here. While the assumption on the part of my superiors is that your abduction was all about money, given the man who kidnapped you, I’d say he had something more nefarious in mind.”
If the man was trying to terrify me, he was doing a damn good job and he knew it too, the look in his eyes just as nasty as I’d seen on the helicopter. “Why me? Did you ever think of that? Why not grab some girl off the street who didn’t have a powerful family with enough money to hire a mysterious, disgruntled, nasty ex-soldier likely from the Marines in order to bring me to safety? Don’t you find that curious at all?”
He narrowed his hooded eyes, his lips curling into a sneer. My crazy mind was active again, wondering what it would be like to kiss his soft lips. There was no doubt the man was trying to intimidate me, and I refused to look away. The few seconds shared between us were explosive, leaving me tingling all over. He dared to lower his head another two inches, our lips almost touching. I was tempted to slide my tongue across the seam of his mouth, fulfilling a strange but powerful desire.
His breathing labored, he emitted a single husky, low growl. The man was nothing but a true predator.
“I don’t care about your theory, Willow. I was hired with one job in mind and phase one has been completed. We are staying through the night to allow some heat to dissipate. Then you’re coming with me to an undisclosed location.”
“Why? Wait a minute. You’re not taking me home?”
“That wasn’t my directive. You’ll learn more on a need-to-know basis. Until then, you’re coming with me and Willow, I won’t take any additional shit. I don’t care who your parents are. They obviously have no clue how to keep you alive.”
He backed away, lifting a single eyebrow.
As he took a deep breath, the same angry eyes shifting to my bare feet, I had no doubt in my mind he was undressing me with his eyes.
If the man thought I’d ever consider sleeping with him, he was out of his mind.
Or maybe I should tell him it would be over my dead body.
CHAPTER3
Somewhere in Warrenton, Virginia
Santiago
Two days before
