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I blush at his words, realizing how my own words sound.
“Your face, I mean. I want to know what you look like?”
“Not now.” The softness in his voice is gone, and the clipped accent is back. All business.
“You must be hungry. Sit here and I’ll bring you some food. You thirsty? Coffee ok?”
I nod. The clinking sound of crockery hits my ears as I try to listen in on their conversation. Their friend has left because of me. I don’t know if that means that I’m in more danger or less. Josh felt like the threat, but it was these two men that threw me into the truck of his car. I need to remember that before I get too cozy.
I hear their whispered conversation, but I can’t make out their words. My stomach rumbles at the smell coming from the kitchen. I’ve not eaten anything but a kit kat in two days and I’m starving.
“You’re going to stay here for a couple of weeks,” Dacre says as he takes my hand in his and threads my fingers through the handle of a coffee cup. “It’s hot,” he warns. “I’ve added milk and sugar.”
I take a sip, then when I conclude it’s not going to burn me, drink the whole cup.
“Your father is out of the country. We’re waiting until he gets back.”
It’s like a weight has been lifted. With my father in another country, I have more time to plan my escape. I won’t need to worry about him anymore. I can get far away from here. Somewhere warm where I’ll never have to fear anyone ever again.
I know begging isn’t going to help me, but I try it anyway. “Let me go then. Joshua doesn’t want me around and I’m only going to be a danger to you.” I suck in a deep breath. “Please let me go.”
“I’m sorry, Sin. I can’t do that.” I take note of the use of the old nickname and cringe. Josh must have told them it.
“Please don’t call me that. My name is Lucinda.”
“Okay, Lucinda. Whatever you want.” The sofa moves slightly as he stands. For some unfathomable reason, I don’t want him to go. Not just yet. Getting him to let me go is the best option I have and the safest option for all of us. I’ve not been entirely truthful with them. It’s no surprise to me at all that my father isn’t desperate to get me back. I’m surprised he’s only waiting two weeks. He’ll want to draw this out as long as possible. If there’s something my father revels in, it’s media attention. Any kind of attention. If they do what I told them and try to play him to gain thirty million dollars, he’ll make them disappear from the planet. Peter Waldgrave doesn’t lose. Not ever. And he certainly won’t lose thirty million dollars. These men might think they are hard, but they are amateurs. I would be surprised if my father doesn’t know where I am already and is biding his time to figure out ways to punish me. To punish all of us. He has eyes and ears everywhere. Especially in Manhattan.
“I want to go free,” I say. I don’t add that setting me free might also free them of my father’s wrath. The only way we are all going to walk out of this alive and unscathed is if they let me go now.
“Anything, but that. We can’t get the ransom until he’s back.”
My heart drops. I was stupid to think they’d let me off easily, but I thought they would have figured out by now that my father won’t ever give them the money. I could tell them that, but then what will they do to me? Letting me go is the easiest option for all of us. They could go back to their entitled lives and I could disappear. Lucinda Waldgrave never has to be seen ever again.
Dacre rests a plate on my lap. “It’s eggs. Sorry it’s nothing better. It was either this or a bag of chips.”
My stomach growls at the smell. I take a bite, then devour the rest. They taste delicious.
“I’ll go out and buy something a bit better for dinner. We just didn’t have anything in.”
I understand why he’s being so nice to me. Either he feels guilt at what he’s doing, or he thinks I’ll comply with whatever he wants if he butters me up. A plate of eggs, no matter how delicious, isn’t going to change my situation, nor is it going to change how I feel about it.
“I want you to feel comfortable here, Lucinda.”
Sadness washes over me. No one has ever cared about my comfort before, but it’s just words. My comfort means I’ll be less trouble for him. I already get the feeling that he wants me here less than Mercier does. I need to keep reminding myself that I’m a transaction and nothing else. I can’t fall into some kind words as though they are a life raft.
His hand strokes my cheek and I hate that I lean into it. I’m like a puppy, desperate for any attention. No matter how pathetic it is. It doesn’t escape my notice that he wouldn’t let me touch his face, but he’s touching mine. His hands are softer than I imagined they’d be and I wonder what they’d feel like touching other parts of my body. Heat creeps into my cheeks, and I’m grateful when he pulls his hands away.
“We can’t all stay here,” Dacre continues. “There are only two bedrooms. The master bedroom and yours. Last night Nix and Mercier slept on the couch, but it’s not going to work for two weeks. Besides, we all have school and work. We’ll take it in turns to look after you. Mercier is going to be here tonight and I’ll come back tomorrow night. I’ll bring you some clothes that don’t belong to my mother. Is that alright?”
I nod my head even though it’s not alright. Does he want me to be grateful for him bringing me clothes? Nothing will be alright until I’m free of them, all of them.
12
DACRE
“What do you think?”
My leg jitters up and down, a stress release, that I need to learn to hide if I plan on making it big. Wall Street has no place for pussies. I clamp my hand on my knee and turn my attention to Mercier.
