AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Yes, it will once this dinner is over.” He yanked her hard by the hair, and surprisingly, she didn’t make a sound.
“What is it that you want in exchange for my wife?” I raised the glass to my lips, watching him over the rim as I took a drink.
“Fourteen million American dollars.” He waved a pudgy hand to a black-haired man who strode my direction with a laptop. He seemed too young for this line of work. An uncontrolled tremble accompanied the device as he lowered it in front of me and opened the screen.
One side of my mouth twitched, but I schooled my expression before anyone caught it. A fast study of him made obvious his lack of weapons. This was no hitman. This boy was probably one of his slaves dressed up in an attempt to bluff the situation with numbers. That might mean several stationed outside weren’t trained professionals. Or it might mean Tomas told the truth about how many people Bobby had, but some weren’t within sight.
“Fourteen million?” I repeated. “I don’t have that much money sitting around.”
Bobby grabbed Nikki by the throat and squeezed. “That’s not what your wife said.”
I let out a sigh. “A woman will say many things when tortured for information. You know this.”
From behind me, Tomas laughed. It was a response I had to ignore, since it meant he knew of Nikki’s betrayal.
Bobby pushed her head forward. “She won’t be able to stop screaming from the shocks if you don’t give in to my demand.” Whatever he did next caused her to scream with choppy sobs. I had to act concerned, but at least it wasn’t my Sweet One and unborn child he chose to hurt.
My fingers drummed the keyboard as I thought. On the screen, an offshore account was displayed.
“Whore-show.” Tomas’ voice held the maniacal excitement it always did before torturing people.
I glanced back at him and Katya. “Are you getting any of the fourteen million?”
Nikki’s tormented scream and whimpers had my attention return to the true menace in the room. I had to keep reminding myself to pretend to hide my concern for her. I had to imagine those screams as my Sweet’s to feign fear while I bought myself time.
“I’m not going to wait,” Bobby snapped.
My brow rose. “I’m not going to give you that money when it’s clear you aren’t going to stop harming her.”
From the side, Sweet’s head slightly lifted. Again, I raised my glass, blocking the sight of anyone seeing my need to protect her. I wanted him to torture Nikki. The bitch needed to feel the agony for what she did to me. And then she would feel some more once this was over.
The fat man chuckled. “She told me something else.” His steps echoed as he returned to stand behind my Sweet.
My chest quivered when one of his fat hands grabbed my Sweet One by the throat.
His pudgy snarl morphed into a sadistic grin. “So, you do care for this little slut like she said.”
Chapter Fifty-One
Sasha
Armon’s entry wasn’t the grand showdown I’d expected. Maybe he’d come on a bluff, but whatever his sly plan may have been was thwarted by my stupidity. The moment our eyes met, his care for me became evident. Now, the obese man whose sausage fingers were at my throat had the leverage over Armon.
I looked straight ahead to the distant end of the table where Katya waited unmoving beside Tomas. Maybe she was barely hanging on to sanity, or maybe she felt relief that Armon would end this. I wondered what she must have said to my family the moment Armon came for her.
If I survived this, and the despicable man was still alive, I would put a bullet in his head. I hadn’t planned to speak, but the words came out. “I’m going to kill you.” It certainly wasn’t a wise thing to say, given the situation.
“This little slut needs something to shut her up as well.” Bobby’s squeeze on my neck forced a wheeze with my next breath.
“I bring shock collar for whore-show.” Tomas stood and walked the long table toward my direction.
Armon’s words were loud and spoken with certainty. “How many of these boys are your fuck-slaves?”
Bobby’s grip on my throat turned so tight, a crushing pain had me rasping.
Tomas continued his delighted stroll our way, seeming oblivious to what Armon had said. This situation felt as though there were three enemies playing against each other for power.
“I was told by Tomas you had nineteen men. Does that include these weapon-less boys?” The question had me searching the room of men who did seem a bit young and perfect in appearance to be criminals.
