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He yanked my hair again, and I flinched. “I understand,” I squeaked.
He released me, and I scrambled to get the accounts up and explain what I’d done, all the while leaning away from him. My scalp stung, and I wanted to rub the sore spot but refrained, too scared of what might happen if I delayed. “All the money is now back in account 576 983 as requested. Account 823 978 has been made your transaction account. 143 625 holds the money you earn each month from your businesses.”
My eyes never wavered from his, too scared to take my attention off him. But since I’d memorized all the numbers, I didn’t need to look at my screen.
His lifeless eyes raked over my body once I was done talking him through everything. “You seem to be even more of an asset than originally thought. This pleases me.”
I held my breath, my body trembling under his unwelcome attention. Taking a strand of my hair, he lifted it up, smelling it. I swallowed, fighting down the urge to vomit all over his expensive shoes. After another few seconds that felt like hours he released my hair and left.
As soon as he was gone and the door clicked shut behind him, I put my head between my legs and my hands on my head. It was either that or pass out.
This was worse than hell. It was purgatory. If I didn’t do my job well, he’d get rid of me. If I did my job well, he’d keep me. Both shitty options. But the one where I was still breathing at least meant I could continue to try and get out of here.
Not that I’d made much headway. I still didn’t know how to get out of the heavily secured fortress or how to get a car. Because there was no way I could walk back to Georgetown.
Santino wasn’t due to arrive to accompany me to the kitchen for at least another hour, but a wave of fatigue hit me so hard, I swayed in my seat.
The office walls were closing in around me, and I heaved myself out of the chair. If I had put my brain to good use, I would have stopped myself from leaving the office alone. And I would have definitely stopped myself from going outside. But when I saw a door that was unguarded and unlocked, I took my chance. I was desperate. And desperate Everleigh did things without calculating all the risks as she usually did.
There was also still a chance my brother was here. I hadn’t seen any sign of someone else being held captive, but who knew if they had a secret dungeon somewhere.
After wandering around the grounds for a while, looking for any weak spots, I found a cluster of small bungalows. The guards had gotten used to my presence, and nobody stopped me from wandering. There was no rule that I wasn’t allowed to go outside.
The house sat atop a cliff, overlooking the ocean. It would have been breathtaking had it not held so much death and pain.
I passed another pool, this one with a waterfall, and a tennis court. A small cluster of bungalows sat behind the tennis court, and I figured they were as good as place as any to start my search.
I looked through one of the windows and saw beds, the sheets messily thrown on top, and a table surrounded by chairs. There was nobody inside, so I crept to the next one. I guessed this was where the guards stayed, and maybe the staff.
I stumbled over a chair left outside one of the houses, and it made a loud scraping sound. I clenched the back to stop it from toppling over and listened. The guards’ constant chatter was unchanged. No footsteps, no shouting. I relaxed my grip on the chair and took a deep breath.
After I’d checked all the bungalows, my body deflated. I’d discovered nothing. Nobody had left keys or any usable weapons out—at least nothing obvious that I could spot through a window. And I was too afraid to go inside.
When I turned to go back, my nose hit something solid, and the foul—and familiar—smell immediately made me recoil in fear. My luck was on the down and out, with no way up.
I took a careful step back, weighing my options. I could turn and run. I would probably make it as far as the pool. Or I could try to punch him, hope I hit him, and then scream.
The problem with both options: he was now holding my arm in a viselike grip that I didn’t see myself getting out of anytime soon. I also didn’t know how to hit anyone. I wished I’d taken that self-defense class Thea wanted me to go to with her.
“We meet again, cabrona,” he snarled at me.
I shivered, all my senses telling me to run. His free hand was pawing my face and hair roughly. I flinched and twisted in his grip, my scalp stinging from the continued rough treatment. “Santino is out here. You better let me go. He’ll be looking for me.”
There was a triumphant gleam on his face, and my stomach tied itself in knots. “Do you think I’m an idiot? He’s busy kissing the boss’s ass. It’s only you and me.”
He brought my body flush to his, his erection pressing against my belly. I fought the bile rising up my throat. He was already angry; no reason to make it worse.
He pulled on my hair, and I ground my teeth, my poor scalp protesting. “Come. I have plans for us.”
He dragged me along, his destination one of the bungalows. I knew that once I was inside, nobody would find me. The thought was terrifying.
My breaths sped up, and my head was getting fuzzy. Oh no. No no no. Another panic attack is the last thing I need. I had to keep a clear head, or I wouldn’t make it out of this in one piece.
“Please let me go. You don’t have to do this.”
He sneered at me, his grip tightening. “You think you’re better than us. But once you’re no longer useful, he’ll throw you out like last night’s dinner.”
I fought against the rising panic overtaking my body. Now was not the time. I was the only one able to get myself out of this. “They’ll be wondering where I went.”
