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Jack kicks me in the ribs once he’s regained his footing. “Keep them here until the party dies down, then load them up and get them home, where I can take my time with them both.”
“He’ll bleed out before then,” Kira cries. “Call an ambulance. He’s yourson.”
My father’s laughter sounds odd, with his hand clamped over his nose. “Exactly, Ms. Grant,” he says. “He’smyson. Montgomerys are built to last, and this one’s so stubborn, he’d live forever just to spite me. He needs some time to reconsider his priorities, and when he comes around to seeing things my way, I’ll think about letting him ask for help.”
“If you won’t call an ambulance, let me help him,” she says, too fierce and brave to understand how dangerous her request is. “Let me stop the bleeding.”
“Kira,” I warn. “No.”
She jams her shoulder into the nearest henchman, ducks when another grabs for her, and steps in front of me, as if she can defend me. “Let me help him,” she repeats more firmly, staring at my father.
He laughs again, looking around, as if checking who else is enjoying the joke. “Why would you want to?” he challenges.
“Because he’ll die if I don’t, and I don’t want to be party to a fucking murder.” So smart. So brave. She recognizes what he’s trying to draw out of her, but she’s not playing his game.
She glances at me, her worried expression cutting straight to my wick. Her jaw tenses, and she turns back to my father. “You’re an asshole who likes to make deals. What will make you say yes?”
“No.” My roar echoes around the room, and my father looks Kira over with renewed interest. I force myself up onto my knees and then my feet and stagger toward him. “She doesn’t know what she’s saying. Let hergo.”
Someone kicks my legs out from under me, and I fall hard, but my groan isn’t the loudest.
Jack cries out in a deep, angry way, and when I scramble on the ground and twist enough to see why, he’s doubled over, holding his face again — and his crotch.
Kira has blood smeared across her forehead.
She head-butted him? And kneed him in the balls?
I’m sad I missed it, but I’m even more fucking terrified for her.
She’s done it now. He’s going to want to break her, too. Not because he thinks I care, and not because her dad needs to be taught some sick lesson, but because she’s shown him who she really is — the master of her own destiny — and he can’t stand to be made the fool.
The more I think about it, the more I know I would have done the same, given the circumstances. If I didn’t love her to infinity before, I would be falling in love with her all over again.
Jack collects himself quickly. Adjusts his nose, and then his crotch. “You can save him in good time, my dear,” he says, moving toward the door. “But there’ll be no saving you. You’ll have a contract to sign, before I permit you to do anything more than pray. Now, sit the fuck down and contemplate your demise, sweetling. I’ll go let your father know I’ll be taking care of you until further notice.”
8
KIRA
I’m held captive by a monster, and he’s given me a choice: the easy way, or the hard way. I may accept the outcome willingly or by force, but it will happen regardless.
If I show fear, I’ll lose all my bargaining power, and I need to make sure Quin and my dad will be safe. I can’t fail them. I need them both.
One man has the power to speak to my needs, my heart, and my soul, and the other is more fragile, working tirelessly to be in a position to help others, like he promised the woman he loved. They’re my world, and if it crumbles…
I summon all my wisdom and might, and I block off every pathetic vulnerable feeling that wants to break loose. Just like I had to, when Mom was sick, and I had to take care of her. Life and death happen, no matter what, and armor-plating myself with whatever strength I have is all I can do to prepare for the inevitable future.
I twist in my binds and stare at the big stack of printed legalese on the desk before me. Consent forms, non-disclosure agreement, demands and expectations,pre-nuptialagreement…
Is it odd, for Jack to have assembled so many documents so quickly? Or does his endless supply of money mean a man like him can have a hundred lawyers work to deliver such a thing in a matter of hours?
I tilt my head, to guess at how many pages make up a pile at least two inches high. “This something you had lying around?”
The monster smiles, and I wish like hell his teeth looked as fucked up as the rest of his face. From the look of it, Quin made substantial impact, which is deeply gratifying under the circumstances. Shame it wasn’t hard enough to incapacitate Jack permanently.
He’s had someone clean him up, of course. He’s got a little adhesive strip across the bridge of his mangle nose, and the tang of antiseptic is stinking up his office space.
“Extortion is kind of a hobby of mine. Most of my contracts are pretty standard, give or take a clause or too. It may not even surprise you that I cut and paste the one about marriage in there whenever I feel the urge, and you definitely give me the urge, Ms. Grant. I can see why my son appreciates you to the extent of destroying his career and all my fucking plans,” he snarls through his teeth, as he comes close to my face.
