CREWE'S POINT OF VIEW
She still carried herself with pride, but at least she was obeying me.
"It's up to you what we do next."
I was tempted to order her to climb into my lap, but I didn't think she would. She was afraid of me, but not afraid enough.
"What do you mean?"
"Personally, I don't want to keep you locked in a cell like a rat. It's horribly cold and dark down there."
She crossed her arms over her chest.
"But if you keep rebelling, you won't really leave me much choice."
She looked toward the bedroom window, but it was pitch-black outside and she couldn't see anything. It was two in the morning, and dawn was still far away.
"What do you want from me? If you're not planning to sell me?"
At last, she was asking questions.
"It's pretty simple. Your brother tried to cheat me in a business deal. He attempted to steal four million dollars from me. In my line of work, that kind of betrayal can't go unpunished. So I took the most valuable thing he had—you."
She slowly lowered her arms to her sides and forgot about her situation for a fraction of a second.
"What kind of business are you in?"
"I sell information. And he bought some from me."
"Information about what? My brother is a retirement advisor. He travels the world trying to convince people to invest in retirement accounts and life insurance policies."
The only reason I didn't laugh was because I felt sorry for her.
"Sorry, sweetheart. He lied to you."
She lowered her gaze, her eyes moving as her mind worked furiously.
"When I told him you would be the price he'd have to pay, he wasn't happy. But that's life."
She focused on me again.
"And what are you going to do with me?"
"That remains to be seen. But I can assure you it'll be whatever causes him the most pain."
I stood from the bed, towering over her.
"It's not personal, London. You're just a pawn in the game we're playing."
The hatred had disappeared from her expression. She remained silent, trying to understand the madness she'd been thrown into. She was trapped in a foreign country, stripped of all her rights. If she was afraid, she hid it deep inside herself.
"It is personal," she whispered. "You took my life. That's very personal."
LONDON'S POINT OF VIEW
I asked to return to the basement because it was the only environment that felt familiar. But the longer I sat there in the darkness, even with clean hair and fresh clothes, the more paranoid I became. I'd kept up a brave front for as long as possible, but my strength was fading. The man holding me prisoner wasn't like any man I'd ever known.
He was strong.
Intelligent.
Powerful.
When he'd pinned his body over mine, reality had finally sunk in. He was an opponent I couldn't defeat. I couldn't use my size or my intelligence against him. I was trapped like a rat with nowhere to hide.
It would be so easy to panic right now.
But I won't break.
I'll stay calm and find a solution.
Crewe had threatened me, but he hadn't followed through. He had seen me naked, yet he hadn't forced himself on me. He was difficult to understand, but even though he'd shown restraint, I knew he was extremely dangerous.
He had sent an entire team to kidnap me and bring me to this freezing island. I knew we were somewhere in the north, somewhere overseas. It was completely different from the humidity of New York. I missed the sunshine and warmth more than I ever thought possible.
The cot was uncomfortable, but the food was decent. I imagined that if I ate it while it was hot, it would actually taste good. I had a private toilet, so at least I didn't have to use the bathroom in front of anyone. Crewe allowed me to keep a little dignity.
What I'd learned about Joseph was terrifying. If he was connected to a man like Crewe, then he clearly wasn't a retirement advisor. He really did associate with dangerous people—major criminals like the man currently holding me captive.
But one thing comforted me.
Joseph knew Crewe had taken me.
I might not know my brother as well as I thought I did, but I knew he adored me and would do anything to save me. I had no doubt he was already working on a plan to get me out of here.
I just had to be patient.
Staying in the basement would make things harder. I needed to get upstairs and inspect the rest of the house. If Joseph made his move, being trapped underground would make any rescue much more difficult.
That meant I had to do something I absolutely hated.
I had to obey Crewe.
The next morning, Crewe brought me breakfast himself instead of sending his butler, Finley. Dressed in a jet-black suit, his broad shoulders looked especially masculine. Even without seeing his skin, the powerful muscles beneath his clothes were obvious. His dark brown hair was nearly black, and a shadow of stubble darkened his jaw despite the fact that he had probably shaved only hours earlier. His full lips wore an arrogant smile. He slid the plate of food beneath the bars and straightened to his full height. He was well over six feet tall.
When I'd first seen my captor, I had been surprised by his appearance. I expected a monster, some disgusting older man with nothing better to do than kidnap young women. I expected him to be overweight and pathetic, the type who couldn't attract women on his own.
But Crewe could have any woman he wanted.
If I'd met him during a morning coffee run in Manhattan, I probably would've stopped to start a conversation and hoped it turned into a weekend date. I had never been shy about approaching men. I didn't have much free time, and I liked getting straight to the point. If he wasn't interested, that wouldn't have bothered me. I'd simply find someone who was.
Crewe stood in front of my cell door with his hands buried in his pockets.
"Good morning."
I bit my tongue to stop myself from snapping back. Something about his arrogant attitude made me want to challenge him. It wasn't even the fact that he'd kidnapped me and dragged me across the world. There was just something about him that instantly irritated me and made me want to ignore everything he said. He was exactly the kind of man who got under my skin, though I couldn't explain why.
He studied me with his handsome face, sharp features, and beautiful brown eyes. They were the color of mocha—warm and bright. They suited him perfectly, disguising a very dark heart.
"Didn't sleep well, sweetheart?"
I knew he called me that just to annoy me.
"My day was going pretty well until you showed up."
He chuckled, his eyes lighting up.
"I thought I was being nice by bringing you breakfast. Should I have brought flowers instead?"
"You should've brought cash and a passport."
He smiled, amused by my comeback.
"You're smart. I suppose that's normal for a doctor."
"I'm not a doctor. I'd be studying to become one right now if you hadn't kidnapped me."
"How many years had you been in university?"
I ignored the question. I wasn't interested in making small talk.
He slipped an arm through the bars casually, probably daring me to try something. He was looking for an excuse to remind me of his power. He kept giving me opportunities to attack him so he could crush me like an insect.
"If you're good, I'll invite you upstairs. It's a beautiful place. The castle was restored, but all of its historical charm was preserved. You seem like the type who would appreciate that."
"Why?"
"Because you've been living in a rat hole for a week."
He almost laughed at his own joke.
"So, what'll it be? Are you going to behave?"
"What exactly does that mean? Because I'm never going to be pleasant company."
I sat on the cot, hugging my knees so he couldn't look beneath my dress.
"Then we'll have that in common. I just don't want you attacking Finley or Ariel. They're good people."
"Who's Ariel?"
He smiled as if I'd said something fascinating.
"Jealous, sweetheart?"
"No, idiot," I shot back. "I've met Finley. I haven't met Ariel."
"She's my business partner."
"Oh."
My stomach twisted with anger. Another woman was living in the house and knew I was locked downstairs. How could she stay away and not care? How could she call herself a woman and do nothing? I hadn't even met her yet, and I already hated her.
"Don't worry about it. If I attack anyone, it'll be you."
"Ooh... I hope it's the kind of attack I enjoy."
He winked.
The fact that I found him attractive, even for a second, irritated me. This man was a psychopath with a sense of humor.
Nothing more.
He unlocked the door and pulled it open.
"Bring your breakfast upstairs and eat at the table."
I stared at the open door, unable to believe he was actually letting me out.
"Are you really naïve enough to think I won't try to hurt you?"
He smiled as though my words had no effect whatsoever.
"Sweetheart, I'd love to see you try."
"Stop calling me that."
"Would you prefer Slave? Because that sounds pretty good too."
TO BE CONTINUED... ❤️
Do you think Crewe will start trusting her, or will he become even more dangerous?