CREWE'S POV
I set my glass down and stood up, adjusting my tie without looking in the mirror. Thrusting my hands into my pockets, I headed toward the entrance.
"London, get your ass down here."
I was giving her a few seconds to catch her breath before coming down to let that madman take her away. But if she took too long, I would go upstairs, grab her, and drag her down by her hair.
Finley opened the door and invited Bones and his two henchmen inside.
"Always a pleasure."
I shook Bones's hand.
"Likewise. And where is my little treat?"
He was wearing a grey suit with a black tie. He was the same height as me, but heavier and pot-bellied.
"She's coming."
"Excellent."
Bones handed me a briefcase.
"Everything is in here."
Bones was evil, but he wasn't a cheat. If he said the money was there, I knew the count was right.
"Thank you."
I placed the briefcase next to me.
Bones gestured, and one of his men pulled a chain out of a bag. It was black and thick, fitted with a collar at the end meant to lock around a neck. It was old and rusty, likely worn by the other slaves he had owned before London. He opened the collar and pulled the two metal pieces apart, ready to tighten it around her neck.
He was going to keep her on a leash for the entire trip to Rome.
I stared at the metal and thought about what he was going to do to her—how he had already struck her in the face and given her a black eye. Bones was big and strong. London didn't stand a ghost of a chance against him.
Memories of last night flooded my mind—her fiery kisses and her tight little pussy. Bones would never fuck her like that, gently. She would only know chains, whips, and broken bones.
I felt sorry for her.
"What's taking her so long?" Bones sighed, visibly annoyed. "I have to get moving. Besides, I'm eager to have some fun with my new toy."
He flashed a disgusting smile, one eye smaller than the other. His teeth were crooked, and he smelled of rotten garlic.
I looked back at the chain, feeling increasingly uncomfortable.
"Crewe," Bones growled. "Did you hear me?"
I snapped back into the conversation, still utterly confused. I had absolutely no idea what was happening to me. I could only picture London hopping on one foot to escape that lunatic, her other leg shattered. She would be tortured every single day, terrified to the point of being unable to sleep. If he didn't kill her, she would die of a heart attack.
Or she would take her own life.
For the first time in my existence, I felt pity.
"Sorry you made the trip, but I've changed my mind."
I couldn't stop staring at the metal collar, wondering how heavy it would feel on London's shoulders.
"I will compensate you for your trouble."
Bones raised an eyebrow, inwardly seething with rage.
"Is this a joke, Crewe?"
"I'm afraid not."
I snapped my fingers.
"Finley, go get the yellow envelope from my desk drawer."
"Was all this just some sick game?" Bones demanded. "I didn't know you to be this stupid."
I slid the briefcase back toward his feet, returning the money.
"It was never a game. I just realized she might be more useful to me."
Finley returned and handed me the envelope.
"But I'll compensate you with a million for wasting your time. I know you're a very busy man."
I dropped it into his hand.
His anger vanished the moment he felt the stack of bills.
"I'm sure you won't hold a grudge."
It was the easiest million he had ever made in his life.
Bones handed the envelope to one of his lackeys and gestured for him to count it.
I pretended not to be offended.
"What are you going to do with her?"
"Not sure. I'll probably keep her for my own amusement."
Bones didn't smile; his face had darkened.
"I can't blame you."
He picked up the briefcase and handed it to one of his men.
"Good evening, Crewe. Until next time."
I walked him to the door.
"Until next time."
I watched him walk away and head back to the helicopter parked in the middle of the field. Clouds were bruising the sky; it was going to rain. In fact, a storm was definitely brewing. I felt the cool air brush against my skin and wondered what on earth had possessed me. I had just risked alienating one of my most powerful allies—all for a girl. That conversation could have gone much worse. He could have declared war on me, turning me into his enemy for wasting his time. In a way, I had been lucky. If I hadn't given him all that cash, things might have ended differently. Instead of recovering the money Joseph owed me, I had lost even more.
Fuck, how was this even possible?
LONDON'S POV
I couldn't go back downstairs.
My legs refused to move. I couldn't bear my own weight. I hadn't left the bed since Crewe walked out. The tears came and went. Every time I thought I was done crying, they started flowing all over again. I carried a permanent ache in my chest that refused to go away.
I considered jumping out the window in the hope of breaking my neck. But the second floor wasn't high enough to kill me. Crewe seemed like the type of man to stash guns all over the house, but I hadn't found a single one.
How did I end up here?
The day I was dragged out of bed in the middle of the night, I had been doing my rounds in the surgical ward. My patients fascinated me, and I wished for their recovery with all my heart. I felt a near-blissful joy knowing I was doing important work.
And now, I was here--on the verge of becoming someone's slave.
Crewe stepped into the bedroom, his brown eyes nearly black with anger. He had called me twice, but I hadn't obeyed. I didn't fear his fury; I was just in a state of shock over what was about to happen.
"You're going to have to drag me out of here...
I wrapped my arms around my waist and braced for his attack.
But I will fight back, scream, and hit you with everything I've got. I won't stop.
Crewe stepped forward slowly, looking at me with a smirk.
Change of plans.
I stared at him, my breath still hitched.
What?
I sent Bones away because I had a better idea---a better punishment.
Was there any punishment worse than being the prisoner of that raving lunatic?
You're mine--forever.
He glared at me as if he despised me, as if I had just done something horrible to him.
You're my prisoner, my slave. You will do what I ask without making me repeat myself. I am going to parade you on my arm everywhere I go, and everyone will know what I did to Joseph Ingram."
My fingers dug into my waist as I held onto myself tightly. It felt like a piece of the puzzle was missing from the situation. I had willingly slept with Crewe, granted with an ulterior motive, but it was something I could never have done with Bones, even if I forced myself. I wouldn't have been able to stop the bile from rising in my throat. In my opinion, being forced to do whatever Crewe wanted was a thousand times better than ending up in the hands of the scum who had given me a black eye.
"You are never going home. You will never escape. This will be your life until you die or I kill you myself."
His hand gripped my neck, squeezing hard.
"Do you understand?"
I didn't answer fast enough, so he lifted my chin and forced me to look at him.
"Understood?"
I felt nothing but relief. I never would have believed that being Crewe's prisoner could feel like a blessing, but compared to the alternative, I welcomed my new fate with open arms. Crewe was sinister and complex, but he wasn't inherently evil like the other guy. I almost felt like I had a second chance, a reason to live.
"Yes."
He let go of my chin.
"But I will never stop trying to escape. I will never obey your orders. I will never behave like a bitch. The only thing I accept is the fact that I am your prisoner, but that doesn't mean I am a willing one."
My response must have been enough for him, because he walked out.
When he shut the door, I broke down in tears again. But this time, they were tears of relief. I was so grateful that I felt like my heart was going to burst. It was the first time I had felt joy since my arrival here, and even though I found myself pathetic for being grateful for such a miserable situation, it didn't change how I felt.
My tears kept flowing.
I slept well for the first time in three days.
The nightmares didn't haunt me. Bones didn't assault me, didn't grope my breasts while throwing his head back in a twisted laugh. He didn't break my bones or chase me through his house with a baseball bat. I only dreamed of seals swimming along the coast, dozing on the rocks until they accidentally rolled over and tumbled into the water.
Waking up the next morning, I felt rejuvenated-and grateful.
I went down to the kitchen, my stomach growling. I couldn't remember the last time I had eaten. I hadn't had much of an appetite over the past three days. My stomach had been too tightly knotted.
As I turned the corner, I saw Crewe standing in the room. He was wearing a black t-shirt with matching athletic shorts. A band of sweat lined the collar of his shirt, suggesting he had just gotten back from a jog. He was sipping his coffee while looking out the window, looking lost in thought.
When I slept with him, I hadn't wanted to admit that I had enjoyed it. Crewe was a very attractive man-dark and mysterious. Although he repelled me psychologically, he attracted me physically. Foolish as I was, I had developed a soft spot for him. He could have done whatever he pleased with me the other night. I had every intention of killing him, and even though he knew it, he had still let me go.
I didn't believe he was as evil as he claimed to be.
Most men wouldn't have stopped. His head was inside my pussy. He was holding my hands behind my back and gripping my neck tightly. I never could have broken free from his hold.
But he had released me.
Crewe was still my enemy; I couldn't afford to go soft on him. If I ever got the chance to escape, I would jump on it. And if I had to kill him, I would do it without hesitation.
But I was still a woman.
My plan had been to soften him up, to make him desire me enough so he wouldn't hand me over to Bones. If I made myself desirable in his eyes, he would want to keep me. I wasn't entirely sure if my plan had worked. After sleeping with me, he hadn't seemed to feel any newfound affection. In fact, it felt like he hated me even more. His decision to change my punishment might just be a coincidence, maybe it had something to do with Bones or the situation. But I would never know, because he would never tell me.