Fallen Empire (Dirty Empire)

Much to my dismay, there was nothing else useful in the suitcase beyond clothes. No toiletry bag with nail scissors, no curling iron. Not even a belt. Nothing I could fashion into a weapon. I assume he made sure of that before he handed it to me. He doesn’t seem like a fool.

Bane wanders over to the bucket and peers inside. “What are you, a camel?”

I bite back the lie that I don’t have to go. The truth is I’m sitting on this mattress because after downing two bottles to keep hydrated, my bladder is ready to burst. Just the sight of another water bottle is causing me discomfort, but I can’t bring myself to squat over the bucket yet.

“When will you call Gabriel again?” I need to hear his voice. I need to know he’s coming to get me out of here.

“Who says I am?” Bane snorts. “Don’t go gettin’ your hopes up for some big rescue, doll. He won’t find you out here. We’re in the middle of nowhere and that ain’t no exaggeration.”

I take a calming breath, struggling to hide the fear from showing on my face. “I think you’re underestimating him. He’s pretty resourceful.”

“Oh yeah? And how long have you two been rollin’ around in the sheets? A couple nights? A week, maybe?” He chortles.

“Longer than that.” And in our time together, there’s nothing Gabriel hasn’t gotten that he wanted, including me.

“Sounds like he’s been pouring all kinds of sweet lies into your little ears.” Bane leans against the doorframe with a smarmy grin. “He’s got you fooled real good. Don’t you know what they are?”

“I know what his father is,” I say coolly.

“Yeah. An Easton, just like Gabriel’s an Easton, and that hotheaded brother of his is an Easton. Their kind don’t give a damn about anyone but themselves and all their money. I know ‘cause I’ve been doin’ work for that family for way longer than you’ve been his little plaything, and you want to know how many problems I’ve solved for them in that time?” His eyebrows arch in question.

“You mean for his father?” This guy works for Vlad Easton, not Gabriel and Caleb. He said so himself when they were arguing on the phone.

“If that’s what you wanna tell yourself.” His lips twist in thought. “I should enlighten you to the things they’ve paid me to do to people—”

My head is shaking vigorously before he finishes his sentence. He’s lying. Gabriel’s never hired Bane to do anything that requires an apron and a shed in the desert.

He smirks. “Yeah, you ladies never want to hear about that part of the business, do you? Takes the shine off all the diamonds, don’t it?”

I instinctively reach for my finger. It’s naked, the costly Paloma ring Gabriel gave me as a graduation gift left behind on the nightstand.

Bane’s eyes drag around my room. “Yeah, I’d get used to this room if I were you. Vlad ain’t in any rush to let you go, not as long as he can keep his boy in line by havin’ you here.”

“So, what, then? You’re going to keep me locked in this room, bringing me peanut butter sandwiches every day?”

Bane shrugs. “Until enough time passes, and Gabe moves on. But you should know, I ain’t good at keeping things alive. That’s the opposite of what I’m good at doing.”

I feel the color drain from my face.

His chuckle is dark as he shuts the door.

I barely notice the medley of locks clicking, my thoughts stuck on his words. Gabriel has been trying to get out from under his father’s thumb for years and he’s been making plenty of dangerous moves to ensure that happened lately. But now Bane has me, and I know why: Vlad is going to use me as leverage to force Gabriel into taking over the family drug business.

How long before Gabriel realizes that I’m not worth the power his father now holds over him?

“Who is H. G. Wells.” A moment later, Bane hollers with glee. He’s gotten yet another answer correct.

I toss the bland peanut butter sandwich back onto the paper plate. Fantastic. I’m being held against my will in the middle of nowhere and my captor is a wannabe Jeopardy champion. It must be late into the night by now, this is the fourth episode, and I’ve been sitting by the door, listening intently, hoping for some clue as to where he’s holding me. So far, there has been no sign of other people, no visitors, no one has called, and Bane hasn’t called anyone else.

“I’ll take Stupid Answers for eight hundred, Alex!” Bane mimics the contestant.

Alex Trebek died of cancer last year. These episodes are definitely recorded.

After my little crying fit earlier, I got back to my feet with renewed vigor, reminding myself of what I went through with that lecherous prick, Fleet, and my father’s ensuing murder conviction. Life felt hopeless for a time, until Gabriel came along and solved my problems.