Password to Her Heart (The American Soldier Collection 9)

He wore a different type of uniform and appeared important. The others bowed and then saluted him. One small nod of his head and the men returned to their casual stance, staring at her.

The big shot approached.

He eyed her over. She damned the short shorts she wore to the bar and the stupid tight T-shirt that accentuated her large breasts. She was shaking she was so scared. Keith had said the men who might try to take her were evil men who would think nothing of torturing her, raping her, and beating her to get to Keith.

She looked down, not even wanting to piss the man off by making eye contact with him.

His shadow loomed over her. He was a tall man, bulky and thick. Not fat but muscular, she could tell.

When she felt his fingers under her chin, she slowly looked up until their eyes met.

“I am Captain Montoya. I’m in charge here. Do you know why you are here?”

She shook her head. He squeezed her chin. “No,” she whispered, assuming that he wanted a verbal answer.

“Your brother is in a lot of trouble. He has caused a bit of a situation and we need to find him.”

She held his gaze, zeroed in on his tight, firm jaw, the goatee, and the scent of his cologne. His uniform was crisp, clean, and neat, unlike the other men in the room.

He squeezed her chin. “Where is your brother, Shawna?”

“I don’t know.”

He stepped closer, let his fingers slide down her throat and over the material of her shirt against her breasts.

“You’re a very beautiful woman. Young, ripe for the taking, it would be a shame to have to hurt you to get the truth from you.”

He stared at her and she didn’t know what he wanted her to say. She didn’t know how to respond. Did she lie, did she tell him exactly how Keith had come to visit her?

“I don’t know.”

“Don’t lie to me.”

“I don’t know where he is.”

The backhand came across her face so fast she cried out and then he gripped her face firmly.

“Do not lie to me. You will only suffer more. There are ways to make you talk, to get the whole truth from you.”

“I don’t know where he is. I swear to you,” she said, her lips now bleeding and her cheek throbbing.

He ran his hand from her face to her shoulder. He squeezed it and then smiled softly at her.

“I believe you met Cuadrone, and also his partner Guazipan. Cuadrone has a special way of making women talk. You see, I don’t want to have him question you. I’d rather do it myself, but I’m on a tight schedule with time. Your brother visited you at your apartment three weeks ago. Where is he staying now?”

“I don’t know.”

He struck her again and she cried out and felt as if she’d sprained her neck from the hit.

“Please stop hitting me. I don’t know where Keith is.”

“I need to be sure.” The captain stepped away from her and Cuadrone took his place. He squatted down, got into a fighting stance, and struck her stomach and ribs repeatedly. Shawna cried out in pain, her stomach and ribs aching terribly until she threw up.

That got Cuadrone to stop using her stomach as a punching bag.

She was gagging and couldn’t catch her breath.

Someone yanked her head up by her hair.