She Loves Me, She Loves Me Not (The American Soldier Collection 8)

d then anger filled her gut.

“You killed him? You killed Uncle Brian?”

He jumped up onto the bed and straddled her waist. He gripped her throat, applying just enough pressure to make her cough and shiver in fear that he could strangle her and kill her.

“He had to die. He stood in the way of my plans.”

He released one hand from her throat but kept her in place with the other hand. He slowly moved one palm down between her breasts. He cupped one, and gently ran his thumb over her nipple.

“Oh God, Unc, please don’t do this to me,” she cried out.

“Brian found out that I was helping Sentinel, so I had to stage that robbery and get him killed. Too many people and families would have suffered. I was just getting ready to retire from all that. I saved a lot of money for us. We could go anywhere you’d like, Ellie. All you have to do is tell me that you love me the way I love you.”

“I can’t do that. If you loved me, then you wouldn’t have killed Uncle Brian.”

He jumped up off of her. “That’s not true. I told you that he stood in the way of us. Renaldo stood in the way, too. I just wanted him to see us together and realize that you belong to me.”

“I don’t belong to you.”

“Yes, you do. I killed for you. Paul can never hurt you again because of me.” He stomped toward the bedroom, disappeared behind the door, and then came back dragging Paul across the floor. There was blood everywhere.

“No! Oh God, no!” she screamed.

Unc dropped the body and headed straight for her. He jumped up onto the bed straddling her body and placing his face right against hers.

“You are mine. I killed for you and you will love me like I love you in return. If you don’t, and if the petals are right, then we both die, right here, today.”

She couldn’t believe that this was happening to her. She was so scared. She was shaking and didn’t know what to do to get out of this. She had to stall him. She had to get him to think she was okay with this.

She sniffled as he leaned forward and licked her neck. His hands were groping her.

“Unc?” she whispered, voice quivering as he ran his hands up and down her arms that were tied to the top of the headboard.

He slowed his hands and then cupped her breasts as he sat up.

She licked her lips as tears continued to fall. “You really did all of that stuff you said, for me?”

He stared at her. She could count the number of breaths he took before he responded. Three, four, five. “Yes, all of it for you, for us, sweet little lover.”

He leaned forward and kissed her lips. She wanted to vomit, to bite him, kill him, and make him suffer. “I’m sorry I insulted you. I should have been more grateful. Paul hurt me so badly. I’m still so afraid.” She pretended to shiver. He ran his hands all over her and she had to pretend it didn’t repulse her.

“I’m sorry seeing him still upsets you, Ellie. That wasn’t my intention. He deserved to die. You shouldn’t feel bad. You should be grateful.”

“I am grateful. I want to hug you and thank you.”

He leaned down and pressed against her snugly.

“No, I mean with my own arms, I want to wrap them around you and hug you tight, and let you know that I appreciate everything that you did.” She clenched her eyes closed and prayed she wasn’t making matters worse for herself. As he pressed lower, she could see over his shoulder and through the open window. There were men in black. Someone was coming to save her.

“Please, Unc, untie me so I can hold you?”

“You want to hold me?”

“I want to, yes,” she whispered, tears flowing and out of her control.

He sat up, reached behind him and clicked the switch blade in front of her. She gasped and closed her eyes.

“What is it? What’s wrong?” he asked as he cut the first binding and then the other. She covered her face with her hands and willed herself to be strong, and she ignored the aches and pains from being tied up for so long.