Tate looked back toward the road, knowing he’d already been gone from the car too long. “Nicklaus is already on the move. Now that he’s got Shannon back, he’ll be long gone before they have a chance to get to him. But I know where he’ll be on Thursday night. I’ll contact you with the location. The meet’s set for nine o’clock. Just make sure he doesn’t move on this until after it’s over. There’ll be four black SUV’s. Make sure your man understands he doesn’t move until they’re gone. Do you understand?”
“Yes.”
He studied her a moment. “Don’t make me regret this, sweetheart.” Then he spun her around and pulling a switchblade from his pocket, he slit the zip-tie. By the time she rubbed her wrists and turned back around he was long gone.
*****
After Angel was taken from the room, Shannon threw herself at Nicklaus, begging him to change his mind. “Nick, please. Please don’t do this. I’ll do anything you want. Go anywhere you want. Just let her go. Please. I’ll never run again. I swear.”
He grabbed her upper arm and dragged her through the house. “Let’s see just how cooperative you can be, luv.” He pulled her through the large house and down a hall of another wing. Throwing open a door, he pulled her into the master bedroom and pushed her down on the foot of the large king bed. “Lie back,” he ordered.
Shannon did as he said.
He stood above her and began undressing. His suit jacket came first as he tossed it aside. Then he loosened his tie and pulled it free, his motions jerky and violent. As he worked the cuff links free at his wrists, he smiled. “Pull your shirt off.” When she complied without hesitation, he smirked. “All the fight gone out of you, luv?”
She nodded. “Just please, call off your men, Nick. Please, before it’s too late.”
Nick stared at her a moment, and then he reached in his pocket, pulling his cell out. He moved his fingers over the pad, pretending to make the call. He put the phone to his ear and carried on the charade, pretending to talk to someone. “Bradshaw. Change of plans. Take her to the other location. I’ll decide what’s to be done with her later.”
He slid the phone back in his pocket. “All right, Shannon. We’ll see. Here’s your chance to convince me.” He undid the buttons of his shirt and yanked the tails free of his trousers. Then, leaving the shirt hanging open, he bent over her, his hands going to the fastening of her jeans. “Let me warn you, Shannon. You leave again, luv, and I’ll be forced to turn my attention to your sweet little sister, Shelby.”
“You leave my sister alone.”
“That’s all up to you now, isn’t it, sweetheart?”
“I won’t leave. I won’t cause you anymore trouble. I swear.”
“You’ve been a great deal of trouble to me already, luv. Trouble and expense. I intend to get my money’s worth.”
Shannon closed her eyes, so thankful he’d called off his men that she didn’t even care what he did to her anymore. She felt him undo her jeans and jerk them violently down her hips and off, tossing them aside. That left her in just a matching set of black bra and panties. Sh
e looked up at him. He smiled, until his gaze drifted down her body and stopped on the tattoo Crash had put on her lower belly. His hands froze in their movement.
Shannon watched the anger flame to fire in his eyes. Oh, shit. She’d forgotten he’d see the tattoo. She hadn’t meant to piss him off.
One brow lifted, but his eyes remained fastened on the ink on her stomach. “What the bloody hell is that, luv?”
“It’s just a rose. It doesn’t mean anything.”
His eyes finally lifted to hers. “And the barbwire? What is the significance of that, Shannon?”
“Nothing,” she lied. “It doesn’t mean anything. I just picked the design out of a book.”
“And why would you do this?” he nodded toward it.
She shrugged. She was a terrible liar, and she was scared to death he was going to see through this story. He leaned down, one fist planted in the bed at her hip, and the fingers of his other hand trailed over the design. “Trying a bit of rebellion, my luv?”
She nodded, not knowing what else to do.
His eyes lifted to hers, and he smiled. Shannon’s breathing increased. She was terrified she’d do something to upset him, and right now she needed him to let Angel go. She needed to do whatever she had to, to make him happy. Her stomach turned at the touch of his hand on her, but she swallowed and forced past it. She lifted her hand, inviting, beckoning him.
She watched him hit his knees, and then he was pushing her thighs apart. His fingers stroked over the ink again. “Perhaps I’ll have my name put here.” His eyes connected with hers as he leaned down and brushed his lips over the skin just below the rose. He lifted his head, and the corner of his mouth pulled up in not quite a smile. “Remind you who you belong to.”
*****
Angel staggered into the French doors at the back of her and Cole’s home. “Cole!” she cried out. No response. Her eyes fell on the phone on the wall in the kitchen. She moved toward it, holding onto the granite island for support. She felt so dizzy and shaky.
Grabbing the wireless phone off the wall, she tried to focus on the numbers to call Cole. Before she could punch in the third number, she heard footsteps running down the stairs. She looked up to see a stunned Natalie skidding to a stop at the bottom of the stairs that ended just between the kitchen and the sunken family room. Angel dropped the phone on the island, her face crumpling, and a moment later she was tight in Natalie’s arms, sobbing.