Chapter 1
Mia
When I told Andy to have fun at work yesterday evening, when he'd kissed me on the forehead fondly and said, "See you tomorrow, then," I thought of nothing but the fact that yes, I'd see him again tomorrow. It'd be just like our life previously, when we used to live together, going about our daily routine. We'd been poor and struggling financially, but at least we were free and content.
Oh, how naive I was.
I was still green in this cutthroat, dark and dangerous world I'd just entered when I had decided to come here to the West Coast of America, first to Los Angeles and then Las Vegas. It was the world of James Maxwell, my brother's debtor and, more recently, my master and lover.
At first, I had no idea why I suddenly woke. Oh, I was a light sleeper, always waking up in the middle of the night, my eyes wide open as I stared up at the ceiling in the dark, my mind alert and my body tense. It was hard to change old habits, especially when fear played a huge part of your daily life. When your uncle would sneak into your room and do the unmentionable to you and your brother. When you were emotionally, mentally, and physically drained. When you had no support or help. When you had no one to turn to when you needed it most. When you were left to fend for yourself at such a fragile age.
That had been why I'd always woken in the middle of the night, around two or three in the morning, because that was the time when the unmentionable started happening.
I'd always feel tense and sick to the core, always wanting to run away, yet I couldn't find the strength to even move an inch as Uncle Herbert began to molest me. I'd cry, of course, quietly sobbing away until he was satisfied and moved over to Andy instead. Deep down, I knew I was a weak, unhelpful sister, and I despised myself for that. Hated the fact I couldn't stop the disgusting man from torturing us, physically, mentally, and emotionally.
We were two small, broken children, Andy and I, and we vowed to protect each other no matter what might come.
We were close, and since we were little, I could always sense something was amiss if things were to happen to Andy. Something bad, such as an accident, for example, and now was one of those times.
As I suddenly woke, which I assumed to be the usual time of two or three in the morning, I felt that nagging feeling something was awry. I could taste the bitterness in my mouth and feel the knotting of my stomach, the heart palpitations, and the restlessness. Something wasn't right, and I knew in my gut Andy was involved.
Lying there in bed, I was aware of the cool and empty space around me. Curiously, I turned over and found James had disappeared. I blinked and flicked my gaze to the bathroom door, wondering if he was in there.
There was no light shining from within the room where the door stood ajar. I flicked my gaze to the door leading into the living area and saw the light was on. Perhaps James was having a drink or something.
I felt chilled and hollow, and I wanted James to return to me. I wanted it so badly, in fact, that I knew I was a loon.
Why did I want him to be close to me so badly?
Oh, I knew why. It was because he gave me warmth. Every time I was with him, the cold, solitary hours disappeared and within their place was this warm sunshine glowing within me. He made me forget about my fear of the past, of Uncle Herbert, of the torturous things I'd experienced through my young years. I didn't know it before, but I had just come to realize it now. James had changed my life in such a short space of time since I had met him.
I quieted myself from wanting him and made myself comfortable. I was just closing my eyes again when I heard hushed voices. I knew James was talking to Matt. But at this hour? Surely nothing could be that urgent for them to discuss it now and here of all places. But then a single name triggered an alarm within me.
"Andy..."
I sat up. Another word followed that made my heart race with dread.
"Missing."
I felt as though my heart just dropped and the world spun before my eyes. Oh God! I was going to faint. I could feel it coming.
But I didn't have time for that. No fainting. Not now. I needed to find out what was going on with my brother. Now!
I hastily got out of bed, donned James's pajama shirt I'd worn last evening before he lovingly peeled it off my body, and headed to the door.
In the living area, I found James and Matt near the window, talking in hushed tones. They looked dark and utterly dangerous.
I noted James was already dressed in his gorgeous three-piece suit. His hair was still a little wet, so I assumed he must have just showered. He looked disarmingly sleek and handsome, ready to take on the world. At the same time, however, I thought he looked ready to kill. Every line of his features told me he had switched from the hot, mysterious billionaire to the threatening predator searching for his prey, and when he found them, he would coldly annihilate them.
A shiver passed down my spine at the thought that this was the other side of James Maxwell. The darker side that would kill without mercy. I'd known that particular side of him existed when I first met him, since I'd first learned he was my brother's debtor. Yet I still found myself beguilingly attracted to him, like a magnet, unable to draw back.
I could sense the same threatening, ruthless aura from Matt as the man looked taciturnly aggressive at the moment, ready to slaughter anyone who dared to lay a hand on Andy.
"James?" I called out, my voice weak, my body tense with worry.
James and Matt turned their attention to me. I could tell they weren't pleased to see me, especially James, because he wore a dark scowl on his face that would scare the living daylights out of any innocent youth. It did me, too, but I was persistent.
My brother's life was on the line, for God's sake.
I determinedly headed to them, my legs weak but steadfast. Once I was close to both men, I gazed up at James, a sort of begging look radiating from my eyes.
"James?" I started and then licked my lips. I swallowed before continuing. "My brother? I heard something about Andy."
I noted in my peripheral vision that Matt was looking at James, waiting for the man to react to my query.
James, as always, was blunt and straight to the point. He didn't care to soften the news for my sake. Honest to God, I was thankful for that. I wanted a direct answer. Not some fabricated story to comfort me, when in reality, my brother was in deep shit, when he very well could be hanging between life and death.
Why did I think my brother's life was in jeopardy? Because I just knew so. My gut told me so. And I felt sick with worry, with the thought the balance leaned farther toward the death side.
James's voice was calm when he said, "He's missing."
I swallowed at his answer. Yes, I had surmised he was missing. What I needed was more information.
"When? How? Where?" I couldn't get the questions out fast enough. "Have you any idea where he could be?"
Chapter 2
Mia
James cupped my face with his large hand. I wasn't sure whether it was to shut me up or comfort me. I preferred to think it was the latter. At least I hoped it was.
Warmth radiated from his body to mine, and I did indeed feel comforted, if only a little.
"We're looking for him," he said.
He pulled me into his arms, and I rested my face against his thick, muscular chest. I felt him burying his nose against my hair.
I took in a slow, deep breath, inhaling oxygen into my lungs to calm myself, to think logically. James's warm, masculine scent tantalized my senses, which only made me want to bury myself deeper into him. He made me want to entomb myself within him and never let go.
"Go back to bed," he instructed.
Go back to bed? Like I'd be able to relax knowing my brother was missing. God only knew what was happening to him now.
Suddenly, my mind flicked to the Mexican and the Albanian.
I pulled back from James's arms in a rush and said, "The Mexican! The Albanian!"
James only stared down at me, his face a hard mask, his Prussian-blue eyes dark fires in the depth of the night.
I continued in a hurry, my words jumbled and fighting one another to get out before my brain could process them. "They must have got Andy. We have to find him, James. We have to get him back. We have to get my brother back. He must be still in Las Vegas. Please, James, we have to find him. It's the Mexican. I swear it's the Mexican!"
I was a little hysterical, I knew, but I couldn't help myself.
"Mia," James said. "Calm down. Everything is going to be okay. We'll get Andy back."
I was shaking from head to toe. I knew I sounded like a child when I asked, "Promise?"
James had the gall to chuckle at my childish query. He caressed my cheek when he said, "Promise. Now be a good girl and go back to bed. Matt and I have a lot to do."