Total Surrender (The Sinful 1)

“That’s impossible and you know it,” Gavin jumped to Theodore’s defense.

“No, not impossible,” Maddux drawled, causing three pairs of eyes to shift his way. Gavin’s gaze narrowed, Theodore’s gaze turned wary, and Arabella’s eyes were filled with a hope he was going to crush. “Vincent, I’ll purchase the debt, plus interest, in cash.”

The look in Theodore’s eyes turned wild, as if realizing the repercussions of that transfer. “No,” he yelled, his voice shrill.

Ignoring the man’s outburst, along with the distress written all over Arabella’s face, Maddux retrieved the briefcase on the floor beside his chair and stood. After setting the attaché on the desk, he used a combination that released the locks, then opened the lid and turned the contents toward Vincent, just as they’d planned all along.

“How about three million dollars in cash in exchange for Theodore’s promissory note, along with all his assets, signed over to me?”

“Jesus Christ,” he heard Gavin say.

Theodore leapt up from his seat, his face white as a sheet at the implication of being at Maddux’s mercy. “You can’t do this!” he insisted frantically, panting for breath. “I don’t have three million dollars and you can’t just sell me off like some kind of cow to the highest bidder!”

“Did you not read the fine print in your contract?” Vincent asked, his tone blasé. “It clearly states that I have the right to sell your loan to another lender at any time without your consent.” He stood up, snapped the briefcase shut, then held out a hand to Maddux for him to shake. “You have yourself a deal, Mr. Wilder. I’ll be sure to have the transfer drawn up and the documents sent over to you on Monday for your approval and signature to formalize the deal. Theodore Cole’s outstanding debt is now your headache to deal with, not mine.”

Maddux watched Vincent leave the room, the first step toward sweet retribution flowing through him. For his mother and father, who’d moved to America from an impoverished town in Ireland because they’d wanted a better life for their family. Theodore was finally going to suffer until there was nothing left of him but a shell of a man. It was no less than the bastard deserved.

Theodore’s hand went to the front of his dress shirt and pressed against his heaving chest. “You’ll never get away with this, Wilder!”

Maddux gave him a cruel smile. “I already have. I own you, Theodore Cole. And I’m going to systematically ruin you and your life.” He stood up and splayed his hands on the surface of his desk, knowing how imposing his height and stature made him look in that moment. “This is how it will go . . . First, I'm going to foreclose on your house and other properties you own. I will take all your fancy cars, including the classic ones you so dearly love. Your business partners will learn exactly what kind of men you and Gavin really are, and what you do on the side to supplement your income.”

Theodore’s eyes were huge with soul-deep despair, and he was sweating profusely now, his fingers tugging at the bow tie around his neck that had to be choking him. Maddux didn’t give a shit, but it was the soft whimper of confusion and dismay that he heard from Arabella that nearly derailed everything he’d been planning for the past fourteen years. How could a woman he’d just met get under his skin in such a short amount of time?

Forcibly ignoring Arabella’s distraught emotions, he finished putting the final nails in Theodore’s coffin. “By the time I’m done wreaking havoc on your life, nobody will want anything to do with you. I’m going to take everything of value and importance away, so you’ll no longer have the ability to take away from those less fortunate. You will be the less fortunate.”

Theodore clutched at his heart, and a strangled sound escaped from his throat. Gavin turned toward the older man with concern, and before Theodore could fall back, Gavin grabbed his arm and eased him down onto the chair. Arabella immediately raced to her dad’s side, frantically searching the front pockets of his tuxedo jacket for something.

“Father, where are your nitroglycerin pills?” she asked, clearly overwrought but also impressively in control of the situation, as if this wasn’t the first time her father had had this kind of attack in her presence.

“Inside . . . pocket . . . jacket.” He wheezed each word, and Arabella quickly found the medication, retrieved a small pill, and shoved it under her father’s tongue.

“Jesus Christ, Wilder,” Gavin yelled furiously. “He has a heart condition. You’re giving him a fucking heart attack!”

Not an ounce of compassion stirred inside of Maddux. Feeling nothing but pure bitterness and disgust for the man, he merely crossed his arms over his chest and said nothing.

“I’ll be fine,” Theodore rasped, the medication that Arabella had given him seemingly calming his symptoms.

Arabella shook her head and turned toward Maddux with tears glimmering in her beautiful blue eyes. “Maddux . . . please . . .” she implored, so softly and so kindly even though he’d just announced his intentions to desecrate her dad. “Whatever my father has done to earn your wrath, you can’t do this to him. He’ll never survive. He’s sick . . .” She took a step closer to his desk, brave and resolute despite the flicker of trepidation he saw in her gaze. “Take me instead.”

Shock jarred through Maddux, but as a man who’d spent years perfecting a mask of control, neither his expression or body language betrayed that emotion. This woman was willing to give up her own freedom for her father’s, and it was definitely an interesting turn of events he’d never seen coming.

“Arabella, no,” her father uttered in horror.

Ignoring her father’s objections, Arabella held Maddux’s gaze steadily. “In exchange for you leaving my father alone, I will do whatever it takes, and whatever you demand, to work off his debt.”

Her father moaned like a dying animal at his daughter’s ultimate sacrifice, but other than that initial protest, he surprisingly said nothing more.

Maddux stared at the beautiful woman offering herself up to him, so sweet and naive in contrast to the dark, ruthless man he’d become. While he’d originally wanted to crush Theodore, Maddux also realized that taking Arabella in exchange—his only daughter, who he adored—would be equally devastating to the other man. How could Theodore live with himself knowing Arabella belonged to his greatest enemy solely because of his own weakness?

“And how do you propose you work off your father’s debt, Bella?” he asked, curious to hear her answer, especially when his own mind was already listing all the different ways he’d enjoy having her at his beck and call.

Bare shoulders held back, she swallowed hard, but her gaze remained bold and determined on his. “I will do anything you ask of me. I’m . . . I’m not afraid.”

God, the woman was fucking fearless, he thought, and he was drawn to that courage despite himself. Unlike her father, or even Gavin, she was unwavering in her loyalty.

“For Christ’s sake, Arabella,” Gavin shouted angrily, his face contorted with rage. “He’s not going to ask you to cook and clean and wash his laundry for him! He will ruin you for any other man.”

Arabella turned her gaze to Gavin, her expression cool with resolve. “Then so be it. It’s my choice to make.”