The sun is still high, and I make a quick pitstop at the local bakery, where they have the freshest cakes and cookies. I buy a box filled with a variety of flavors before I head home.
The moment I pull up to the cabin, I look up and find Vera at the window, looking down at me. The bedroom has nothing that can aid her escape, but I can’t deny I was worried she would be gone when I returned.
Inside, I set everything on the counter and listen to her screaming up a storm from the second floor as she tells me I’m a bad asshole, and she’s going to kill me. I smile. The thought of her hurting me is laughable, but still, I can’t help but wish we could have that fight while naked with her writhing beneath me.
I’ve never been able to find pleasure unless the woman is still asleep, not moving a muscle. The thought of controlling her body, while she is merely a rag doll for me to toy with, has always been my go-to. Sadly, not many women trust a man like that, not that I blame them.
The screaming upstairs stops, and I still for a moment. I want to go up there to see if she’s okay, but I know I should let her blow off steam. Soon enough, she’ll get hungry. She’ll need to freshen up, and then she’ll calm down. I pack the food in the cabinets before heading up with the toiletries I bought for Vera.
Once I’ve put them away, I move quietly toward her bedroom door and listen. It’s silent, and I wonder if she’s passed out. I wait another moment before I head downstairs to grab my phone. There’s no news from Dax yet, but I know the moment he can, he’ll make contact.
I pull out my laptop and log into the software I’ve used since I was fifteen. The program was coded by one of my father’s men—an IT genius—which allows me to track Dad’s whereabouts without his knowledge.
We used to use it for our clients, but now I use it to make sure I’m safe, and he hasn’t found me. If I can get into the system, I’ll try to find a link to Dad’s contacts I know are trying to locate Vera. She’s been lucky he hasn’t found her yet.
I must try to get information about what he’s up to because I have a feeling he’s closing in on Vera; well, her old place. I log into the security systems at the apartment building she was staying in. I installed two small cameras before taking her, and I know they’ll come in handy.
When I finally manage to get logged in, I find the place untouched. Flicking through both cameras, I make sure to note anything out of place, but I don’t see anything. I’ll give it another two days before checking again.
My email pings with an alert. I open it, flick through to the new message, and notice it’s from an encrypted address. It must be Dax. I click it and scan the contents.
Logan,
He’s making his play for her. He has his team searching, but I have a feeling he wasn’t completely honest with me. There’s something he’s hiding, and I have my men on it. I can’t promise you I’ll have something before the weekend, but I’ll try.
If you’ve already made your move, stay out of towns and cities. He is scouring the West Coast. He’ll then head south, then east and north. I’m not sure where you are, but it’s best that you don’t come out of hiding until I’ve made sure the city is secure.
This isn’t some idle threat. He’s on the warpath. If he finds her, he isn’t going to think twice about killing her. She ran, breaking a contract between him and her father. Which brings me to my next warning—her father is going to pay for this.
If you can keep that from her for the time being, it may make it easier for you to gain her trust. I’ll see what I can do from my side, but all I can say is, be ready.
D.
I figured that’s how it would go down. If Dax can get my father out of the way, perhaps I can go home. He didn’t mention anything about my mother, but she’s innocent in all this.
The floor creaks upstairs, and I decide to go back up to see if Vera is less fiery. Hopefully, she’ll allow me to help her. Perhaps she can understand why I’m doing this. I take the steps two at a time, and I’m at her door in seconds. I unlock it before pushing it open to find her sitting on the bed. She’s got her legs crossed, and I can’t stop my gaze from wandering between her thighs.