CHAPTER TEN

AVERY

“WHAT DO WE HAVE?” I ask my brother as I enter our warehouse, needing to get some work done. I take a sip of my second cup of coffee. I have yet to sleep. After I tied Bunny to her bed, I went back to my study and watched her. I needed to see her struggle more than I needed a nap. It was everything I thought it was gonna be. Even if it was only four hours.

“Kayn delivered him three hours ago. He says he knows nothing,” Tristan announces.

“He knows something.” No man just starts blurting he knows nothing before even asked.

“I agree.” He nods and starts to walk toward the back of the empty warehouse. “But this is your rodeo, so I’m letting you run the show.”

I snort. “Since when do you just stand by when it’s time to play?”

He throws me a cruel smile. “Just being nice.”

I come to a stop. “You’re never nice. So spill.”

“It’s like your reward.”

“Reward for what?”

“For sticking to your guns with Presleigh.”

I growl before rolling my eyes. Then I start walking again, ignoring his fucking laugh. I should have never told him what I did to her when he called me a couple of hours ago.

I push the door open to the back room where we do all of our work and find a man kneeling before Kayn. Kayn has that look of hatred still on his face. “Where did you find him?” I ask.

“He was at her house last night. That surveillance camera you put up was a great idea.”

I knew taking Bunny wasn’t gonna be enough. Damon is smarter than that. Dennis had informed me that Preston told Damon I love her. So they will all expect me to let her go. That maybe she is just shacking up at my house for a few days.

Wrong!

“How did you know where she lives?” I ask.

The man ignores me, so I walk over to him. “I won’t ask you twice.” I hate repeating myself. It’s a pet peeve of mine. A big one.

He finally looks up at me. His thin lips pulled back in a scowl. Dark blue eyes narrowed on me. “I know nothing.”

“So I’ve been told. But here’s the thing.” I crouch. “I don’t believe you.”

“Fuck you!”

I stand back up and walk over to the table. Kayn has already set out my favorite toys. I pick up the hammer and go to stand back in front of him. “Today is your lucky day.” I smile. “I’m only gonna break both of your legs. Then I want you to crawl back to your boss and tell him that I bought Preston’s sister for two million dollars.” His brows rise in surprise. “She’s my slave. Not his.”

“Everyone knows who you are, Avery. And your father. You don’t own slaves.” He shakes his head. “You’re not like him. Never were.”

I smile. “I do now.” Then swing the hammer.

He screams out, throwing his head back, and I smile. His broken leg lies at an odd angle. “One down,” I say.

“You fucking bastard!” he shouts, spit flying out of his mouth.

“I’m no different than you,” I say with a shrug.

He sucks in a breath through gritted teeth, and his chest heaves. “Whatever you do to me, he will do to her in return.”

I lift my right hand and rest the hammer on my shoulder. “That is where you’re wrong. He’ll never touch her.”

He nods his head quickly. “Oh, he will. He has men on his side.”

I drop the hammer to my side. “What the fuck does that mean?”

“It means that no matter what you do, she’ll end up at his feet.” He growls. “She will end up being his slave!” His voice rises. “She may be your little pet right now, but it’ll be his cock she sucks …”

I swing the hammer on his other leg. He cries out as his head falls back.

I start to circle him. “Keep going.”

His cries turn to fits of laughter, causing his entire body to shake. “Enjoy your time with her, Avery”—he sucks in a breath—“because you won’t have her much longer.”

I look at my brother, and he watches the man with an expressionless look. “Why were you at her house if you knew Avery had her?” he asks, tilting his head to the side.

He grinds his teeth. “I told you.” His eyes turn to mine. “Damon doesn’t believe he’ll keep her. Not as a slave.”

I walk back over to the table and place the hammer down. My brother walks up beside me. “You’re gonna have to prove yourself,” he says softly so only I can hear.

“I know.”

“Can you do that?”

I look over at him with narrowed eyes, picking up a knife. “You doubt me?”

He sighs heavily. “Keeping her tied and gagged to a bed is different than proving to Damon that she is your slave.”

“I fucking know that …”

“We all know how he treats his slaves. Most don’t even last a year.”

I drop the knife and turn to fully face him. “What are you saying?”

“I’m saying you’re gonna have to up your game, or you may just lose her to a man who will treat her like an actual slave.”

PRESLEIGH

After I eat, I find myself standing in the bathroom up in my bedroom once again, and I sigh. It seems to be the only place where Darrell doesn’t bother following me.

I can tell Avery plans on keeping me a while because the bathroom and bedroom where I have been sentenced to have everything I’ll ever need. The bathroom has all the same products I used back at home, which means the bastard has been in my house. He has watched me, more than just that one time in the club when he confronted me. Or that other time he showed up at my house twice in one night. It makes my body break out in goose bumps how much I’ve missed. How careless I was. I’m not that person. Not since our parents passed, but I guess over time, I just got comfortable. Thought I was safe because I did what I was told. I roll my eyes at myself. I never had a choice in the matter.

I dried my hair because I had nothing better to do wasting my time. Once done, I placed the hair dryer on the countertop and turned around to survey the bathroom. If I wasn’t here against my will, I could really enjoy the white tiled floor and gold trimmings. It has a standup shower with a glass door and a clawfoot tub. I’m not sure what Avery does for a living, but it wouldn’t matter. His family has money. Just thinking about his family has my chest tightening in fear. I have to get out of here. Being Avery’s slave is not an option. I have to fight for my freedom. After what he did to me this morning, I know there’s no way I’ll survive here. And I’d rather die trying than stay his prisoner. After all, if I remain here, death will be inevitable.

My eyes go back to the clawfoot tub over by a huge window. Looking over at, I begin to form a plan.