London

I asked to be returned to the basement because it was the only environment I knew. But the longer I sat in the dark, even with new clothes and clean hair, the more the paranoia began to sink in. I’d put on a brave face for as long as I could, but my strength was fading away. The man keeping me here wasn’t like any other man I had ever met.

He was strong.

Smart.

Powerful.

When he laid his body on top of mine, that’s when the truth sank into my bones. He was an opponent I couldn’t defeat. I couldn’t use my size or my intelligence against him. When I was cornered like a rat, there was nowhere for me to hide.

It would be so easy for me to freak out right now.

But I’m not gonna break down.

I’m gonna stay calm and try to figure this out.

Crewe threatened to rape me, but he didn’t. He saw me naked, but he still didn’t force himself on me. He was difficult to read, but even though he granted me some mercy, I knew he was extremely dangerous.

He had a whole team kidnap me and transfer me to this freezing island. I knew we were somewhere up north, somewhere out of the country. It was so different than the swelling humidity of New York City. I missed the sun and heat so much—like never before.

My cot was uncomfortable, but the food was tolerable. I suspected if I ate it when it was fresh, it would actually be pretty good. I had a private toilet, so at least I didn’t have to use it in front of anyone. Crewe allowed me to keep some dignity.

The news about Joseph was terrifying. If he had any connection to a man like Crewe, I had to believe he wasn’t really a retirement salesman. He truly was mixed up with bad people, serious criminals like the man who currently had me trapped.

But one thing kept me calm.

Joseph knew Crewe had captured me.

Maybe I didn’t know my brother as well as I thought I did. But I knew he loved me fiercely, and he would do anything to protect me. There wasn’t a doubt in my mind that he was working on a plan to get me out of here.

I just had to be patient.

Staying in this basement would make things more difficult. I had to get to the surface, to check out the rest of the house. If Joseph made his move, having me down here would just make my rescue more difficult.

So I would have to do something I strongly didn’t want to do.

I would have to obey Crewe.

* * *

Crewe brought me breakfast the following morning instead of sending his butler, Finley. Dressed in a midnight black suit, his broad shoulders looked utterly masculine. Without being able to see his skin, it was obvious he was packed with lean muscle. He had dark brown hair that nearly looked black, a five o’clock shadow on his chin even though he probably just shaved a few hours ago, and he had an arrogant smile on those full lips. He slid the tray of food under the bars then stood to his full height, something over six feet.

When I saw my captor for the first time, I was surprised by his appearance. I expected a monster, a disgusting middle aged man who had nothing better to do than kidnap young women. I expected him to be fat and flabby, a fiend who couldn’t get women on his own.

But Crewe could definitely get women on his own.

If I saw him on my morning walk to the coffee shop in Manhattan, I’d probably stop just to strike up a conversation with him, hoping it would lead to a date for the weekend. I didn’t have a problem being forward with men. Time was important to me, and I liked to get to the point as quickly as possible. If he wasn’t into me, that was just fine. I would find someone who was.

Crewe stood at the door of my cell, his hands sliding into the pockets of his slacks. “Morning.”

I bit my tongue just so I wouldn’t say anything. Something about his air of arrogance just made me want to defy him. It had nothing to do with the fact that he had kidnapped me from my bed and taken me to the other side of the world. Something about him immediately put me on edge and made me want to ignore his requests just to annoy him. He was the kind of man who got under my skin—but I had no idea why.

He stared at me with his handsome face, his chiseled features and pretty brown eyes. They were mocha, warm and radiant. They matched everything about him perfectly, hinting at a dark core. “Didn’t sleep well, lovely?”

I knew he called me that just to annoy me. “My day was going pretty well until you showed up.”

He chuckled, his eyes lighting up at the same time. “I thought I was being a nice guy by bringing you breakfast. Should I have brought flowers instead?”

“You should have brought cash and a passport.”

He smiled, amused by my smartass comments. “You’re smart. I guess it makes sense since you’re a doctor.”

“I’m not a doctor. I would be training to become one right now if you hadn’t kidnapped me.”

“How far along were you in school?”

I ignored the question, not wanting to chit-chat.

He slid his arms through the bars as he relaxed, probably daring me to try something. He wanted any opportunity to exert his power over me. He baited me into making attacks so he could squish me like a bug. “If you calm down, I’ll invite you upstairs. It’s a beautiful house. It’s been restored but the natural history of the castle has been preserved. You seem like someone who would appreciate it.”

“Why is that?”

“Because you’ve been living in a rat hole for a week.”

I nearly laughed at his wit.

“So, what’s it gonna be? Are you gonna play nice?”

“What does that mean, exactly?” I sat on my cot and kept my knees together so he wouldn’t see up my dress. “Because I’ll never be pleasant company.”

“That makes two of us. I just don’t want you to attack Finley or Ariel. They’re good people.”

“Who’s Ariel?”

He grinned like I said something particularly interesting. “Jealous, lovely?”

“No, idiot,” I snapped. “I’ve met Finley. I haven’t seen this Ariel person before.”

“She’s my business partner.”

“Oh.” My insides turned in anger. Another woman was in the house, knowing I was locked up down here. How could she stand aside and not give a damn? How could she call herself a woman and do nothing? I hadn’t even met the woman, and I hated her. “Well, you don’t have to worry about that. If I’m gonna make a move on anyone, it’ll be you.”

“Ooh…I hope it’s the kind of move I like.” He winked.

The fact that I thought he was charming—even for an instant—irritated me. This guy was a psychopath with a good sense of humor. That was it.

“I can settle for that.” He unlocked the door and opened it. “Grab your breakfast and eat at the table upstairs.”

I stared at the open door, unable to believe he was actually letting me out. “You’re really so naïve to think I won’t try to hurt you?”

He grinned like my words had no impact. “Lovely, I’d like to see you try.”

“Stop calling me that.”

“Would you prefer Slave?” he asked. “Because that has a nice ring to it too.”

I couldn’t handle a title like that, so I shut my mouth. Lovely was much better.

“Lovely it is.” He nodded to the stairway. “After you.”

I stopped myself from rolling my eyes and reached the next floor. With my plate still in hand, I walked to the table. My plate contained scrambled eggs, a slice of toast, and a piece of bacon. It wasn’t much, but since I wasn’t eating much anyway, it was perfect.

I didn’t see much of the first floor last time I was released from my cage. I’d been too terrified of Crewe to think about anything besides him. I concentrated on how close he was to me, the way he moved his hands as he walked. In anticipation of a strike, I kept my eyes on him.

But now I knew I was safe—for the time being.

“This way.” Crewe led the way into the enormous kitchen. It had two ovens, two microwaves, and enough kitchen space to prepare dinner for dozens of people. A kitchen table sat beside the large window that took up most of the wall. “Would you like some coffee?”

I set my plate down and immediately looked outside, wanting to get an idea of where I was. But I only saw rocks jutting out until they disappeared over a cliff, and the ocean sea in the background. Beyond that, it was only blue. Infinite blue. The sight was beautiful, but it made me realize just how alone I was.

There was no escape.

Crewe studied my face, watching my expression change. His brown eyes contrasted against everything around the property, from the green of the grass to the deep blue of the sea. “Don’t make me ask you again.”

The tone in his voice brought me back to reality. “Yes, please.”

“So you do have manners.” He walked to the counter and poured hot coffee into a mug. “I was beginning to think you didn’t with all those smartass comments.” He returned and placed the mug next to my plate. “Cream or sugar?”

“No, thank you.” I growled when my automatic response came out, wanting to be as rude to him as possible.

He smiled. “I’ll be in my office if you need me. Enjoy breakfast, and feel free to take a walk.”

Was he serious? “You’re just going to leave me alone? Outside?”

He stepped away with his hands in his pockets, his shirt tucked tightly around his waist. He had a wide chest, obviously powerful by the way he held himself. He had lean and long legs, the kind with muscled thighs that filled out his slacks well. “What are you going to do? Swim to Scotland?”

“We’re in Scotland?” I blurted.

“No.” He shifted his weight, his shoulders remaining straight no matter how he positioned his body. “We’re in the Shetland islands—north of Scotland. About four hundred and fifty kilometers away. So, if you’d like to swim there, best of luck to you.”

My jaw dropped inadvertently, the stress of the situation falling heavily on my shoulders. I was far away from home, across the Atlantic, on a remote island. No wonder why it was so freezing.

“We’re on Fair Isle, the most remote island of the archipelago. My one and only neighbor lives on the other side of the island. It’s a vacation home, so they only come to visit once a year.”

“For the holidays?” If I knew when they were there, I could pound on their door and demand they call for help.

He gave me a cold stare, knowing exactly what I was trying to do.

Now I felt like an idiot for thinking he was an idiot.

“There are no landlines here. We only use satellite phones. There’s Wi-Fi, but all the electronics are synced to my thumbprint. So don’t bother.”

“Wow…you’ve obviously kidnapped people before.”

He didn’t smile at the comment. “Enjoy your day.” He walked around me, his masculine scent washing over me as he passed. “And if you hurt Finley or Ariel, I’ll do the same to you. Finley is an innocent old man who is simply looking for peace. And Ariel isn’t a woman much different from you. Don’t. Touch. Them.”

“But you have no problem with me trying to kill you?” For a man so cold, it was odd that he had affection for two people he wasn’t related to.

“Do your worst, Lovely. I’ll enjoy punishing you for it.”

* * *

I stood on the cliff with my arms wrapped tightly around my stomach. The wind was mild, but the closer I got to the edge, the more the wind picked up. My hair flew behind my shoulders, and my arms prickled with goose bumps.

I noticed Finley leave the house and approach me, but I tried to ignore him, wanting to be left alone. Being so isolated from the rest of civilization was utterly terrifying. I was stuck with a madman who was using me to get revenge on my brother. I didn’t have a clue what he would do to me—or how evil he really was.

Joseph, you better be looking for me.

If he didn’t come for me, I wouldn’t know what to do. Even if I killed everyone, how would I get off this island? Crewe had a helicopter, but I couldn’t fly one if I tried—no matter how smart I was. There wasn’t a boat, as far as I could tell. But Ariel must leave every day. Unless she lived there. Was she really his business partner? Maybe she was his wife. He didn’t seem like the husband type.

“Lady London?” Finley was an older man, his Scottish accent heavy. He had brown hair tinted with red and a few freckles on his face. He had to be in his late sixties despite how easy it was for him to get around.

I realized in that moment Crewe didn’t have a Scottish accent. It was American—just like mine.

Interesting.

“Yes?” I turned to him, feeling my heart soften when I saw the thick jacket and pair of binoculars he held.

“Mr. Donoghue was worried you might get cold out here.” He wrapped the jacket around my shoulders. Since it was three sizes too big and Finley was a petite man, I assumed it belonged to Crewe himself. “And he wanted you to have these.” He handed over the binoculars. “If you look along the rocks, you can see seals and penguins. There’s wildlife everywhere.”

“Oh…” I held the heavy binoculars in my hands and nodded. “Thank you.”

He nodded then headed back to the house.

It didn’t matter how cute and charming Finley was. I couldn’t let that sweet old man get to me just because he gave me a jacket and a pair of binoculars. My goal was to get off this island and back to my life. I belonged in the hot and humid city of New York. I should be doing my rounds at the hospital this very moment. Even if I made my way back there, I would still be missing lectures and rotations. Hopefully, the university would grant me some leeway because of the extreme circumstances.

I spent the next few hours walking around the island, appreciating the beautiful flowers and the unique grass. Despite the circumstances, I couldn’t deny how beautiful this was place. It was rich in botanical life.

I found a good spot along the cliff and watched seals swim around looking for fish. Some of them crawled up onto the rocks to enjoy the sunlight, their rubbery skin heating up despite the cold wind. The binoculars were helpful, and I found myself laughing when the seals fell asleep and accidentally rolled off the rocks and landed in the water.

“They’re funny, aren’t they?” Crewe was in his jeans and a long sleeved shirt. He sat beside me on the rock and looked down into the water.

The second he was next to me, I was on edge. My day had been peaceful until his presence ruined everything. I had to ignore some of the sweet things he did because he was evil underneath that pretty package. It didn’t matter how ruggedly handsome he was. If I had the opportunity to kill him, I would take it. “They’re fun to watch.”

“The other islands have Shetland ponies—it’s what the islands are known for.”

“Why?”

“There are a lot of breeders here.”

I placed the binoculars on the grass between us, just in case he wanted to use them.

“There’s a bedroom for you upstairs if you’d like to sleep there.”

I didn’t want to go back to that cage underground. There was no sunlight, no fresh air. It was freezing cold, and that cot was no better than the cement. Even though I was outside in the cold, having his jacket around my body gave me the most warmth I’d felt since I arrived here. “I guess.”

Crewe looked into the distance, staring at the deep blue ocean that stretched on forever.

“You don’t have a Scottish accent.” It wasn’t a question, but I didn’t know how to ask him anything. We were enemies, after all.

“I do.” Fluidly, he switched into a Scottish accent, pronouncing each syllable with perfection as if he’d been born speaking that way. “I also have a British accent.” He changed again, sounding like a lad from London.

“Why do you have an American accent?”

“Because you’re American. Thought it might make you feel more comfortable.”

“Since when do you care about making me more comfortable?” I snapped. “And why do you know all these different accents?”

He ignored my abrasive comments. “I work with a lot of different people in different places. Accents are important. They allow you to be accepted into different cultures more readily.”

“What do you do when you aren’t kidnapping people?” I asked, partially sarcastic.

“I have a lot of different trades. That’s all you need to know.”

“Good talk,” I said bitterly.

He stood up and extended his hand to me. “Dinner is ready. I came to get you.”

I stared at his hand then looked away, refusing to touch my enemy. Maybe he was nice now, but just the other night he threatened to rape me if I didn’t strip down and shower in front of him. I got to my feet on my own and grabbed the binoculars.

Crewe didn’t seem to care about my brush off. “Did you have a good day?” He walked beside me back to the house, his hands moving into his pockets.

“As good as it could be, I suppose.”

We spent the rest of the walk in silence and entered the house. Finley had dinner on the table in the dining room, a separate room that could house fifty guests. The table was long, hinting of ancient royalty. I eyed the old wood before I sat down, feeling awkward for dining with my captor.

A few candles were lit, and our plates were set in front of us. Our dinner was freshly caught fish and greens.

I almost didn’t eat it because I was disgusted that I had to eat with Crewe.

He ate quietly, not seeming to pay any attention to me.

“Is Ariel your wife?” I picked up my fork and finally took a bite.

“No.” He didn’t pull his gaze away from his food. “Why?”

“It just seems odd that she’s just your business partner.”

“Why?” He looked at me, his stare cold. “Because she’s a woman? That’s an awfully sexist comment coming from a woman aspiring to be a doctor.”

“That’s not how I meant it.”

“Oh really? Didn’t seem like it.”

“I’m surprised because you seem like a sexist pig. After all, I’m being held here against my will.” I gave him a look that conveyed just how much I hated him. “Let’s not forget that. We aren’t two friends having dinner together.”

“I’m not as evil as you make me out to be.” He sipped his scotch, an odd pairing with fish.

“I strongly disagree.”

“Joseph stole four million dollars from me. For some idiotic reason, he thought he was going to get away with it. When he took a job dealing with criminal intelligence, he knew his loved ones would be targets if he crossed anyone. And from my research, it seems like you’re his only living blood relative.”

I held his gaze and didn’t waver despite the emotion in my heart. My parents were killed by a drunk driver while they were out having a date night. A speeding car T-boned them into a tree, and they both died on impact. Joseph and I were just kids at the time.

“So he knew what he was risking, but he did it anyway. He’s the evil one, not me. If I had a single person I loved, you can bet your ass I wouldn’t mess around.” He drank his scotch again, resting his elbow on the table. “I have a reputation to maintain. Joseph doubled the amount of money he owed, but that isn’t enough after what he did. The only way to maintain my power was to do something terrifying—which is why I took you. I’m not evil, London. I’m just trying to survive—like everyone else.”

“And how will anyone know you took me?” I questioned. “As far as I can tell, no one even knows we exist out here.”

“They’ll know.” He swirled his glass before he took another drink. “Trust me on that.”

My heart fell into the pit of my stomach. He had a plan for me. I wouldn’t remain on Fair Isle forever. I didn’t consider this place to be home, but I wasn’t stupid. I knew there were far worse places out there. At least living here gave me the luxury of having some freedom. “What are you going to do to me?” I asked the question even though I knew I wasn’t ready to hear the answer.

“It doesn’t matter. You’ll see soon enough.”

I didn’t touch my dinner because I lost my entire appetite. There wasn’t a doubt in my mind that Crewe was a capable man. He had the power to do anything to me, and I would be powerless to stop him. If he wanted to rape me, he could. If he wanted to kill me, he could. If he wanted to do something far worse to me, I couldn’t stop it.

Now I truly was terrified—of the unknown.