Bones guided me to a bedroom on the second floor. “Richard has clothes for you on the bed.” He turned the knob and pushed the door open. He turned away, like the conversation had been completed.

I was more confused now than I was before. “I thought you were going to kill me.”

He was still shirtless because his shirt and jacket were soaked in his blood. He slowly turned around, a man ripped with muscles and strength. Tattoos covered most of his skin, but the black ink couldn’t hide the definition of his abs and the thickness of his pecs. Built like a brick house, he was enormous. The muscles in his arms bulged. The only softness he possessed was his blue eyes. They were far too beautiful to belong to a man so spiteful and cold. I wondered if he inherited them from his mother because his father didn’t deserve to have them. “Looking forward to it?”

“Just want to know what’s going on.” A part of me hoped he would change his mind. I needed him to let me go. I was too young to die, and my parents had suffered enough. They shouldn’t have to lose their only daughter.

“It takes time to plan the perfect death.” He turned his back on me and walked away, the muscles in his back rippling as he moved. He had a deep arch in his back, and his spine was flanked with muscle on either side.

I expected him to take me against my will, especially after he kissed me against the van. But if he was going to do that, it would have happened by now. I walked into the bedroom and shut the door behind me. The door couldn’t lock, so I suspected this was the place his other prisoners stayed. The room was plain, with just a bed, a single nightstand, and one window. There weren’t bars on the outside of it, and I knew that was because there was nowhere to run. I’d die in the snow and get lost in the darkness if I tried.

I sat on the bed and pulled my knees to my chest. Now that I was alone without a witness, tears burned in my eyes. I thought about my mother, about the horrible things that had happened to her.

My mama.

Bones had raped her and kept her as a prisoner. She was probably beaten just the way my aunt was. She probably suffered every single day until my father rescued her. He took care of her, and they fell in love. My mother had never said where they met, and their past always seemed to be shrouded in mystery.

Now I understood why.

My heart was broken over the knowledge.

It killed me.

And if I died in this place, it would kill them too.

I had to find a way out.

Bones was a man true to his word, and while his motive for killing me was unfair, I didn’t doubt he meant it. He wanted to make me suffer so it would hurt my family. Putting a bullet in my head and ending it quickly was too merciful.

He would make it painful.

Maybe even unbearable.

I thought about that kiss against the van. It didn’t make any sense. I shot him, and he kissed me in response. He kissed me like he’d never wanted a woman more. Was that a normal reaction for him? Or was there something about me he found attractive?

The last thing I wanted to do was touch him, but seducing him might be my only way out of this.

He was a handsome man, and I did enjoy that kiss. Fucking him might not be so bad. And if it saved my life, it was worth it. Sex was just sex. If I protected my mind, I would be alright. It was a small price to pay if I made it out of there alive.

And back to my family.

I didn’t sleep all night.

I was too paranoid about what might happen if I closed my eyes. I was in my enemy’s house, and I couldn’t let my guard down when I was this vulnerable. If he came to kill me in the middle of the night, I had to be ready for it.

If he came to fuck me, I had to be ready for that too.

But nothing happened until morning.

Bones didn’t knock before he opened the door. His eyes moved to me on the bed, where I sat against the headboard with my ankles crossed. I was still in the same clothes I wore the day before, and I hadn’t showered or washed my face.

He was in dark jeans and a black t-shirt, his bright eyes contrasting against his dark clothes. He took me in and absorbed the situation in the blink of an eye. “You’ve been awake all night?”

With my arms crossed over my chest, I stared him down. “The door doesn’t lock.”

“And you think a locked door would stop me?” He crossed his arms over his chest, his head slightly tilted.

“The sound would give me some warning.”

“And if I came in here with a knife, you’d fight me off?”

It didn’t matter how outnumbered I was. I wouldn’t give up. “I’d fight like hell.”

Like every other time I amused him, his eyes softened just a little. “I respect that. If you weren’t a Barsetti, I might actually like you.”

“Even if you weren’t your father’s son, I still wouldn’t like you.”

The corner of his mouth rose in a smile. “You’ve got quite a mouth on you. I enjoyed kissing it.”

I enjoyed it too, and I refused to lie about it. He would see right through it anyway. “I’m surprised you didn’t force yourself on me.”

He tilted his head a little farther. “Did you want me to force myself on you?”

“No,” I snapped. “I’m just surprised. You kissed me, so I assumed that was coming next.”

“It was just a kiss, baby. Don’t read too much into it.” He stepped closer to the bed, his hard jaw free of hair because he shaved that morning. Now he wore a clean look. If I met him at a bar or at school, my eyes would be all over him. If he didn’t ask me out within five minutes, I’d march over there and ask him out myself.

I didn’t understand my enemy at all. How could I defeat someone I didn’t understand? I shot him, and he kissed me in response. None of it made sense. “Why did you kiss me?”

“Why do you care?”

“I shot you. I expected you to punch me, not kiss me.”

He inched closer to the bed, his thigh almost touching the mattress. “I thought it was hot. Most women would be too weak to pull the trigger. But you did…without a second of hesitation. You wanted me dead. I could see it in your eyes.”

“I still want you dead.”

His grin widened, the look making him more handsome. “Right there…I like that.”

“You like it when I insult you?”

“I like how proud you are. I guess I have a thing for proud women…”

Now was my chance. I could seduce him, welcome him between my legs. I could sacrifice my body for my freedom. It wasn’t like I was virgin. He was just another notch on my belt. No one would judge me for doing what was necessary to survive.

His eyes roamed over my body, down my slender neck and to my tits. He moved farther down my long legs before his gaze returned to mine. He stared at me for several heartbeats, as if he was waiting for something.

Like he was waiting for me to give him permission.

He was a monster and a murderer. His father was a rapist, so he was probably a rapist too. I knew he wanted me, knew he wanted to fuck me then and there. But he remained still, not crossing the line.

“You won’t rape me.”

His eyes narrowed slightly, darkening in intensity.

“Why?”

He turned away from the bed and headed to the door. “I’ll be back for you in an hour.”

My heart started to race. “You’re going to do it?”

He turned back to me, his hand on the doorknob. “I told you I would, Vanessa. It doesn’t matter how much I respect you. It doesn’t matter how attracted I am to you. This is bigger than both of us. I will kill you—and I will enjoy it.”

The door opened an hour later. He stood in the same clothes, his expression dark.

I stayed on the bed, too scared to move.

“We can do this the easy way or the hard way.”

I swallowed the lump in my throat, feeling my hands shake in terror. The hour of my doom had struck. There was nothing I could do to avoid this. I wished my family were coming to save me like last time, but they had no idea I was missing.

My mother would never recover from this.

My death would make my father cry.

Now I wanted to beg for my life, not so I could keep living, but so they didn’t have to suffer.

“How are you going to do it?”

He stayed in the doorway, staring me down with the same indifference. “It’s better if you don’t know.”

I pulled my knees to my chest, my stomach tight. My breathing increased, and now I struggled to remain brave.

He walked to the bed, his powerful arms swinging by his sides. Twice my size and exuding power, he was an opponent I couldn’t run from. I couldn’t outsmart him either. I tried to defeat him so many times, but it never worked. He leaned down and scooped his arms underneath me before he lifted me.

I let him take me.

He carried me out of the bedroom, treating me like a feather. One arm was underneath my knees while the other supported my shoulders.

I wrapped my arms around his neck and buried my face in his shoulder, not wanting to see where we were going. I clung to him like a woman clung to her lover, finding comfort in my killer’s arms.

It was so fucked up.

He carried me downstairs and into a room that was covered with blue plastic. A camera was set up in the corner, and there was a body bag to the side where he would put my corpse once he was done.

I started to shake harder.

He set me on the ground then pulled my shirt over my head.

I didn’t fight it, no longer caring.

He undid my bra and stared at my tits once the bra was gone. He paused to look at me, to stare at my olive skin. He examined my neck, my collarbone, and then dragged his eyes down my stomach to the top of my jeans. He popped the button then pulled down the zipper. He moved to his knees as he peeled away my clothes, pulling my jeans down my legs until I was just in my panties.

He grabbed my hips and rested his face against my stomach, desire oozing from his pores. He kissed the bottom of my belly and then peeled my thong away before he pulled it down my legs. He kissed my thighs until my panties were at my ankles.

This was how I was going to die.

Naked. Alone. Afraid.

I deserved better.

He kept my panties and stuffed them into his pocket, obviously to use later.

When I was dead.

“On your knees.” He rose to his full height, turning dark and sinister. The affection he just showed me was long gone.

I stayed upright in defiance.

His eyes narrowed. “Don’t make me ask you again.”

I slowly moved to my knees.

He came behind me then locked my wrists together with cable ties.

Now I was bound and helpless, naked on a large plastic sheet, so my blood wouldn’t damage his beautiful house.

He walked past me toward the camera.

I didn’t want to die weak. I wanted to keep my head held high, to pass from this life with respect and dignity. But I wanted to try one more thing. “Take me. I know you want me, Bones. Take me and keep me.”

He stopped at the camera but didn’t turn around.

It was a long shot. But he just kissed my legs and my tummy, and that wasn’t something he would do with any victim. He may be a killer, but he was also a man. He had urges, and if he kept my panties, that meant he wanted me.

He wanted me in the flesh.

“That would only buy you a night. You strike me as a woman who would rather die untouched than sell her body to live a little longer.”

When it came to survival, I was willing to do anything. “When you have me, once won’t be enough. You’ll want me more and more…and you’ll never stop wanting me.” It wasn’t a reflection of my capabilities in bed. I was just desperate to save my life. I would say anything to make this stop.

He stood still, like he was thinking about what I said.

And then he turned on the camera.

No.

He opened a suitcase and pulled out a long knife.

Oh god.

This was happening.

It wasn’t some horrible nightmare.

This was real. I was about to be murdered, and there was nothing I could do to stop it.

The only thing in my control was me.

I refused to go out crying. I refused to beg. I would remain the strong woman that I’d always been. I took a deep breath and controlled my expression, doing my best to seem unafraid. My parents would watch this. I wanted them to be proud of my bravery, even if I was naked and helpless.

Bones walked behind me, holding the blade at his side. He grabbed a fistful of hair and jerked my head back to expose my neck. Then he pressed the blade right against my skin. “Anything you want to say to your family?”

My pulse was strong in my neck. I could feel it vibrate with my panic. This was the last thing I would ever say in this life. I wanted to make it count. “Mama, Father…I know you’re going to want to avenge me and hunt down this man for what he did. But please don’t. Let this war die with me. Live out your lives in peace and honor my memory over a glass of wine in the evenings. I fought him the whole way, and even now, as he takes my life, he doesn’t have me. Please do nothing. The last thing I want is for any more Barsettis to die because of this war. He wants you to come for him. Don’t give him what he wants. Please. I love all of you. Goodbye.” I closed my eyes and waited for him to slit my throat. I didn’t want to know when it was coming.

But it never came. The blade remained against my neck but didn’t dig deeper.

I continued to wait.

His hand started to shake.

I opened my eyes, looking at the red light on the camera. I wasn’t sure if I felt his hesitation or if he was just enjoying this surge of power.

“Fuck.” He pulled his hand away, taking the knife with it. He cut my cable ties then walked to the camera. Instead of turning it off, he smashed it to the ground then stabbed it with the knife. In a violent rampage, he destroyed everything around him.

I was too surprised by what happened to cover myself. I watched him smash apart the camera, stabbing it over and over with the knife. I watched his anger destroy everything in his path. His biceps bulged with rage, and his corded neck became more strained than usual. He finally threw the knife across the room, planting it five inches deep into the wall.

Then he turned around and stared at me.

Furiously.

The vein in his forehead was pounding.

The vein in his neck was throbbing too.

All his muscles flexed and loosened over and over. A full minute passed as this stare down continued. He dropped the knife, but now it seemed like he was going to murder me with his fists.

I didn’t know if I should be relieved or afraid.

Then he rushed me, just the way he rushed me after I shot him. He moved me to my back on the plastic then dug his hand into my hair. His lips crushed against mine, and he kissed me harder than last time.

I kissed him back, my naked body underneath his. I didn’t know what was going on, but now that the knife wasn’t pressed to my throat, I was high on survival. I wouldn’t die today. Maybe he would kill me later, but for right now, I was safe.

So, I kissed him back. I was grateful when I shouldn’t be. I felt safe when he was the one who put me in danger. I didn’t know what changed his mind, but now that he smothered me with kisses, it didn’t matter.

I pulled his shirt over his head, revealing his ripped physique. If the only reason he didn’t kill me was because he wanted me, I would let him have me. It’d give me enough time to figure out my next move.

Then my thoughts faded away as he kissed me harder, giving me his tongue. He breathed into my mouth and moaned directly into my lungs. His hand dug into my hair, fisting it as he gathered more hair into his grasp.

My hands explored his body, feeling the slabs of concrete all over his physique. His pecs were thick like rocks, and his stomach was marked with grooves between his eight pack. His skin was hot like fire, and my fingertips burned as I touched him. My hands moved to his back next, and I felt all the muscles I’d already stared at.

He was so powerful.

The most powerful man I’d ever touched. I felt like I was touching a beast that couldn’t be tamed. He was all man, from head to toe. I’d never been with a man who felt so purely masculine. He even kissed me better than any man ever had. Nothing about this was romantic. It was carnal and instinctual, but it frothed with distinct passion.

How could I enjoy kissing someone I hated?

I moved for his jeans next, ready to tug them down so he could fuck me. My offer of sex must have changed his mind. Something about my words got under his skin, made him rethink what he was losing.

I didn’t regret the offer I made. I was still alive, and right now, that was all that mattered.

But when I moved for his jeans, he ended the kiss. He moved off me abruptly, like our kiss made him even angrier than he was a moment ago. Huffing and puffing, he got off me then stormed away, leaving his shirt behind.

I lay on the plastic covering, naked and smelling like him. I stared at the ceiling, feeling my hard nipples slowly flatten. Perspiration marked my body because so much adrenaline had circulated through my body. I almost died five minutes ago.

The only reason I was still alive was because Bones changed his mind.

I just hoped he didn’t change his mind back.