Running Scared Read online

  That one punishment had been exactly what both of them had needed. After her recovery, she had been docile and meek. He had realized his leniency with her had brought on her need to flee. Any softness he’d shown her before was gone. In its place was strict discipline. At last, she had been becoming exactly what he’d hoped she’d be. He had been on the verge of giving her the greatest gift any woman could receive. And then, without any warning whatsoever, she had disappeared.

  He had gone on with his life. People might speculate in private what had happened, but they would never have the audacity to ask him or speak of it in public. He would never stop wanting her, though.

  None of her replacements had held up near as well. They were all gone now and he was alone. His wants and needs unfulfilled. It was so damn unfair!

  Jessica would return to him one day—this he vowed. And when she did. Oh, when she did, she would pay for every day that she had been away from him. And then, if he was feeling merciful, he might let her die.

  But then again, what fun would that be?

  “Mr. Dimitri, sir. You have a phone call from a Mr. Larson.”

  About damn time. Dimitri held out his hand for the phone. Snatching it from the servant, he put the phone to his ear. “Well? Do you have news or not?”

  Los Angeles, California

  William Larson stood on the balcony of his multimillion-dollar mansion, blind to the spectacular scenery below. Bitterness and fury kept him from appreciating the view. Hearing Dimitri Soukis’s slimy, pompous voice on the phone, William could almost feel his blood pressure shoot up the charts.

  His teeth grinding against each other, he forced calmness into his tone. “I’m making arrangements to find her, to have her returned to you.”

  “It’s about time. Any reason you’re doing it now?”

  William held back his snarl of anger. The asshole knew exactly why he was working so hard to find the girl.

  “You’re ruining my reputation,” William said. “People are wary of buying from me. They say my products are inferior.”

  “With good cause. You’ve never delivered what I was promised.”

  It took every bit of control William had left not to let loose on the man. As it was, he could barely get the words out. “I have provided you with several others since Jessica.”

  “None of them held up.”

  Telling the brutal beast that it was his own damn fault would do no good. The man wanted what he wanted. And he had paid an astronomical amount for Jessica. Not for the first time, William cursed her for escaping. Dammit, why couldn’t she have just died like the others?

  Finding women, especially young healthy ones, who could survive Dimitri’s particular needs was difficult. Since Jessica’s defection, William had sent others—three of them. And hadn’t charged Dimitri one single cent. Two of the girls had died within a year of delivery. The other had lasted almost two years before she had sliced her wrists and bled out.

  “Jessica was the best one and she left me.”

  The whine in Dimitri’s voice was both childish sounding and creepy.

  “We trained Jessica to entertain and please. She was to be an obedient companion, a lovely, useless ornament. Her sales profile described her talents and abilities. If you had indicated you wanted a full-time slave with strong masochistic tendencies, you should’ve said so. We could have accommodated you with someone else at that time. But finding that particular type of woman takes time and a goodly amount of training. We—”

  “You dare blame me for Jessica’s inexcusable behavior?”

  William held his temper. Alienating the man would be even more detrimental. He had to find and return Jessica to redeem himself in the eyes of his clients. With three pieces of merchandise to move within the next six months, he had to play this just right. This would be his biggest payoff ever. He couldn’t screw this up.

  “I have six different agencies working to find her.”

  “I won’t pay a penny more to you.”

  “I’m not asking for money. I just want to make this right.”

  “How do you plan for this to work?”

  “Once I hear that she’s been found, I’ll arrange a meeting. I’ve had medical records created to show she has severe mental problems. They’ll turn her over to me without difficulty. I’ll contact you and make arrangements for transfer.”

  “What makes you think she’s even alive? She was a half-wit who could barely take care of herself. Plus, she’s been gone eight years. She could be at the bottom of the ocean, for all we know.”

  William wanted to growl that it was the asshole’s fault that she had been in such poor condition. Jessica had been his best, his brightest star. Intelligent, talented, but with a pleasant, amenable personality. He’d spent more time and money on her than any of his other pieces. Therefore, she had brought the biggest price.

  When Dimitri had bid for her, William had pushed aside his thoughts that maybe it wasn’t a good fit. The man had a reputation for being too abusive to his women. But the money had been too big of a temptation.

  It was just too damn bad that Dimitri hadn’t killed the girl instead of allowing her to escape. Then it would be all on his head and not William’s. It wasn’t fair that he had to do all this extra work, plus bear the expense of finding the bitch when it should’ve been Dimitri’s responsibility.

  “She may have been in poor condition, but since she somehow managed to escape, her survival instincts were apparently still working.”

  “If you do find her, she won’t be treated as well as before.”

  “Having been out on her own, she may be even harder to control.”

  “Then I’ll enjoy breaking her again even more. I’ve finessed some particularly enjoyable new methods to ensure obedience.”

  Probably the same methods that had caused the deaths of the three girls William had provided after Jessica’s escape. He couldn’t care less. All he wanted to do was get the bitch back to Dimitri and move on.

  “Return her to me and I’ll make sure you regain your reputation. I’ll be satisfied and you’ll never hear from me again.”

  Those words, more than any others, was music to his ears. “I’ll contact you when I have something.” William ended the call.

  He hadn’t even known that Dimitri had put out the word that William’s products were defective. He’d been so immersed in doing his job, readying and perfecting his merchandise, that he hadn’t realized how severely damaged his reputation was until he had begun the preliminary advertising for his upcoming sales. After years of supplying some of the most beautiful and talented pieces of merchandise on today’s market, people were questioning his professionalism. Even his most frequent clients were acting hesitant.

  He had to fix this and fast!

  “Well, what did he say?”

  William looked at the attractive blond woman standing in the doorway. She was one of his most trusted business associates, had done some phenomenal work, but she was becoming beyond tiresome. Lately, she had taken on a more assertive attitude. As if she was his equal, his partner. It wasn’t an attitude he appreciated. He didn’t care that she had provided one of his best pieces of merchandise. He paid her well for her work. Her duties did not extend to more than he allowed.

  If he could score just a few more good sales, he wouldn’t need her or the other women he used for trainers. He’d take the money he made and disappear for good. With millions in the bank, a new name, and maybe a new face, he could live the good life somewhere and never have to worry about working again.

  This one would give him trouble, though. He already knew it. She’d worked for him longer than anyone else. Because of that, she took liberties. Some he ignored. Occasionally, he had to show her who was boss. If she gave him too much trouble, he’d just eliminate her for good.

  William waited to see if that thought caused even a twinge of guilt. She’d given him years of dedicated service, along with the use of her body from time to time. After a fe
w seconds, he decided he was perfectly fine with killing her if need be.

  Wouldn’t do to alienate her now, though. She had another six months to train their “daughter.” When Keira went on the market, he’d make sure she stayed where she was supposed to be. No more screw-ups like Jessica.

  “Dimitri said if we bring her back to him, he’ll alert everyone that we made good on his investment.”

  She gave a derisive snort. “It’s all his fault in the first place. When she called me that day, it should’ve been a wakeup call to him that she wasn’t in line.”

  “True, but telling him that would do more harm than good.”

  Pulling out her phone, she clicked on a text. “I’ve got three potentials waiting in the wings after Keira’s gone. A six-month-old boy in Australia, a three-year-old girl in Canada, and a five-year-old girl in Russia. Infants are a pain in the ass. Even if we hire a nanny for a couple of years, it’ll be easier if we get an older kid. Five years is almost too old. How about we split the difference and take the three-year-old? My contact says she’ll be an easy one to snatch.”

  Once again, William held on to his temper. This was yet another reason this woman had to go. She had started taking on more responsibility without his asking for it. This was his business. She was an employee, not a partner.

  Yes, she would have to go. But that would have to wait until Jessica was found and Keira was ready to go to auction. Then he’d show the bitch who was boss.

  Chapter Twelve

  Justin stood outside Riley’s apartment door. His hand raised, poised to knock, he hesitated. He wasn’t one to second-guess his decisions, except when it came to his partner. She made him as unsure as if he were a teenager in the throes of puberty. In most everything else in his life, he went full speed ahead. Not with Riley. This slip of a woman, with her acerbic tongue, giant chip on her shoulder, and courageous spirit, made him feel like a pimple-faced kid with his first crush.

  He had screwed up the other night, and he still didn’t get why. The kiss hadn’t been a mistake. Nothing so damn fine could ever be called a mistake. Okay, yes. It had been piss-poor timing. He should’ve waited, talked to her, held her. But she had responded to the kiss like a house on fire. It hadn’t been the kiss that had screwed things up.

  The compliment was where he’d gone wrong. He’d told her she was beautiful, and that had destroyed everything. Okay, so she didn’t want anyone to think she was beautiful, even though she was. He could live with that. What he couldn’t live with was not knowing why she felt that way. Who had made her hate the very idea of physical beauty? No, being attractive wasn’t the most important attribute, but neither was it something most women would run from either. She’d taken his remark as an insult instead of a compliment.

  That wasn’t all. Her nightmare had sounded as though she were in hellacious agony. Whatever she had gone through, whatever had been done to her, he wanted to help her, be there for her. She would push him away. He already knew that. But he cared too much to let her.

  But still he debated whether to knock on her door. He wasn’t even sure why he was here right now. He’d been finishing up a run, one of his longer ones that he did on his days off. Normally, he’d go home, take a shower, put on some music, and wind down. That had been his intention tonight, but during his last mile, he’d gotten the extreme urge to check on Riley. He’d had the oddest sensation that she was in trouble, that she needed him.

  “What are you doing here?”

  Justin turned to see Riley walking down the hallway toward him. Not exactly a welcoming greeting, but he hadn’t expected that she would be all that happy to see him. They had left things unsettled between them. Riley knew him well enough to know he was here for answers. Answers she didn’t want to give.

  Tough shit.

  With anyone else, he might not have made the effort. Might’ve said to hell with it and walked away. The shadows beneath her eyes told him she hadn’t slept well last night, but it was the deep pain glimmering in their depths that told him to stand his ground.

  “If you’re not ready to tell me everything, that’s fine. I can wait. But you need me, Riley, whether you want to admit it or not.”

  “You’re right.”

  He couldn’t hide his surprise at her easy agreement. A small smile played around her mouth, as if she had enjoyed shocking him. She unlocked her door, pushed it open, and went inside.

  Justin walked in behind her. All the apartments in this area had been converted from warehouses. They were expensive, but with LCR’s generous salaries, operatives could afford the best.

  His first thought was that for a woman in hiding, she had an amazing amount of windows. Riley’s apartment was large, airy, and filled with so much natural light he wondered if she ever had to wear sunglasses inside.

  “You must really like natural sunlight.”

  Dropping her keys on the coffee table, Riley looked around her home. Few people had been invited into her sanctuary, her place of peace. Her home was her escape, her refuge, the place she felt the safest. She had no real talent for decorating. Her apartment was an eclectic collection of all the things she remembered enjoying. Books and music brought her comfort. On her days off, she spent hours in book and music stores. She also loved antiques—things that had a history. The refurbished grand piano in the corner was one of her first buys. That she had yet to play it didn’t mean anything.

  And yes, bright sunlight and openness were as important to her as air. They made her feel safe. An assurance that she was not and never would be a prisoner again.

  If one paid close attention and read between the lines, they would see the real Riley Ingram here.

  “It’s nothing fancy, but it’s home.”

  She turned to him then. Justin stood before her like an immovable boulder, the expression on his face granite hard, the look in his eyes not cold but very determined. Getting her partner involved in her hideous past was something she’d resisted for as long as she’d known him. And while a part of her still resisted strongly, she knew she couldn’t do this without him. But it was more than that. She didn’t want to do this without him. No, maybe they’d never have the storybook romance she’d dreamed of as a kid. They might never go beyond what they’d already had—a passionate, unbelievable, wonderful kiss. Because she’d messed things up.

  But she trusted this man more than anyone in the world. She couldn’t, wouldn’t do this without him. And since LCR would soon be involved, she had no choice. She was grateful that she would be the one to explain things. Having him learn the truth in a room filled with other operatives would be wrong. He deserved to hear this in private, from her.

  She opened her mouth to begin and then froze, her throat clogging with fear. Recognizing the signs of a full-fledged panic attack, she said quickly, “Have a seat. Be back in a moment,” and dashed into the bedroom.

  Shutting the door behind her, she leaned back against it, closed her eyes, and breathed through the panic. Now that the time had come to tell him the truth, her brain was stuttering, trying to find a way out of the promise she’d made.

  If she told him everything, he would never look at her the same way. Justin saw her as a strong, capable woman—courageous. If she told him the truth, she would become a victim to him, an abused woman so beaten down by a sadistic fiend that at one time she had barely been able to mumble a word without permission. How could she explain that the woman he trusted to watch his back in the field had at one time fallen to her knees on command? Had barked like a dog, crawled on her hands and knees, following behind her master? Had worn a collar and a leash? Had performed like a trained animal to the amusement of his friends?

  Bottom line, she couldn’t. She just could not do it. But that didn’t mean she wouldn’t tell him the truth. He just didn’t have to know all the gory details.

  Turning the doorknob, Riley opened the bedroom door and returned to the living room. Justin was standing at the bookshelf against the wall. Her book collection was
as broadly eclectic as everything else in her apartment. Poetry, world history, and biographies blended with suspense, romance, and children’s books.

  She had read each book with a deep appreciation for not only the beauty of the worlds the authors created but for the sheer loveliness of the words. Early in her captivity, Dimitri had banned both books and music. He had known they provided an escape from her misery, and if there had been one thing Dimitri didn’t want, it was her escape, either physically or mentally. Everything she loved, he’d wanted to destroy. On occasion, he had demanded she perform, either by singing or playing the piano.

  Being forced to do something you previously loved was a special kind of hell all on its own.

  “You have quite the collection,” Justin said.

  “This is just a small amount. I have more in storage. I hope to have a house one day with a library big enough to hold them all.”

  “Are you looking?”

  “Looking?”

  “For a house? Are you in the market for one yet?”

  She was about to say no and then stopped herself as a disturbing thought came to her. She had wanted to buy a house for years, even while she still lived in Paris, but she had put it off. It wasn’t because she couldn’t afford one. Had she put off purchasing a house because she was afraid it might be too permanent, too settled? If she grew complacent, happy, it might mean she’d let her guard down, and then he would come for her. Destroy everything again.

  At that moment, she made her up mind to start looking for a home to buy. Dimitri had no control over her. She refused to allow him to influence her choices ever again.

  “I’m going to start looking soon.”

  “What kind of house would you like? Traditional, contemporary? You want to build or buy an older home?”