Their Virgin Captive (23 page)

“I tried to save you. I knew what they were like.”

She nodded. “You tried to tell me. I didn’t understand. But I do now. I’m listening to every word.”

He stared at her, his black eyes narrowing. “I didn’t want to do it like this. I’d rather love you gently. But you don’t like it that way, do you, Hannah? You’re a little slut. I’m going to have to prove I’m more of a man than the three of them put together, aren’t I?” She didn’t like the sound of that. “They won’t let you take me.”

“They’re investigating Preston Ward’s death. They won’t be around for hours. I was surprised they left you here with the boss. I would have assumed they would protect their little slut, but maybe they’re done with you.”

He hadn’t seen Gavin make love to her in the parlor. Lyle had no idea that Gavin would protect her. If she could just find a way to stall him and get help…

The cameras. During their brief tour of the estate yesterday, Slade had shown her the security cameras that dotted the estate. She let her eyes roam carefully as he continued on his diatribe.

She was a whore, a slut, a bitch. That gun scared the hell out of her, and she couldn’t stop trembling, but his words didn’t touch her. She was loved. She was their woman, and anything she did with them was beautiful. Lyle was the perverse one.

There it was. A small, white camera pointed directly at her. It wasn’t moving, but the red light was on. It was working. Of course, none of it mattered if Gavin wasn’t watching. Even if he was, she feared that all he would see from that angle was her standing alone in the sunlight.

“Bitch, are you listening to me? Maybe I need to put another bullet in Scotty-boy to get your attention.” Lyle put the gun to the back of Scott’s head, and Hannah saw Scott tense. He wasn’t as far gone as she’d feared. Scott had a chance to survive, but only if Hannah played her cards right.

And she really only had one card left.

“I heard you, Lyle. I just didn’t understand everything. You didn’t show yourself before.

How was I supposed to know it was you? It could have been anyone.” The gun eased back, and he looked thoughtful. “I thought you would realize it was me. It was obvious.”

She shook her head. “Not to me.”
Not to anyone.

“You’re a lying, little whore. Why should I believe you?” A nasty grin came across his face.

“I’ll tell you what, Hannah. I’ll let Scotty here live if you get in my car. We’re going to go away, you and me. I’ll show you a real man.”

Oh, she couldn’t get in that car. No way. No how. But if she got him away from Scott, she could run.

“A-all right.” Her voice shook.

“It’s not that easy, dear. First, I want a taste of what you’ve been giving the bigwigs. Take off the robe. Since you’re a slut, you can ride without clothes. You didn’t want to be my pure love?

You can be my sex slave. I can beat you just like they did. I’ll show you what kind of man I am.” Hiding her shudder, Hannah feared she already knew. He was a hateful misogynist who was so damaged, he would never heal. She wasn’t sure what had warped Lyle’s soul, and she didn’t care. She only cared that he didn’t kill anyone else.

Trembling, she let her hand find the tie on her robe. She’d wanted to be naked in the sunlight.

She wanted to wait for her men to find her and love her.

Now she could only hope that they would save her.

* * * *

Gavin found just what he needed in the kitchen. Chamomile tea. Hannah’d had a rough day.

He’d tried to back off, give her time and space. But leaving things unresolved between them was eating at him. He had to see her. So after a few minutes that had felt like months, he’d made her a nice cup of the steaming brew. It would give him an excuse to walk into her room. He’d listened in earlier and heard the shower running.

Trying to maim a man with shot glasses was dirty business. He wouldn’t be surprised if Hannah was trying to unwind.

Maybe if he talked smoothly enough, he could coax her into resting her head on his shoulder.

It would be an easy move to put an arm around her and hold her. That was all he wanted.

Bullshit.

His inner voice was back, but there was a marked change in it. Gavin found a saucer for the teacup as his new inner voice spoke to him.

You want to ease her back and kiss her. You want to show her you can be as tender as you
were rough earlier. You want to prove you can be everything she needs. You can love her and
protect her. You can change for her.

It isn’t really change.
It’s getting back to who you are.

Gavin liked his new inner voice. He was surprised to find it sounded an awful lot like his Hannah.

He picked up the cup and started down the hall. He wasn’t going to make love to Hannah right now, no matter how much he wanted to. He was going to hold her. The next time he made love to her, his brothers would be there. They would be a team, the way they were meant to be.

There was a distant ping, a sharp, familiar sound. Gavin had spent enough time in Alaska to know the sound of a gun firing.
Hunters?
They sounded awfully close to the house to be shooting big game.

There was a small room just off the kitchen that served as the housekeeper’s office. It housed a computer and all the keys to the various buildings. Everything electrical in the house could be monitored from the office, including the security cameras.

Gavin let the teacup clatter to the desk as he flicked through the cameras. They had various views of the grounds.
Nothing, nothing
… His heart nearly stopped when he came to the feed for camera number four. Hannah stood on the patio outside the master bedroom. She wore a robe and faced the camera. Her hand was on the belt, and she slowly unknotted it.

A memory of Nikki assaulted his brain. She would fight him like a mad cat. Then she would tease him.

Just like Hannah was teasing him now.

Her hands fumbled as she released the tie. Slowly, very slowly, she brought her hands up to the lapels of the robe. He couldn’t see her face clearly, but she seemed to be playing for the camera.

She took off her robe slowly, almost stiffly. To tease him even more? Her breasts came into view, nipples hard and pointed in the cool air. She looked beautiful…but then he noticed her tense expression, the terror in her eyes.

Gavin understood instantly. Hannah was nothing like Nikki. She hadn’t invented a reason to fight merely for the drama. If she wanted to make up, she would tell him so straight to his face.

Hannah wasn’t teasing him on camera; she was being forced.

The CB radio squawked, the sound jarring in the quiet room.

“Gavin. Gavin, this is Dex. Can you hear me? Please, God, hear me.” He picked up the radio, but he didn’t take his eyes off the monitor. Who was just outside the camera’s view? He prayed it was one of his brothers playing around with their soon-to-be wife.

“Dex, are you and Slade here on the grounds?”
Please say yes. Make this all a fun, little joke.

I’ll run out there and play with Hannah, too.

“No, we’re in one of the sheriff’s cruisers,” Dex shouted. “We’re almost home, but you need to keep an eye on Hannah. Preston was murdered, and one of the techs is Hannah’s stalker. I think it’s Lyle. Slade noticed that he had scratches all over his arms. I have similar scratches from rescuing Mr. Snuggles. Is Hannah with you now?”

Gavin’s heart felt like it was going to pound out of his chest. “No, but I think someone else might be. Hurry.”

He tossed the radio down. He didn’t have time to explain. He needed to get to Hannah.

After pulling out the key that opened the small gun cabinet, he yanked out a shotgun and quickly loaded it. He wasn’t going to fail her.

Gavin ran down the hall and out of the house.

Chapter Fourteen

Gavin took a deep breath. The gun in his hand felt like an old friend. He silently thanked Marnie for teaching him how to use it years ago. She’d taken him and Slade hunting every summer when they were supposed to be learning accounting and how to work a rig. They’d learned those things, all right—but so much more. Most importantly, they had learned that they were brothers and could depend on one another, no matter what. Every time their father had tried to turn them into rivals, Gavin would remember bonding with Slade during those summers, teaching him the true importance of family for the first time. When Dex had come along, he’d become another brother to depend on, even if Gavin hadn’t always shown it.

Now, he wanted his family to be one close-knit unit, sharing Hannah and her love.

As soon as he took out whoever threatened her.

He flattened his body against the brick and listened, trying to figure out the bastard’s identity.

“You have a beautiful body, Hannah. Let the robe drop so I can see more than just your breasts. I want to know if that blonde hair of yours is real. I know how whores change their appearance to entice men.”

Oh, he was going to kill that fucker. Gavin didn’t care how or why this man had gotten so screwed up. No one was going to talk to Hannah that way.

Gavin peeked around the corner. Even from the back, he recognized Lyle from his severely short hair and his clothes. Goddamn the bastard.

Hannah stood with sunlight bathing her, clutching her robe around her waist, her green eyes flared with fear. She looked so young and vulnerable. So alone. She was his to protect. He couldn’t let her down. He would rather die with her than live knowing he’d failed her.

“You’re going to have some trouble figuring that out, but I’ll tell you that I don’t bleach my hair.”

Hannah’s sweet twang flowed over him. No panic in his girl. Her steady voice was music to his ears.

Gavin was a possessive man. He could share with his brothers, but anyone else was out of the question. Yet, he found himself willing Hannah to do whatever necessary to stay alive. No matter what, he would love her. And, in time, his unwavering love—and that of his brothers—would heal her.

Gavin edged around the corner and checked everyone’s position. Hannah stood in the background. Lyle, the fucker, was roughly ten feet in front of her, with his back to Gavin.

Another person sat at the table, head down on the wrought iron.

The other tech, Scott? He wasn’t moving. Blood dripped slowly onto the stone patio. Maybe Lyle shooting Scott had been the noise Gavin had heard. If Lyle had already killed someone, then Gavin could fire at will—if he could just get Hannah out of his direct line of fire. As it was, if Gavin shot at Lyle and missed, Hannah would suffer.

With a brief nod, he caught Hannah’s gaze. Her bright green eyes widened. He willed her to do whatever she had to.

I love you, Hannah.
He mouthed the words.

With a gaze that told him she understood his reassurance, Hannah dropped the robe, fully displaying her beautiful body. Then she jumped out of his line of fire.

It had the intended effect. Lyle cursed savagely and charged her, intent on attack. That left Gavin free to act.

Sucking in a calming breath, he stepped out from behind the house, aimed, and fired.

After a quick pull of the trigger, Lyle’s body jerked. Then blood began soaking his shirt at the right shoulder. Hannah screamed and ran toward Gavin. But Lyle wouldn’t let her go that easily. He lunged for her, catching her ankle in a death grip.

“You’re staying with me, whore,” he snarled.

Gavin’s heart lodged in his throat.

“Let her go and you might live,” he growled at Lyle, circling in front of the asshole and closing in.

“She’s mine. If I go down, I’ll take her with me.” Lyle raised his gun with his free hand. A ghastly smile contorted on his face. “She’s mine.”

“No, she’s not, motherfucker.” Gavin didn’t hesitate. He raised the shotgun and fired again.

And again.

Finally, Lyle’s grip loosened. Hannah broke free and ran for him. Gavin caught her in his arms just as he heard his brothers shouting from the driveway.

Hannah’s arms twisted around him. “I’m so sorry. I should have told you sooner, Gavin. I love you.”

His heart swelled as he kept the gun trained on Lyle, just in case. “Baby, I love you, too. So much.”

His brothers raced onto the patio. Dex kicked Lyle’s gun away, then bent down, fingers on the tech’s carotid. “Dead.”

Gavin thought that perhaps he should feel bad that he’d taken a life, but all he felt now was profound relief. Peace and rightness followed when his brothers surrounded them. Their arms encircled Hannah.

Their woman was safe, and his family was finally complete.

* * * *

Hours later, Hannah walked into the house, her hands still trembling. She could still see Lyle’s desperate face, feel the bite of his grip as he clutched her ankle, trying to drag her down with him. So much pain and anger had flared in his eyes just before Gavin had delivered the fatal blow. She’d never forget the rage bubbling in his expression just before he’d fallen back, dead.

Hours later, she was still shaking.

“Hannah?” Slade inquired softly as he entered the room. “I thought you’d like to know, Scott made it to Anchorage. He’s in surgery now, but the doctors said he’s going to be fine. The bullet missed his lungs. If Lyle had shot him again…”

Lyle would have killed him, like he would have killed her in the end. Like he could have killed them all.

Slade’s arms wrapped around her, pulling her into the comfort of his chest. “Baby, you can cry. Let it all out.”

She allowed Slade to wrap her in his protective embrace. “I was so scared.”

“I know. We all were. But you were magnificent, Hannah. You didn’t panic. You held your ground and bought Gavin time to bring Lyle down .”

“I swear my life flashed before me when I saw you on that security monitor.” Gavin stood in the doorway.

She sobbed, and it felt good to cry. She’d forced herself to be strong while they’d taken care of Scott and waited for an ambulance. She’d held it together at the sheriff’s office as she had given her statement. Now, she wanted the comfort of their arms around her, but only Slade seemed willing to come near her. She didn’t understand.