Twisted Desire (26 page)

Jamille.

I looked up at the monitors, but the men weren’t on any. It just showed different rooms and some grounds. These were obviously security monitors. Why wasn’t the room they were in showing up? When my eyes saw one of the TVs was dark, it hit me that someone had turned off the camera. They didn’t want me to see what was happening.
 

Roman.

Doing my best to swallow down my fear, I stood and walked over to a bookshelf and thumbed through different novels. None caught my attention. I was barely reading their titles. All I wanted was for Tag to come back and hold me. I never felt safe unless he was by me, holding me, or giving me a quick wink of assurance.
 

A loud thump on the wall in front of me sounded, making me cry out and cover my mouth with my hand. A few more thumps sounded, and I couldn’t stop the trembling. A high-pitched scream came then, making me turn around and run to the sofa. I curled up on it, my knees drawn to my chest, willing my heart to slow down.

Out of nowhere, the door to where I was burst open, and Tag ran in. He looked around and darted for me when he saw where I was. I let out a small cry, so relieved to see him but still scared to death. He stopped in front of me, going down on his knees.

“Come with me, querida, no time to talk.”
He grabbed my hand and pulled me up, standing himself then rushing us out of the room.
 

I could barely see where we were going as he was running so fast and it had gotten dark. We ran down a cobblestone pathway I hadn’t been on yet, when suddenly we were at the door of a small house. Tag hurried and opened the door, slamming it behind us once I was inside.

I gave a small whimper. “What’s going on?”
I cried.

He turned around, and his eyes softened when he saw me. He immediately took me in his arms, his hand running up and down my back. “Shh, Penny,”
he soothed. “It’s okay, you’re safe.”

“But what’s going on? I heard thumps and a scream. I’m scared to death,”
I cried out again, the events of the evening really hitting me. “Who was that person?”

Tag stayed silent, still only running his hand up and down my back. When I tried to look up at him, he tightened his hold on me, preventing it. “Listen,”
he started in a gentle voice. “I’m honestly just learning about this situation. I don’t have much information. All you need to know right now is that you’re safe and have nothing to worry about.”
 

When I started to argue, he shushed me. “I know, sweet girl,”
he continued. “Easier said than done, but trust me please. You know I’ll never let anything happen to you.”

I took a calming breath, his scent of pine and basil a huge comfort to me. “I trust you, baby,”
I told him against his chest. “I just don’t trust anybody else. Roman is insane, and I can’t shake the feeling he has weird and sadistic plans for me, and now this. There’s so much, I can’t even wrap my head around it all.”

He sighed and finally lifted my chin to look at him. “You’re much smarter than Roman gave you credit for, sweet girl. I love you, you know that?”

I looked in his eyes but also couldn’t help but finally notice our surroundings. It looked like we were in a one-room house. A twin bed was against one wall with a small stove and fridge across from it. A small, circular wooden table that’s paint was chipping and two wooden chairs were next to the bed. A door was against another wall, which I assumed was a bathroom.

“Where are we?”
I asked.

He took my hand and led me to the table, helping me sit in one of the chairs. He sat in the other one, leaning back. “This is where Theo’s staying while we’re here,”
was all he said.

“Okay,”
I muttered, still looking around. “Why are we here, though?”

He sat forward then and put his head in his hands. “Because this is the safest place for the moment.”

“Tag, what the hell is going on? Who was that person? Please.”

He sighed. “Listen, I still don’t know all that’s going on. All I can tell you is that she’s someone who Roman has a history with, and he’s dealing with it as we speak.”

So it’s a she.

Blonde.

Jamille.

“Who’s Jamille?”

His head jerked up to look at me. “How do you know that name?”

“I heard Roman mutter it right after you guys took off. I assume is her.”

He let out a breath and shook his head. “Roman’s getting careless.”

“Who is she?”

“I told you all I know right now,”
he said. “Someone Roman has a past with. He’s dealing with her right now.”

“What do you mean,
dealing
with her?”
The thoughts of what that could be made my blood run cold.

His eyes took me in for a minute before he replied. “I can only hope just talking to her, but I don’t know.”

I gave a small cry as his words sank in. For all we knew, Roman was going to kill her. I had no idea who she was, but the thought of her being hurt or murdered was more than I could handle.

“I can’t be here anymore.
I started to panic. “I can’t be around this, this evil. He’s killing her, Tag, I know it. He’s going to kill her. Help her!”

My hands were shaking, and I started to perspire. My nerves were at an all- time high. My chest suddenly started to pound, and breathing became difficult. I started to gasp for air, my eyes bugging out of my sockets. My hands clawed at the wooden table, slivers slicing my fingertips. Tag startled and jumped up, dashing over to my side.

“Penny! Penny, look at me!”
 

I heard him, but I couldn’t do as he asked. The weight on my chest was getting heavier and heavier, making it almost impossible to breathe. I heard Tag swear over and over as he took my face in his hands, begging me to look at him.
 

“Penny, you’re having another panic attack. Dammit!”

He got up and ran to somewhere in the room. I could hear him going through drawers, but soon the sound faded as my vision started to darken. Flashes of light were all I saw as I slumped over the table, barely able to catch my breath.

Strong hands pushed me back in my chair, and something was put over my face.
 

“BREATHE, Penny, take a deep breath,”
he told me over and over.
 

I struggled to listen and to do what he asked. I took as big a breath I could, which felt like tiny knives stabbing at my throat. But as I took more, the sensation of suffocating lessened, as my vision started to return. The weight on my chest eased, making it so I could focus on his face.

That beautiful face.

I continued to breathe in and out of the paper bag he held at my mouth. My eyes never looked away from his over the bag, him being the only thing keeping me calm. This man, who started as my captor, but ended up being my soul mate.
 

“I’m okay now,”
I told him, my voice an echo in the bag.

For the first time, it hit me how panicked he looked. “Are you sure?”
he asked.

I reached up and held onto his hands, lowering the bag from my mouth. “Yes.”

He leaned his forehead on mine, his hands going back to frame my face. “Ah, sweet girl, you scared me again. Have you always suffered from these?”

I shook my head. “Not until I was taken.”

He muttered a curse. “I hate him.”

I knew who he meant.

Roman.

“I hate him too. I’m sorry I lost it there. Just knowing he’s most likely torturing, or killing, her is more than I can take. Will you please go see how she is?”

He shook his head. “I’m not leaving you.”

“Then take me with you.”

His eyes bulged. “Are you crazy? No way in hell I’m getting you anywhere near that.”

My eyes started to tear up. “Tag, I can’t sit here knowing that poor woman is in trouble. Please.”

A million emotions crossed his face. He lowered his head and pressed his lips against my forehead. “You’re amazing, you know that?”

“No, I’m just worried sick.”

“I’m not going to leave you,”
he started, then put his finger over my lips when I started to argue. “I’m not, so don’t ask me again but I will call Theo.”

Slumping against my chair, I knew it was all he’d do. “Okay, but what if he doesn’t answer?”

Taking his phone out of his pocket, he responded as he pressed a button. “Then we wait.”

Chapter 26

“Dude, it’s crazy over here,”
Theo said when I asked how things were going.

“Explain.”

“Roman threw me out of the room a few minutes ago, telling me he no longer needed my help. He had Jamille on the floor, in hysterics. I wouldn’t be surprised if we have another dead body on our hands soon.”

Memories of leaving Fiona’s at the door of a morgue invaded my mind. No way in hell was I going to deal with another one. My days of working for him were going to be over soon.

“We better not,”
was all I said, my mind going a mile a minute. “Penny’s freaking out over here, dude. She’s convinced he’s going to kill this chick.”

“Smart girl.”

I cursed into the phone. “Are you on your way back to your room?”

“Yeah, I’m here.”

I whirled around and saw him at the door. He looked over to Penny on the bed, then me. “Did you knock her out or something?”
he asked as he shut the door.

Shrugging, I walked over to her and brushed her hair out of her face. “Kinda. She had a panic attack. She needs the rest.”

Theo put his gun back in his waistband. “You gonna leave her here all night?”
 

“Hell, no. I’m taking her back to her room. Just wanted to wait until things were under control.”

“When are things under control, Tag?”

I put a piece of mint gum in my mouth and started to chew. “Good point.”

We both froze when we heard Penny moan, then roll over. She looked so peaceful with her eyes closed, her lashes fanning her face and her chest rising up and down in a deep rhythm. It killed me that the only time she could relax was when she was asleep.
 

“Dude, I gotta ask,”
Theo spoke. “What in the hell does Roman have planned for her?”

We were both staring at her, and I flinched. No one knew what was going on between me and Penny, but I knew Theo suspected. No way in hell was I going to confirm it to him.

“Good question, man,”
I replied. “I have a hunch it’s a lot worse than we know.”
I tried acting nonchalant, like any other job we’ve had. But inside, I was seething with rage, knowing he thought he was going to take her to his home on Majorca.
 

“He’s losing it, Tag,”
Theo said. “Ever since she came, he’s gone mental.”

Good to know it wasn’t just me that noticed. “Yeah, I’ve noticed too.”

Before he could respond, his phone beeped, making us both look at each other. “It’s him,”
Theo told me. He stood up and took the call.

I could hear his end of the conversation and didn’t like what was being said. Theo suddenly hung up and swore. “He wants us both to go back.”

I swore next and looked over at Penny. Was he insane? He wanted me to leave her alone? Making a decision, I shook my head.
 

“No way—I’m not leaving her by herself.”

“Nope, you’re not,”
he answered. “You’re bringing her too.”

Alarm shot through me as I stood. “No way in hell,”
I cried, making her turn over. “No way,”
I said in a much lower voice. “What the hell is he thinking?”

Theo looked at me in confusion for a minute before answering. “Who cares, man? What’s the big deal?”

Realizing my true feelings were taking over, I took a few breaths to calm down. I had to play this cool. “I just don’t want her in the way. I’ve spent the past few months protecting her, man. I’m not going to blow it all to hell now.”