"Oh, Ali, welcome back. How I've missed you, lumara. You've caused me so much trouble. I let you leave me all those years ago only because your father threatened to go to the Justicars. Ha, I should have pursued you anyways, the bastard doesn't have the balls to do anything more than talk." A whimper slid out of her throat, even through the muscles that tried to stop it.
Don't show fear, she told herself. She heard him inhale deeply and exhale. She smelled the peppermint of his breath and cringed, turning her heavy head away from the smell. She’d breathed in the same scent while struggling to breathe under the assault of his fists two years ago.
Fingers curled around her neck and tilted her head back. She could see him almost clearly now. She choked out a sob. The blur faded to only a little like her eyes still weren't focused. She could see the sharp line of his jaw, the straight eyebrows; light blonde hair that fell in sharp across his face. Pretty features nothing more than a guise for a monster.
Mustering up strength didn’t feel two years ago, she faced him, the ache in her head feeling lighter, and laughed. Those cold eyes narrowed to tiny, hard slits, his mouth tightened.
"Get on with it already. I have a movie to watch back at home." Who was this brave creature speaking through her? she wondered wildly. She was stupid. Stupid, stupid, stupid. He was going to kill her. Hell, I might as well state my peace.
He pulled back a hand and let it fly, catching her cheek and lip in a biting slap.
"I was mistaken, I suppose. I had no idea you'd be eager for me again." He leaned down until she could feel his hot breath in her ear. "You missed me didn't you, Ali? Missed our times together. Missed my cock deep inside of you, spilling myself on that last stroke. You're getting me all worked up just thinking about it, Ali."
Alison swallowed hard, her thighs unconsciously slamming together. Her heart raced a mile a minute in her chest, but she took a deep breath. Stay calm. Don't think about it. You don't need to be here. A cold sense of déjà vu wracked her memory. She'd been in a place just like this two years before.
She thought about Rome and his strength. His smile and laughter, his home and heart, so easily given to her. It gave her strength enough to close out everything else around her. Seal herself up into a shell. He could touch her, but he wouldn't really touch her. He'd never have the privilege again.
Turning to him one last time, she looked into his blue eyes and said, "I will never be yours Conlin. Never again." Closing her eyes, she saw only her happiest thoughts. Like a Ferris wheel moving, she cycled through the images and detached herself from her body. No matter what he did, she wouldn't feel it.
Her mind drifted, exploring the possibility of meeting Rome Kategan without having taken the path via Conlin. She saw herself holding hands with Rome in front of the Kategan pack, her parents were standing at the front looking proud. Rome kissed her as the truemate knot was tied by the Elder. He whispered he loved her.
Somewhere in the back of her mind, she registered shouting and a dull pain her stomach, but she didn't feel it. She almost smiled.
Rome slammed his fist into his desk. The wood splintered and cracked under the power of his fist. She was gone. Taken from his own damned house. He should have been there. A red blanket of fury enveloped him like a cloud. His beast was out of the cage and snarling. He jabbed his fingers at his cell phone and growled like a beast when he pressed the wrong number. It took everything in him not to crush the phone in his hand. He dialed it correctly the second time.
"Where the fuck are you, Jackson?" The animal in his voice made his words a deep, frightening baritone.
There was a pause. "Fuck, I was just on my way. I had a...hang up. Why what's happened?" He sounded winded, but his voice turned all business.
"You're supposed to be watching Conlin's house, Jacks. He took her. The son of a bitch has her and you can't even tell me if she's at his house?" Realizing his desk was shaking, he looked down and saw his thighs shaking with the force not to run.
"Fuck. Shit, I'm already on my way there. I'll be there in seven minutes. I'll call you after I scope out the place. Dammit, I fucked up."
Rome couldn't wait anymore, he sprinted through the office building and down the twenty flights of stairs and wasn't even winded when he flew through the garage to his car. He dialed the Justicars and told them what had happened. After getting their promise that they'd be there immediately, he called Vane who was already on his way. He'd been performing his rounds of the grounds when he saw that two of his guards were dead near his house.
The first piece of relief all day: he'd taken the car today. The BMW's speed was needed as he ripped across the city. It would take an hour to get there, so he pushed the pedal to the medal and planned to make it in thirty.
Never had thirty minutes seemed so long.
"Motherfucker."
"Aw, baby, don't go. We were only getting started."
Jackson ignored the woman and jerked on his clothes, snatching his keys and making sure his wallet and money were still in there before heading to the door.
He'd seriously fucked up, but he'd make it up to Rome...somehow. As long as she wasn't dead yet. Fuck. He threw open the door, but her voice stopped him.
"Poor human. You're too late. He's going to kill her. He's going to fuck her brains out and kill her. I don't know which order he's going to do it in though."
Turning sharply to the shapely woman who'd called herself Sandra, Jacks felt a ripple of awareness. Shit. He'd really fucked up—twice.
Grabbing his tazer from his belt, he pointed it at the women and pulled the trigger. She screamed as bolts of electricity scoured through her body. She bucked and then collapsed on the body. Her chest moved with the flow of breathing, but she was out. She had something to do with this, and he'd be sure she was brought to justice.
"Not if I get there first, bitch," he said and shut the door quietly behind him.
Chapter 14
Arms stretched above her with manacles tightly cinching into her skin, Alison’s happy images faltered. Like a movie reel breaking, her happy thoughts were stopping with quick efficiency. The pain from the blows brought her to the surface frighteningly fast.
Just ignore it. Ignore him.
But Conlin wasn't one to be ignored. No matter how hard she focused away from him. He'd hit harder, push her harder, and say something worse than before. He cut her clothes off using a knife with a jagged, serrated edge. He touched her with soft hands that curled her gut and produced bile in her throat.
Ignore it.
Hands squeezing her thighs, her breasts, touching her as if he owned her. He cursed and screamed, railing at her for making him lose Sarina. For leaving him two years ago.
"That bitch would have made me so much money. You ruined that for me." The man acted like he didn't live in a mansion and wasn't a royalty in the lykaen community. But, who knows, maybe he'd run out of money. He always was a big spender and hadn't worked a day in his life...for anything.
She struggled to bring back her safety images. Alison forced herself to think about the nights she spent in Rome's arms. How safe and content she felt, even while she was struggling to trust him. She pretended that she trusted him all along that he was hers and she he really cared about her, as much as a man can with a woman. He held her like he cared. She understood now with that he did care. He was a trustworthy male.
"You think you can ignore me?" A brutal, harsh laugh lashed over her. "I don't think so. Jenner, bring me the table." A servant in the corner of the room bowed and quickly exited, then brought back a metal tray table that looked like it belonged in a hospital.