Page 58

“Don’t.” Jazz grabbed his hands in hers and squeezed. She turned to the camera and smiled. Diane smiled back,giving her an encouraging nod. “It’s okay, really. I’ve enjoyed getting to know you, but I don’t see a future with us as anything but friends.”

Al looked at his feet. Jazz was an amazing woman, just not the woman for him. So brave and strong, he admired the way she’d turned the tables to make it look like she was rejecting him. He’d let her have that though. It was the least he could do after crushing her hopes and dreams in the back of a fake cop car while on the way to rescue the woman he actually loved.

“We’re here.” Shane pulled into the emergency parking spot, and they all piled out of the car.

“Woah, woah, woah. What do y’all think you’re doing?” Al asked the group as they gathered on the sidewalk.

“Helping you rescue Jeannie, obviously.” Shane pushed the lock button on the key fob. “My date with her was a bit of a flop, but that doesn’t mean I don’t care what happens to her. Besides, I played a detective inMartian Marshals of Outer Space. They’ll totally believe I’m a real cop.” He pointed to the building. “One quick flash of this shiny plastic badge and they’ll let us go wherever we want.”

Al nodded. Maybe Shane wasn’t a completely useless human being after all. “Right, you’re in. But you ladies stay behind.” They seemed to get along well, which was good. Jazz was probably waiting for him to leave before shebroke down into hysterics, and Diane could give her some womanly support.

Jazz snorted. “Please. I’m going to make sure you don’t fuck up any evidence that the DA up here will need to nail this guy to the wall.”

Another good point. Jazz could stay, too. But not Hunter’s younger sister.

“Sorry, Diane. Your brother—”

“You do realize I’m an adult, right? I live by myself and everything. He doesn’t dictate my life. And besides, I’m filming everything. Whether it’s evidence for a trial or the epic ending of a reality show, you need me, too. So stop yapping and let’s go.”

She was right. They couldn’t waste any more time. “Marina checked with her connections and said to start on the fiftieth floor. That’s where his suite is.” It was time to rescue his girl.

Chapter 38

“Oh, good, she’s moving. I thought she’d be out for hours.”

Jeannie heard a woman’s voice. It sounded familiar, but it was hard to tell. The sound was muffled, like she had cotton stuck in her ears.

“You’ve really got the dosing down, Uncle V.”

A man’s laughter filled the air, jolting Jeannie out of the fog.

“Experience, my dear. Don’t worry, you’ll get there one day,” he answered.

Fuck, was that Victor?Gah, she knew something was off with that old fart.

“Did you wire the money to my account?” The woman’s voice was clearer now. And Jeannie knew who she was. The same woman she’d befriended over the last several weeks.

“Did you do everything I asked?”

Iona huffed. “She’s here, isn’t she? I blew up her life in that small town, so she’s got nothing left there. Imay not have snagged the guy, but it doesn’t matter. I planted enough doubt in her mind. But even if she’s so pathetic to want my sloppy seconds, it doesn’t matter. He proposed to that lawyer chick.”

“Excellent. The money will be in your account by morning. You can leave us.”

Iona laughed. “Daddy was right. You are one sick fuck. There are kinks, and then there arekinks. But hey, you do you! Have fun, and we’ll see you at Christmas.”

Jeannie listened to her footsteps leave, closing a door behind her. She fought the urge to shiver. Why was she so cold?

“You can open your eyes, little Jeannie. I know you’re awake.”

She took a deep breath. So much for playing dead. But this was fine. Being awake would play to her advantage. She was smart and had talked her way out of dozens of hairy situations in the past.

She slowly opened her eyes and gasped as she took in the room. It reminded her of the inside of a circus tent. Long strips of brightly colored fabric covered the walls. They started in the center of the ceiling, then draped down. The floor was littered with decorative pillows and poufs, almost giving the vibe of a—

“You have got to be fucking kidding me!” she shouted, looking down at her barely there outfit. She was wearing a light pink crop top with gold chains circling her chest and waist, with matching pink see-through harem pants with tiny little pink panties underneath. Around her neck was a gold choker, attached to a long chain hooked to the floor. “You stuck me in a genie sex dungeon?”

Victor licked his lips. “Glad you understand the situation. You know, if anyone else had told me I couldn’t have Marina back, I would have ended them that night. But there was something special about you. She was just one person, one pretty little singer in a sea of pretty little singers. But you, my dear, are a kingmaker. You make success out of nothing. You make dreams come true. I knew I had to have you for my collection.” He took off his suit jacket and set it on one of the poufs. Then he loosened his tie and unbuttoned the first button on his shirt. “I’m ready to make my first wish.”

Holy Jesus.This guy was out of his mind. Maybe she shouldn’t have laughed so hard at Al about his pube-stealing witch. Damn karma. But it was fine. Al had taught her self-defense. She might be on a leash, but her arms and legs were free. She just needed to buy a little time, play his weird freaky game, and then, shazam! Karate chop his balls off.