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Grinning wickedly at her, he hit a button that opened a slanted storage compartment, causing condoms to pour out and onto the floor.
“You have condoms in the car? You really are prepared,” she said, laughing as he tore open a random package.
“I was a Boy Scout,” he informed her in a sinful voice.
Naughty Max was overwhelmingly seductive, and she had no defense against him. Not that she wanted any. She was more than willing to let him practice, and he did.
It was sixty-five degrees, but Mia was sweating. The beads of moisture were trickling down her face, one right after the other, her body trembling as she did as she was ordered and looked down the scope of the rifle, only to jerk her head back when she saw her husband’s head right in the center of the sight, vulnerable. “No! Don’t hurt him. I’ll do whatever you want. Just leave my family alone,” she cried desperately, yanking against the steely grip restraining her.
The rifle slowly lowered, the maniacal voice holding her hostage declaring, “Easy shot. A few hundred yards. I could take him out in less than ten seconds and then go pick off both your brothers, too, before anybody even realizes what happened. The security of these rich pukes isn’t worth a shit.”
He could. Mia knew he could. Danny Harvey had always been a sharpshooter, highly skilled at hitting his target. “You won’t get away with it. The police—”
“Won’t do you a damn bit of good after they’re dead. And I doubt they’ll pay much attention before that. Everyone knows about the crazy Harrisons. They’ll never find me,” he answered venomously. “Are you willing to take that chance?” In a softer, crazy sing-song voice, he told her, “You don’t love any of them, Mia. Not like you love me. You want me. You married that rich suit as a substitute. I’m here now. Cooperate and we can be together again.”
She cringed as his large, grimy hand touched her cheek. “What do you want, Danny?”
“You. We belong together. We always have,” he told her harshly.
“And my money,” she added in a self-mocking voice. Danny would have no problem working his way through her trust fund now that she had access to it.
Grabbing a fistful of her hair, he slammed her head back against the tree he had been propped up against just a moment ago. “That’s just a side benefit. I love you.”
This isn’t love. It had never been love. It was insanity.
The blow to her skull making her dizzy, Mia shook her head, trying to clear her mind. Danny was right about one thing…she couldn’t risk it. And she wouldn’t. She had to figure out a way to get Danny away from her family before they all ended up dead like her parents. He was more toxic than her father had been, and even more deadly.
It’s my fault. I brought this bastard into my life, and now he’s threatening everyone I care about. I should have never married Max. I should have stayed away from him. He doesn’t deserve this.
A set of cold, slimy lips clamped down against hers, and Mia tried to choke down the bile rising in her throat, willing herself not to struggle. It would be a fight against a madman, and she’d lose. She needed to think. If she didn’t, Max and her brothers could die.
Focusing on thoughts of Max, she tried to block out everything except her husband until Danny had finally stopped grinding his mouth on hers, leaving her lip bleeding.
“I can think of a better use for that mouth,” he said in his lunatic voice. He pushed her to her knees and ripped open the fly of his jeans, his member flopping out in front of her face. “Suck me. You know you want to.”
Tears flowed down her cheek as she eyed the flesh in front of her face, starting to gag from the noxious odor of an unwashed body and filthy clothing.
I can’t do this. I can’t do this.
But one thought of Max, the thought that he was about to board a plane taking him out of harm’s way, and she did the unthinkable, complying with what the psychopath wanted, blocking out everything except getting through the degrading act, giving Max enough time to be airborne.
She heard the revving of the airplane’s engine, giving her hope as she finally gagged, trying to pull away from the body in front of her, but she couldn’t move, the grip on her to hold her head in place relentless.
She gagged just as the plane moved down the runway.
And then she vomited, and for that involuntary reaction, she was severely punished.
Mia woke gasping for air, sitting straight up in bed, her hand to her stomach to fight her nausea, her body moist and the sheets wet with her sweat.
It was a nightmare. Just a horrible dream.
Still, she was panting as she slid her feet to the floor and stumbled to the master bathroom, completely naked. She closed the door and flipped on the light, staring at the terrified face looking back at her in the mirror. It was her, a person she recognized, no longer two women in the same body, but one woman who had changed in the last few years. Suddenly, she knew who she was, and all of the memories that had eluded her came flooding back in a rush of knowledge that overwhelmed her senses.
Shivering, she flipped on the shower, letting the water get hot before stepping inside, hoping the warmth would take away the cold chill running up her spine from the shock of recovering her memory. Fear spiked her adrenaline, making her entire body ready for flight.
Run. Run. Run. I can’t stay here. I have to leave. I have to protect Max.
Mia poured body wash into her hand, using it liberally, trying to scrub away the memories of her dream. Pain tore through her chest at the knowledge that she couldn’t stay with Max. Not if she really loved him. And she did. So much that it was tearing her apart.