Page 21 of Carnal Urges

“How long are you going to keep me here?”

“As long as it takes.”

“As long as what takes?”

He’s silent for a moment, debating with himself, then turns and faces me. His expression is grim. “I wasn’t going to tell you this, but those MS-13 lads who shot at us? That wasn’t a rescue attempt.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean they were trying to kill us. Both.”

A chill runs down my spine. “Why would they try to kill me? You said Kage sent them.”

“No, I said your abduction wouldn’t go over well with him. And that was accurate. He did mobilize his own soldiers to form a rescue party. But somehow, the other syndicates discovered the identity of my cargo as well.”

Cargo. I’m nothing more than a package to these people. “And?”

“I told you. We’re at war. You’re a valued member of the Bratva—”

“Whoa. Hold on. I’m not in the Russian mafia.”

Declan gazes at me with dark, unreadable eyes. “You’re loved by some who are.”

Natalie. Stavros. Oh god.“So you’re saying now I’m a gangster by default?”

“What you are is a target. Because of the shootings that happened at the annual Christmas Eve meeting of the families, Kazimir closed down all the ports, disrupted distribution pipelines,sabotaged shipments, and interrupted the flow of money. Everyone’s hurting. If the other families get their hands on you, you’ll be used as either a bargaining chip or…”

Payback.

He doesn’t have to say it. I understand where this story leads.

Holding his gaze, I say, “And which will you use me for?”

“If I wanted you dead, you already would be.”

“So it’ll be a negotiation, then.”

“I’m not negotiating with that piece of rubbish.”

There’s something hateful in his tone, something that hints at old vendettas and even older scars. He despises Kage, that much is clear, but also seems to think he’s superior to him.

As if one racketeering, drug-smuggling, money-laundering criminal is better than another.

“If I’m not a bargaining chip to you, or a means for retaliation, what am I? Why am I here?”

“I already told you, lass. Right now, it’s safer for you with me than anywhere else.”

It hits me then: Declan saved my life.

If what he’s saying is true and MS-13 had managed to get their hands on me… No. I won’t think about that.

I also don’t want to think about what it means that my kidnapper has turned into my protector. My head isn’t equipped to handle that particular mindfuck just yet.

There are a million different things I want to say, things that would make so much more sense, but what comes out of my mouth surprises us both.

“Thank you.”

There isn’t a word to describe his expression. Maybe boggled.