Page 13 of Heartless (Scathing Hearts #1)

Sienna

“Sweetheart, wake up.”

I opened my eyes to Jake’s deep frown. Oh no. I’d fallen asleep. Leaving him to make the long drive by himself.

Sitting up, I unbuckled my seatbelt. “Jake, I’m sorry. I didn’t sleep—”

“It’s okay. Let’s go.”

A truck was parked on the other side of the driveway. When he opened my door, I swung my legs to the side and stretched out of the car.

The house was huge and built on an angle, so the smooth driveway was slanted up. Located on the edge of a forest framed by mountains, it was man-made, but from the wooden roofs to the large bay windows, it blended perfectly into its surroundings.

“My God, Jake. It’s beautiful. Is this your house?”

“Yeah.”

Maybe if things went well during our mini vacation, Jake would invite me again and we would christen every room by having sex in them. Like in the movies. At the thought of having sex with him, I shivered. This was the perfect setting for unleashing my inner harlot.

Since the first mind-blowing orgasm he’d given me, I’d read erotica and technical manuals, and I’d masturbated more in the last two weeks than in my whole life.

From all my reading, the only decision I made was to be more daring and try to be more sexually aggressive. Not aggressive. Assertive.

As his powerful legs rounded the car, heat engulfed my whole body.

Lost in sensual thoughts, I kept staring at the house, but I must have been doing it for too long for Jake’s liking because his hand pressed against my back to lead me firmly toward the solid front door.

Once in the wide and long hallway, an attractive woman approached us. She was a little taller than me with a shoulder-length, brown, straight bob. Her wide legged maroon pants and khaki V-neck sweater added to the elegance oozing from her.

She greeted me in a gentle voice. “Hello, Sienna. Welcome. I’m Camila. I’ve organized the house for your arrival, and I hope you’ll be comfortable. If you’re not, just let me know, okay?”

“Hi, Camila, and thank you. I’m only here for three days, but I already love it here.”

She glanced quickly at Jake, who touched the small of my back. “Get in, Sienna.”

Maybe he was a little annoyed with me after all, or maybe he was tired after all the driving.

I gave him an apologetic grin over my shoulder to which he responded by a jerk of his chin. Then, I followed Camila.

We walked past a sun-filled living room on the left, and an open-mouthed kitchen on the right.

At the end of the hallway, we entered the heart of the house.

An immense family room where dark wood rafters sloped across the high ceiling while wall-to-wall windows opened onto breathtaking views of the mountains.

The biggest sectional sofa I’d ever seen separated the inviting space made more welcoming by a fireplace that could fit five of me standing up.

There were rooms hidden behind cream wooden doors, which I guessed were bedrooms.

Camila threw her hand toward the sofa. “Have a seat, Sienna. You must be tired from the drive.”

My face warmed while I put my purse in the nook of the sofa. “I slept most of the way. And I think it annoyed Jake.”

Her lips quirked. “Nonsense. Would you like some wine?”

It was a celebration, but I shook my head. “I’d love that, but I haven’t eaten yet.”

The attractive woman nodded. “Are you allergic to anything?”

After I’d replied I wasn’t, she smiled. “I’ll let you get settled. There’re sandwiches, a salad, and a chocolate cake in the fridge. There’s also a lasagna in the oven for dinner.”

Everything sounded absolutely scrumptious. “Is that what you do? I mean are you a chef?”

Camila chuckled. “Not really. Until recently I was an accountant. When Jake and Silas are here, I cook for the boys.”

Hearing the two large men referred to as boys triggered a giggle. She winked and strolled out of the room.

Once she’d left, I ambled toward the wall-to-wall bay window.

The cloudless sky was azure. It was like standing inside a postcard.

I hadn’t traveled at all, so I was absolutely fascinated by this unknown side of the golden state.

I was so taken by the sheer magnificence of the scenery that I jumped at Jake’s voice.

“Sienna.”

Twisting to face him, I marveled at his masculine grace as he stalked toward me. When the warmth of his body and the crisp scent of his aftershave enveloped me, I looped my arms around his waist and rolled on my tiptoes.

I steadied my weakening knees and whispered, “I want to kiss you.”

My words had the opposite effect of what I’d intended.

His muscles bunched, his jaw clenched, and he gave me his profile. When he shifted back, forcing my arms to unlock, pain tore through my chest. I gripped the top of the sexy dress I was wearing for the first time.

Blinking at his black boots, I finally found my voice. “I’m... sorry, Jake. I’m... I’m n-not good at... I didn’t mean—”

The boots strode out of the room.

“J-Jake?”

My voice didn’t reach his broad retreating back, and I was too humiliated to move, so I was still stupidly standing in the same spot when Jake came back. He wasn’t alone. I stared as Silas sauntered into the huge room behind him. Why was he here?

“Hi, Sil—”

I gaped as Jake strode straight to my purse. He fished out my cell and tossed it to Silas who slipped it in the back pocket of his jeans.

“Wh-what are you doing?” I asked but my voice came out small.

As I stepped toward my phone, Jake’s big body blocked my path.

Both men were scowling with their jaws tight. My racing heart punched my throat. My mouth went dry, and I instinctively stepped back.

I was in a house in the middle of nowhere. With two men I didn’t know that well. And no one knew where I was. Stop it, Sienna.

Shutting my eyes, I shook my hands and took a deep breath. I was on my first weekend away with the man I was falling in love with. It was just a joke. It was... I lifted my eyes to Jake’s. A whimper scratched my throat.

“Jake,—”

“We won’t hurt you.”

My heart twisted. No. No.

My feet moved before my mind could compute. I jerked backward. Jake lunged and clamped a firm hand around my upper arm, stopping me dead in my tracks.

“Sienna,” he growled.

I planted my heel into his instep. His hand unclamped. I scrambled sideways.

When they both came at me, I raced along the side of the house. There was a door there.

“Help! Fire!” My screams exploded into the cavernous space.

Somebody would hear me. Someone... “Help me! Somebody! Help!”

I didn’t make it to the door. Jake’s iron arm banded around my waist from behind, trapping my arms to my sides. My breath cut off. My feet swung up.

“Hel—!”

His giant hand sealed over my mouth. The lock of his arm squeezed around my body. I thrashed and kicked. Burning tears drenched my face.

His hard voice sliced through my muffled screams. “Calm the fuck down.”

Silas’s frowning blue eyes appeared in front of me. “Sienna, we’re not going to hurt you. I swear to fuck. We’re not going to hurt you.”

I slung my feet at him. He hopped back and snarled, “Jake.”

Jake was going to be the one killing me. I was hauled across the room. I kicked again. Screamed again. Then, I was seated on the sofa between Jake’s winch legs while Silas sat on the coffee table. The men’s knees almost touched.

My throat was raw. Each panicked inhalation was impeded by the gag of his fingers.

There was no way I could escape both of them. More tears tumbled down my cheeks.

That was it. I was going to die the day I turned twenty-four. My chest heaved, and I cried harder, flooding the back of Jake’s hand. When dots burst around my vision, and darkness started closing in, I stopped fighting.

Jake’s low voice fanned against my temple. “I’m going to remove my hand. When I release you, we’re going to explain.”

Silas’s voice was softer. “Just let us explain, Sienna.”

Good cop. Bad cop.

“Can I remove my hand?”

I nodded the best I could. Silas notched his chin down.

The hand slowly moved away from my face. The arm around my middle slackened, and I drew in several gulps of oxygen.

As Jake’s body shifted away, I shut my eyes tight and held my fists in my lap. If I didn’t see it coming, maybe death would be fast.

“Sienna, open your eyes,” the good cop said. “Open your eyes, sweetie.”

When I did, they were both sitting side by side on the coffee table.

“Do you want some water?” Silas asked.

I would hurl it right back, so I shook my head.

Jake stood up, and I stopped breathing again while he stalked toward the fireplace. With his back to me, his shoulder moved before he came back, clutching a box of tissues in his hand. When he lobbed it in my direction, I half-ducked, and the box landed on the sofa beside me.

On an angry grunt, he shoved his hands in his front pocket and stood with his legs hip-width apart behind the coffee table.

“Why... why are you doing this?” My voice sounded awful. Just horrendous.

Jake said, “You’re here because of your father.”

My hair stuck on my wet cheek as I shook my head. “I’ve... I’ve known him for less than three months. H-he won’t give you money for me.”

Jake’s mouth twisted in a sneer. “This isn’t about money. Twenty years ago, your father stole something from me. You’re important to him. If he wants you back, he’ll give me back what he stole. Until then, you’ll be staying here.”

My breath rushed out. “You can’t do this... You can’t just...k-kidnap me. People... people will—”

“I didn’t kidnap you.” His lips curled in a taunt. “You jumped willingly in my car, all giddy and shit.” More ugliness filled his voice. “And who’s going to come? Your mother’s dead. You have no friends and no job. The only person who’ll look for you is Morrison. And that’s what we’re counting on.”

I swallowed hard. I could be chopped into pieces, and no one would know. Or care. When stinging pain shot through my hands, I uncurled my fingers. My nails had made tiny, bloody, moon-shaped indents in my palms.

“Sienna, it’s gonna be okay,” Good-cop-Silas said.

My tears trickled from my jaw onto the top of my dress, and I touched the scar on my chest. Mom used to say I was born with a broken heart. Right now, there was only one thing my stupid heart wanted to know.

“Did you ... did you know I was... that he was... before you... we started?”

His scoff tore my damaged heart apart. “Fuck. You are that stupid and na?ve. Yes, and sweetheart, have to say, you were no challenge.”

Silas swore low.

My temples throbbed while my insides wilted. Gabby had been right. Nigel had been right, but I was apparently a true masochist because I dug deeper. “Was every... everything a lie?”

Jake smirked. “You want the truth?”

When I nodded, Silas’s shoulders bunched.

“Your bitch friend was right, you’re dull as fuck.”

“Jake,” Silas grunted.

Each of his words were strikes I had no choice but to withstand. I turned to Silas, whose jaw seemed to be about to crack.

“Don’t look at him,” Jake clipped. I instantly complied.

He kept pelting. “Sile and I had a bet on how long it’d take you to fall in love with me.

” His chuckle was dirty, and my throat squeezed.

“You were so fucking easy. All it took was a tickle on your clit for you to gush all over my fingers. But thank fuck, I didn’t have to look at you during that shitty blowjob. ”

The rip in my chest widened. “L-look at me?”

“I’ve fucked women a lot uglier than you, but with you I couldn’t get hard.” He swiped his hand over his mouth curled in distaste. “Every time you look at me, you do it with his fucking eyes.”

There it was. The death blow. My heart finally grinded into dust.

Like in a movie reel, my mind ran every interaction in slow-motion and excruciating details.

Every clench of his jaw, the harshness of his voice when he asked me to shut my eyes, how he’d often cupped the back of my head, or kissed the top of it when I looked at him.

A rush of bile roiled in the pit of my stomach, and I focused on breathing while my insides hemorrhaged.

My head bowed, and I kept my gaze down, hiding from Jake’s repugnance.

“I need the bathroom... please. Can I please use the bathroom?”

Silas stood up, and I couldn’t hide my flinch at his sudden closeness.

His tone was gentle, but it still clawed through my mind. “We won’t hurt you, Sienna. Come with me, I’ll show you where you’ll stay.”

After I’d scooted to the edge of the seat, I shifted my weight forward to stand up, but my knees gave in, so I found myself with my butt back on the sofa.

Silas’s big palm opened in my line of vision. “Let’s go, Sienna.”

I couldn’t feel my body. I couldn’t move. He curled his fingers around my upper arm to pull me up and placed his hand on the small of my back as we walked toward the double doors. What was behind those doors? Why...? Oh God.

My legs buckled. My hip hit the wooden floor. Silas swore.

When he bent at the waist, I threw my hand out. “P-please... I’m sorry. S-sorry.”

His arm curved around my waist to hoist me upright. “You’re okay, Sienna. You’re okay.”

We made it past the large double doors to enter a smaller living room. He ushered me through a large bedroom and into an ensuite bathroom.

His body marched away. Through the mirror, I watched his back clear the bedroom door, then disappear into the larger room. The click of the door being locked was loud, and I shuddered. Right foot forward. I was still standing. Left foot forward.

At the sink, I turned the faucet and placed my hands underneath the cold flow. The water ran pink at first. Once it was clear, I reached for the soap bar and washed my blotchy face and scrubbed off the tracks of makeup.

I palmed the white, fluffy towel against the sensitized skin of my face for a long time.

Moving into the bedroom, I perused my prison. My bags were neatly set against the pale green wall on the right side of the door. I glanced at the walk-in, and my heartbeat skittered. My treasure chest was there, and my clothes and shoes had been organized. They’d planned this.

I trudged out of the bedroom and into a rectangle, high-ceilinged room bathed in sunlight.

Pacing to the French windows, I peered at the furnished terrace hanging over an immense backyard and the corner of the crystal blue swimming pool. The room stood at least at a two-story height.

If I jumped to escape... Escape where?

Jake was right, the only person who’d come for me was a man I didn’t trust.

I pressed my forehead against the cool glass while more tears burned my frozen cheeks.