Anything He Wants: The Betrayal(24)
“Let me guess: you told my brother the dreaded L word didn’t you?”
I didn’t bother responding to his question, instead staring at the ceiling of the limo. Two kidnapping attempts in one week—I’m a very popular girl. The thought held little amusement, however. I just wanted to be alone to lick my wounds in peace.
Lucas didn’t seem the least bit deterred by my silence. “My brother is a fool,” he continued. “Any minute now he’s going to realize what he’s done and…”
The small telephone on the dash rang suddenly, startling me. Lucas chuckled. “That’s probably him now.”
I stared at the phone, torn. Thinking about that beautiful, cold face as I had seen it mere moments ago made my already bleeding heart break more. Why? I wanted to scream. This was more than a bruised ego—I honestly needed an answer. None of the last twenty minutes made any sense.
Lucas reached out and pressed a button on his dashboard. The ringing broke off on a flat note, and I gave the dark-haired man a startled but dubious glance. “Don’t worry, ma chérie,” he soothed. “By now my brother has probably discovered the drugged chauffeur and is mobilizing the troops, so to speak.”
Speechless, I watched as he pulled us into another parking area alongside a long white limousine. A driver stood beside the front door, a large scary-looking man with sunglasses and tattoos across his knuckles. Lucas stepped out of the car and walked around to the back door, opened it, and poking his head inside. “Coming?”
My mouth worked soundlessly, still trying to grasp what was going on. “Why?” I asked finally. It was the same question I’d asked Jeremiah and held within it all the same doubts and anxieties.
“Maybe I need your help with something,” the dark-haired man said, “or possibly this is because I’ve finally discovered my brother’s weakness.” Then his gaze softened as I pressed back into the seat. “Or perhaps I want to help you. I knew what would happen the moment I laid eyes on you.” Sympathy flowed from his voice. “My brother holds everything inside, while you wear your heart on your sleeve for the world to see. Jeremiah rejected you when you mentioned love. Given that our mother and father are likely the ones to whom he compares the word, is his response so surprising?”
“Is this what happened with Anya?” I asked, looking up into his eyes. “Did he drive her to you in this same way?”
Lucas blanched, the unexpected question hitting him hard. “Not quite,” he managed, struggling to compose himself again. “They never had anything more than a business relationship, although I think Anya wanted something deeper. It made my seduction easier…but enough of my past. Tell me: Did you ever tell my brother no?”
I flushed, glaring at him, but the sudden truth of his words hit me like a truck. Lucas must have seen my revelation because he continued, “Jeremiah is used to getting his way, and isn’t above manipulating others any way he can to achieve his own ends. A valuable skill in business, perhaps less so in a relationship; the thrill of the hunt is what makes the final acquisition that much sweeter. How hard did my brother hunt you?”
As his words sank into my heart, Lucas motioned around the inside of our limo. “This car is being tracked. If we stay here much longer he’ll find us. Once he’s here, you’ll be his again to do as he wants. Where’s the challenge in that?”
I swallowed, heart still bleeding as a cold ache suffused me. Lucas reached inside, offering me his hand. The look on his face was mischievous but I saw pity and a familiar longing in his eyes.
“Let’s make him chase us, shall we?”