Chapter 28

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Ashley

A shley eyed Julian and wondered if he had fallen asleep. She could reach her ankles with her cuffed hands and get the tape off, but she didn’t dare try for fear of Julian seeing her.

He hadn’t moved in a while, though. She wondered if now was the right time and reached down, picking up a small rock from the ground and tossing it to the side to see if Julian reacted.

“I know what you’re doing,” he said at the noise. “It was a good try, but you won’t get away.”

She hugged her knees again, not denying what he was saying but not agreeing either.

Julian came forward and ripped the tape off her mouth, taking hair and probably skin with it. It hurt like hell, but she was grateful, taking deep breaths now that she could breathe fully again.

“We are going to get out of here and get married. After all that is done, we will be leaving the country. If you’re a good wife, I might even let you go to the beach once we get there.” He was so calm, like he just knew that this was going to work as he leaned back against the wall again.

“What makes you think I’ll go along with this?” Lots of reasons she wouldn’t, but logistically people would notice a cuffed woman being led around. She shouldn’t have said anything because he could always put the tape back.

Julian sat straight up and then leaned forward toward her. “Because you aren’t going to risk putting other people in harm’s way. And if you don’t go along with it, I will be harm’s way.”

She rolled her eyes, and Julian’s hand slapped her so hard she tasted blood in her mouth. It had come out of nowhere, and her whole head twisted at the unexpected slap.

“I dare you to try me again. You will learn your place.”

“My place? What’s that?” Her only excuse for continuing to talk was the adrenaline now running through her body.

“To be quiet and obedient. I’m not going to tolerate any back talk from you, and you better learn that now or it’s only going to get worse.”

She had enough sense not to ask what that meant. Back to being silent, she turned her gaze away from him again. Sooner or later, the man had to sleep.

Just a minute later, a sniffing noise caught her attention. Looking back at Julian, she watched as he sniffed something up one nostril.

It all made sense. The man had a drug problem, one that was fueling these delusions. It was impossible to predict what he was going to do because he didn’t even know.

They had looked at him as a man who wanted back in his family’s good graces and was just an idiot. No one had guessed about a drug problem. She’d seen him so many times and never suspected.

“I’d offer you some, but this is all I have until we get out of here.” Julian laughed. “Might not be such a bad idea. Get you hooked on drugs and you’ll do anything I want you to do, won’t you?”

She didn’t reply. It wasn’t worth it. He wasn’t worth it.

“Now you’re going to give me the silent treatment? Suits me just fine. I don’t want to hear your voice anyway.”

Ashley was so tempted to roll her eyes again, but stopped herself.

“Do you know how long I tried to get you to go out so this could be simple? I only needed one night to get you drugged and on a plane. Just one. Now you’ve got us out here in a damn cave because you were too stupid to just cooperate.”

At least her intuition had been right about him. She hadn’t let him get her alone, and it turned out that had been a really good idea.

“I attended classes at a school I’m not even fucking enrolled in to give you a chance to do things the easy way. You thought you were too good for me, a fucking princess that should be handed the world.”

Not once had she thought anything should be handed to her. It wasn’t an argument she’d win so she didn’t try.

“This is all your fault. Then you went and hired that idiot who fucking shot me.” He was yelling now.

She curled tighter into a ball, making herself as small as possible. Hoping that Julian would calm down and not hit her again as he grew angrier at her for not being more gullible.

“Do you know I had to get treated by a damn animal doctor? She was a bitch, too. Wasn’t gentle at all, but I couldn’t go to a regular hospital.” He stood. “You kept choosing these bumfuck nowhere places to go and leading me through woods and shit.”

The plan had been to avoid him, not to lead him anywhere.

“I can’t believe the luck at finding you the first time, though. It was great, having access to your email and getting those login emails for the dirty books you read. Easier to watch porn, but to each their own. Don’t worry, when we get married, I’ll act out some of those scenes for you.”

A shudder rolled through her body involuntarily.

“I knew you’d like that,” he said, misinterpreting her reaction. “Do you act out those things with that bodyguard of yours? We’ll need to make sure you aren’t already pregnant by the way. We’ll get some medicine when we leave here.”

It was on the tip of her tongue to tell him she wasn’t going anywhere with him or taking anything he gave her, but she held back. Provoking him wasn’t what she needed right now, with him already amping himself up.

“Then, looking up that cabin owner and finding out he knew a Carter, it was too easy. They didn’t do a good job of being discreet enough. That company might not make it very far if they keep fucking up like that. But, they’ll probably hide this one from the public.”

“It doesn’t matter who knows; they won’t let you get away with this.” She couldn’t stop herself.

“Tell yourself whatever you need to. This will work out. I’ve already planned the way out, and once we are out of the country, they won’t see you again.”

“How will you get the money? Do you think that no one will track the funds?” She was tired of listening to him.

“I’m not stupid. Everyone always thinks I am, but I got you, didn’t I? I already thought of everything.”

Something in her told her to keep him talking. Not only did she want to know what his plans were for her, but her gut was saying he needed to keep going.

“Oh yeah? Passports? Money? How will we even get out of the country? And to where?” She peppered him with questions.

“Private plane, no passport needed. The place we’re going could give a shit if you have a passport or show up in cuffs. In fact, they’ll probably cheer me on for teaching you your place. The compound is good at teaching women how to serve the men.”

Compound? “Where?”

“Somewhere women go and aren’t found again. Coke is cheaper there, too, so it’s a win-win. You’ll get used to it.”

“You won’t get me there. I’ll fight the whole way no matter what you do,” she warned him.

“I hope you do. I’ll enjoy teaching you a lesson.” Julian laughed. “Tempt me to punish you,” he teased.

Nope. Absolutely not. She soothed herself with the fact that there was no way he’d get away with this.

Carter was still out there. People would be looking for her, and then she’d see him again. He was probably already at a hospital now and getting treatment.

She ignored Julian’s presence and pictured her reunion with Carter when this was over. As soon as she saw him again, she was going to tell him she loved him and didn’t want to leave. Nothing had ever felt more right in her life.

“Stop,” Julian barked.

“What?” She blinked as her mind cleared and came back to her reality.

“Thinking. I see you over there.”

How was she supposed to not think?

“You’re getting ideas, and I’m telling you, none of them will work. You aren’t getting out of this contract. I don’t know why you aren’t getting this. You were promised to me.” He was yelling at the end.

“By someone that had no right to do that. I didn’t sign up for this and wouldn’t have.” It was gross to even think about.

“Doesn’t matter. The contract was made and signed. You’re a part of this and will go along so I can get what I need.”

“What’s that? More drugs?” No wonder his family had cut him off.

He charged at her, smacking the wall beside her head and holding it there, his face inches from her own. “Who are you to fucking judge me? Do you think I wouldn’t have preferred someone other than you? Ha! You don’t even interest me, but we’ll just have to make do.” His eyes scanned her body.

“No.” Her voice was nearly a whisper.

“There’s that. You might not interest me, but at least teaching you how to behave will get me where I need to be. Then I can get a brat in you and I won’t need you anymore.”

It was the way he said it; his tone was so ominous. She knew once he had his money, if he made it that far, she wouldn’t survive. Her mind teetered between dread and bravery.

“Once they think we got away, we will leave here, and you won’t do anything to ruin it or I’ll kill whoever comes for you.”

She didn’t doubt it. He was unhinged and was clearly planning to do whatever it took.