Chapter 47

Maura sucked in a deep breath and winced from the pain. Fuck, she was pretty sure the bastard cracked a rib or two when he tossed her in the trunk of his car. She slowly opened her eyes. She tried to move her arms but found them tied behind. She was in some sort of storage area or warehouse. She didn't know the area, that was for sure.

"It's about time you woke up, girlie," he said.

She turned in the direction of the voice. A shard of pain radiated from her head through her body. A wave of nausea hit her and she closed her eyes for a second.

When she knew she had it under control, she opened them again and looked at the man who attacked her. It wasn't anyone she had met before. This man was tall, dark, with blue eyes. If he hadn't abducted her she might be attracted to him. Until she studied his eyes. There was something so cold that she shivered.

His accent hit her.

"You have nothing to do with Petersen."

His lips twitched. "No, I don't."

"Then who the fuck are you?"

"Tsk, tsk. American women are so coarse. I have no idea what those two see in you."

She sensed he was from the same part of Ireland that Rory was from, just from the rhythm of his speech.

"So, this has nothing to do with me."

"In a way it does. You are the one thing they want. The one thing they love in this world. I'm going to enjoy taking you from them…watching their pain."

She wanted to argue with him. They didn't love her. When things got tough, they both questioned her intelligence and in a way, abandoned her. But arguing with her abductor would not get her any more info.

"Your plan is to get them to come here?" She shook her head, trying to ignore the way pain sparked through her. "They won't fall for it."

The smile he gave her was so evil she knew she was dealing with a true sociopath. "But they will. Where you are concerned, these two will do anything."

"And you plan on killing them."

He shook his head. "They killed mine...I will kill theirs."

So, he meant to kill her not them. All she had to do was get out of there before they got there. "At least tell me your name."

His smile faded. "You do not need to know."

"Unless you're afraid you will fail and then I will tell them your name. I can understand where a coward like you would fear that."

He said nothing but stepped forward. She didn't expect the slap. The back of his hand came so fast and hard, she didn't have time to brace for it. She could taste the blood in her mouth.

"Again I say American women are so coarse."

His voice never rose. He didn't show a temper at all. Fucking psycho.

But, he had a temper and she could use it.

"I don't see what's so coarse about pointing out the obvious. Apparently, you have some kind of agenda against Rory and Zeke, but you can't tell me because of fear."

He smiled. "You want to know? Fine. You will be dead in the next hour, so I don't see that it matters. Does the name Frances O'Connell mean anything to you?"

"No."

"That was my brother's name."

"Good for him?"

"Your two lovers killed him. Cold blood."

"I take it this has to do with their time before they were hired by my brother?"

"See, love, your lovers are killers. They like to pretend they aren't but they are. They killed my baby brother and then laughed over it. They mocked his death, to me, to anyone who would listen."

"And because of that, you terrorized me, abducted me and now are sitting here hoping they will find me and you can kill them, then me?"

"All of it but the last." He held up her cell phone. She could barely read it because she had no idea where her glasses were, but it looked like he had called someone. Probably one of the guys. Hopefully they weren't listening because they would go ballistic. "I want to see their faces when I slit that lovely throat of yours."

She tried her best not to show her reactions. She knew he was serious and planned to do that. While Zeke would think things through, there was a good chance that Rory would not be able to be contained. They would be at risk and put her at more risk if they showed up there, guns blazing. Her training from her brother kicked in.

Maura knew she needed to be free of the chair. Her arms were tied behind the back of it and she couldn't get up without a struggle. She had to get him to get her out of it so she could surprise him.

"In review, you abducted me in hopes they would come here. I call that a coward. Why not face them right off? You go after a woman. Coward." It took everything she had to let her disgust drip from every word.

"I am not a coward."

"Why was your baby brother killed? Where were you?"

"I was out on a job."

"Sounds like you didn't do a very good job protecting him."

"Shut up," he said, his voice rising just a bit.

"It seems to me you are more at fault for your brother's death than Rory and Ze?—"

She broke off when he backhanded her again. This time he did it with such force that the chair tipped over. She landed hard on the cement, her head struck it with such force that she saw stars. But, it had done what she wanted. She was free of the chair.

Maura rolled over onto her back. Her abductor was walking toward her and now she knew she had him. He pulled back his booted foot to kick her, but she swung around out of his way. Then, she kicked him in the back of the knee. He stumbled but did not fall down.

He let loose a roar of rage and turned to face her.

"You fucking bitch."

Now, his temper took hold of his emotions and it was just what she'd hope for. She was ready for him this time. He came at her and she kicked out, connecting first with his thigh. He stumbled again but turned on her easily. He got one swift kick in, then another. Soon, she lay still as she tried to fight the pain radiating through her entire body.

He made a mistake. He crouched down, his face inches from hers. "Now you are going to make this an enjoyable experience for me. You were just a means to an end but it will be a pleasure to kill you."

She used what little strength she had left and pulled herself up. Then, as he leaned in closer she drew back and smacked her head against his. The pain of it made her dizzy and her vision blurred. She gritted her teeth and kicked the bastard in the knee again. He fell to the ground and now, she knew she could stand up. She swayed and almost fell over once or twice, but she pulled herself up to her feet.

Fear, loathing and rage surged. She pulled her leg back and kicked him right in the groin. After that, she didn't truly remember what happened. She kept kicking him, over and over until she felt someone grab her by the arm. Maura turned ready to hit the bastard who touched her and came face to face with Rory. Zeke was right behind him. Miami police were pouring into every opening.

"Maura," he whispered. Even with all the noise she heard the words and the horror in his voice. The room was spinning around her as Zeke walked up to her. Gently, he took her in his arms.

"It's okay, baby. We're here now."

And for the first time since the ordeal began, she let the tears fall.

Rory walked over to the man and sneered. "O'Connell."

Zeke looked over her shoulder and she could feel him shake. It wasn't fear, it was rage and there was a good chance that one or both of them would have killed the man for what he had done to her—if the police had not been there.

Zeke shifted as if to join Rory, but she stopped him.

"Oh, damn," she said. For the second time that day, her world went completely black.