Page 12 of Triple Threat

I jolted awake at a light but stinging dab at my hand. I sucked in a breath and tried to look over my shoulder. A pair of solemn green eyes met mine.

“What are you doing?” I demanded.

“Cleaning your cuts. You’ve made a mess of your hands.”

I turned away, and wouldn’t look at him again, balling my hands into fists. He sighed, and it was a slightly frustrated sound.

“You like to be difficult, yeah?”

“Why should I make anything easy for you?” I demanded.

“Because contrary to what you’d like to believe, I’m not trying to hurt you, Poppet.” His voice was soothing and held a quality much like regret.

“Then why won’t you let me go?” I demanded, tears stinging my eyes. I sniffed.

“And go where?” he asked gently, uncurling my fingers, prying them away from my palms one by one and making a tsking noise. “See, now look what you’ve done,” he said just as gently and dabbed at my palm with what I presumed was a cotton ball soaked with antiseptic. I hissed where it made contact with the spots my own nails had dug into my flesh.

“I didn’t ask to be kidnapped,” I said through gritted teeth.

“Aye, I know that, but I see it less as ‘kidnapped’ than I do as ‘rescued’ which isn’t precisely what Lach and I are in the business of doing, I should have you know.”

“Right.” I rolled my eyes and let the derision creep into my voice. “You kill people, or whatever.”

He chuckled lightly and said, “I’ve taken the liberty of laying out something for you to wear.”

“More lingerie?” I demanded.

“A dress,” he said. “Silk.”

He got up and whatever chair he’d brought into the room and had set by the bed creaked as he rose.

“Are you going to untie me?” I demanded.

“That depends…” he said, trailing off and waiting me out. I rolled my eyes again for him making me ask.

“On what?”

“Are you going to behave, Miss Brooks?”

“Depends,” I said with apprehension.

“On what?” he asked, and I could hear the smile curving his lips in his voice.

“Are you going to hurt me?” I asked.

“I have zero desire to harm you, Miss Brooks, but that entirely depends on you.”

I closed my eyes, squeezing them shut as my chest grew tight and my throat closed up. It became so very hard to breathe through the crushing panic ofwhat were they going to do to me?I sniffed as my sinuses flooded and the snick of what could only be a blade caused me to jump.

My bonds made a snapping or popping noise as he cut through them and he said, tone gentle and more subdued than I’d heard it thus far, “No, don’t move just yet.” I froze, and he gently massaged my wrists and said, “Gently and carefully, now. Your shoulders may ache. Move them too quickly and it will hurt.”

I pulled my arms around and covered my chest as he freed my ankles from their bonds and I immediately drew my knees up and huddled in on myself.

“I do so hate to have to prove my points, Ms. Brooks, however, I find that doing so quickly, in the beginning as I have, does wonders in saving heartache in the end.”

“Just get out,” I said, and hated how pitiful and mournful it came out.

“As you wish,” he said and then added, “You may join me when you’re ready. I believe I’ve proven myself more than capable by now.”

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