Page 18 of Sadist

“I just want to talk. You are rather hard to get hold of.”

“Do you know how many times I have received false ransom requests? My daughter comes and goes as she wishes, and opportunists are aware of that. Just tell me what you?—”

“Hush now,” I interrupted as I poured frothed milk into a cup. “This can stay very simple. The terms of your daughter’s release have been sent to you. I would hate to have to damage your name further. The internet is not forgiving, it seems, and that PR company is good, but they’re not miracle workers. How much have your shares dropped in the last twenty-four hours, by the way?”

“Is she alive?” he bit out.

“I wouldn’t be negotiating with a dead body, William, give me a little credit,” I scoffed.

“I want proof.”

I huffed a laugh, pulling the phone away from my ear and hitting the code for cell two.

“So demanding,” I muttered. “I see where she gets it from.”

The muffled beep of the cell unlocking was followed closely by Octavia bursting into the room, surprise at seeing me wiping down the coffee machine, making her hesitate. I crooked a finger at her, and to my delight, she came toward me, though hesitantly. She stopped when I raised my finger at her, keeping her just out of reach, and I put him on speaker, holding the phone out between us.

“Tell Daddy you are alive, Sweets.”

Octavia blanched, her eyes locking on the phone in my hand.

“What?” she croaked.

“Is that you, Octavia?” William barked.

“Yes,” she said, but her voice came out strangled, and she cleared her throat and tried again. “Yes, it’s me.”

“There’s your proof,” I said, taking him off speaker and tucking the phone next to my ear again. “Now be a good boy and hold up your end. There are instructions on how to contact me again in the file you received.” I ended the call abruptly, pulling the back off the phone and removing the SIM card before tossing the small chip into my microwave. I set it to two minutes before sliding the second coffee toward Octavia, who was watching the microwave with concern as it began to spark furiously.

“Good morning,” I said cheerily.

She startled, turning her attention back to me and looking thoroughly thrown.

“Good—what?”

“Morning,” I supplied. “Sleep okay?”

She frowned at me then, getting a hint of that spark back in her eyes.

“No, Theo. I did not. What’s happening? You talked to Wil—my father?”

“Shame.” I gestured at the table. “Sit, drink your coffee while it’s hot.”

“Theo!” she bit out.

God, she really did have balls.I admired her. Truly. It took a certain kind of woman to scold her own captor. Even one as unconventional as I was.

“Yes?” I replied, letting my voice drop into the dangerously soft croon that had made her pause before.

A muscle ticked in her jaw, the faintest pink tinge emerging on her cheeks as she glared at me.

“I will not sit do—” Her retort was cut off as my hand closed around her throat, her delicate fingers grabbing at my wrist as her eyes widened.

Picking up her coffee in my free hand, I walked her back, my thumb over the now erratic thump of her pulse until the back of her legs hit the seat and she sat abruptly.

“Yes…you will,” I murmured, her stilted breaths fanning across my cheek. “I told you that I don’t like asking twice, Sweets.” I pressed my thumb a little harder against her pulse as she tried to swallow.

God,the feel of the delicate lines of her neck moving under my grip was intoxicating. I wanted more. I wanted to squeeze tighter, feel her whimper catch against my palm.

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