Page 43 of Kane's Bounty
“I don’t work well with others.” Kane’s voice was petulant.
Banta’s hand struck him across the back of his head, hard enough so he saw stars. He grunted and bent forward before straightening again.
Either Thorn was incapable of closing off his mind or he felt so secure he didn’t bother. Kane could sense everything the magnate was thinking. He hated Lena, but for some reason hated Kane more. He enjoyed seeing Kane in pain. It was the first positive emotion he had sensed from her ex. He drew pleasure from other people’s pain.
Thorn said, “I have it on good authority that you turned down the job with our fine government because you have no stomach for bending the rules. Yet you took your fugitive out of the country when you had no permission to do so.”
“I don’t need permission if the fugitive’s life is in danger.”
A painful laugh throbbed out of Thorn’s mouth. “I think you will have a difficult time proving that Lena’s life is in danger. After all, I’m not a monster.”
“Ha,” Lena laughed.
There was another jolt of fury from Oscar Thorn, but he ignored Lena. “Are you in love with my wife?”
Kane narrowed his eyes. “I barely know her.”
A broad smile spread across Thorn’s face. He turned to Lena. “You see, my dear. You were just another piece of ass to him. You fucked this filthy bounty hunter for nothing. He couldn’t protect you and he doesn’t love you, so now you’re just the dirty whore I always took you for.”
He actually seemed pleased.
If Lena was affected by either Kane’s words or Thorn’s, she gave no indication. She sat and watched with a perfectly unreadable expression on her face.
Thorn leaned over her chair. She backed away as far as the cushion would let her. His nose was almost touching hers. “Now, where are the Stones of Adeline?”
“I don’t have them anymore.”
He took her by the shoulders and shook her. “Where are they, Lena?”
“We threw them in the sea,” she screamed into his face.
Oscar Thorn was at the end of his rope. His need for Lena’s stones must have been much greater than just wanting to increase his coffers. Kane sensed the man was nearing hysteria.
His mind calmed. It was too sudden a switch for Kane’s comfort level. In his experience, that kind of shift did not happen in the minds of sane people.
Thorn straightened, turned to Banta and nodded. “Find out if she’s telling the truth.”
Shit. “Don’t do this, Banta. You want me for your little army? Fine, I’m in,” Kane said.
Banta looked at him and his expression was almost sympathetic. “Too late for that, Kane.”
Kane was on his feet in an instant. Four soldiers grabbed him and pushed him back into the chair. They held him down while he continued to fight. Even without the use of his hands, they had a hard time keeping him down.
Banta took hold of Lena’s head and lifted her to her feet. She resisted, but another soldier held her arms behind her back. She screamed and Kane felt the first thread of Banta’s assault on her mind. Her walls were holding.
“Lena, let him in,” Kane screamed.
She either wouldn’t because of her grandmother or couldn’t because she had such a strong will, but she continued to fight against the onslaught of pressure from Troth Banta.
Kane had to make an effort to block the pleasure coming from Thorn. He enjoyed every moment of her pain. If Kane had to guess, he’d say the pig probably had a hard-on watching his ex being mind-raped.
Her cry pierced the air. Even Banta cringed, but Thorn loved every moment.
Kane’s senses opened to her.He will kill you if you don’t let him in.
He knew the drill. Banta was one of the most skilled telepaths in the world. He would tear down her protections layer by layer until she had nothing left. For the weak-minded, the process was horribly painful. For the strong, it could be deadly. Some victims were left lobotomized. Kane’s entire body trembled. He couldn’t stand it. Lena’s rich, creamy skin was sickly pale. Her eyes bulged from their sockets. The screams had stopped, but her mouth remained open in silent agony.
Sweetheart, I love you. Trust me. Let him in.
