Page 107 of Holiday Hostage
I almost grinned at that, but the pitching nausea in my stomach and the realization I didn’t dare throw up with the gag in my mouth kept me still.
I gave Jack a good once-over.
Aside from the sling and the burns, he glared at me with enough hatred to cause self-combustion.
Whatever had happened at the cabin, he hadn’t escaped unscathed.
That gave me hope. Mav, Reed, and Tarron hadn’t gone down without a fight.
Jack must have been standing too close to the cabin when it exploded.
Too bad it hadn’t taken him out. He deserved worse.
“Looks like we’re right back where we started.” He sneered down at me, the burns twisting one side of his face into an ugly mess.
I raised one eyebrow.
“Better this time since I killed your protectors.” He bent toward me, his injured arm tight to his abdomen. Cold, calculating eyes found mine. “No one will get in my way this time.”
He sounded like one of those desperate movie villains.
I was sure to get a full-on rant about his heinousness any second now.
He had me right where he wanted me, blah, blah, blah.
I rolled my eyes even though his words pierced me through and through.
Jack smirked and patted my cheek with a roughened hand. “And if daddy doesn’t pay up this time, you’ll be joining your so-called saviors very soon.”
It wouldn’t do any good, but I tried yelling at him through the gag. “I’m not that man’s fucking daughter.” My words came out more like, “Uh nuh ohg.” with a lot of muffled noises between. I slammed my body backward in the chair, hoping to knock it over and break free.
Jack grabbed me by the neck and held me in place. “Try that again, and I’ll chain you to the wall with a rope around your neck while you stand on your tiptoes.”
My stomach swooped and took a nosedive.
He’d do it.
The look in his eyes promised untold pain. I mouthed something at him again.
Laughing, Jack released me to cup a hand around his ear that hadn’t been burned.
“Sorry. I can’t understand you.”
He straightened and grinned wide enough to show his canines. “Silence is golden, especially when there’s a bitch like you around.”
I glared at him, mouthing the gag with enough force that I might be able to chew through it with sheer anger.
His hand shifted, and a flick of silver was my only warning before he shoved a curved knife blade in my face.
“If you want to live, do not be more trouble than you’re worth. You’ve cost me too much already.” He ran the flat edge of the knife along my cheek.
The point neared my eye, and it took all my control to keep staring at him and not flinch away. “I’m tempted to punish you here and now.”
I tried to swallow, but nothing happened. My throat locked in place.
Goosebumps peppered my bare arms and grated against the fabric of my jeans.
My short, stuttered breaths flared my nostrils.
