Page 16 of Sinner's Ransom: Taken
Montgomery shook his head as much as he could with Stone’s hand squeezing his throat.
Stone released his hold, and Montgomery spluttered, heaving with heavy coughs as air filled his lungs again.
Stone smiled smugly and sat back. He kept his hold on Montgomery’s wrists, though, just in case the idiot decided to do something stupid. As he leaned back, something hard pressed near his ass. With raised eyebrows, he glanced around, the bulge in Montgomery’s pants firm and straining against the zipper.
“Are you hard, Monty?”
Montgomery’s eyes narrowed on him. “It’s not because of you.” His voice sounded strained, a little higher than usual.
“Considering I was choking you seconds ago, I find that hard to believe.” He grinned wickedly and released Montgomery when he stood. “Get up. I’m going to tie you to the chair again.”
Montgomery shuffled backward onto his ass, the glare disappearing. “It hurts my wrists.”
Stone snorted. “This isn’t a vacation. You’re our prisoner.”
He glanced around the windowless room, at the thick walls with chipped paint, and then at the door. “How can I escape? I can’t. It’s not possible. If you’re going to keep me in here, at least let me walk around unrestrained.”
Stone sighed. So many things could go wrong with that. Even though they could lock the door from the outside, he didn’t know how smart Montgomery was. Maybe he knew how to pick a lock, and while their next neighbor wasn’t for another fifty miles, if he got out, Montgomery could catch a lucky break and find a car traveling past. Stone didn’t know if he could risk it.
Yet, the pleading in Montgomery’s gaze struck something inside of him. He liked seeing such a feisty man beg.
“Say please,” Stone said.
His eyes narrowed. “Is this a fucking game to you? I’m not saying please. I’ve never said please in my life, and I’m not going to start now with a lowlife criminal who thinks he can tellme, Montgomery Booker, what to do.”
“And after everything I was going to do for you? I’m disappointed.” Stone stepped forward, but Montgomery held up his hands, his gaze pleading.
“I’m sorry, you’re right. That was rude of me.”
“I don’t think you’re learning a thing here, Monty.”
Stone grinned when Montgomery chewed on his bottom lip real hard, as though it’d stop him from saying something about the nickname. It was a cute display, and it amused the hell out of him too.
Montgomery held up his hands, the red indents on his wrists a beautiful flush against his tanned skin. “I won’t do it again.”
Stone sighed and jammed a finger in his direction. “Fine, I’ll let you stay out of the ropes, but if you try something stupid, I won’t only tie your wrists, but your mouth will be taped closed too. Got it?”
He nodded furiously. “Understood.”
Montgomery’s stomach chose that moment to rumble again, and Stone resisted the urge to sigh. He supposed he had to feed the kid if he wanted to keep him alive.
“I’ll get you some food.” He backed out of the room, warily watching Montgomery to make sure he didn’t do anything dumb, and then locked the door behind him with a key. He headed back into the kitchen, throwing open the door to the fridge and sifting through the food he’d bought a few days ago for this. Eventually he found a small tub of peaches he decided would work.
By the time he got back upstairs, Montgomery sat in the far corner of the room, his arms wrapped around himself.
“Can you turn the fan on?” he asked when Stone locked the door behind himself. He glanced up at the fan on the ceiling.
“Just noticed that, did you?” Stone snorted. “Like I said, you’re not on vacation.”
He threw the tub of fruit on Montgomery’s lap, along with a spoon, and snorted when the rich brat stared at it incredulously.
“What’s this?”
“Peaches.”
“Peaches?” Montgomery’s gaze shot to him, eyes narrowed. “I hate peaches.”
“I don’t give a damn. Eat it or eat nothing.” He shrugged, then took pity on Montgomery. He turned on the fan and casually fell to the ground beside his prisoner, his back pressed against the cool wall. The cold air tickled at his skin from the rotating blades, but it felt nice when outside was a stinker. The joys of living in California, he supposed.
