Page 34 of Sinner's Ransom: Taken
The scent of something delicious reached Montgomery’s nose and his belly grumbled again. It smelled like meat, maybe bacon, and his mouth watered. He licked his lips but paused at the door and waited. He didn’t speak because his desperation for food and proper living necessities won. Moving to the table, he sat down silently and rested his hands in his lap.
“Does that feel better?” Stone asked without turning around.
Montgomery nodded, then realized Stone couldn’t see him. He made a noise of agreement instead.
Stone laughed. “You can speak when it’s only you and me.” He switched off the stove and moved the pan over to another coil. Toast popped from the toaster and Stone threw it on the plates beside the food, hissing and sucking on the tips of his fingers, muttering something about it being hot. He added whatever meat he had on the plates before he headed to the table.
Montgomery’s gaze feasted on the bacon and sausage links beside the toast, and he swiped his tongue across his bottom lip. He forced himself to sit still and not bounce in his seat in desperation.
Stone set a plate in front of him, an unusually soft smile on his face. “Eat.”
Montgomery didn’t argue. He grabbed the fork and shoved the food into his mouth. It didn’t even matter that it burnt his tongue.
“Eat slower. You’ll make yourself sick.” Stone’s eyes narrowed on him carefully.
Montgomery swallowed the food in his mouth and nodded. He made sure to pick at it slower. Every bite tasted like heaven, and he closed his eyes, savoring the burst of flavors on his tongue. Perfect. He never knew he could enjoy food as much as this.
Once his belly was satisfied enough that he thought he could talk, he looked at Stone. Stone hadn’t touched his food yet; he was too busy staring back at Montgomery, a thoughtful expression on his face.
“So… what aboutyourfamily?” Montgomery asked.
Stone’s eyebrows rose. “What about them?”
“How did you get into the life of crime?”
Stone’s expression hardened, and he grabbed his fork, stabbing his sausages harder than he needed to. “That’s none of your business.”
Montgomery snorted. “I answered your questions.”
“That’s because I ordered you to.” Stone shoved a forkful of meat in his mouth.
Montgomery wanted to ask him what his deal was, but he sealed his lips together instead, glaring down at his almost empty plate.
“Are you going to kill me? Can you answer that at least?” he finally asked, not looking up from his leftovers. He didn’t think he wanted to know the answer because it felt like things had changed since the mob boss’s visit. The air in the house felt tense, like Stone was on alert, and if he told the truth, having an assassin staying with them changed everything.
“I don’t know yet. Don’t piss me off and you might have a chance to survive,” Stone snapped.
Montgomery shot him a glare. “I’m not your bitch. If you think you can treat me like I am, then I’d rather go back to the room.”
Stone chuckled, but it sounded wrong, so unlike his laugh. There was a wickedness to it that didn’t suit him, or maybe it was sadness. Montgomery didn’t know because he realized he didn’t know Stone that well. The man had kidnapped him days ago. How could he know anything about him other than he was hot, and that he liked it when Stone made him hurt? It wasn’t possible in that short time.
“No, you’re not my bitch, but youaremy prisoner, and you’re lucky I’m feeding you.”
A phone buzzed and Stone reached into his pocket. He pulled it out and frowned at it and then jabbed his thumb to accept the call.
“Does he have the money?” Stone’s shoulders stiffened as he listened. “Are you fucking serious?”
Montgomery swallowed the bile that rose in his throat. He had a bad feeling about this. If he was right, Richard wasn’t coming through with that amount of money, and he knew he’d be the one to pay the price.
He stood carefully, making sure not to make a sound.
“No! We gave him a chance to pay ten million. It’s fifty now.”
Montgomery took a few steps backward, toward the screen door behind him. The floorboards squeaked and he froze, but Stone didn’t appear to hear it.
“Tell him if he doesn’t pay it, we’ll kill his son and send him back in pieces.”
Fuck that. Montgomery spun on his heels and shot out the door.
