Page 104 of Lord of Ruin

“That’s because he’s not stupid. He wouldn’t believe you.”

He wagged his finger, the tsking sounds disgusting me. “Of course he believed me. I sent him that sexy bracelet of yours and a lock of hair.”

I gasped, immediately reaching for my wrist, horrified that it was missing. Then I reached for my hair, noticing he’d cut some off. “He’s no fool.”

“Well, I doubt he cares enough to come for you, but we’ll see. Now, in the interim, where might he be holing up in Santorini?”

“Why, so you can destroy the rest of his family like your father tried years ago?” I’d heard all about the horror his family had gone through, the ugliness that seemed to follow such a lovely group of people something that would trouble me for the rest of my life.

Madden seemed either amused or surprised before twisting his ugly face. “They had it coming.”

“Right. Whatever you say.”

“You and I are going to be very close, my dear. In fact, you’re going to become my wife.”

I wasn’t positive I’d heard him correctly. When I jerked my head up, he laughed from seeing the look of horror on my face. “I’d rather go to hell.”

“Not until we’re married, and you produce an heir. I’ll have more control than ever when you do.”

What the fuck did the man want from me? We were related. The thought was enough to churn my stomach. “Fuck you. Just fuck you. Trust me. Stavros will kill you.”

“I don’t think so, my dear. Now, tell me where they are and I’ll let you have the bottle of water. I might even allow you out of your cage.”

“Fuck you,” I spat out. No sooner had I done that than he squeezed his hand through the bars, wrapping his fingers around my throat.

As he squeezed, I could see complete madness in his eyes. I fought him, beating his arm with my fists, but the drug continued to make me weak. Within seconds, I was starting to black out.

Another set of footsteps echoed and I prayed it wasn’t in my mind. I wasn’t ready to die yet.

“Mr. Byrne. We have company.”

I snapped my eyes open, gasping for air as soon as the bastard let me go. I also recognized the voice. “You fucking… bastard. He will… kill you,” I screamed with everything I had at Atlas.

The asshole grinned. “Not if I kill him first.”

“I’ll be back for you, cousin. You damn well better hope I get what I want or you’re going to watch your lover die.”

As he stormed out, flicking off the light and slamming the door behind him, I let off another intense wail.

“Stavros!”

CHAPTER 28

Stavros

I’d insisted on coming alone just like had been required by Madden in his reprehensible invitation. I’d taken my uncle’s powerboat, using the coordinates to find the small private island. As soon as I pulled to the small dock, gunmen had appeared carrying assault rifles. Within seconds, they jerked me off the boat and onto the dock, swiftly checking me over to see if I was carrying a piece.

I wasn’t, another rule Madden had set in place.

For whatever reason he wanted me here privately and I wasn’t certain I cared why. All that mattered to me was rescuing the woman I loved. I would stop at nothing until that happened. The goons said nothing, merely dumping me into the passenger side of one of three Jeeps they had at the dock. Their weapons were primed and ready to shoot if I attempted to do anything stupid, which I wasn’t planning on.

My thoughts drifted to the beautiful woman I’d fallen hard for, still furious with myself for questioning her integrity. After finding out Madden had taken her, I’d even talked to her mother on the phone, the woman breaking down in tears as she told me how horrible Madden had been as a kid. She also mentioned he was unstable, making threats when her kids had been little, which had prompted them to move from the East Coast to the ruggedness of Missouri.

And still, Madden had kept track of her and her family. The why I would likely never know, but through the help of powerful friends, at least some of the truth had come to light. There was bad blood between her mother and Madden’s father, which had likely prompted the entire situation to come to a head. But using Jenna? It had all made sense after information Maxim had discovered. The man was an asshole, but he was an excellent fact finder.

It wasn’t long before Madden’s estate came into view. He’d gone to great lengths to hide the purchase some years before, which was two months before he’d been released from prison. He’d had people working for him, setting up the game even then. That was starting to dispel the idea that the Death Squad was involved.

As soon as the driver stopped, he shoved me out the door, another soldier grabbing my arm and yanking me toward the entrance. I kept a grin on my face as they paraded me inside, stomping as if they were the Third Reich or something, which fueled my ire and the joy of what I would do to the man.