Dark Passion (The Dark Brother Series Book One) (2 page)

He turns to lock the door behind him, and I see across his back, in big, black letters he has written ‘JAGGER.’ Is that his
nickname? Or maybe he’s a die-hard fan of Mick Jagger. Stranger things have happened. He walks over to the bed, his blue gaze scanning me. He doesn’t look like a rapist or a murderer, but that’s not to say he isn’t. Sometimes the best looking men are the most dangerous.

“Why am I here?” I
ask, my voice is hoarse and my throat is dry.

He raises a brow
and smirks. Ok, so maybe we did have sex and played dirty little games.

“You’re here because I need you to be.”

“Did we…”

His eyes widen a moment and his face turns stone hard.

“I didn’t fuck you; I have no intentions of fucking you. Is that what you think this is? You think I tied you up and put you in a secured room because I’m some sort of freaky sex fiend?”

“Well
aren’t you?”

He glares at me. “You’re here Willow, because your
Father has some very vital information and we need to get him out of hiding.”

My
chest seizes. What sort of sick bastard is he? My Father died three years ago. How dare he!

“My
Father’s dead, you bastard,” I hiss.

“No, he’s not. He’s in Witness Protection because
he delved in the wrong places and ran with information my boys and I need.”

His boys?
What the hell is this? Maybe I’m being punked, yes that would make sense.

“Is this a joke?”

“Do I look like I’m joking?”

He
doesn’t look like he’s joking, and my heart seizes. Maybe he’s got it all wrong or maybe he has the wrong girl. My Father’s dead, I went to his damn funeral!

“I…my
Father is dead,” I whisper, my voice not coming out as hard as I would have liked.

“
I said before, he’s in witness protection; it’s their job to make you think he’s dead and it’s my job to get him out.”

“Why me?”

He smirks and I no longer see beauty. Right now, I hate this man standing in front of me and my survival instincts begin taking over. If he’s going to hurt me, then I can’t change it but I sure as shit can make sure I stay cool, calm and collected.

“
When he hears of your kidnapping, he will step forward.”

“You
’re assuming my Father loves me,” I blurt, before considering how my words might sound.

He looks momentarily stunned, like maybe he’s made a m
istake, and then he shakes his head. “You’re his daughter. He will come for you.”

“And what if no one reports me missing?”

He narrows his eyes, “I know what you’re doing and it won’t work. Your family will report this.”

“My
Sister doesn’t see me often, it will take her at least a month to realize something’s off. My Mother’s in a mental institution and has been for eight years. So tell me, wise guy, how do you suppose this little plan will work?”

Suddenly
he reaches forward and grips my face in his hands, leaning in close. “I would advise you keep your mouth closed, I’m not here to argue with you. I have a purpose for you, so just be quiet and do as you’re told.”

He
lets go of my face and with a little push, I fall backwards. I struggle in my binds but I can’t get free. He pulls a knife from his jeans and walks over. I clamp my eyes shut, don’t show fear. It will all be over soon. He rolls me onto my stomach and crushes my head into the pillow with one hand, I brace for the stinging pain in my back, but it doesn’t come. Instead, he cuts the binds and lets me go. I don’t dare move. It’s a trick, it has to be. As soon as I move, he’s going to hurt me.

“You can’t get out of this room, so don’t try.
I’m not going to hurt you; I have no intentions of hurting you. I just need you until your Father shows his face. We can make this easy or difficult. Do as you’re told and it will pass quickly and smoothly. Don’t do as you’re told, and things could get messy. I don’t want to have to go for your Sister, so just do as I ask.”

“
My Father would do nothing for my Sister, she isn’t his child.”

“No, but
you would do anything for your Sister and if that threat keeps you here, then so be it.”

I clamp my eyes shut, don’t cry, be strong. He wants weaknes
s. When I open my eyes, his gaze is fixed on my face. He doesn’t look so bad, but that doesn’t mean he’s not.

“Just leave her out of this,” I whisper.

“Then do as I say and this will run smoothly.”

“
I don’t deserve this,” I snap, finding my strength. “Are you so pathetic that you have to steal an innocent girl just to get some information?”

He takes hold of my shoulders,
and I take the opportunity to kick my legs, connecting with his hip. He roars and leaps backwards, and I roll off the bed and start crawling towards the door. He snarls a curse and spins around, gripping my ankle and pulling me back. I kick him again, hitting something I can’t see. He leaps on top of me, pinning me to the floor. I squirm in his grip, desperation coursing through me.

“Let me go, please
, I’m begging you!” I scream.

“You can make this easy or hard on yourself,” he says, his
breath on my ear, his voice like steel. “I don’t want to have to punish you Willow, but I will. The choice is yours, do as I say and your stay here will be manageable, if you don’t...it won’t be.”

“I’ll never give in to
you; mark my words I will get out of here!”

“
Stop it, enough!” He roars, lifting me with one quick movement and depositing me on the bed. He holds the knife out towards me and I freeze.

He stares at me for a long, long moment before he turns and walks out of the room, slamming the door and trapping me once more.
I scream and hurl curses at him, but it’s too late, he’s gone. I smash my fists into anything I can find, and soon I’m on the ground heaving and crying. This is all my fault, I took drinks from a random stranger and now I’m paying for it. I should know better, I’m Twenty Two years old!

My heaving turns into hyperventilating and I
begin gasping for air; I can’t stay here, I can’t be trapped in this room for months…or years. I claw at the carpet, my face burns from where he hit me. My body is trembling and I can’t force myself to calm down. All this over my Father? Who is apparently alive? How could he do this to me? How could he lie? I thought he was dead, only to find out he’s alive and doing illegal things.

When I finally manage to start breathing properly, I crawl to the window and peer out. Heavy bars cover most of the view, but I can see
that we are in the middle of nowhere. All I can see is trees for miles and miles, nothing but thick trees. I would get out of here though, one way or another, I would be free.

CHAPTER 2

A full night passes and Johnny doesn’t come back in. I don’t know if he has left or if he’s just avoiding me. I
don’t know how long I’ll be in this place or if I’ll ever see my home again. I’m so angry and hurt at my Father, if it wasn’t for him I wouldn’t be in this position. He never gave me anything when he was alive and now, even when I thought he was dead, he’s still proving what a monster he truly is.

When the morning light shines through the window, I get off the bed and sit in the sunlight.
Last night I read the one book in the room…twice…and sung to myself. I don’t want to go crazy; I don’t want to be that person. I don’t want to be the girl who ends up in a mental institution. That place frightens the life out of me and I won’t end up with my Mother. I’ve been in that dark place before…

“Willow, why do you do this to yourself?”
My Sister Jenny whispers, stroking my hair.

“It’s
all my fault,” I whimper, trying to pull my hands from the restrains holding me to the bed.

“Willow…it’s never been your fault. Mom’s sick.”

“She’s sick because of me.”

“No honey, she’s not. Please, don’t do this, don’t crumble. I need you.”

“No one needs me Jenny, no one.”

She looks down at my bandaged stomach, and closes her eyes. Deep slashes from a piece of glass will be forever burned into my skin. It was the second time I had tried to take my own life, and this time I didn’t know if I would escape this hospital…this time I was trapped…

The door beeps and clicks and my head snaps up. He’s finally coming in. I don’t move from my spot on the floor, instead, I just sit anxiously waiting. He steps through again, and he’s wearing the same faded blue jeans and no shirt. Doesn’t the man shower? I snort to myself, what an absurd thought to be having right now.

He carries a tray, and he slams it on a nearby table and turns. Oh, so he’s not going to speak with me? The fucking man dirty danced with me at a club, and now he’s trying to send me
insane. I knew something about captors, and that’s that they don’t like to communicate with the captive incase a bond grows. Maybe that’s what I have to do here? Talk to him? Make him like me…trust me even. It was worth a shot.

I stare at the tattoo on his back, I wonder if that’s
his nickname? I’m about to find out, “Jagger?” I say.

I watch him stop and turn, oh, so he does go by that.
Interesting. He stares down at me on the floor, and his eyes narrow. “What did you say?”

“That’s your
nickname, right?”

His glare hardens and he crosses his arms across his chest,
causing his muscles to jump and bunch. “It’s of no use to you, either way.”

“I should at least know who the bastard is who captured me, if I’m staying a while.”

“The only thing you need to know about me, is that if you continue smart mouthing me, I will tape it shut!”

I close my mouth, but only for a moment. “Why are you so awful? Are you like this to all women, or only the ones you kidnap?”

His eyes narrow and he looks momentarily shocked. “My life is none of your business.”

“My life is none of yours
either, but that hasn’t stopped you.”

He storms forward and I keep my eyes open, challenging him.
He stops in front of me and I look up at him, giving him a hard stare.

“I know what you’re doing and it won’t work. Act tough, be brave and
witty but let me tell you this; I WILL break you, little girl, because everyone has a weakness - even you.”

Then he turns, walking out and slamming the door without another word. I sit, staring at the door for long moments. He’s
wrong; he won’t break me because I won’t let him. I stare at the tray of food, and my stomach turns. I rush over, lifting the silver lid off the dish. There isn’t much, but its food. I pick up the ham sandwich and bite into it. Oh thank God, I’m starving. As soon as the food hits my stomach though, it turns violently.

“God,” I groan, gripping it and rocking backwards and forwards.

I crawl into the bed and curl into a ball, rubbing my stomach until it settles. Then, I manage to fall into a fitful and weak sleep. I’m so exhausted.

~*~*~*~

Three hours later the door opens again, this time five men pile into the room. I sit up quickly, my eyes blurring from sleep. I grip the blanket, my heart thumps. What will they do? Rape me? Hurt me? Beat me? Maybe they have decided it’s easier to get rid of me. I can’t see Jagger or Johnny, or whatever he goes by - and that frightens me.

“Well well, Willow Barnes…”

I stare at the man who has spoken; he’s tall with blonde hair and green eyes. Why are all the men reasonably attractive? I guess it’s how they lure their victims, women wouldn’t think twice about getting in a car with any one of them. They range from red hair and green eyes, to dark hair and brown eyes but all of them are packing a punch.

“What do you want from me?” I
whisper, staring at the strange man.

“I want answer
s, get up and come over here.”

“No.”

His green eyes flare and he storms towards the bed, picking me up and tossing me to the floor in one quick movement. I cry out as my head slams against a nearby coffee table and blood trickles down my cheek.

“You bastard,” I scream.
“I did nothing to you.”

“You will learn very quickly,
I’m not the sort of person you wish to smart mouth. Now, get up and come over here or I’ll break your fingers one by one until you do as I ask.”

I stand on wobbly legs and walk
over; I stop in front of him but refuse to meet his eyes.

“Now, what do you know about your
Father?”

“Nothing,” I spit.

He raises his hand to slap me, but Johnny is in the room and has his hand crushed in his grip in a split second. “Hit her once more Snake and I’ll break your fuckin’ fingers. What the fuck do you boys think you’re doin’ in here?”