Love's Predator (Love's Predator Trilogy Book 1) (18 page)

The music continued
.

Lindsey looked around the house with wide, alert eyes. She realised then just how empty the house was now; a majority of the family’s possessions were missing. It felt like no one lived there, as if
the empty shell of a house that was left was a memorial, a very lonely memorial.

It made Lindsey sad to see this, but her sorrow was short-lived. Lindsey entered the kitchen to find another chilling surprise upon the bare kitchen table. It was a little box, a little red box. Lindsey knew exactly what was inside.

A sudden silence choked the air in the house.

The music had stopped.

Lindsey jumped forward, trying to get to the window, but she only managed one step.

“You don’t seem impressed by my music,
mon chère,” a frosty voice sneered.

Lindsey froze. She wanted to run but the hand on her shoulder had drained her of all her energy.

“Kyle,” she murmured.

He gave a cruel chuckle and without warning he spun her around to face him. Lindsey stared in horror, she was mesmerized by those stormy eyes all over again and yet at the same time she wanted to scream.

“You don’t seem surprised, my darling,” Kyle hissed into her ear.

“The music…It was a giveaway,” Lindsey joked sarcastically.

Kyle laughed in amusement and dragged Lindsey backwards, capturing her waist in his strong arms. “Did you think I would not find you?” He asked her mockingly. “I knew you’d come here eventually.”

Lindsey closed her eyes for a moment, trying to keep composed. She would not give him the pleasure of knowing her fear.

“I have followed your every step, fro
m the very second I was free,” Kyle bragged arrogantly. He leant in, pushing his face up against Lindsey’s. She could feel his hot breath all over her. “You never stood a chance,” he grinned wickedly. “You would have never made it to France.”

Lindsey tried to struggle, but Kyle was too strong. Desperate to find a way out of the mess, Lindsey took deep breaths and found her words again. She knew that talking to Kyle, calming him down, was the best chance she had.

“I am very impressed, Kyle,” she said quietly.

“You should never doubt me, Lindsey,” he replied in a whisper.

Lindsey shivered violently, still shaken by the dark tone of Kyle’s voice and this made Kyle chuckle triumphantly; Lindsey knew he wanted to scare her.

“I should have never let Alec take me from you
,” Lindsey continued carefully. “I should have known you would find me.”

“Of course I was going to find you, Lindsey,” Kyle smirked smugly. “I was t
racking you the entire time.”

“Really?” Lindsey asked, trying to sound very interested in what Kyle had to say. “How did you do that, Kyle?”

“I wanted to insure I could always find you, even if you ran from me,” Kyle whispered into her ear possessively. “So whilst you slept in the boot of my car, I stopped off at a friend’s house and had a tacker inserted into you.”

Lindsey visibly gulped. She felt sick to her stomach knowing that Kyle could monitor her every move. He had been watched her the entire time, following her and waiting for the perfect time for him to take her. Lindsey had never been free. She had escaped from her cage
but like a pet rabbit she had never made it past the wire mesh run.

“So what now Kyle? Are you going to kill me?” Lindsey asked gently.

“Oh no, my sweet,” he gushed unhappily. “Perish the thought.”

Kyle smiled strangely and pressed his lips against hers, stealing a soft kiss, but Lindsey could tell he wanted more, much more.

“I am going to take you to our wedding venue for our big day,” he told her. “And you aren’t going to struggle or resist me ever again. We will have our happily ever after and I will get exactly what I want
.”

“You sound sure,” Lindsey stated coldly.

“I am very sure, my dear,” Kyle confirmed calmly. And to Lindsey’s surprise he let her go. She made a move, just one step, but that knowing look on Kyle’s face halted her. Something wasn’t quite right.

“Why are you so sure, Kyle?” Lindsey inquired.

“I have something of yours,” Kyle explained softly.

Lindsey heart stopped.

“What?” She whispered.

Kyle took a step forward; a cruel grin darkened his pale face. “
I have your only friend who knows the truth about you.”

“No,” Lindsey murmured. Her colour in her face faded, her head felt light. “You can’t…”

“I do,” Kyle mocked. “I have Nadine and her precious little girl trapped like mice in their house and I won’t call my friends away until I have you.”

Pushing her anger and fear aside, Lindsey held her head up high and made eye contact with her oppressor. “Clever move, Kyle,” she commented.
“But there’s no need to involve Nadine and Katie. There’s no need to harm them. They are innocent.”

Kyle closed the
very little distance between them and pulled Lindsey to him, holding her possessively against his chest. He took her lips by surprise, kissing her roughly, kissing her passionately. Lindsey had forgotten how good his lips could taste, but as always, his kiss was tainted with a bitterness.

When Kyle finally pulled away he gazed into Lindsey’s eyes, probably noting how large her pupils were. “I wouldn’t flinch if I had to make the child an orphan, Lindsey dear. I’ve killed people before, I’ve killed women before.”

Lindsey felt faint.

“Kyle…” She whispered.

“Lindsey,” he grinned.

“Why?” Lindsey asked quietly. “Why Kyle?”

“Because I had to practice for you,” he replied darkly. “Your abduction, your seduction and everything else had to be perfect, and it was, until that Alec ruined it.”

Tears were welling in Lindsey’s wide eyes, but she would not let them spill. She could not let this mad man know just how much he frightened her. Lindsey refused to let him have the satisfaction.

“Alright, Kyle,” she said suddenly. Her voice was strong and unwavering.

Kyle smirked, amused.

“Here I am!” She pulled away from him, throwing out her arms in a big gesture. “You have me, Kyle!”

Kyle laughed musically. Suddenly he lunged at Lindsey, pushing her up against the wall. He grabbed her legs, bringing them up ar
ound his waist. His eyes locked on hers and he held her there, claiming her lips all over again. Lindsey watched him with wide eyes until the shock wore off, then she gave in, letting Kyle have his way. Lindsey had no other choice; Nadine and Katie’s lives were on the line.

“You are mine,” Kyle hissed into her ear. “My Lindsey.”

Lindsey thought Kyle was going to try and take her there and then; she could feel his need and hear the lust in his v
oice. But to Lindsey’s relief, he pulled away, leaving her to lean against the wall.

Kyle snatched the box from the table and brought it to her, clicking it open to reveal the sparking engagement ring she had left behind. “Give me your hand, my dear,” he demanded softly.

Lindsey obeyed.

He slipped the ring onto her finger and smiled as he admired how it glinted. “Beautiful,” he said and then took her hand in his. “Come,” he ordered. “We are going now.”

“I want you to call off your goons first,” Lindsey said firmly.

Kyle looked her up and down, almost astonished his bride was still resisting. But Lindsey would not leave until she knew Nadine and Katie were safe. Then and only then, would she let Kyle have what he wanted.

“It’s a trade you want,” Lindsey reminded him. “Nadine, for my freedom. Katie, for my love.”

“I will phone
my friends once you are in my car, let it be a wedding present to you,” Kyle said with a sigh. “You are very demanding, Lindsey.”

“It’s the only way to deal with you
,” Lindsey bit back.

Kyle laughed, gathering his prey into his arms. He carried her from the house bridal style and quietly whisked her into his car which was parked nearby. Lindsey had not driven pas
t it in her way in and so had missed it completely. She had been outfoxed.

He gently helped her into the front passenger seat of the car and buckled her in. Lindsey turned to him, about to ask where exactly where they going, but a pinch in her upper-arm stole her breath. She gasped and looked down to find Kyle holding a syringe. She let out a horrified cry.

“Only to help you relax, my dear,” Kyle assured her gently. “And by the time you wake up, it will be time for us to wed.”

“Nadine,” Lindsey groaned. She was feeling faint and drowsy already. Her words were becoming sloppy.

“Nadine and Katie will be safe as long as you behave,” Kyle promised. “I will let them go when we are married.”

“Why?” Lindsey questioned, referring to the syringe.

“I don’t want any tricks,” Kyle smirked. “You can’t talk your way out of this or run whilst you are sleeping.”

And with that, Kyle slammed the door shut. Lindsey’s head rolled to the side, watching as Kyle hurried up the path to the house, locking the door after them.

Lindsey’s vision was beginning to blur and by the time Kyle got into the car she was fading fast. The last thing she could recall
was Kyle’s lips on hers and the purr of the engine as they left. Then everything went black.

Chapter Twenty Five

Everything felt fuzzy when Lindsey first opened her eyes. She was warm and comfortable and found that she didn’t want to do anything but lie wherever she was and close her eyes again. Smiling softly, she stared up at the silken white folds above her and it wasn’t until she heard a noise in the room she remembered this was not where she had fallen asleep.

“Oh,” a female voice said. “You are awake now.”

She didn’t sound very pleased.

Slowly Lindsey gained some resolve and managed to look up to see a figure beside her. The woman had long, curled red hair, was tall and pale and wore a light red dress. She glared down at Lindsey, surveying her.

“Wakey, wakey!”

Lindsey gazed up at her, slowly realising it was Lynn who stood before her.

“You’re all dolled up,” Lindsey commented sluggishly.

“Well I am your bridesmaid,” Lynn giggled. “I need to look good for the photos.”

Lindsey rumbled about, trying her best to sit up but each time she slumped back down. Lynn gently took Lindsey’s hands after watching her struggle and helped her. It was then Lindsey realised exactly what she was wearing. She too was all dolled up, in her wedding dress.

She clutched the white fabrics of the dress, still a little light headed as she put her situation together piece by piece. “Is this happening?” She murmured with her hand to her head.

“Yes,” Lynn replied. She returned to Lindsey’s side, bringing her a mirror from the old, wooden dressing table in the corner of the room. Holding the mirror up for Lindsey, she let her look at the make-up she had given her whilst she slept. Lindsey’s mouth dropped open; she had never looked so beautiful. Her soft cheeks were light pink, her lips were brushed with rouge and there was not a flaw in sight.

She moved her hand onto her hair, carefully touching the
curled up-do Lynn had made.

“You marry in an hour,” Lynn said.
“Then we will all get what we want.”

“You and Kyle will,” Lindsey corrected swiftly.

Lynn returned the mirror to the dressing table and approached the bedroom door. She paused there, considering what Lindsey had said.

“When you marry Kyle your friend and her child will be left alone. That’s what you get out of this Lindsey, that and a life with Kyle.”

“I don’t want a life with Kyle,” Lindsey said. “I am doing this for Nadine and Katie. That’s all.”

Lynn laughed in amusement, shaking her head in disbelief. “Keep telling yourself that Lindsey.
Deep down you know you’ll always be his.”