Tiffany held Brianna up as the women moved the way Jake wanted them to go. Her best friend was almost comatose in her fear and grief over Markus. As a result, Tiffany knew it was going to be up to her if they were going to get out of this alive.
She talked softly to Brianna in spite of the barrel of the gun now pressing into her lower back. "Come on, Bri. Can you walk?"
It was as if she'd never spoken. Tears streaked down Brianna's pale face. She was in shock. Unfortunately, Davenport didn't give a shit. When Brianna slumped to the floor and out of Tiff's grasp, he lost all patience, stepping around them, stuffing his gun into the waistband of his wrinkled dress slacks before leaning down to yank his captive up, throwing her over his shoulder as if she were a bag of flour.
He'd let go and Tiffany took advantage, edging backwards and running back the few feet to the elevator. She frantically pressed both the 'up' and 'down' buttons, determined to get away to bring help for Brianna—yet she never got the chance. Jake arrived at her side, slamming her forward against the cold metal of the lift door.
Tiff had to hand it to Jake; he was in superb physical condition. Despite having a woman over his left shoulder, he easily reached out to pinch the back of Tiffany's neck just before he started shoving her ahead of him, back in the direction he wanted her to go.
She switched tactics. If she couldn't stop him physically, she'd distract him. "So, what exactly is the plan here? Everyone will know who's responsible for our disappearance. The police will find you. Sure, maybe not before you kill us, but you're not going to get away with this."
Jake's chuckle was devoid of humor. "You think I'm stupid enough to not have a plan? I've been waiting for this day for a long time. I've made millions, but I've bided my time, waiting until the moment was right to retire to my private paradise, hidden away where not even your detective of a fiancé will find you. And let me be clear: I have no intention of killing you. I'm looking forward to sending him photos of you two occasionally… just often enough to let him know that you're still being punished, humiliated, and fucked in every hole every damn day for the rest of your life. No, killing you would be a waste."
Tiffany almost collapsed to the floor as Bri had before her at his sadistic promise. She wished he would just shut his fucking mouth, but then again, she'd asked the damn question, and it had had the desired effect. He wasn't pushing them forward as fast.
Lucky her. He drawled on. "You two are my retirement entertainment. Not only will I enjoy dominating you, but it's the ultimate revenge. Mitchell and Lambert fucked with my livelihood. I'm gonna fuck with something a bit more personal of theirs in return."
They'd arrived at a six-panel oak door. There was a keypad for entry and Tiffany assumed they were locked out, yet Davenport continued to amaze her by stepping up and punching in a six-digit code, springing the door's lock.
Jake shoved Tiff in ahead of him, slamming the heavy door closed behind them. He flicked a light switch, adding to the natural light streaming in through a wall of windows facing the city skyline, not unlike the view from the loft several floors above them. Hope flickered. They were so close to help. Tiff's mind raced for a way to draw that help to them.
Jake walked to the king-sized bed and threw Brianna off his shoulder. She bounced on the mattress.
His back was to Tiff just long enough for her to pull her cell phone out of her back pocket, quickly touching the speed dial for Lukus. She didn't dare lift the phone to her ear to see if he'd answered. She'd just have to pray he could hear her and, if not, at least get the message after he landed.
Keep the asshole talking, Tiff.
She shoved the phone back into her pocket just before Jake turned, praying it would still pick up sound. She had to get Lukus information on their location.
"So are you stupid or just arrogant? I would have never thought you'd hold us hostage in Lukus's building. I'd have thought you'd want to get away from here."
The madman turned on her, advancing quickly, grabbing her upper arms to shake her as he slammed her backwards into the door. "Don't you worry, we won't be here long. I just have to get you both restrained… and I might take enough time to screw you good, so I can have the pleasure of fucking you on Mitchell's home turf. He'll go to his grave with regret, knowing he couldn't protect his woman even in his own home."
Keep stalling.
"You're never going to get us out of the building. There's too much surveillance."
"That's the best part. We'll use the secret passageway into this room through the closet to escape. I'm sure Mitchell put it there for his own protection, so I'll take extra joy in using it to whisk you away from him, never to be seen again."
Fear of never seeing Lukus again invaded her. "You're wrong. He'll find us, and he will avenge us."
Jake pressed in closer, trapping her against the door. Her body shivered with revulsion. "Maybe. Maybe not. Either way, he'll spend the rest of his life imagining the horrendous things I'm doing to this body of yours. It's gonna kill him." Tiff had nowhere to go as Jake traced his fingers down her cheek and dropped lower to
