Deadly Games - Cate Noble [96]
Gena’s hindsight was perfect. Picking a fight with Edguardo hadn’t been smart. He’d ended up punching her so hard, she’d blacked out. Clay had watched and hadn’t lifted a finger to help. But what had she expected from someone who had kidnapped her?
They had traveled for several hours in the van. Then Clay and Edguardo had moved her to another vehicle, a dark sedan. Her feet had been tied and she’d been gagged. Then they’d tossed her on the backseat, thrown a coarse blanket over her, and raced off.
Another nightmare had begun when they’d loaded her onto a small plane. She had panicked and they’d drugged her. When she came to she was in the back of this car.
It was night. Were they still in Mexico?
All day she’d wondered how Rocco was. And where he was. She replayed their conversation from the night before. The thought that Harry had lied to both of them and purposely broken them apart was beyond comprehension. Why? What had she ever done to Harry?
The car slowed and then stopped. Gena heard a sound like a garage door opening. The car eased forward slowly and then stopped again. This time the engine was cut off and the garage door lowered.
“Lucy, I’m home!” Clay called.
The phrase caught Gena in the stomach. That was the same thing Harry used to say when he’d come in the door. It had been her warning to run and hide. What a nasty quirk.
The car door opened and the blanket was snatched away. Clay helped her up and out of the car after slicing the rope from her feet. They were in a garage, but she saw nothing except the vehicle.
“This way.” Clay pushed her toward a door that opened into a large kitchen.
From there he shoved her toward the table. “Sit.”
Edguardo went to the refrigerator and pulled out two beers. He handed one to Clay, then leaned back against the counter and glared at her.
She didn’t think either man lived there. The place had a generic feel to it, like a vacation home that was rented out.
Clay loosened her gag. “Beer?” He held out the can.
Gena shook her head. “I don’t drink.”
He laughed. “Sorry. I forgot.”
She looked at him. He forgot?
Edguardo’s phone rang and he stepped out to the garage to answer.
Clay moved to get her a bottle of water. Then he removed the handcuffs. “Drink up. I’ll get you some food shortly.”
When Edguardo came back in, he motioned to Clay. The two men whispered in the far corner. A few minutes later Edguardo left. She heard the muffled sounds of the car starting and the garage door opening.
“He’ll be back in a few,” Clay said. “While he’s gone, you can take a shower. I’ve got a robe you can use until we can get you some clothes.”
“No thanks.”
“Suit yourself. I know I won’t mind seeing you walk around naked and I’m certain Edguardo won’t. In fact, I think he’d kind of like it. Especially if you started mouthing off to him again.”
Gena shook her head. “Fine. Where’s the robe?”
Clay swept his arm toward the hall. “This way. You and I are staying in the master suite.”
“I am not staying in the same room with you.”
“You’d prefer sleeping with Edguardo?” Clay smiled at her head shake. “Didn’t think so.”
He caught her elbow and steered her up the stairs into a spacious bedroom with a king-size bed. The bathroom was adjacent.
“Shower is here.” Clay turned on the faucets and adjusted the water. Then he turned to her. “Strip.”
“Please—” She already knew his reply if she refused.
“Shut up and do it!”
Gena turned away and peeled off her clothes. She’d caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror when they’d first walked in. She was filthy and who knew what kind of vermin had been in the jungle. But compared to the vermin who had kidnapped her—
Her skin flushed red as she stepped beneath the spray and washed herself as quickly as she could. After she rinsed her hair, she looked over her shoulder and saw that Clay continued to watch her.
There was something chilling about the look on his face. She’d expected lust, had worried about sexual assault. But he seemed cold. As if she repulsed him.
It was the way Harry used to look at her.
“Where’s my robe?” she asked.