Total pages in book: 108
Estimated words: 103712 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 519(@200wpm)___ 415(@250wpm)___ 346(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 103712 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 519(@200wpm)___ 415(@250wpm)___ 346(@300wpm)
“Get off of me, you grizzly fuck!” Jordan’s voice went shrill with hysteria.
Hunter lifted him by the neck only to smash his head down on the table. “Be still.”
“Fuck! You think you can touch me? Do you have any idea who my father is? What kind of power the Calder name carries?”
Stone cocked his head and dramatically tapped his chin. “Calder? Does that name have any meaning here?”
Ash rubbed his jaw. “I don’t think so. Hunter, mean anything to you?”
Hunter’s slow grin was full on salivating as he came closer and closer to vengeance. Fisting Jordan’s hair, he yanked his head back. “On this island, in this room, where no one can hear you scream, the only name that matters is Volkov. You’re in my den now, and you’ve woken the bear.”
Ash and Stone pushed their chairs back and slowly stood. Color drained from Jordan’s face as understanding finally dawned.
“I think it’s time for your friends to leave,” Stone said, moving to the door.
“No!” Jordan snapped as his entourage rushed to their feet. “Sit the fuck down. I paid you!”
“Money talks,” Ash said, rolling up his sleeves. “ But violence is louder.”
“I’ll show you out, gentlemen.” Stone escorted the men through the door.
“You can’t do this!” He thrashed under Hunter’s grip. “People know where I am. My security team—”
“Will wait patiently for your return,” Ash finished.
“Stop!” Jordan yelled as his attorney and paid doctor followed Stone, but it was too late. They were already gone and he was alone with two angry bears. “They kidnapped my sister!”
“Only a desperate man lies.” Ash tsked, sleeves rolled to the elbow as he flexed his fingers wide, then made a tight fist that caused his knuckles to pop. “You see, Mr. Calder, we believe in hands-on education. And you have so much to learn.”
“Wait—” Jordan’s plea was interrupted by Ash’s fist.
They moved in perfect coordination, every step purposeful, like dancers who’d rehearsed this routine a thousand times. Their techniques, the subtle psychology behind each word and gesture spoke of experience, years of survival honed through silent communication.
From the observation room, Marigold watched her half-brother’s world collapse in real time. The golden prince who’d never faced consequences, who’d built his life on others’ suffering, was finally learning what it meant to feel utterly powerless. And they were just getting started.
On another monitor, she could see into adjacent rooms—glimpses of equipment and furniture that spoke to the club’s true purpose. Leather and silk, restraints and toys, all beautiful and sophisticated and clearly designed for consensual exploration of power and submission.
The contrast was stark. Consensual versus coerced. Predator versus prey. Mutual pleasure versus selfish violation. Jordan had played the predator. He’d coerced and forced. Now, he was going to pay.
“You see, Mr. Calder,” Hunter snarled close to his ear as blood trickled from his nose. “You’ve hurt two women under our protection. Women who hold a special place in our hearts.”
Jordan shook violently as the full reality of his situation sank in. “I didn’t know! Whoever she was to you—”
“Our sister!” Stone roared, his mask of self-control gone. In its place, a bloodthirsty protector set on vengeance.
Marigold had been so engrossed in Hunter’s hold on Jordan, she missed the moment he returned. If she thought Stone had been frightening before, she’d poorly misjudged. The man on the screen now was an unapologetic killer.
“But that word means little to you, doesn’t it?” Stone sneered, slamming his fist into Jordan’s ribs as Hunter and Ash held him up.
Jordan gasped and sputtered blood, his head hanging limp as his knees softened.
“All your bullshit about family loyalty. You make me sick!” Another punch. “Meaningless words. Sounds strung together with zero emotion so you can fantasize you’re a decent man.”
Ash grabbed him by the hair, lifting his head so he could look in his unfocused eyes.
And I bet most people gobble your lies right up.”
Stone sank his fist into him one more time. Jordan crumpled like a paper doll, falling to the floor.
“You can’t do this,” he gasped, holding up a hand.
“I think we can,” Ash said with an indifferent shrug. “Probably from the years of torture and abuse we endured, from sociopathic pricks just like you.” He fisted his hair, lifting his head. “Tell me, did you always lack empathy?”
Stone slammed a fist into Jordan’s back, and the breath whooshed out of him. He leaned close to his ear. “That was your kidney, by the way.”
“Please,” Jordan whispered, all his arrogance stripped away. “Whatever you want…money, connections, anything—”
“What we want,” Stone said quietly, “is for you to understand exactly what you did to those innocent girls.” Stone quietly removed his tie and tossed it on the table. “What you stole from them. What you broke.”
The men hoisted him onto his feet, but Jordan was too weak to hold himself up. They threw him down on the table as Stone slammed his knee into Jordan’s thigh.