Chapter 1
"Paige, they're waiting for you" Paige Flinders groaned,
"I said I'll be out in a while" she replied to her fiancé to be.
"Okay open up...this is ridiculous" Bradley called out. Paige reluctantly opened the door and he barged in. "Your not even dressed? Your father is going to lose it"
"I don't care...if I'm being forced to get engaged to you then I'll do things on my terms" she said turning away from him. She had her bathrobe on and she sat looking at her reflection in the mirror. Paige continued to apply her makeup
"Paige, get up and get dressed...I'll drag you down if I have to" he said touching her shoulders and making her skin crawl.
"Just because you have my father wrapped around you finger does not mean you have any authority over me. I despise you, how you got my father to agree to this I'll never know...what did you do for him to allow this Bradley?" He smiled putting his head beside hers and looking at how they look together. She felt her body shiver...he was pure evil
"Let's just say, I caught the most sought after man in the world...Your father happily sold you to me for him...I did it...nobody was able to catch the prick, I personally saw to the task, he said if I caught him then I would have your hand in marriage." He nuzzled her neck and she moved her head away
"Don't touch me, you think that this here is ever going to happen...your an animal" she said walking away. He grabbed her arm roughly and turned her around to face him.
"Put your dress on now...my patience wears thin...so help me god, I'll pick you up and take you like that." Paige glared at the sleaze in front of her. She hated him, grabbing her silver mini dress, Paige told him to get out, "Baby I'll be fucking you soon enough...think your too good for me? What a joke" he said walking out.
Paige wanted to scream, instead she put on her too short dress and her too high heels. Looking at her reflection one last time Paige stepped out. Bradley hissed in a breathe..."Oh baby...I can't wait to get my dick inside you" he said making her sick. She pulled her arm away from him
"You repulse me" she said walking away...He had a strange look about him.
"Come with me" he said dragging her away from the stairs. He led her down the corrieder.
"What in gods name are you doing?"
"It's our engagement right? Nobody will care if we are a little late" he opened a door that Paige never even knew existed...it was dusty, there were narrow steep stairs that led down to a basement looking room. What the hell was this? "Wanna see why I'm invincible?" he turned on the lights and Paige opened her eyes wide.
There in the centre of the room was a half naked man chained. He was battered and bruised, all bloodied up...Paige felt like somebody had thrown icy cold water down her spine. The man winced from the light, he looked like he had been brutally tortured. Paige went to help him only to be grabbed by Bradley roughly. He held her so she was facing the man. The man who now had opened his eyes and was staring right at her.
Bradley had her in a grip so tight around her waist, she couldn't breathe. He bent and whispered in her ears "See what happens when I seek to get something, I stop at nothing Paige...remember when you looked down at me, thinking you were way too good for me...well baby it's our engagement party...I always get what I want...and if I feel like it was too hard to get there then I do this." He said pointing at the man.
"Why is he here...chained like that?" she whispered barely able to talk
"He is the man who fucked you father up...revenge is bitter sweet....Your father could never compete with him...always one step ahead...always too strong...but guess what baby....I was stronger then him....I caught him and I belted the hell out of him" he kissed her neck. Paige didn't know how to handle this...he was freaking her out...this poor man looked ready to collapse.
"What are you going to do with him" she asked. Paige was smart enough not to allow Bradley to know how much this affected her...he would then begin to torture the man in front of her...Paige tried to act like it didn't bother her at all.
"Kill him eventually...after I finish torturing him for imformation....stupid fuck hasn't said a word yet about what we want...but he will" Bradley turned her around and kissed her on the mouth...Paige was disgusted but thought better then to created a scene...she needed to get him out of here to help this man...it didn't matter that he was her fathers enemy...If he was her fathers enemy then he would be one of the good guys.
***
Dylan watched that fucker Bradley parade his slut around. She looked bored...all in good time Dylan...all in good time. He watched as she pulled away from him "I'm bored...can we go " she said not even glancing at him. She was definitely a looker. Light brown hair that she had to the side of her face. Her eyes big and almond shaped...her lips full and lush...her body....was something else. She couldn't be a hooker, she looked too monied, but she was Bradley's flavor of the month...
Bradley walked up to Dylan and threw a punch right across his jaw. "A show for my fiancé" Dylan didn't react, he actually smiled at Bradley...a promise of whats to come. He noticed the girl turn her face and walk out...Bradley was quick to follow. Dylan was biding his time...he had this whole set up happening...He allowed himself to be caught...knowing that this he would be tortured only because he had his entire men suiting up for battle in the next few days...he was on the inside...that's all that mattered.
Dylan needed to bring Gerald Flinders and Bradley Erwin down...he would see to it personally. Not only was he taking all of Gerald's business deliberately making him seem impotent in their line of work, he wanted to personally see to his demise...Gerald was on Dylan's list of most needed to be killed...Gerald Flinders was the sole reason for Dylan's existance...he lived to watch him crumble and crash...just as Gerald did to his brother many years agao.
So a few more days of this torture and then all hell will break loose...he was going to watch as he burnt them all alive...Gerald, his daughter which was his prize posession, Bradley and his woman...and anybody else that was here...he meant war. Dylan was the true meaning of the word criminal...he would stop at nothing to extract his vendetta.
Liam his older brother was like a father to him, he raised him and protected him, How Liam found himself working for Gerald, Dylan would never know...Gerald used Liam and his strength, he set him up on a deal gone wrong. Only because people wanted to deal with Liam now not Gerald...he watched as they burnt his brother to ashes...he would never in his life forget that feeling of helplessness. Dylan was only fourteen at the time...Liam died at the age of thirty.
From that moment on Dylan learnt everything he needed to learn about taking over the criminal underworld. He worked his way to the top...he knew who he needed to sway to go against Gerald...Dylan Lawrence became a house hold name to the drug dealers of the city. He proved to everybody he dealt with that he was a force to be reckoned with. He made sure they understood that he would fuck you up so bad if you cross him...he had nothing to lose and feared nothing...God wasn't real...He was the god of his own world.
He used his mothers sirname...not wanting the connection to Liam...it was happening...Gerald had been after him for years, not until he was ready to do this did he allow himself to get caught.
***
Paige was getting compliment after compliment...Bradley didn't leave her side for a minute...All she wanted to do was to get that man out of there. She hated being related to the Flinders...they were bad news, drugs smuggling, selling to kids, forcing kids to work or get killed. All Paige wanted to do was run away...in this family that was a joke...they would find her before she left the house.
A life of fear was something she got accustomed to, her father loved her terribly and anything her heart desired she got, but she desired freedom from the corruption, she desired not to be acknowledged as the daughter of the most notorious drug lord in the city. She was body guarded everywhere she went."Smile Paige..." her step mother said smiling fakely. Stephanie was only a year older than Paige who was twenty four.
"I have a head ache...how long is this going to last?" she asked.
"Oh my god...just enjoy your party...Jesus your stiff" Paige looked over the the dancing crowd that seem to part, must be good old daddy...and Bradely. She rolled her eyes at the attention they were getting. Finally her father reached her and put his arm around her. Paige stiffened.
"My dear you look beautiful" he said kissing her head. Paige smiled sweetly and looked up at her father...
"Really, I was trying to go for the hooker look" she said trying to piss him off
"That's enough Paige...not here" her father whispered in her ear. Bradley was quick to grab her and take her onto the dance floor for their dance. He held her tight rubbing his crotch onto her...Paige was disgusted, she pulled away from him.
"Keep that up and I'll kick you so hard you won't be able to walk in a month" she said smiling.
"Oh promises...promises..." she was so disgusted she wanted to spew. Finally the dance was over and Paige let go, they cut the cake and speeches were made.
When the party was over, Gerald and Bradley were in deep discussion over the prisoner downstairs. "I'll get it out of him sir...mark my words."
"He's been down there for over four days...if he was going to talk he would have already spoken...you have tortured him repeatedly...I don't see him talking son" he said drinking his scotch
"Leave it to me" Paige walked in and joined them.
"So what are you two talking about?" she said sitting beside her father "How I'm forced to marry your puppet?"
"Paige...why are you always so difficult?" her father asked exasperated.
"Oh let me see...because your forcing me to marry a man I detest more than anything in the world"
"Enough Paige...we have already discussed this..."
"Paige honey...we will be happy" Bradley said making her cringe at the thought...she would escape or die trying before the wedding.
"Goodnight gentlemen" she said walking up to her room. Paige looked at the dark corridor and thought about going and helping him now...No she had to wait.
Changing out of her dress which she hated, she wore her nightie and sat in her oversized room. How to help that man before they killed him. Paige couldn't be responsible for his death...the fact that she knew he was there was just too much for her to handle. He looked so dehydrated...
Paige recalled the way he smiled at Bradley after he had been struck...he must have a death wish. It didn't matter she would help him escape.
By three in the morning Paige was sure everybody was asleep. She grabbed the first aid kit, some water and painkillers...she didn't want to grab food in case she aroused suspicion. Walking slowly down the corridor Paige opened the door quietly and walked down the stairs...the stench of blood filled the room. She turned on the lights and just like before he winced. Paige hurried over to him and placed a straw in his mouth, he drank it up....she grabbed a wet cloth and wiped his face, he backed away and shook his head.
"I'm just going to assess the damage...I'm not going to hurt you" he still refused to let her help him. "I don't understand why your being so stubborn" she said. She grabbed the painkillers and showed him "Painkillers...I'm going to place them in your mouth..." she put them in his mouth and gave him some water.
Paige looked at the chains and wondered what she needed to help him out of them...keys would be good...or maybe.."Do you know where the keys are?" she asked him. He actually looked at her like she was insane. "Do you speak english?" still he didn't reply. Paige noticed a deep cut on his side, she grabbed some antiseptic and put it on cloth "I'm going to clean the wound...it's deep and will get infected. He didn't say anything. She cleaned his cut as best as she could. When she came to put a bandage over it he backed away as far as the chains allowed him to go...
"I don't understand why your doing this? let me help you" still he backed away. Paige noticed how extremely well built he was...he looked, his abs cut, his chest hard and his arms looked even harder. She felt so sorry for him. "I will come back tomorrow with some food...and something to cut you out of there...can you hold on until tomorrow? Nothing...not a word. Paige gave him some more water.
***
Dylan almost laughed at her attempt to help him...what a turn of events...he didn't know why Bradley's fiancé wanted to help him...she smelt so good, she looked so much more innocent without the makeup packed on. She was stressing and he felt sorry for her...still...she would die with the rest of them. When she came close to his face he noticed the color of her eyes...grey...just grey...she was a looker alright. Had he not been tortured and beat up he might have had an erection.
She packed up her first aid kit and looked at him again..."I will get you out of here...I'll try my best for tomorrow okay?" he stared at her...he wasn't sure that if she was playing on Bradley's side or not...it didn't add up why she would be helping him...yes she was playing him...he knew the type. Bradley wasn't a dumb man, he would use her to get the information he needed. Dylan actually wanted to laugh.
"Okay hang in there....I mean stay put...I mean...I'll be back tomorrow" he thought she was cute...stupid for playing him but cute all the same. She grabbed her gear and turned out the lights as she headed up the stairs.
Next few days were pretty much the same...Bradley's girl would feed him, give him painkillers and water and clean his wound. "Hey what you do to be here?" she asked...there it was, she was trying to reel him in. Still he remained quiet, he knew she would never let him escape. She wore jeans and very expensive looking boots and a nice loose top. Her hair was tied up very neatly. She always smelt incredible.
"I know where they keep the keys...it's a little bit tricky but I'll get it" she said nodding to herself. He stared deep into her eyes when she placed the straw in his mouth. Her face colored and he wanted to smile. "I have to go...I'll be back" she said walking out again.
The next day she had the keys, he was actually surprised, she looked really afraid, it was in the day this time, "something going down... I think they're going to kill you" she said with shaky hands, she got up on a chair and unlocked his chains. His arms hurt like hell. He dropped to the floor. "Oh hell" she began rubbing his shoulders and his arms to help him get them back to normal. "we have to hurry..." she rubbed his legs, his thighs all the way down to his feet. She grabbed the shoes that had been taken off him and put them on him. He eyed her out wearily.
Somebody was coming, she looked worried, Dylan finally got his arms and legs moving, he nudged her to the corner behind an old closet. He lifted his arms up again and grabbed the chains. Shit he had his shoes on..it was two guards...they came down and looked around. Dylan pretended his was in and out of consciousness. He didn't make and attempt to move, not until they almost found the girl, he had broken the first mans neck before the other guard could even turn around...just like the first man he broke his neck. He grabbed the weapons, he saw the look of pure fear in the girls eyes. He called her over using his index finger. She shook her head, fuck he didn't have time for this.
He grabbed her arm and roughly pulled her with him. "Hey, it's murder if you go out like this...they will kill you" he smiled. He knew the place was going off now, he grabbed her and dragged her up the stairs with him. He kept her behind his back, he pushed her flat on the wall when somebody was coming passed them. He once again killed the man without a sound being heard. He grabbed the mans gun and tucked it in the back of his pants.
He assessed the trouble, his men were outside..."Your room?" she opened her eyes wide and directed him to her room. He shoved her inside and locked the door behind him. They were up high, he needed to get out, somebody was knocking on her door. She froze, he grabbed her around her neck and indicated for her to answer
"Yes?" she called out
"Paige...you need to leave..." it was Gerald...he recognized that pricks voice from anywhere.
"What's wrong daddy?" she said. She was his daugher? This just became very intersting.
"Open up Paige."
"Daddy I'm not dressed...I'll be down in a bit" she said when he squeezed her neck.
"Hurry up the limo is downstairs" Paige looked up at him with wide eyes. He suddenly formed a plan, He grabbed her roughly and and placed the gun to her temple. He could feel the fear radiated from her body. He held her onto his body "Your phone" he pulled his hand out. She retrieved her phone from her pocket and handed it over with shaky hands. He told her to dial a number, once she did he spoke to Antonio "Yo...make a diversion at the back...call it off...I need to get out...I got what we're after" He felt her stiffen. He ended the call and put the phone in his pocket.
Dylan grabbed her around the neck again and spoke next to her ear "Listen carefully, when I say move you follow my every step...One wrong move and you die...understood?" Paige nodded. "Don't try anything stupid...I don't have time for games"
"When you get away will you let me go?" she asked sounding like it was finally registering to her what was happening. He looked out the window
"Let's go" he grabbed her arm and cautiously looked outside the room. He hurried down the stairs with her right there by his side. They were confronted by Gerald, Bradley and their guards.
"How the fuck did you get out?" Bradley asked astonished
"Let her go son...she's done nothing to you" Dylan laughed at Gerald's concern
He held her onto his chest so her father could see her fear. "If you hurt a hair on her head...." Bradley said
"You'll what Brad? Kill me" he placed the gun to her temple and pressed hard..."Go on Brad...I'll let you catch me again if you can get the girl" he mocked.
"Bradley is not going to do a thing...go we won't stop you...just let her be" Dylan nodded his head..
"Oh I'll let her be...but on my terms..." just then his men surrounded Gerald and his army. Dylan was good to kill them all here and now...but he decided on a better plan "Let's go" he grabbed her hand and she was resisted. He raised an eyebrow at her. "Want me to kill them?" she wiped her tears and followed him out.
"If you touch her ..." Gerald was going hysterical..."I'll fucking kill you....I'll fucking kill you" he was yelling. Dylan smiled to himself. He shoved her into the big black jeep and as the car was taking off he saw Antonio "torch it" He said so casually.
"No! No!" The girl screamed. She tried to get up only for him to shove her so hard back down on the seat. She turned around and watched the place go up in flames.
***
Paige looked at the house that was blazing with red and yellow flames. Her heart dropped...his burnt them alive...She was so afraid to move or speak...she let a madman escape...he killed everybody...with no feelings whatsoever. He laid his head back on the chair and closed his eyes. "Yo Boss...you need something"
"Just drive...the sooner I get home the better" Paige watched his movements, he was in a lot of pain. But he was as evil as everybody else in this corrupt world. What did he want with her? He had his eyes closed the entire drive, until Paige tried to unlock the door and stupidly jump out, he was on her before she could get to the handle to open the door. He shoved her down once again. Paige was afraid, his eyes so dark and so scary, his beard made him look even scarier. "Don't do that again" he said into her face. She nodded dumbly. This time he grabbed her and shoved her beside him as he leaned back and closed his eyes again.
They drove for hours...Paige was tired and hungry...she was still thinking if her father was alive or not...she prayed he wasn't hurt...if he was dead there wouldn't be a soul to help her. She wanted to ask him what he wanted to do with her, why she was with him but decided not to bring it up just yet. He looked too tired to explain himself to her.
Finally reaching the house...the very very big looking house...mansion, even bigger than her fathers house. Paige caught her breath. It was amazing. The big electrically charged gates opened up for them. If Paige thought she was in over head with her father...she was deep down and drowning with this man.
He got out of the car and pulled her along with him. Still she didn't say anything, as he walked in the servants hurried to do his bidding. One prepared the shower for him, the other tended to his wounds...He shrugged everybody off, took her arm and led her upstairs. Once inside the doubled door room, Paige opened her eyes wide. Her room was half this size and her room was huge... this was like a penthouse, it's own bar, living area, king size bed, balcony that was almost the size of the room.
"I need a shower" She looked at him and shrugged her shoulders thinking why was he telling her that. "You need to help me" Paige opened her eyes wide. She shook her head
"No, I don't..." He grabbed her neck and tightly squeezed
"I don't give a fuck what you want...I'm fucking exhausted...help me fucking clean this shit off my body so I can sleep" he said letting her go. "Don't say another word" he warned. Paige did what she always did when she was afraid, she pouted, she hated herself for that because it made her look juvenile but it was involuntary and she had no way of controlling it.
He grabbed her arm and pulled her behind him. The bath was ready for him. He wanted to shower first, "Turn on the water" he ordered her. Paige did as he ordered. When the water to the over sized shower was ready she looked at him. He stood steadying himself. "Help me out of my clothes." Paige unzipped his bloodied pants and gently tried to pull them down. She hissed in a breathe when she saw the lashes on his legs.
"Sorry...sorry" she said every time she passed a deep cut on his legs. She got down to her knees and pulled his shoes off, followed by his jeans. He was left only in his jocks, Paige's face colored, she felt it heat up. He indicated for her to pull them down. She closed her eyes and pulled them down.
"I'm in too much pain to want to do anything...you can relax" he said to her. Once his shorts were off he looked at her "I need you in there with me" he said like it was nothing at all.
"Okay" she said waling in with her clothes.
"Take your clothes off...fuck me" he said to himself as an afterthought.
"No...It's fine, I can do it with my clothes on." she was starting to panic
"Look at me...does it look like I'm capable of doing anything? And do you think I'd want to... I don't do damaged goods. " She pouted again.
She looked at him glaring into his dark eyes. Paige threw off her shoes and took off her top, unzipped her jeans. She was left in matching bra and underpants that had cost a fortune. She was not taking them off. He looked her up and down and her face colored again. "Can we just do this please" she said humiliated.
"You going in like that?" she nodded. He shook his head as he entered the shower. Paige stood away from the water and waited to see what he needed. He threw her the cloth. Paige lathered some soap on it and cleaned his body gently. She started with him face, the water was running black and red, she suddenly wanted to cry. How much pain had they inflicted on him.
She cleaned his ears and his neck, re lathering the cloth she started on his neck, he had the scariest looking tattoo on the side of his chest. Paige continued to clean his wound. She turned to do his back and almost let out a scream. He had lash marks all over his back, they looked like they were fresh. Slowly she cleaned them the best she could, she made her way down to his hips, if there wasn't so much blood she would have closed her eyes.
Instead she saw to the task of cleaning him up. When her job was complete he washed his hair and scrubbed his face. Paige waited freezing, she was drenched. "Turn off the water" he ordered. Again she obediently did as he wanted. He grabbed her a towel and she thankfully wrapped around her body taking off her wet undergarment. She needed to assist him. He threw the towel another towel at her and she assumed it was to dry him.
Paige did so ever so gently. His body was marred. She was careful not to inflict anymore pain. He walked out of the bathroom and she dumbly followed him. He sat on the bed "Grab the ointment" he said to her. She looked where he was pointing, there was everything needed to tend to his wounds. Paige grabbed them and went over to him. She began applying the antiseptic on his wounds, the deeper cuts like the one on his side she applied antiseptic and dressed it. He had a few big ones that needed dressing. His back was criss crossed with lash marks. He got up and told her to move the covers "Get in" he said his tone flatlined.
"I need something to wear" she whispered petrified of him making her sleep naked.
"Grab a top from there" he said to her indicating to the wardrobe. Paige ran and opened the wardrobe, talk about a room for his clothes alone...she grabbed a tee shirt and wore it quickly discarding the wet towel. "In" he said again. Paige got in the bed and laid very flat on her back "I need to sleep this off...you behave otherwise I'll tie you up and you can sleep on the floor" Paige nodded her head.
He was asleep in an instant, Paige didn't know what to do, she was so afraid to move, to breathe, why did he make her clean him up? Why was she even here...in his room, in his bed? Thoughts of her father flashed back in her mind...did he escape the fire...would he find somebody to help her escape...what was she going to do if he was dead?
Paige woke to him moaning, he looked like he was in a lot of pain, she sat up and looked at his sleeping form. He was very handsome, in a dirty rugged type of way. He had a very high pain tolerance, and was probably the strongest person she had ever met, His body was that of a god...even though he wasn't her type...he was still very sexy...
Paige shook her head...he killed her father...that was the only thing she needed to remember...he killed her father. It didn't matter how much she resented her father, he was still her father...and this man she was tending to killed her father. Her heart tightened at the memory of the house going up in flames.
Her tears seemed to have dried up...she couldn't cry, it could be shock...maybe even a little bit of relief that she had fled, but the guilt of that feeling quickly kicked in. She was now on enemy grounds and that could only mean one thing...if she was still alive, either Bradley or her father were still alive. She had grown up with criminal masterminds all her life, she knew how these things worked.
He woke up with a start and stared at her. Paige felt her heart begin to pound. "I need to use the toilet" she said not looking at him.
"Go" he said closing his eyes again. It was still dark but Paige didn't want to get back in the bed with him. When she was washing her hands she heard him curse as he tried to turn.
Paige went over and assisted him "Is he dead?" she asked without realizing the question had come out of her mouth
"Which one are you referring to?" he said pulling her down so she was laying with her back to his chest.
"My father...Is he dead?" she heard him laugh.
"Does it matter? If he's not he'll come for you and die trying to save you" he said so casually.
"Your after Bradley... he's the one that hurt you...leave my father out of it"
"I'll leave your father out of it when he is dead and buried...understand this...if he's dead...you will be too...Unless of course Brad feels the need to play the hero and save his fiancé" Paige sensed the hatred in his tone.
"So I'm dead either way?" she asked not really wanting the reply
"Good girl...you catch on fast. Now I need you to shut up so I can sleep" His hands were around her, Paige closed her eyes and fell asleep in his arms.