Finders Keepers (Syndicate Book 1) Read online

  I watched her swallow roughly and open her mouth to speak.

  “Why should I tell you?” she responded, saucily. “You’re just going to kill me, right? Why bother with pleasantries?”

  I felt my lips twitch in amusement. I couldn’t help it. No one has ever defied me. It’s a perk of my reputation. “Very well, pixie. Have it your way, for now. Breakfast should be up shortly. Make sure you eat it all,” I ordered.

  I watched her brow furrow as she tried to figure out what my angle was. I knew her perception of me was formed based on my reputation, that which was true and that which was purely speculation or gossip. I could, and would, use that to my advantage. I straightened my tie and turned to leave.

  “Wait!” she shouted. “Where are you going?” she asked, puzzled.

  I turned back to face her. “I’m going to work. If you need anything…” I let my words drop off momentarily before finishing, “well, you’ll just have to go without, for now.” And with that, I turned and left the room, locking it from the outside.

  I pulled my phone out of my pocket and called my head of security. “Raoul. I have a guest in the suite across from mine. She is to be kept under guard at all times until further notice.” I hung up the phone, and as soon as one of my men arrived, I made my way down to the kitchen for breakfast, smiling all the way.

  Chapter 3

  Charlotte

  What the fuck happened, and how did I get here? After the door closed behind him, I sat there on the bed trying to remember what happened after I went into the library last night. At least, I think it was last night. My head was throbbing, and when I raised my hand to my temple, I felt the goose egg, wincing from the pain. I gingerly stood up and made my way to the bathroom. After relieving myself and washing the remains of dried blood from my head and neck, I stared dumbly at my reflection in the mirror.

  Who was that man? I mean, I assumed he was Jensen Holm, but that man did not resemble the nightmares that are whispered about in certain circles. I mean, first of all, he was, hands down, the most gorgeous male specimen I had ever laid eyes on. Secondly, he was undoubtedly terrifying in the sense that he was unpredictable, yet he hadn’t hurt me or made any threat to hurt me. At least not directly, anyway.

  He really was magnificent. Tall and broad with dark hair and eyes and a short, well-kept beard. Plus, he obviously finds time to work out while ruling over his empire. His suit hangs perfectly on his Adonis-like body. “God, get a grip, Charlotte,” I whispered to myself, “and get the hell out of here.” Right. First thing’s first. I needed an exit strategy. Right after I got the amulet from the library, delivered it to Dmetri, and saved Chace. Easy peasy.

  Marching to the door, I tried to turn the knob, but it wouldn’t budge. Locked. He’d locked me in. How rude. I mean, I’m a thief. From a long line of thieves. I slid my lock pick set out of my back pocket and had the door unlocked in roughly three seconds. I pulled the door open and ran face first into a solid brick wall.

  “Oof!” I froze and looked up into cruel eyes and a sick grin. “Uh. Sorry about that. I just need to be going. You know, things to steal, lives to save, and all that,” I rambled.

  “Stay,” came the order.

  “Thanks. Really can’t.” I tried to move around him, but even as small as I was, there was no squeezing through the doorway. Suddenly, I had a perfectly large, perfectly sharp blade pressed to my cheek, directly under my eye.

  “Stay,” he repeated, with a snarl.

  “Right. Stay,” I agreed. I cautiously took a step back and slammed the door in his face. I could hear his sick laughter on the other side.

  Breakfast arrived, but I couldn’t bear to eat. My stomach was in knots. I was in some serious shit here. I had two main objectives at that point:

  To get the amulet

  To get the fuck out of here

  Since I wasn’t able to leave the room via the door, I started looking at possible alternatives. Obviously, there were windows. Unfortunately, I was on the second floor, and as far as I could tell there was no balcony or trellis, or even a drain pipe to shimmy down. I left all my gear, minus my lock pick set, in my duffle on the perimeter last night, because I didn’t want it to slow me down, so I don’t have rope or a weapon. Logistically, the only way out of this room was through that door.

  Not long after breakfast a doctor arrived to tend to the wound on my head. He was a middle aged man with a very pleasant bedside manner. He glued my head wound, evaluated me for a concussion, and gave me a shot and some ibuprofen. He lectured me on after care and made me promise to say something if I experienced any of the symptoms he described.

  The rest of the morning passed uneventfully. I took a shower because it gave me something to do, but I had to put my dirty clothes back on, so that was pointless. After what seemed like an eternity of pacing, the breakfast tray was removed and lunch was brought in by who I assumed was a member of the kitchen staff. I tried to get her to talk to me, but she only smiled politely and gestured toward the silver platter, which held not only my lunch but a couple of fashion magazines. Well, at least someone cared about my current state of boredom.

  Again, I picked at the food instead of really eating it and spent a couple of hours flipping through the magazines. By mid-afternoon I was going stir crazy. I couldn’t take this captivity any longer. I thought about trying the door again, but I remembered the way that man’s eyes glinted when he held the knife to my face, and willingly dismissed that idea.

  With nothing else to do, I took a nap. I woke up when someone shuffled into the room carrying a garment bag. I looked to the woman to ask what was going on, but I was cut off before I got the first word out.

  “Dress for dinner,” was all she said before leaving.

  I huffed out a frustrated breath. What the hell is going on? Was he going to torture me with this comfortable room, regular meals, and nice clothes? And then kill me? He’s fucking with my head. Not feeling much like complying with orders, I moved the dress to the closet after unzipping the bag to find a black, Hervé Léger bandage dress. Nice.

  Twenty minutes later, there’s a knock on the door. The same woman who has been delivering my meals and then the dress, let herself in.

  “You’re not dressed,” she accused.

  “Nah, didn’t really feel like getting dressed up. You can just bring my dinner up here,” I sassed.

  She narrowed her eyes at me. “Mr. Holm will not be pleased,” she warned before leaving.

  I could do nothing my shrug my shoulders. I may have just shot myself in the foot. Either my actions pissed him off and he did, in fact, kill me, which meant signing Chace’s death certificate as well, or…. Or, I played along until I could get back to the library and get my hands on that amulet. Quickly making my decision, I hurried to the closet and changed into the dress. The woman didn’t bring any shoes, and I didn’t have any makeup, so this was as good as it was going to get. I knocked on the bedroom door to be let out.

  Big scary dude from earlier had been replaced by a slightly less scary, but no less solid, dude. Acting tougher than I felt, I said, “Hey,” as I jerked my chin at him in that cool way that people do.

  He gave me a quick once over, smiling slightly when his gaze caught sight of my bare feet. “Let’s go, little girl.”

  “I’m not a little girl,” I grumbled as he led me down the hall and staircase to the dining room. It was a pet peeve of mine for people to think of me as a child just because I might have looked a little younger than I was. I was still a woman. I had the tits and ass to prove it.

  Seated at the end of a ridiculously large dining table was Jensen Holm. He looked up as we approached.

  “Ah, so you’ve changed your mind, then?” He turned to the woman who had been bringing my meals all day and said, “Sarah, please set a place for our guest.”

  As Sarah moved to do as he bid, I asked, “So, exactly how long am I expected to be your guest?”

  Meeting my eyes, he growled, “Indefinitely.
”

  A shiver stole up my spine at both his tone and the way he looked at me. The longer he stared, the more I felt my skin start to heat. Damn my fair skin; I knew my blush was obvious.

  He broke the spell when he broke his gaze. “Sit, pixie,” he commanded, indicating the place setting Sarah had just finished with. “I understand you were… hesitant to join me for dinner.”

  “I didn’t think I was that hungry,” I lied.

  “That’s curious, since I also understand that you haven’t been eating,” he looked pointedly at me.

  “I’ve been eating,” I insisted.

  He took a deep breath, as though praying for patience. “Like a bird, it seems.”

  Once our meals are laid in front of us, he waited for me to begin eating before he tucked into his own meal. The food was delicious, and so was the wine. I couldn’t help myself; I cleaned my plate.

  “That’s better. Let’s continue with that, shall we?” he asks without really asking because it came out as more of a command. “Now tell me, pixie, what is your name?”

  I chewed my lip in indecision. I’m wasn’t sure I should tell him. Will that information help or hinder my efforts?

  “Pixie,” he growled impatiently, and my eyes shot to his.

  “Charlotte,” I whispered.

  I watched him lick his lips. “Come,” he commanded as he stood.

  I stood and stepped forward when he gestured for me to proceed him. With his hand placed firmly on my back, and I swore, burning a hole through the fabric of my dress, he guided me to a set of French doors and out onto a small patio. I watched him light a cigar and take a puff.

  “So, pixie, tell me what you came to steal from me.”

  I jolted. Shit. What did I say? The truth? A version of the truth? A bold-faced lie? If I told him the truth, would he be sympathetic? I had no reason to believe that he’d help me, though.

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I guess I was going with feigned ignorance.

  “I’m curious, why would you choose to take the amulet over the more valuable pieces in my collection?” He gave me some serious side-eye and puffed on his cigar while he waited for my explanation.

  My body stiffened. I looked away and swallowed.

  “Pixie.”

  His tone had me turning back to look at him once more.

  “If you haven’t already learned that I don’t like repeating myself, I have ways I can teach you,” he promised and stubbed out his cigar.

  Then he was guiding me back into the house and up the stairs.

  “Where are we going?” I croaked. I’ve clearly annoyed him, and now he’s going to punish me. If he kills me, I hope it’s fairly quick and painless. I’m sorry, Chace.

  I frantically looked around for a weapon or an escape route. I knew the basic layout of the house thanks to my prepwork with the blueprints, but the house has clearly had some modifications to it. I’d be willing to bet that some of these walls have been fortified. I was really wishing I had had more time to do recon.

  Jensen led me, surprisingly, not to certain death, at least, not yet, but to the library. We stood in front of the display holding the amulet for a moment before he spoke again.

  “I went through great lengths to acquire this amulet. I would be deeply disappointed should I no longer possess it.” He turned to face me fully. “Collecting beautiful things happens to be my greatest passion, and I will do anything and everything necessary to keep those things safe. Here.”

  Something in the way he was eyeing me made me think he wasn’t just talking about his precious collection of art and artifacts. I started to wonder if he had any plans to kill me at all. I also started to think that he had no plans to let me go.

  Chapter 4

  Charlotte

  Two more days passed, just like the first. I was left alone except for meal deliveries, and dinners were spent with Jensen in the dining room. We followed up both dinners on the same, small patio where he asked questions that I refused to answer and showered me with innuendo that left me with goosebumps.

  By the morning of day four, I was at my wit’s end. I couldn’t leave my room let alone leave the house. I even tried to bat my eyes and suggested that a guard escort me. Anything to feel like I had some modicum of control over my situation. But I was still denied. I had to find a way out of this. Chace was counting on me. I couldn’t let Sokolov kill him. God only knew what that monster could have been doing to him at that very moment. So, that was why, when Sarah came in with my breakfast, I threw a hissy fit. A hissy fit that eventually caught Jensen’s attention.

  “No! I will not eat it!” I moved with the intention of tossing the tray across the room in my anger, but his hand wrapped firmly around my throat to still me. Not enough to hurt me or hinder my breathing, but definitely enough to get my attention.

  “You can eat that,” he intoned, indicating the tray of food with a slight tilt of his head. “Or, you can find yourself on your knees taking my cock for breakfast. Which will you choose?”

  I froze at his threat, my eyes widening to take in the deadly serious expression on his face. “Fine,” I bit out.

  He gripped my throat for a moment longer before letting go and taking a step back. He tugged on his shirt sleeves, straightening the cuffs as though manhandling me had been an inconvenience that rumpled his impeccable attire. “That’s a shame, Charlotte. I would really have enjoyed feeding you my cock.” When he was satisfied that his appearance was put in order, he gave me no more than a cursory glance before making his way to the door. He stopped once he reached it, and with his back to me, he said, “Pixie. I never make an idle threat.” With that, he was gone.

  I shuddered at the absolute certainty and determination in his tone. I didn’t doubt for a single moment that Jensen Holm would follow through on any threat he made. No, not a threat- a promise. Begrudgingly, I picked at the food on the breakfast tray. Truth be told, I was starving. I just hadn’t wanted to give the bastard the satisfaction of getting his way. It seemed I didn’t have a choice in the matter. Yet another way for him to exert his control over me.

  When Sarah came in with lunch, I was much more docile, though she obviously didn’t trust it by the way she was warily eyeing me as she moved across the room to settle the tray. As she did so, my attention was drawn to the open door. The guard that was posted there was taking a call. I quickly assessed the distance between here and the door, and when Sarah turned to leave, I made my move. Sending up a prayer for forgiveness, I swung as hard as I could muster and punched Sarah. She fell, unconscious, with a soft thud. I swung my head to the door to make sure the guard hadn’t heard. I tiptoed to the door and peeked around it. The guard was still on the phone, and he had his back turned. Idiot. Never turn your back on your enemy. I slipped quietly down the hall and almost made it to the staircase when I heard the shout.

  Since the cat was out of the bag, I started to run. I booked it as fast as my legs would carry me,but I only made it halfway down the stairs when I noticed two guards standing at the bottom. I couldn’t turn around because the guard in the hall was right behind me. FUCK. The guard behind me, the super scary motherfucker from the first day, glared at me with malicious intent as he wrapped an arm around my waist and dragged me back to my room kicking and screaming.

  “You just fucked yourself, bitch,” he sneered. “And when the boss is done with you, I hope he lets the rest of us have a go. I’d love to watch you swallow my cock. Maybe even at the same time as my buddy takes your ass.” The expression on his face was terrifying, and in that moment I realized I had just made an extremely dangerous enemy. And if there was one thing I didn’t need, it was another one of those.

  Several hours later, I was staring out the window when I heard the bedroom door open.

  “So, my pixie misbehaved today,” Jensen’s voice was eerily calm.

  I pretended to ignore him. He said nothing else for awhile. All I heard was what sounded like the rustling of clothes. I
caught sight of his reflection in the window and gasped. He was undressing.

  “Wh..what are you doing?” I nearly screeched, incredulous.

  “Come here,” he commanded.

  “Fuck no. What the hell do you think you’re doing?!” I moved so that the bed was between us. I had a seriously bad feeling about this, and the guard’s words from earlier echoed in my ears. And when the boss is done with you, I hope he lets the rest of us have a go. Oh, God. Oh, shit. Oh, fuck.

  “I will not repeat myself!” he bellowed.

  He stood before me, in nothing but his boxer briefs, with his chest heaving. I couldn’t tell if his dark eyes were burning with anger or lust. Or both. When I still didn’t move, he stalked toward me. I scrambled to get away, but the only direction open to me was up over the bed, and I knew if I wasn’t fast enough, I would surely regret it. I made a mad dash for it. And I failed.