Pressing her against the wall, I boxed her in, our clasped hands now locked above her head. Her sea-green eyes were sparkling with delight as she smiled up at me. I would have been content to stare down at her for eternity, but we came here to do a job, and I didn’t want to be in this overcrowded city any longer than I had to be.
“Thank you,” she said up to me, still smiling. “I know you’re going to say something macho, like that I never have you thank you for doing anything for me or helping me, but I really do mean it, and I want you to accept it, please. Just say ‘you’re welcome’ and then we can go kidnap my parents.”
I shook my head, very tempted to ignore her request and deliver what she called a “macho” response. But I was incapable of denying this woman anything. Had she even figured out just how wrapped around her little finger I was? “Whipped”, Aloiki would call it. Like he wasn’t the exact same way with Lu.
I bent my head down to kiss her. “You’re beautiful and sweet and kind. And you’re welcome,” I added for good measure. “Now, let’s go kidnap your parents.”
Her elation fell as she turned her head to the door in the center of the hall. The way the high-rise apartments worked was each floor was split into two homes, with each apartment two or three stories tall. Maisy’s parents had a three-story, hinting at the sort of money the man made on Wall Street.
I’d never paid much attention to the stock market, but after digging into Jones’ and Donovan’s financial portfolios, I was starting to wonder if I was missing out on easy money.
With gentle fingers, I touched her chin to guide her gaze back to mine. “What is it?”
I knew she wasn’t having second thoughts about ending her parents. We’d already discussed that at length, and she expressed no remorse or hesitation about wanting revenge against them. In a way, I thought knowing what I had done to Kayl helped her to come to terms with asking me for help in ending them.
“What if they don’t recognize me?”
My hackles rose at the thought. “Then I’ll make them remember,” I vowed through gritted teeth.
Her lips twitched. “Has anyone ever told you you’re like a lion? All cute and fluffy and big hearted until someone threatens your pride and then you’re full-on vicious?”
“I’ve been compared to a hawk before, but not a lion,” I said honestly. “But I certainly don’t mind the new comparison. Does this make me your Lion King?” I asked, referencing back to the movie we watched with Samantha last month.
She placed her hand on my chest. “You’re my everything.” Squaring her shoulders, Maisy turned to face the apartment door again. “Let’s do this.”
I released her hand, letting her walk with her head held high up to her parents’ door. I was here as her muscle, her weapon ofvengeance, but this was her show, and I would only intervene if she was in danger.
Maisy did not hesitate. As soon as she stepped in front of the door, she rapped her knuckles against the expensive wood. I stayed behind her, so fucking proud of how far she’d come. In a little over three months, she’d gone from a terrified woman who lied about her age to overcoming her fear and finding the strength beyond the conditions of her upbringing.
So fucking proud.
Chapter Seventeen
The door opened, and like a fucking slap in the face, I saw who opened it. Neo had shown me pictures of Maisy’s parents prior to us leaving, but this was neither.
It was a woman. I’d always thought myself good at judging ages until a few days ago when I discovered Maisy’s true age. I placed this woman in her mid to late twenties. She wore her black hair up in a bun with a white French maid hat on top of her head. Nipple clamps were all that adorned her chest and a black mini skirt with white lace barely covered her waist. It took me a second to realize that sponges were taped to the bottom of her feet in place of shoes. Additionally, a sponge gag was strapped into her mouth.
Mascara ran down her cheeks, still wet with tears, and red lines crisscrossed all over her body. At least two of her red-painted nails were broken.
“Don’t just stand there, you useless bitch,” came a feminine voice from inside the apartment. “Let them in.”
Maisy’s confidence faltered, and there was no doubt in my mind that that voice belonged to her mother, Lorna. I stepped upbehind her. Since neither of us had anticipated others being in the apartment with her parents, I did not want to encourage Maisy inside and further traumatize her.
With a hand on the small of her back, I kissed her temple. “Why don’t you stay out here?” I offered softly.
“Bitch! I said, let them in!”
Maisy flinched again, but shook her head. “I don’t want to be alone.”
I nodded, because that was certainly understandable. “Then stay behind me and by the door.”
She immediately agreed, and I took the lead. Walking inside, I pulled out my pocket knife. As I heard the door close behind me, I cut the gag off the woman who had answered the door.
“Are you here of your own freewill?” I asked, ignoring the grandeur and everything else in the apartment until I had my answer. Since she was clearly an adult, she had a right to be here if she’d chosen to be so.
“No!” she shouted. “Please! You have to help me!” It was then that I noticed the shock collar around her neck too. A quick inspection showed a padlock at the back of her neck.
“We’re here to help,” I assured her. “Go stand with mywahinewhile I deal with this.” At her confused expression, I clarified, “Woman.”