WARPED VANITY ( BL)

CHAPTER 13

I’m fairly sure God designed your body to drive men into insanity,” vegas said darkly.

  Stifling the excited thrill vegas words sent through me, I retorted, “You believe in God?”

  “No. I don’t. But looking at you, I could turn into a believer.”

  I huffed. “There’s a cozy warm place in Hell reserved just for you.”

  “I’ve burned before.”

  I slanted him a look. He’d said the same words before, and I wondered what exactly he meant by it.

  “You have a video call with your brother in five minutes, so you better hurry.”

  I didn’t have a bathrobe to pull over my clothes, so I reached for a dress but vegas shook his head. “Stay as you are.” He grabbed my arm then paused, dark eyes roaming over me.

  “I thought we were in a hurry?”

  “You are. I’m not. I don’t give a fuck if you talk to your brother or not.” Despite his words, he led me out of the room, through the hallway and downstairs.

  “Again in your torture chamber?” I asked, shivering violently when my bare feet hit the first stone step leading down into the basement. I wasn’t sure how the floor could be that cold when outside the sun was blazing.

  I cried out when vegas lifted me in his arms. “Don’t want you to catch a cold. That would be a shame. I’ll have to ask porsche to shop for clothes that fit you.”

  I was frozen in his hold. “You can send me back to chingMai. I have enough clothes there.”

  “I think Danilo wants you in Ayutthaya, Angel, or have you forgotten?”

  I realized I had. My wedding seemed so very far away, and it was the last thing on my mind.

  vegas chuckled joylessly. His stupid manipulations were getting to me. How was he doing it?

  I didn’t answer his question because he knew. My traitorous body mourned the loss of his warmth when he set me down on my feet in the cell where he’d recorded the last message to my family. I wrapped my arms around myself, suddenly overwhelmed by the memories. My gaze flitted to my wound. With the Tylenol I barely noticed its existence and it was scabbing over. It wasn’t the pain or the cut that bothered me. It was the memory of Samuel’s and Dad’s expressions when they’d seen me in vegas hands. They were suffering more than I did, and that was the worst thing about all this.

  vegas stepped up to me, his body a warm presence at my back, and he took my wrist, lifting it so he could inspect my wound. His thumb lightly traced my skin. He leaned in. “I won’t cut you again, Angel. Don’t be afraid.”

  That wasn’t what I was scared of most. “You won’t?” I asked curiously, tilting my head so I could evaluate his face. Why would vegas say something like that?

  vegas cuts deep. Hits hard. Kills brutally.

  vegas dropped my wrist, something in his expression shifting, his guard slipping in place. “Time for your call with Samuel.”

  He went to the screen on the table and turned it on followed by the loudspeakers. I moved closer when Samuel’s face appeared. My heart clenched violently at the sight. His hair was a mess, his expression haunted, and dark circles spread under his eyes. He probably hadn’t slept at all since my kidnapping.

  Guilt crashed over me for not being as bad off as they all imagined. I could tell Samuel was struggling to keep his expression controlled. He wouldn’t show weakness in front of his enemy.