GAME ON - GoM 2

9

"Heartbreaking," said Blake, waiting for his thugs to close the door.

Alex would've glared at him, hating his mock. But she was terrified at being left alone with him again. Everything blurred and spun around her out of sheer fear when he turned to her, and she shivered from head to toes. She wondered if she'd be so lucky as to pass out, so at least her mind and her memory would skip what was coming.

"Have you come up with something to keep your merry gang away?" Blake asked.

Alex frowned, thrown off, and nodded.

He produced her phone from his suit-coat pocket, showed it to her and slid it in his pant pocket. His little smile made Alex tremble again.

"Good. Let's make sure they don't mess with our quality time."

Before she could even understand his words, he grabbed the back of her neck and smashed his mouth against hers. She gagged again and struggled, but couldn't escape his brutal kiss.

Blake kept his face an inch away from hers, his eyes glowing red as he spoke. "Talk to them now, my dear. I want you to sound cool and natural." His eyes moved down to her trembling lips. "But be quick. Plenty of fun ahead for us. So who should we call?"

"Fa-Father Jason," she stuttered against her will.

Blake raised his eyebrows, as if expecting something more.

Terror was a picnic compared to what Alex felt when she heard herself add, "Sir."

"Good girl." Blake went through her contact list. "Father Jason you said?"

"Yes, sir."

Blake's smug smile radiated satisfaction at her reply. He dialed and held the phone on speaker by her mouth. Alex hated her own voice, light and casual as if she really were driving the Hilux on her way home.

"So Claire went home already? Okay, listen, Father, d'you mind if I go home too? I could really use a night sleep. Promise I'll be knocking on your door before morning mass."

Father Jason didn't seem to find it odd and disconnected a moment later.

"So who's next?" asked Blake. "Your dog boy? What's his name?"

Alex would've wanted to cry and scream her lungs out. Instead, she replied, "It's Tom, sir. Tom Sutton. But I'd rather call my niece. She0d be easier to convince."

"Okay, the niece, then. I think her name's Claire?"

"Yes, sir."

Alex loathed the way Blake enjoyed every time she called him that. Vicious son of a bitch full of himself. She'd kill him with her own hands.

Blake looked for Claire's number and brought the phone close to Alex's face again.

She shook her head. "She lost her phone today, sir. Call our land line. You'll find the number under 'home.'"!

"Okay... Here. Now do your thing, my dear."

Alex felt a lump up her throat, refusing to consider the different meanings he could have in store for those three words.

Claire took her time to pick up. "Hey! Where are you? Tom said you'd be home for dinner."

"Yeah, I know. Thames called me the minute I turned onto Main Street. He says we need to meet now, urgent, can't wait till tomorrow. So I'm on my way to see him as we speak. You guys go ahead and have dinner. I'll be home as soon as I can."

"Oh, okay. Wanna talk to Tom?"

"No, no need. He won't be happy about my getting home late over this, and the last thing I need is having an argument with him."

"Don't worry, I'll handle him."

"Thanks, kiddo. Laters."

Blake disconnected with an approving smile and stepped back. Alex kept her eyes down, pretending to ignore him while she tried to understand what had just happened. She'd vaguely thought of making up that excuse to justify her absence a little longer. But under Blake's control, words and tone had just come out the exact way to be convincing. And the scariest part of it was that she hadn't needed to think what she'd say next.

She jolted when Blake's hand slid down her hair, and her heart sank when she looked up and saw he'd taken his suit coat off and loosened his tie to undo the first button of his shirt. He stood only inches away from her. She shut her eyes tight as his hand traveled down her back, wishing oh so bad for anything to spare her.

His hand stopped on the small of her back and his other hand caressed her collar bone, like he'd done earlier.

"What's this?" he asked, his finger pressing the pentagram medal against her skin. "An amulet? Bet Greg gave it to you."

He removed it with a single tug. Alex opened her eyes, surprised that the medal didn't seem to affect him at all.

Blake smiled wider. "Duke of Hell, dear. You need something more to get to me." He slipped the medal in his pocket. "But I wouldn't want you to hurt yourself with that edge. Now look up, my dear. You already know the drill and the words you're allowed to say. I want you still and aware. No going to some safe place, my dear. There's none left for you anymore."