Forbidden (Blood Ties #7)

I met that dark stare.

“This isn’t acquisitions.” I looked around at the sheer opulence of the place. Wood, glass, steel, and the faint trickling of running water from the internal rainforest.

He rounded the end of the counter, sliding a plate in front of me. One, perfectly golden brown pancake took up the entire surface. He said nothing, just pushed a freshly opened tub of vegan butter toward me, then a bottle of expensive maple syrup. “I guess it depends onwhatyou’re acquiring.”

Heat rushed to my cheeks as his stare nailed me to the spot.

Women.

That’s what he acquired.

I needed to remember that.

That same sickening wash of rage rose inside me. My jaw tightened. I glanced at a small knife sitting near the stove. One he’d used to slice the butter and place it into the pan. I clenched my teeth, imaging all the things I could do with that knife…and there were plenty. A flicker of confusion filled his stare, a tiny furrow between his eyes. He saw…He saw. His lips parted and his mouth opened to speak.

Until the sudden vibration of his phone shattered the moment.

He turned away and snatched the thing up, staring at the screen. But he didn’t answer, just turned and looked at me over his shoulder. That scowl deepened before he strode away.

He lifted the cell to his ear. “Yes.”

I pulled the plate closer and spread butter across the top before grabbing the syrup, all the while trying to listen in. But the conversation was all one-sided. He barely spoke, gave nothing away.

“Everything is fine. I’ll contact you when I know more.”

I jerked my gaze away as he ended the call and stabbed the fluffy stack instead, carving into it with the knife. Heavy footsteps sounded as I shoveled it into my mouth.

“What did you say you did for work, Helene?”

I turned my head, chewing loudly and with my mouth open, both things I knew would piss him off. “I didn’t.”

He held my stare.

Had he already searched my details? I’d be surprised if he hadn’t, not with the whole captor/women trafficking vibe he had going on. I also knew exactly what he’d find when he punched my details into the system.

Helene Montgomery.

26 years old.

Worked as a hairdresser for 2 years.

Then went into retail at Walters & Co as a fashion buyer.

Moderate salary.

Saving to buy her own house.

No pets.

No family.

Both parents deceased.

Single child.

No priors apart from a few outstanding parking fines.

No…nothing.