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“I'm sorry, but no thank you,” she murmured. What the freaking hell. She was apologizing to her captors now. But from the floor, Jacob looked up at her with two blue eyes shadowed by hurt. “Maybe later,” she said and his instant smile warmed her. What the actual fucking hell was wrong with her? She needed her wits to renegotiate with these men, not promise to be massagedlater.
But once she was steadily on her own two feet, she never felt more vulnerable, more small, more feminine than now in the company of these three enormousAlaskanmen.
That they were all fantastically gorgeous, and ripped, and tall, and stunning were facts she chose to ignore. They were her kidnappers, she couldn't forget that and they planned to keep her here until they earned their money back. Half of it at least, theyhadsaid.
She refused to accept Zach’s statement that she wasn't allowed to buyherselfback.
“So, look. Tell me how much you paid for me and as soon as I'm back in civilization, I'll pay you in full, with interest even.” Surely Zach would see the lucrativeness in that offer.With interest,people.
“Now, little one, we already made up our minds how this is going to work.” He walked away from her and poured himself a cup of coffee. It was good coffee; she could smell the excellent quality of it. She glanced at Ethan, who with his own coffee in hand, seemed to analyze her—by undressing her with his eyes and seeing right through her. Her breath caught and she had to clear her throat to get it right again. Jacob was busy over the stove, tossing what looked like mushrooms inapan.
Her view now encompassed their house. It wasn't overly big, but quite spacious. Basically, an open plan living area where the furniture was rugged but of good quality, just like their coffee. A couple of sofa's, a few comfy chairs, plenty of rugs here and there, fireplaces already roaring with flames. Bookcases filled with books she might evenrecognize.
Surprisingly, their bedrooms weren't in a cordoned off area, no walls or partitions separated their sleeping quarters. Toward one end she found three beds, made up perfectly with thick furs and fluffy cushions. Did they really have no privacy from each other? She wondered where their bathroom was and banished the thought, she would not be needing it because she was getting out ofthereasap.
But the walls? The walls mesmerized her. Beautiful paintings surrounded her, all lovingly framed with intricately engraved wood. Each one took herbreathaway.
She wished she could paint that way. The scenes on these walls were extraordinary depictions of landscapes, cozy little rooms, mountains covered with snow. The artist had a soft hand and sharp eye for detail. She wondered which of these three men did thosepaintings.
She had always harbored a secret passion for art, but art wouldn't pay her bills or give her the lifestyle she wanted. She wanted to jet set around the world, stay in fancy hotels, go to parties in luxurious houses owned by movie stars. She wanted the things she dreamed about while growing up poor in a trailer park with an absent mother. And her father? He did the best he could as a single parent. One day, and that day was around the corner, she would buy him a beautiful house as a thank you for everything he sacrificed for her. He’d sent her to a good school, bought her new clothes, and a car when she was sixteen so she could keep up with the rest of herfriends.
If she continued to be imprisoned in Alaska by these three men, she could kiss her father's dream house goodbye. She had to honor her contract with Rochelle and that meant showing up in two weeks’ time for what had been dubbed the most anticipated photo-shoot of the millennium of which she wasthestar.
“I'm sure you've overheard ustalking.”
“Yes, I know what you said, I'm supposed to take over Jacob’s duties so he can go and work to replenish some of the money he spent on me. But you don't understand, I have to be in Paris in two weeks’ time. It's critically important and I have so much to prepare for that I need to leave now.” How did she keep forgetting they kidnapped her and were holding her against her will? She was negotiating with them as if they were old acquaintances and this was some cheerful banter. Mind check desperatelyrequired.
“Two weeks? Then it's settled. You will stay here for the duration of two weeks—and that’s well before the real snow starts and then we will return you to wherever youcamefrom.”
That would beNewYork.
“But I need to prepare for things in those two weeks.” He didn't seem to hear her. “I have to have a juice cleanse and I need to meditate and oh I need to exercise for glow and Roberto Louis is throwing the biggest party a week before. Please you must let me go.” The whole idea of being Rochelle's new face was showing up everywhere close to the photo-shoot which was being run as a reality show, too. She would have cameras following her around even during herfreetime.
The Hollywood producer had also said they were going to make Jeff feature more often and he mentioned a surprise which Jeff had suggestedhimself.
She didn't allow herself to think the surprise could be a possible marriage proposal on air. If that were the case, now she knew it would have only been for show and ratings, cheating bastard that he turned out to be. Ugh. She needed to leave this god forsaken place and get on with her life and pretend she was perfectly okay and if Jeff did end up proposing she would tell him no. Oh, god, that wouldawesome.
She almost gave an evil smile, when Jacob's smooth voicestoppedher.
“You will not be harmed, Angel,” he said. “We are good men and we will treat you right. You'll see you won't want to leave us once you get to know us because you were meant to be ours. Mama said so. It's come true, everything she saidcametrue.”
Not that again. Mama said what? She was meant to be theirs to chop up into little pieces, and freeze? To be their maid, their serving wench? Then she remembered Mama said she was going to be their wife. She took a deep breath and had every intention of becoming hysterical and opened her mouth only to close it when Zachspoke.
“This is the only way. Considering we paid a large sum of money for you, we get to own you, for want of a better word. You are our property, just like would be if we had bought anything else with our hard-earned money.” Zach’s smoothing tone failed to emphasize the stark facts of her situation. She was theirs the same as if they paid for a piece of furniture only she was to be returned in twoweeks’time.
“While Skitterish and his son might not wish to buy you back,” Zach continued, “we can, if you prefer, take you back to them anyway and attempt a resell. But you must understand, my lovely, those men will not be as fair as us should they take you back in exchange for our money. They are not good men. All we ask is that you work your way to freedom for the duration of two weeks. It's an honorable deal and you can't say we are being unreasonable to expect your cooperation. Do we have your word?” heasked.
Summer's gaze browsed around the room and by the time she came to Ethan, her gaze got stuck. The man didn't like her at all. He certainly didn't want her there, either. She tried to stare him down, but she was no match for him and was forced to lower her gaze, her heart suddenlythuddingaway.
Maybe her disappearance was exactly the guilt-trip Jeff needed. Oh, he would be distraught, blaming himself. And then she’ll pitch up as if nothing happened. That sounded perfect inhermind.
“Yes.” She caught herself in time from adding ‘sir’ to her yes. What the hell? But she lied. She would find a way to escape. She had to. She wanted and deserved the pre-shooting attention, the parties, the gifts from other designers because she was the newfacenow.
“Excellent. What's your name, little one?” Zachasked.
“Summer,” she whispered. “SummerColeman.”
“Mama's favorite season,” Jacob added with his now familiar enthusiasm. She stopped herself from rolling her eyes, she really didn't want to hurt the gentle giantagain.
