9

"A few more months? I thought the original plan was for a few weeks? Just to get everything in order?"

"Plans change." And now he had something far more interesting to fill his time while he prepared to end the reign of their enemy.

Zade huffed, clearly unimpressed with Lucien's answer. "And how does your captive feel about that? It's got to sting, knowing you're planning on flaunting her in front of the very men that used her and abused her. She probably just wants to get it over with, Lucien."

Lucien didn't respond, his fists clenching at his sides.

Zade cursed under his breath, shaking his head as he pulled the car into the private garage Lucien owned. "You didn't tell her the reason why you took her? I know why you kept our intentions from the MC, but what the hell does she think is happening?"

"I didn't say that she doesn't know."

Zade rolled his eyes, putting the SUV in park and turning off the engine. He looked over his shoulder. "I've known you almost my whole life, man. You don't have to say anything for me to know what you're thinking. Why doesn't she know what you're planning for her?"

"Because telling her our plans outright isn't good enough for me. I want her to suffer, to think she's safe with me and realize that she never was," Lucien all but growled, a familiar burning fury rising in his chest.

"How do you plan on accomplishing that?"

"I made her a deal," Lucien bit out reluctantly.

Zade turned in his seat, his eyes narrowing. "What kind of deal?"

Lucien gave Zade a brief rundown of last night, watching as the other man's eyes slowly lit up with interest.

"That's fucked up, even for us."

Lucien shrugged. "I want them all to hurt. Every single one of them, including Harlow. So we'll keep the real reason that she's here to ourselves. Let her think I'm just using her for sex and to flaunt my own power in the city..."

"And when the time is right, she'll know she never meant anything. She was just a bargaining chip," Zade finished.

"Yes," he answered darkly, though the conviction he felt with his new plan wasn't as strong as it had been yesterday.

Zade sat back in his seat, letting out a deep sigh. "For Sarah, Lucien. This is all for her."

Lucien's heart squeezed.

"For Sarah."

Harlow wasn't quite sure what she'd been expecting when she'd woken up nestled in the luxurious sheets that had been on the four poster bed in her new room.

Maybe she'd thought she was going to wake up tied down to the bed, or on a cot in some secret dungeon Lucien probably owned, but she'd definitely been expecting some kind of captive/captor situation to be in play.

Instead, she'd slept like the dead and woken up more well rested than she had in years, which was insane because Harlow never slept well. And she most certainly didn't sleep the entire night without a single nightmare to wake her.

She'd learned years ago that terrible things happened at night, which was why she usually stayed up as late as she could, and why working at a strip club until the wee hours of the morning each day had never been a problem.

Harlow should have been terrified to go to sleep last night, knowing her 'master' was just in the other room. But apparently giving Lucien one hell of a blowjob, making out afterward in the hallway and then being dropped off at her door like a date gone wrong had been just what she'd needed for a full night's rest.

After everything the night before, she'd expected Lucien to be waiting for her this morning, but he hadn't.

Lucien had left her alone all day long, though his driver Stefan had been lurking in the penthouse like a shadow she couldn't quite shake. His presence had hindered her mission of snooping through Lucien's belongings in his bedroom. And from escaping.

Not that she would now.

Clothing had also been delivered for her a few hours ago, but she'd barely glanced at the boxes and bags with designer labels that Stefan carted in from the entryway and into her bedroom.

She'd told Lucien she didn't want anything he bought for her, and she'd meant it. Her clothes were perfectly fine, she just needed to go get them.

Still, curiosity at the clothing he'd picked out for her was eating at her the longer she remained lounging on Lucien's extremely awkward couch. Who thought a backless sofa was a good idea? There was no proper way to sit on this damned thing at all, so she was laying on her back, holding her phone above her face while she stared at the text message Raider had sent her a few minutes ago.

Raider: Are you okay?

Just to be a bitch and because she was still so livid about everything, Harlow debated not answering. What kind of question was that anyway?

She huffed, typing back a quick reply.

Harlow: Does it matter, asshole?

Raider: Don't be like that, Harley. Of course it matters. Did he hurt you?

Harlow: Why? It's not like you'll do anything about it.

Harlow waited as Raider began typing back. It felt like it took forever before he hit send, her phone screen lighting up with the new notification.

Raider: Maybe the MC as a whole can't.

Harlow sucked in a breath, immediately deleting the messages between them. She didn't need him to say anything else, she could read between the lines easily enough. If the MC couldn't do anything, Raider was telling her that he would if she'd been abused.

It wasn't enough to end the hurt festering in her heart toward him, but it was enough to ease that pain, if only slightly.

Harlow: Lucien has been fine.

Raider: Can I see you?

Harlow: idk. I'll have to ask my jailer.

The door to the penthouse opened, and Harlow nearly dropped her phone on her face in her haste to switch to a different app. She didn't know why she bothered trying to hide her conversation, she highly doubted anyone walking in gave a damn what was on her phone, but she'd rather not risk it.

She turned her head, watching as her tormentor stepped fully into his own home. Lucien looked better today than he had last night, which she thought would be impossible. His wire glasses were gone and he had a day's growth of stubble on his face that made him look as sexy as it did handsome. He was wearing a white button up shirt under a black suit that fit him perfectly, and only increased his appeal.

Why did dangerous men in suits always look so hot?

"So this is her." A deep voice she didn't recognize came from behind Lucien and Harlow sat up on her elbows, wondering who the hell he'd brought home.

The guy behind Lucien was around the same height, maybe an inch or two shorter, if that, and where Lucien looked fit and strong, this guy looked like he would chew you up and spit you out.

He was rugged, with tattoos that peeked through the collar of his dress shirt, and a look on his face that let her know that he'd probably be more than fine with torturing someone for hours at a time.

And right now he was focused on her.

Harlow sat up all the way, her phone forgotten on the cushion next to her as they both approached.

"I wasn't expecting the hair," the stranger commented, curling his lip in disgust. Instinctively, Harlow reached up, tucking a strand behind her ear.

She'd just had it cut to right above her shoulders and dyed the other week, but there was no way he'd know that.

"I wasn't expecting Lucien to bring home a dickhead, and yet here you are," Harlow replied sweetly.

"Princess," Lucien warned, and her gaze moved to him and held. She even felt her heart skip when his dark sapphire eyes met hers, owning her completely with one heated look.

"Baby," she purred, watching as his nostrils flared. He was surprised by the endearment, and Harlow was pretty confident that he'd hated it.

A small smile lit her features, and it grew into a full blown grin as Lucien's eyes narrowed.

"Go get dressed. We're going out."

"Out? Where?"

"Somewhere you won't enjoy. Now go get ready. Your outfit should be laid out on the bed."