LITMIR.BIZ

      3

      MATT NOTICED Boyce sulking over his cards when he reentered the warehouse. Wright raised his head, a guilty look etched in his eyes. Tucking the sack of food more firmly under his arm, Matt stopped in front of them.

      “You make that second phone call?”

      Boyce barely nodded, not bothering to look up. If he did, the welt of Kai’s handprint would become visible.

      “And?” Matt prodded, his lips thinning with displeasure.

      “And Old Man Easton’s scramblin’ to get the money. He’s cryin’ the blues about the holidays making it tough to get the banks to cooperate in gettin’ the four mil.”

      “Is he going to meet our midnight deadline?”

      “Dunno.”

      “Dammit, Boyce—”

      “Look,” he snapped, raising his head and glaring, “we’re supposed to call him back at—” he glanced at his watch “—seven tonight.”

      “What happened to your face?” Matt asked, his voice deceptively soft.

      “What do you think, Taylor?”

      Matt’s heart took a terrifying lurch in his chest. He gripped the sack tightly. “I told you—”

      “The bitch slapped me,” Boyce snarled in self-defense. “Ask Wright. Tell ‘im, Hank!”

      Wright refused to be drawn into the conversation, hanging his head.

      Matt cursed, moving around the table and heading to the room where Kai was being held prisoner. Dread hung in his chest, the suffocating feeling increasing as he jerked open the door. Shutting it behind him, Matt looked to his left. Kai sat huddled like an animal in the corner. Her hair was disheveled, hiding her face from him. She was filthy with the dust from the floor, crouched into a ball, trying to hide.

      “Kai?” he called, moving across the room. He set the sack near the bunk. In moments Matt was kneeling at her side. His stripping gaze missed nothing. Her knees were drawn up tightly against her body. She was trembling like a rabbit cowering before a wolf. His mouth compressed with pain as he saw the bloody scrapes on the backs of her hands and the broken fingernails…which explained the handprint on Boyce’s face. Had he raped her? His throat tightened, and he felt nausea rising as he looked toward the bunk. The covers were tangled in the wake of their struggle.

      Matt returned his attention to Kai. He tried to keep his tone steady as he called her once again. “Are you all right?” He heard the quaver in his own voice. “Kai?”

      She only trembled more, and that tore at his heart. Unthinkingly Matt reached forward. The instant his hand touched her bruised shoulder, she shrank back, gasping. Before he could react, Matt saw her lash out. The blow landed solidly against his jaw. He reared back more in surprise than pain, temporarily off balance.

      Kai was breathing hard, her chin raised with defiance, jaw clenched as she glared at him. Her green eyes were dark with pain, glazed with shock.

      Matt regained his balance, crouching before her, his hand outstretched in a gesture of peace. “It’s all right,” he soothed. “I’m not going to hurt you. Come on, let’s get you up off the floor.”

      Kai’s eyes rounded as she saw his hand slowly come forward again. A small, pitiful cry broke from her glistening, contorted lips, and she shrank away. “Don’t—”

      Matt blinked back his own tears. He halted, stunned by his own reaction to her plea. One part of him wanted to go and kill Boyce. The other part said, Stay, help her. Kai needs you….

      “Come on.” He stretched his fingers outward until he just touched her bare arm. Her flesh was cool to his touch. He allowed his hand to rest lightly against her, making no other move.

      “Good,” Matt praised, watching her closely. Her eyes were wounded holes of shock as she stared back at him. “Come on,” he coaxed, “let’s get you to the bunk, Kai. Can you walk?”

      Kai found it impossible to speak. Just the touch of his hand sent a feeling of security through her. She tried to convince herself that Matt wouldn’t hurt her. But fear overrode her heart’s whispering.

      His fingers wound gently around her upper arm. “Can you get up?”

      She fought to shake off the shock of Boyce’s attack. But it wasimpossible to do. Huge tears rolled from her eyes as she stared across those scant inches at Matt. Her heart wrenched as she realized his eyes were suspiciously wet. Crying…he was crying for her. It shook her to her very soul when she realized the anguish she saw mirrored in Matt’s eyes was for her. Speech was impossible; her throat was raw and constricted. Kai gave a bare nod of her head. She was instantly rewarded with a smile from Matt that would have made a rainbow appear on a rainy day.

      “That’s it. I’ll help you stand….”

      She felt his grip become firm as she struggled to rise. Halfway up, her knees buckled. A gasp escaped her. Instantly Matt’s arms were there, steadying her and helping her to her feet. Clutching at the torn fabric of her sweat shirt, Kai leaned heavily against him, her head against his shoulder. Matt Taylor represented protection. Her fear fled, and she sagged into his arms, shutting her eyes tightly as she entrusted herself to him.

      Matt pressed a kiss to her dark russet hair, aware of the faint scent of lilac. “Okay?”

      Kai barely nodded, relying on his strength and guidance. Once she was safely on the bunk, he reluctantly released her. Picking up the jacket he had given her previously, Matt drew it around her hunched shoulders. “Here,” he said hoarsely, “put this on. Lie down, if you want.”

      She raised her head, watching him straighten and walk to the door. A shiver of dread wove through her as she saw an awful light in his steel-gray eyes. The door was shut with finality behind him. Kai shakily pulled the torn sweat shirt off over her head while an ugly wave of humiliation washed through her. As she slipped on the lightweight blue jacket, she heard Boyce and Taylor arguing heatedly. No, she didn’t want to hear it! She hated violence. Numbly she worked the zipper with trembling fingers until it cooperated. Drawing the zipper up to her neck, she lay down, shutting her eyes tight. Suddenly she heard both men fighting. The sounds invaded her state of shock. Violence. That was all any of them knew. Covering her ears in an attempt to block out the noise, Kai sobbed. They were all little better than animals.

      * * *

      AFTER WHAT SEEMED an eternity to her, quiet settled in, with the exception of Taylor’s harsh voice issuing orders. Kai blinked back the tears. There was no sense in crying. She had to get control of herself even if she couldn’t control the situation she was embroiled in.

      Sitting up, Kai tried to comb her

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