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Kidnapped by the Billionaire(117)

By:Jackie Ashenden


Eva had tracked the phone to a particular apartment, and Elijah had managed to get rid of the four guards who had been watching that floor without too many problems. He’d checked the bodies for ID but hadn’t managed to find anything. All of which just added to his suspicions that Jericho had indeed taken Violet.

He’d debated briefly the merits of kicking the door in and then had decided to hell with it, he wanted Violet and that was the most direct route. So he had, shooting what must have been the owner of the phone he’d been tracking before the guy had even managed to get a shot off.

Then he’d had eyes for nothing but Violet, because there she was, standing in the middle of the dingy apartment, her face white, but alive. And the relief had nearly brought him to his knees.

He hadn’t failed her. Which meant he could save her.

Then he’d realized she wasn’t alone.

Now, the dead man who was apparently Theo Fitzgerald was staring back at him, looking like he’d just stepped out of the pages of GQ and so fucking smug, Elijah wanted to pull that trigger and Violet be damned.

He could. In fact, she didn’t even need to die. He could just reach out and take her, pull her away and shoot the prick.

But clearly the asshole had had the same thought, because he reached out and put a possessive hand on Violet’s shoulder, pulling her back. Holding her. “I wouldn’t,” he said calmly. “She meant what she said.”

Violet’s expression didn’t change, no matter that her brother seemed to be using her to protect himself.

“Hiding behind your sister, prick?” Elijah didn’t lower the Colt. He wanted to shoot so badly it was all he could do not to pull that trigger. “I guess that’s what Jericho does best after all. He hides and lets other people do his dirty work for him.”

Jericho’s expression didn’t alter, remaining calm. “You should never have involved yourself, Mr. Hunt. You should have given her to me and let me keep her safe.”

“What, with you? Safe like Marie was safe? I don’t fucking think so.”

There was no flicker in that green-gold gaze. No hint of remorse or guilt or even sympathy. There was nothing at all. “Be happy with your trade concessions. That’s all you’re going to get.”

“I don’t want your fucking trade concessions,” Elijah spat. “I never did. All I wanted was your father’s head. And then someone took that, which means I’ll have to settle for yours.”

At last, a flicker of what looked like regret passed over Jericho’s golden-boy features. “I suppose I should have seen this. Nevermind, can’t be helped now. You won’t shoot me, Mr. Hunt. Not if you want Violet to live.”

“You happy with this?” He looked at Violet, staring into her eyes, wanting to see that sympathy he knew was there, that understanding. But there was nothing but pain and that fucking awful determination. “Your brother using you to protect himself?”

An emotion shifted and changed in her eyes, more hurt. “Like you never did the same thing.”

And he felt that, the barbs on the words catching at him, tearing at him. Because of course it was true. He had used her. All this time, that’s exactly what he’d been doing.

“Violet,” he said, unable to keep the desperate sound out of his voice. “Princess … I need this. Let me have it.”

But her expression shuttered. “No. You’re not killing him, Elijah.”

“You want me to hurt you? Is that what you want?”

“But you won’t hurt me.” A bright spark of agony glowed in her eyes, suddenly sharp. “That’s the thing Eli. I know you’d never hurt me, because I know you’re a good man, a just man. And I’m…” She stopped, that little spark glowing brighter. “You told me once that all of us are monsters deep down, even me.”

Oh, fuck. No. “Violet, you’re not—”

“I’m a Fitzgerald, Eli. And us monsters have to stick together.”

“Bullshit,” he said, hard and certain and sure, not wanting those words lingering in the air, not even an echo. Because they were wrong, so wrong. “You’re not a fucking monster. If anyone’s the monster here it’s that asshole standing behind you. And me. I’m the one you should be pointing the finger at.”

“Okay,” Jericho said unexpectedly. “I think I’ve had about enough of this.” And with a smooth movement, he stepped around Violet and pushed her behind him.

Giving Elijah an unimpeded target.

“Theo, no!” She pulled at his arm, but he ignored her, keeping her behind him.