Piers
He felt the hot flush of anxiety as he released his grip on the obnoxious woman he was holding so closely. Damn her. But she was a vixen, he thought furiously, trembling with rage. She smiled, her wide, tempting mouth parting to reveal pearly white teeth. She delicately licked her bottom lip, amusement, and arousal going through her as he watched the young man’s face flush with anger and desire.
‘Well?’ she whispered,’ Shall we talk’
He thrust her away from him and turning, left the small holding cell. But her voice rang in his eyes.
‘Piers Delano, believe me now, There is something you need to know about your precious sibling.’
*
Hours later, he was back. He did not have the courage to tell his father what he had just learnt. Lucien Delano adored his daughters and that whatever silly little Tara had been up to, must be kept a secret. He had tried to call his siblings, Ria and Claude but both of them were unreachable. Claude must be asleep, he thought as he rubbed his forehead in frustration; as for Ria, since Philippe was back, he must be scre*ing her mightily.
So Piers returned to the cell.
*
The woman looked up as the door opened and he scowled at her, still trying to control the inevitable flash of lust that made him harden as he saw her. The light fell on her for she was sitting awkwardly on the thin mattress. There were rust-coloured stains on the walls in some places and on the floor. The blood of the prisoners who had been tortured and killed here, he recalled. He had never done so but his father had never hesitated to use his fists and kill to squeeze out a confession from a person. Now Hila stood up and once again, he admired her swiftness, her agility as she stood, feet apart, watching him narrowly, not a trace of apprehension on her beautiful pale face.
‘Tell me,’ he barked, his hands clenched at his sides, the biceps bulging as he controlled his desire to grab her and break her. Hila’s lips twitched. Her hands were still behind her, tied securely and the two guards who had accompanied him, stood, weapons cocked and ready, watching her from the door.
‘No, pretty Piers,’ she said in that throaty voice that made him want to kiss her hard. She had a way of rolling the ‘r’ that set his loins on fire.
She shook her head, almost in genuine regret as she went on,
‘No, no, no, Piers Delano.’
She slowly took a step toward him and smiled as the men behind him raised their weapons.
‘This is how we will do it,’ she said and he tensed, his pale grey-blue eyes narrowing. ‘I will give you the information that you need. And then I will disappear. After you release my brother.’
He smiled at her scornfully.
“Why would I believe an assassin like you, baby?’
She flinched at his words, just a little but she spoke with determination, her chin raised as she said in her husky voice,’ meeting his eyes bravely, ‘Because I have no wish to work for a monster like Paval Rudenko and his deranged beast of a nephew.’
The truth in her eyes halted him. He was still suspicious but something about her attitude made him trust her. He still watched her impassively as he said,’ I am not convinced.’
She took another step but he snapped sharply, ‘Stand there, wh*re.’ She laughed loudly , throwing her head back, the long, slender white neck and the soft mounds of the flesh at the base of the neck of her T-shirt tantalizing him again.
“Little boy, insults do not mean a thing to me.’
And then, with a small sigh, she added,
‘I have come too far in my life, pretty Piers.’
Her attitude changed abruptly, the black eyes hardening as she stood straight and tall, meeting his eyes unflinchingly;
‘Piers Delano, I want my brother. And I shall only tell you about the danger your sister is in, and how she has foolishly placed all of you in danger. But.’ He had become alert, the pale eyes glowing with interest. He knew that his sister Tara was silly but not evil. And yes, she could have been led astray. He waited as Hila watched him closely.
‘I want my brother transferred immediately. To a safe place that I name. And then, and only THEN I shall help you.’ He wanted to shout in frustration.
But he controlled himself.
“It might be too late by then,’ he said in a cold, hard tone. She smiled and he watched her face, the way the emotions shifted, flowing across her mobile face so easily.
‘If you help me, Delano, I will help you.’ And then as he narrowed his eyes, she said, “I can see you have questions in your mind.’
He grunted. ‘Why should I trust you?’
She smiled, shaking her head, knowing that he was truly in her power now.
‘Because I say so.’ She smiled blithely, shrugging her shoulders dismissively as she spoke,
‘ I was born to a devout Jew, a man of God. He might not be proud of what I am today but I am still a person who follows his teachings; I am a woman of my word.’
She stood, unmoving and still as the words sank in.
Piers ran his hand through his fair hair and growled,
‘I shall have to consult my father.’ Her eyes widened in alarm, fractionally before her expression became bland again.
He guessed that the very mention of Lucien Delano who was a ruthless, hard-headed man, would scare her.
She shook her head decisively..
‘It might be too late, Involving your father …’
She shook her head again and moved to turn away. He watched her in incredulity. She was a prisoner and she had the gall to turn her back on Him?
He did not see the smirk on Hila’s face as he wrenched her around.
“You Bi*ch!’
He was breathing hard, trying to make a decision.
She smiled, her eyes were gleaming.
“Quick, make up your mind, pretty Piers.’