***
“Join us, Ms. Ashton.” She heard Skull say whilst taking a seat himself, and instantly felt a shiver run down her spine. There was something about that voice…something compelling…something alluring… Tanesha’s heart pounded. Get a hold of yourself, she scolded herself silently.
Straightening her spine, Tanesha walked closer to the table and stood where she could look Skull in the eye. She saw his eyebrow rise in surprised when she didn’t sit as he expected and almost smirked. From the way, he’d stood earlier, the way he sat now, and his general mannerism, Skull could have easily passed for a military guy, Tanesha thought. She’d seen enough soldiers around her father to know how they carried themselves. Well, her fate was already sealed. From what she’d been told by the men before Skull arrived, she was obviously going to get maimed or even killed. But before the scums got round to doing that, she needed to get something off her chest. And Tanesha did just that.
“I don’t know what you weasels think you’re doing and what you think you can achieve by kidnapping me.” Tanesha started in a cold voice. “But let me assure you of one thing. You’re not going to get away with it. You actually call yourselves men?” Jess shot out of his chair with the intention of getting to Tanesha but one look from Ty, got him to sit back. When Tanesha saw the slightest smile lift the corner of Skull’s mouth, as if he was actually enjoying her display…she got even angrier. She decided to address just Skull.
“A real man does not torture a woman. A real man does not resort to rape. Know what a real man does? He fights for what he wants…like a man. If it’s money you want from my parents, why can’t you be a man and think of legitimate ways to get it?” She gave a dramatic sigh and rolled her eyes. “Why am I even bothering? Of course, your brain is probably not well developed enough to come up with something legal and authentic, that can make someone part with their money. But still, a real man would try, rather than resort to this evil act to make money.”
“What makes you think you’re here so we can make money?” Polks shouted, his face flushed with anger.
“Why else would you go out of your way to do something as despicable as this if not for money, you fool?”
Polks was in Tanesha’s face so fast Ty didn’t see him moving. He nearly had a heart attack.
“Stop.” Ty bellowed. “Don’t hit her.” The command was clear and Polks froze with his hand-drawn back, ready to strike Tanesha. “Nobody hits her,” Ty growled. Then noticing how strangely the men were looking at him, added with a careless shrug. “At least not before I take enough pictures of her looking well.”
The room went quiet. Ty’s eyes locked with the feisty beauty’s, who was panting harshly from obvious anger. He was rock hard. Fuck! He could have sat for a whole day, watching and listening to Tanesha rave and rant and not complain. With that face, those eyes, that curvy, guitar-shaped body, those legs, the strikingly elegant look, and that fire, Tanesha was smoking hot. The girl didn’t just have brains and confidence, she was a perfect ten in the looks department as well, Ty thought feeling his heartbeat quicken.
Damn! But Ty also couldn’t help but think Tanesha couldn’t possibly be a ‘total package’. She was probably a total bitch or even a slut. There was definitely bound to be a flaw. He couldn’t wait to find out which of the two Tanesha was. Polks went back to his seat, leaving Ty and Tanesha to keep staring each other down.
Tanesha wanted to break the look but she couldn’t. She found herself getting lost in those intense blue eyes. Yes, she was shaking from anger, but there was also a tingling feeling of excitement within her. What the fuck was happening to her, she wondered. She realized something even more disturbing…something she didn’t get at all. There was something in Skull’s eyes… Something that calmed her…that told her not to be afraid. It didn’t make sense at all.
“Err…Skull, should I take her back to her room?” Mickey asked, breaking the moment.
Ty turned to look at Mickey. “Yes. I’ve seen all that I need to.” Ty said dryly. The man actually sounded bored, which surprised and infuriated Tanesha.
Tanesha turned around and preceded Mickey to her room, wondering what had just happened. Was it the tattoo? Maybe it was a charm. Surprisingly she hadn’t even noticed the tattoo this time around. The man’s eyes had pulled her in. And what beautiful eyes they were. Tanesha would have kicked herself if she could, at her train of thought. How could she even think of that monster’s eyes as beautiful, she fumed as she flopped onto her mattress.
“Are you nuts?” Mickey said harshly immediately the door closed behind them. “Do you know who that is? That is Skull for fuck’s sake. Nobody messes with Skull. What were you think…”
“Do you mind, Mickey?” Tanesha said in a tired voice. “I need to rest.” She lay down on the hard mattress she’d been given and turned her back on an exasperated Mickey.
She’d told Skull her piece within that short time she’d faced him and that was okay with her. At least she hadn’t been killed for her utterances. She lived to fight another day. That was all that mattered.