Well, hell, Margo thought. That wouldn’t do much to help calm Dash. She stole a quick look at him and saw his eyes narrow, his shoulders bunch. But otherwise he kept quiet.
When he looked at her, she gave an almost indistinguishable shake of her head.
“You and Saul will enjoy her,” Curtis continued. “And once she’s broken, after she’s sobbing and desperate, then we’ll kill her. But not before.”
Proving he was smarter than the others, Toby curled his lip and shook his head. “Saul can have her. I’ll take the girl.”
This disruption to his plans clearly disgusted Curtis, but he accepted Toby’s decision. “Suit yourself.”
With a lecherous look at Yvette, Toby said, “Oh, I plan to.”
Yvette wrapped her arms tightly around herself and stared at her feet.
Cannon still hadn’t moved, hadn’t spoken. Other than an occasional flinching in his jaw, he remained perfectly still.
When Curtis barked, “Goddamn it, Saul, don’t make me tell you again!” Yvette jumped and cried out.
Putting his arm around her, Toby held her tight to his bulky body. “Easy now, little girl. Things are just getting started.” He rubbed his goatee against her face, bit a little roughly at her ear. “No screaming before I give you a good reason.”
Margo held out her arms while Saul—oh, so cautiously—snatched away her purse. He grabbed the gun off the table and literally bolted, high-stepping around the kerosene to place everything on the dining room table behind them.
“You share the videos,” Margo said.
“With each other, of course.”
“No.” She shook her head. “With other swine.”
She could tell her insults were starting to grate on him. The muscles in his neck and shoulders flexed and twitched. “Yes, on occasion, I share. It pays to appease people in high places just in case my plans go awry and I need assistance.”
High places? Like...in the police department? Her stomach knotted and her lungs compressed.
“Now,” Curtis said to Cannon, unconcerned with her distress. “Who exactly are you?”
“He’s no one,” Yvette rushed to say. “He’s just a neighbor. He—”
Toby grabbed her face in his big hand, squeezing so that she had to look up at him. He stared into her eyes...and laughed. “Damn, but I think she’s smitten.”
Curtis smiled over that. “A boyfriend? Interesting.”
“He’s not!”
Ignoring her, Curtis pondered things. “I can imagine all kinds of interesting scenarios between the two of them.”
“Fuck that,” Toby said. “I’m not sharing.”
At the same time, getting so excited he damned near drooled on himself, Saul asked, “Like what?”
“I’ll tell you after we set up the camera. Now, young man.” He waved his finger in a circle. “Hands up while you turn around so we can see that you’re not hiding a weapon.”
Cannon raised his hands and slowly did a turn. Margo saw the bunching of his muscles under his shirt and in his thighs. He was coiled so tightly she wondered that the trippy trio didn’t worry more about it.
“Good, good. Saul, go and secure his hands.” And then to Cannon, “Make one wrong move, and Toby will break her neck. Do we understand each other?”
With no discernible emotion at all, Cannon stared at him. “Perfectly.”
Wow, Margo thought. Cannon was so contained. Both he and Dash were handling things as well as could be expected. No posturing, no drawing undue attention or escalating the tension with ineffectual cursing and struggles.
Cannon stood docile while Saul wrenched his hands back and looped the nylon cuffs around him, zipping them tightly. Cannon’s gaze met hers, and they both understood.
Saul didn’t realize that the restraints needed to be against the skin, not over a long-sleeved T-shirt and jacket.
Cannon turned his back to the wall and stood still. With any luck, Yvette had secured Dash the same way—meaning Dash might be able to get his hands free.
Oh, God, please let us have an advantage.
“She’s up to something,” Toby said.
Margo gave a caustic laugh. “Easy, Toby. Keep that up and everyone is going to think you’re afraid of me!”
“No.” Still holding the knife, Toby rubbed his hand over Yvette’s stomach. “I just don’t want you.”
“Because I make you nervous,” Margo taunted. “I do understand.”
Curtis moved Tipton forward and pushed him roughly into his lounge chair. Tipton bit back an agonizing groan. “Sit in the chair, old man, and don’t move.” Then he grinned at Toby. “You know, I’m starting to think she might be right. Does the little lady scare you?”
“No.”
“She’s...what? Five-four? Maybe weighs a buck-ten?”
Margo shrugged. “Height is right, but you’re off by seven pounds.” Sneering, she added, “Maybe it’s those extra seven pounds that concern old Toby.”
Taking the bait, Toby stopped his unwelcome caress on Yvette and glared at her.
“What?” Margo said, and she prayed Dash would understand. “You want me to play the victim, Toby? Is that it? You want the helpless little woman to cower and cry over the big, bad man?”
Dash’s head jerked up and he breathed harder.
“Yes.” Pushing Yvette aside so roughly she almost fell, Toby took a step forward. “That’s exactly what I want.”
“Toby,” Curtis said in soft warning. “I have plans for her. Do not even think about stealing my fun.”
Filled with evil intent, Toby put his gun and knife behind him on the dining room table, right next to Margo’s purse and weapon. “I won’t kill her,” he said. “I’ll just get her warmed up for you.”
“Don’t be stupid.” Curtis handed over the heavy can. “Douse the men in kerosene first.”
Yvette was nearly hysterical, but Toby grabbed her hair and licked her cheek. “No more on you, honey,” he said against her skin. “I’m going to play with you and I don’t want that shit on me. But if you don’t stand there quietly and be a good girl I’ll f**king drown you in it, then just give you a bath before I have my fun.”
Wanting their attention on her, not anyone else, Margo got snide again. “Chickenshit bastard.”
Forgetting his order, Toby started for her, his intent plain.
Dash struggled to free his arms.
Margo ignored him—and his lack of trust. “Afraid of a real woman, aren’t you, Toby? It’s easy to dominate a girl, to play caveman and conqueror against someone so young and—”
Reaching her in three long strides, Toby backhanded her.
Margo staggered but didn’t fall. Her cheek throbbed, her jaw ached, but luckily he hadn’t broken anything. She didn’t show any pain, didn’t rub her face or tear up.
“Toby,” Curtis chastised, but he sounded entertained.
“You’re going to watch,” Toby said, “as I rape her.”
Margo made herself stare into his black eyes, her own gaze unflinching. “That makes you more comfortable, doesn’t it? Attacking a child instead of a woman? Bullying someone who’s so young and afraid. Maybe,” she continued, “because you can’t get it up otherwise.”
“Jesus,” Cannon mumbled under his breath.
Dash just stared at her. Did he remember their game of victim, how she showed him her ruse? Please don’t let him interfere, she thought. If he pushed them and got shot, or... She almost shuddered at the awful thought. No, they wouldn’t burn anyone. Not yet.
“I bet none of you prickless wonders would know what to do with a real woman.”
Toby reached for her—but Curtis said, “No.”
Breathing hard, Toby stopped, even stepped back from her.
Maybe because she’d included him in her insults, Curtis went coldly furious. “You’re going to regret that smart mouth, bitch.”
“A smart mouth is better than a dumb ass any day.”
Toby stared at her like she was the insane one, then he laughed with derision. “Seriously, Curtis, just shoot her already.”
“No.” Curtis curled and uncurled his fists. “I’ve decided that I’ll take her myself. You two can work over the child after I finish with this one.”
That took Toby by surprise. He ran a hand over his goatee. “You sure, Curtis? I mean, you never risk being seen on camera.”
The corners of his mouth lifted with determined meanness. “Usually,” he said to Margo, “I prefer only to watch. Touching the girls...” He slowly shook his head. “Not really my interest. But for you I’ll make an exception.”
Her heart started racing but she kept her tone unconcerned. “Wow, I feel so special.” The more enraged she got them the more likely they would be to make a mistake. All she needed was one opportunity, and she would react.
Saul actually clapped his hands. “Can I videotape?”
“No, you may not.” Curtis’s attention never wavered from her. “Toby is right. I don’t want to be on film. This will be for my own private memory, not for anyone else.”
Cursing, Dash drew their attention. That slowed things as Toby went over and soaked his legs with the kerosene all the way to his upper thighs. “Just settle down now,” Toby said. “That kerosene is going to itch and burn pretty soon, but at least you’ll have a front-row seat to the show.” He laughed at his own twisted humor and moved to do the same with Cannon.
Bypassing Margo, Toby said, “We’ll leave you clean and dry for now,” but added, “There’ll be plenty of time to fuel you up later.”
She half expected Cannon to react, to kick or fight. Instead he stood still, looking almost bored.
While the men all watched that, Dash wrestled with his bindings.
Margo knew that Dash was trying to send a message. The three stooges might not have noticed, but in her peripheral vision she’d watched him cautiously tug and twist.
She was counting on him getting free, because she wasn’t sure she could do this without him.
Now with the men effectively contained, Curtis took a step closer to her, his attention on her br**sts—and her cell phone rang.
* * *
SILENT AS DEATH, Logan, Reese and Rowdy crept up behind thick shrubbery to survey the house. Thanks to the high sun they were able to stay out of view in tall shadows.
“I had hoped Cannon was wrong.” Rowdy glanced around the area, taking in every shrub, every source of concealment.
“He wasn’t,” Logan said. They each sensed the gloom in the air, the tension that good cops learned to pick up on. Good cops—and men like Rowdy, men who had lived most of their lives on the edge.
Things were off, and they could all feel it.