“Whether you believe me or not, I’m trying to protect you.”

  “You have a funny way of showing it,” Winnie argued. “And besides, I don’t need your protection. I don’t have any enemies, except maybe you.”

  How could anyone who looked this damn fine be such a jackass?

  “I don’t have time for this.” Mr. Winter looked at his watch. “Gibson will bring you something to eat. I suggest you don’t try to escape. Fernando is outside the door, and he has a very short temper.”

  Winnie turned his back, hiding the tears that had sprung free. He heard the door open and close as he wiped at his eyes.

  Twenty minutes later a guy who looked like a walking corpse entered the room and set a tray filled with dishes on the side table. The guy didn’t say a single word as he left.

  Winnie wanted to throw the tray across the room, but he was starving. Stress and kidnapping would do that to a person. In Winnie’s case, anyway. He was a stress eater. He should’ve weighed a million pounds from all the crap he’d eaten over the years, but thankfully, he had good genes on his side.

  Besides, the smell of the food lured him closer. He lifted the lid, and the savory scent of chili wafted toward him. God, Winnie hadn’t had chili in forever. It wasn’t even cold enough outside for it, but Winnie wasn’t going to complain.

  He sniffed at the bowl, as though that would tell him if there was poison inside. Hell, he was probably going to die here anyway. That was why, as soon as he was done eating, he would find a way to escape.

  As he ate his chili, he looked around the room. Four-poster bed, plush carpeting, a large-screen television mounted on the wall. For a prison cell, this one was pretty nice.

  But Winnie didn’t plan on staying. He had a life to get back to. An empty apartment and a lackluster job. The only bright side to Winnie’s life was Lenny.

  Mr. Winter had said Winnie would be taken care of, just as long as he didn’t leave the room. There was no way Winnie could live out his life in here, even if the bedroom was five-star.

  He looked toward the door when it opened. Mr. Winter walked back in. He looked uncertain as he stared at Winnie eating. “I hope your food is to your liking.”

  What was this guy’s deal? One minute he was pissy and mean, the next…Winnie looked down at his bowl. To be honest, it was the best chili he’d ever eaten. There were also crackers on his tray, along with a cup of tea.

  Winnie wasn’t a tea drinker.

  “Do you have something else I can drink besides this?” He waved a hand at his cup. “Some soda or even a bottled water?”

  Mr. Winter stuck his head out the door, said something Winnie couldn’t hear, then closed the door. “Fernando will bring you something.”

  Winnie wiped at the sides of his mouth. “So what’s up with you?”

  The food had helped Winnie think a little clearer. He needed to stop getting so explosive and look at this situation from a different angle. It couldn’t hurt to talk calmly, maybe reason with this guy, make Gorgeous Eyes see that keeping him captive was useless.

  Mr. Winter took a seat in a plush chair by the door. “What do you mean?”

  “Keeping me trapped here? What’s your end game? Do you plan on killing me, or are you going to keep me locked up in the gilded cage like some bird?” Winnie dipped his cracker into his bowl. “Or are you going to come to your senses and let me go home?” He furrowed his brows. “What’s your first name?”

  “Wallace.” He leaned forward and cupped his hands between his legs. “I have no intention of killing you, and for now, you’re safest bet is to stay here.” Wallace leaned back. “Why are you in such a rush to leave? I can provide you with whatever you need. As I said before, you’ll be well taken care of.”

  “But I’m still a prisoner,” Winnie pointed out. “I don’t care how pretty you make the offer. You kidnapped me and are forcing me to stay in this room.”

  Wallace shot to his feet, snarling. The guy was actually snarling. As insane as the thought was, for reasons unknown, Winnie’s gut told him that Wallace wouldn’t hurt him. “You humans are impossible! I’m offering you the very best, something you’ve never had, and you want to throw it away.”

  Humans? This prick was delusional. Winnie jumped to his feet, too, ignoring the deep scowl on Wallace’s handsome face. “Maybe if you’d asked, I would’ve considered staying here. But you’ve given me no explanation, and I don’t know you from Adam. I don’t care if I’ve never had it this good. I’m not a materialistic guy who can be bought by pretty things. A cage is a cage no matter how you decorate it.”

  Winnie was dying to ask what Wallace meant by “human” but had a feeling Gorgeous Eyes wouldn’t tell him. The guy was cryptic as fuck, and that was getting on Winnie’s last nerve.

  “At least tell me why you’re keeping me here.”

  A knock sounded. The door opened, and the guard handed Wallace two bottled waters. Wallace tossed one to Winnie, and Winnie caught it.

  “Some things are better not known.” Wallace set the other bottle down on the table next to his chair.

  “You’re a cryptic asshole!” Winnie’s anger was overriding his common sense. Regardless of whether or not he felt Wallace wouldn’t hurt him, he didn’t know that for sure. There was a lethal air about the guy, and Winnie shouldn’t be pressing his buttons.

  So much for trying to reason with the jerk.

  Wallace clenched his jaw as he took a few steps forward. Winnie relented and backpedaled. He held the water in front of him as if it was some kind of shield that could protect him from Wallace’s wrath.

  “I’ve killed men for less,” Wallace said between gritted teeth. “You’d do well to watch your tongue.”

  Winnie had to be certifiably crazy, because he stuck his tongue out at Wallace. “Kill me or release me, but you’re not getting my respect until you’ve given me yours.”

  The pain. It was back in Wallace’s gray-green eyes. His left arm twitched until Wallace gripped it and pulled it to his side. He stormed from the room, slamming the door behind him.

  Winnie threw his water bottle against the door, so mad he wanted to scream. Instead, he collapsed to his knees and curled his arms around himself, terrified of what Wallace’s intentions were.

  Human. What the hell did that even mean? What exactly was Wallace Winter?

  * * * *

  Wallace paced his room in his tiger form. His pain never fully went away, but in his shifted form, it was less. His tiger also wanted to get to Winnie. As much as the little shit irritated him, Wallace couldn’t help but admire the guy’s backbone. He’d thought for sure his mate would cave and resort to begging and crying.

  Not that Wallace wanted Winfred to do that. He just couldn’t let the guy walk away. Wallace had to keep him safe, even if that meant Winfred hating him.

  None of your enemies even know about him yet. You should just let him go. Wallace closed his eyes. As much as he wanted to, he couldn’t bring himself to let his mate walk out the door.

  Then go talk to him. Tell him what’s going on. So Winfred could hate him even more than he already did? Even so, what did Wallace plan on doing with his mate? He couldn’t keep him locked in that room forever.

  Wallace also couldn’t let Lucky know about Winfred. It was truly fucked up when he couldn’t even trust his own brother. Wallace snarled as he paced, feeling edgy and tight in his own skin.

  He shifted and dressed, making sure to put a long-sleeved shirt on before he walked to the end of the hallway.

  “You can take a break,” he told Fernando. Wallace was glad Chapman had placed Winfred in the room right next to his so he could listen out for his mate.

  Also so he could listen to see if anyone neared Winfred’s room. If his mate went into his own bathroom, he would see a door, which was locked. It was attached to Wallace’s bathroom.

  His mate had said he might be more compliant if Wallace had asked him to stay. He placed a hand on the door, wishing he was a normal man, someone Winfred deserved. But Wallace would never be that kind of guy. He’d been raised in a ruthless household where no one could trust each other.

  That was a fucked-up way to live. Wallace didn’t want his baggage on Winfred’s shoulders. The human had never asked to be a part of this, but he was doomed the moment Wallace discovered the human was his mate.

  No matter how badly he wanted to do the right thing, Wallace didn’t have it in him to be altruist and let Winfred walk away.

  Taking a deep breath, he reached for the handle.

  “You’ve been acting pretty squirrely today.”

  Wallace gritted his teeth as he slowly turned his head and watched as Lucky strode down the hallway. “Everyone around here is being tight-lipped. Mind telling me what you’re hiding?”

  Angered that his brother was spying on him, Wallace walked away from Winfred’s door to stop Lucky from getting any closer. “What business is it of yours what I do in my own home?”

  “Jeez.” Lucky held up his hands. “You’re surlier than usual. Who pissed in your cereal?”

  Although Wallace’s migraine had eased, his bicep was still killing him, and if Lucky didn’t back down, Wallace would take his pain out on his brother.

  “Why’re you here?” He walked toward the landing to the stairs, making sure Lucky followed him. His brother’s nosiness would be relentless. Lucky would try to sneak back up here to find out what was behind the door, and Wallace had to ensure he didn’t get that far.

  When they were at the bottom of the steps, Lucky turned to face Wallace. “I just don’t get you. I’ve been telling you for years I can do more for you, but on every turn, you shut me out.”

  Because I don’t trust you. “I thought you enjoyed the party life. You’re immature, have no goals, no discipline, and lack focus.”

  “Bullshit,” Lucky bit out. “I’ve done more for this family and business than you give me credit for.”

  Pain shot through Wallace’s skull. He gritted his teeth, wishing his brother would just leave. He wasn’t in the mood for this argument. Not when he needed to talk to Winfred.

  Wallace headed for his office. When Lucky stormed out of the house, Wallace changed course and went back upstairs. He cursed when he realized he’d forgotten to summon Fernando.

  With trepidation, Wallace went to his mate’s room and opened the door. The room was empty.

  * * * *

  Winnie stuck his ear to the door when he heard low murmuring outside his door. He waited until the sounds of footsteps receded before he poked his head out.

  The hallway was empty.

  After taking in a deep breath, he rushed into the hallway, closed his door behind him, and tiptoed toward the top of the steps. At the foot he saw Wallace and some other guy arguing.

  He was all for getting out of there, but the steps weren’t an option. There were only two doors to choose from, and one was his, so he opened the door to the other room and slipped inside.

  On the nightstand was a landline. Winnie’s heart skipped a beat as he rushed across the room and snatched the cordless from the base. His first thought should’ve been to call the cops, but he called Lenny, instead.

  “Hello?”

  “Lenny, it’s me,” Winnie whispered.

  “Dude, where are you? I went by your job, but your boss said you left a little after lunch and haven’t been back. From the way he spoke, I’m pretty sure you’re fired.”

  “I was kidnapped,” Winnie said. “I don’t know where I’m at, but some guy named—”

  A hand slapped over his mouth as the phone was snatched away. Wallace hung up and threw the phone across the room. Winnie’s heart skyrocketed as he was thrown to the bed.

  Wallace descended on him, trapping Winnie’s wrists as he lowered his head, their noses almost touching. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?”

  Fire filled Winnie’s belly as he bucked and twisted but couldn’t get free. “You can’t keep me here, you jackass!”

  Wallace bared very long teeth that stopped Winnie in his tracks. “Call me one more fucking name and I’m going to spank you until you can’t sit.”

  Winnie was frozen. He stared at the elongated canines and swallowed. They reminded him of teeth a lion or other large animal should have.

  But they hadn’t been there earlier. As he watched, the canines slowly receded.

  “What are you?”

  “Pissed and in pain, so don’t fuck with me.” Wallace’s eyes widened slightly, as if he hadn’t meant to share that last part about the pain. He snarled and curled his lip but didn’t move except to pull his head back slightly.

  Winnie was at a loss of what to say, do, or think. He kept staring at Wallace’s mouth, waiting for the guy’s teeth to lengthen again. There was a swirl of fascination and fear in Winnie’s chest. His lips had grown dry, so he licked them as his gaze wandered from Wallace’s mouth to his gray-green eyes.

  Wallace looked just as affected. His pupils dilated. His breathing became more labored and audible. He pressed his body harder into Winnie’s, and Winnie felt how hard Wallace was. Fluttering sensations gathered in his stomach as thoughts he shouldn’t be having entered his mind, cravings he shouldn’t be feeling taking over his body.

  Ever so slowly, Wallace lowered his head. He brushed those sensual lips over Winnie’s, and Winnie groaned. Common sense had flown out the window. Need had taken over, clouding Winnie’s mind.

  It was an almost-kiss, so close, yet so far that Winnie wanted to shout for Wallace to do something, anything to relieve the ache in his groin. Winnie bucked, desperate to get closer. Wallace’s hold on Winnie’s wrists grew more intense.

  A knock shattered the moment. Completely obliterated it. Wallace pulled back so fast he stumbled. He righted himself, pressed a finger to those plump lips of his, and guided Winnie to the bathroom.

  “Stay quiet.” Wallace closed the door. That didn’t stop Winnie from pressing his ear against the wood. He was becoming an expert eavesdropper, something he’d never done before.

  “I got Viper in the wine cellar.”

  Winnie recognized the voice. It was Gorilla.

  “Is he secure?” Wallace asked.

  “He’s not going anywhere,” Gorilla replied.

  Was Gorilla Chapman? He recalled Wallace talking about someone named Chapman, but there was no telling how many men worked for Wallace.

  “I’ll deal with him later. Make sure no one goes down there.”

  “Yes, sir,” Gorilla said.

  Winnie backed away. He looked around at the fanciest bathroom he’d ever seen. White-and-gold walls. Stone flooring. A glass shower and a hot tub on the right side of the room. There was even a small waterfall at the back of the room.

  Then Winnie noticed the door. He tiptoed over and opened it. The door led to another bathroom. He closed it in time and moved away just as Wallace stepped in.

  A flush of heat washed through Winnie as he thought of how Wallace had had him pinned to the bed. He was dying to find out how well the guy kissed.

  Are you crazy? He’s your kidnapper. Stop thinking with your other head, you ninny. By now Lenny should’ve gone to the cops. Unfortunately the phone had been snatched away before Winnie could tell his cousin who had him.

  “Who’s Viper?” Winnie tucked his hands behind his back. “Why is he being held in the wine cellar?” Wallace had mentioned that name before.

  Wallace leaned his hip into the counter. He cocked his head and studied Winnie in a strangely seductive way. “The guy who tried to kill me.”

  “The one you got the knife from and stabbed?” Winnie’s eyes widened. “I mean I didn’t see a thing. I swear.”

  Wallace straightened. “You need to go back to your room. We’ll talk again in the morning.”

  Winnie didn’t want to be trapped in there again, although he had to admit he felt exhausted. Who knew being kidnapped could be so draining?

  Wallace walked to the door Winnie had been peeking into and opened it. Winnie surmised that it was his own bathroom, which was linked to this one.

  He wasn’t going to argue with Wallace. Now Winnie had a chance at escape. If he could figure out when Wallace wasn’t in his bedroom, he could use the adjoining door and get out of there.

  With a yawn, Winnie went back to his room. He heard the lock engage behind him. He would get out of there just as soon as he figured out how to pick a lock.

  Chapter Four

  Winnie jerked out of his sleep like he’d been slapped. He wasn’t sure why either. No one was in his room, and it was dead silent. He wobbled a little, unsteady, trying to focus.

  Then it all came back to him. The knife. Trying to save that guy’s life. The kidnapping. Gorgeous Eyes. Winnie threw back the soft covers, getting out of the most comfortable bed he’d ever slept in. No kidding. It felt as though he’d slept on clouds.

  In an effort to get ready for bed, Winnie had slid off his jeans. He pulled them back on, along with his shoes, and crept into the bathroom. He wasn’t sure how to pick a lock, but he had to try, had to find something that would help him get out of there because he was certain Fernando or his replacement was in the hallway.

  An ear to the door told Winnie all was quiet on the other side. That didn’t mean a thing. Wallace could be asleep or sitting on his balcony. If he caught Winnie trying to escape again, Wallace just might tie him to the bed.

  Winnie tried the knob, even though he’d heard it lock earlier, and to his delight, it turned and opened. What the hell? Not that he wasn’t glad, but why was it unlocked? Had Wallace come in while Winnie was asleep?

  The thought was a bit creepy. Had the guy watched Winnie sleep? An even creepier thought. Winnie couldn’t think of any other reason why it would be unlocked.

  Pushing those thoughts aside, he eased the door open and tiptoed into Wallace’s bathroom. Winnie’s wasn’t as fancy, but it was still nicer than any bathroom he’d been in before.

 

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