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“Open this door,” Lydia screamed from the bedroom. “Lucian!”
“She’s upset.” Jonathan listened from the parlor at the end of the hall. “I expected that.” He got vodka out the glossy black liquor cabinet. “You want one? It’ll help you relax.”
“We can’t do this.” Lucian sat on the black, suede couch. “This is wrong.”
“Why are you so uptight?” Jonathan relaxed in the high-backed chair in front of the abstract portrait. “You did your part and I’m grateful.”
“You promise you’re gonna let Lydia go once Dee gets here?”
Jonathan shook the liquor around in his glass.
“Candra said you wanted Lydia. What did she mean by that?”
“Why are you so concerned?” A gleam of deviltry hit Jonathan’s eyes. “You’ve already gotten attached to her?”
“Don’t be ridiculous. Lydia has nothing to do with this, and I want to make sure she doesn’t get hurt.”
“I promise I’ll let her go once I have Deidra.” Jonathan slurped vodka. “Stay.”
“Stay?”
“Yeah, stay here in Wales. You could have a wonderful life here.”
“Baltimore is my home and what about my dad?”
“Your dad is cured because of me.” Jonathan lifted his glass. “He’s living his own life. You should try it some time.”
“I can’t just pick up and leave the states.”
“Why not? You don’t have a wife, you don’t have kids. What’s in Baltimore? A crappy job where you risk your life for crappy pay?”
“I’m proud of what I do.” Lucian stretched out his leg. “At least I used to be.”
“Come here.” Jonathan beckoned for Lucian to follow him to the window. “What do you see?”
“Nature.” Lucian sniffed. “Land and beauty.”
“And peace. You always said you wished you had my life.” He put his arm around Lucian’s shoulders. “You could have everything you want here. Women, money. Lucian?” Jonathan took Lucian’s hand in a firm grip. “I want you to be in The Circle.”
He turned from the window.
“You belong here with us and don’t forget you’ve done some terrible things back home. If people ever find out, it wouldn’t be pretty. You’d go to prison.”
Lucian exhaled, nose wrinkling.
“What would you rather have?” Jonathan finished his vodka. “Freedom with us or prison at home? Besides, don’t you like Lydia?”
“Let me out of here,” Lydia shrieked. “Let me go!”
Lucian sighed, glancing at the parlor doorway.
“You like Lydia.” Jonathan swaggered to the liquor cabinet for a second drink. “No telling what could happen between you if you stayed.”
Lucian cracked a crooked smirk.
****
Lydia gasped, jerking up in the bed as the door opened.
Jonathan paraded in, lust flashing in his eyes. “Hello.” He exhaled, stuffing the key into his black slacks. “Isn’t this a lovely surprise?”
Tears hung from her bottom eyelids. “Let me go.”
He moaned, hooking his hands together. “That would defeat the purpose, wouldn’t it?”
She folded her legs. “Why are you doing this?”
“The same reason I do everything.” He got the small plant of white flowers off the stand in the corner. “This flower is Jasmine.” He spun the little flowerpot in his hand. “It calms anxiety and helps you sleep. I hoped it would relax you.”
“You faked your death?” She shook her head. “How fucked up do you have to be to do something like that?”
“Lydia. Such language is beneath you.”
“What’s your plan? To swap me out for Dee?”
He sat on the bed. “Stay.”
“Kiss my ass and let me out.” She ran to the door.
“Lydia?” Jonathan pulled a silver Glock 19 out his pocket. “I’ll hurt you if you make me.”
She faced him, shivering against the door. “Stay away from my sister.”
“Nah.” He rose. “She’s coming home thanks to you.”
“I won’t let you hurt her again.”
He walked up to her. “I only want to make Deidra happy.”
“She is happy.” Her nostrils tickled from his peppery cologne. “She’s having a baby with the man she’s loved more than anyone and you can’t stop that, Jonathan.”
“I have my ways of making Deidra see what I want her to see.” He pressed against her, laying his hand on the door beside her as an erotic glow filled his eyes.
She tossed her head in the opposite direction. “Get away from me.”
“Remember when we first met?” He stroked her hair.
“Don’t touch me.”
“In the garden? Ooh.” He closed his eyes, tucking his bottom lip into his teeth. “I wanted you so much. It took everything in my power not to take you.”
She shook from fury more than fear. “It’ll never happen.”
“My attraction for you didn’t just start that day.” He touched her shoulder. “It grew from all the stories Deidra told me and from then I had to have you.”
“You’ll never have me or my sister.” She spit in his face, spraying the tip of his nose.
“You’ll warm up because you’ll have no choice.” He smiled, wiping her spit off his nostrils. “I make the rules. Now I could...” He pushed the gun into her bosom. “Forget about being a gentleman and do whatever I want.”
She stiffened. “Don’t.”
“It’s my world, Lydia.” He sniffed her neck. “It’s my home, my land, and my game.” With one yank, he ripped her fuchsia blouse open, sending buttons flying.
“No!” Lydia tried to cover her chest.
He snatched her hand away and ogled her lacey white bra. “I control everything around here. Do you get it?” He seized her waist, holding him to her. “I can do anything I want. Anything.” He kissed her neck, fondling her buttocks through her denim shorts.
“Stop!” She wiggled. “You bastard. Get off me.”
“I can have anything I want including you.” He let her go.
“I hate you.” She sniffled, pulling her blouse onto her shoulders.
“Don’t cry.” He kissed the tears off her cheek. “Deidra and I will have a great life together.” He sauntered backward, smiling. “You can too.”
She turned away, cringing.