Leilani curled into the fetal position to protect her stomach, but the kick never comes. She slowly uncurls and slides away from the officer on her back. She props herself up and starts to stand. Suddenly a massive black boot pushes her chest and forces her back down to the cold and dirty floor.
Leilani kicks upward and catches the man in the crotch. He immediately crumples over and shouts in pain. She tries to kick him again, but he moves out of the way. One of the uniformed officers grabs her. His hands are hot and greasy, and she struggles away from him. She kicks and hits in every direction, hoping to hurt one of the officers.
The men quickly overpower her. One uniformed officer pins her arms to her side, and their boss grabs her around the neck. The veins on his forehead look like they’re about to explode.
“You’re going to pay,” he says.
“Stop!” a commanding voice shouts.
The officer takes his hand off her throat, and Leilani turns to see Andrew. He’s wearing a dark three-piece suit, and his hair looks windblown and messy. The mole in the corner of his eye seems to wink at her. What is he doing here? She wonders. There’s no way this is just a coincidence.
Andrew’s face is twisted with anger. He stomps across the room and kicks the officer in the shins. The man falls to the floor, and Andrew kicks him hard in the stomach. Leilani backs away—she doesn’t trust Andrew any more than she trusts the corrupt officers.
“I’m so sorry, Mr. Clifford,” the officer says.
Andrew’s black crocodile loafer crushes the officer’s cheek. The man m.o.a.ns in pain, but he doesn’t dare to fight back. The uniformed officers stand with their backs pressed against the wall.
“How dare you lay your hands on my woman,” Andrew says.
“Your woman?” the police officer sounds shocked. “I was acting on Miss Clifford’s orders. Your sister asked me to beat this woman and her sister.”
“My sister ordered this?” Andrew asks, frowning. “Why is Jessica angry with you?”
Leilani shrugs. She looks down and sees that her white capri pants are dirty and stained. The hemline on her indigo blouse is torn. She can still taste the salty blood in her mouth.
“I don’t even know your sister,” Leilani says. “If she ordered this, why are you here?”
“I’m here to rescue you,” Andrew says with a small smile. “Aren’t you happy to see me?”
Leilani feels her stomach turn, and she fights the urge to vomit. Is it possible that Andrew’s sister asked to have me beaten just so Andrew could play the hero and come to my rescue? That’s so sick. But Andrew is a sick man, so it makes sense that his sister would be the same.
Andrew puts more weight on his foot, and the officer screams. Suddenly, Andrew takes his foot off the man’s face. He kicks the man in the stomach.
“Apologize to my woman,” Andrew says.
“I’m so sorry, Miss,” the officer says. “I received an order to beat you, and I obeyed. If it makes it any better, the woman who ordered me to beat you promised me that someone would rescue you soon.”
Leilani’s blood runs cold. My suspicions were right, she thinks. That’s so twisted. Did Andrew know all along that I was going to be beaten, or is he as clueless as he looks? She looks at Andrew’s face, but it’s impossible to tell if his anger is real or fake.
“Did you want to come to my rescue?” Leilani asks sourly. “Did you think I’d fall into your arms and promise to love you because you saved me from some thuggish police officers?”
“My sister’s orders have nothing to do with me,” Andrew says, raising his open palms in the air.
“I don’t believe you,” Leilani says. She turns to the police officer and says, “Let my sister go, right now.”
The officer turns to look at Andrew, waiting for his approval. Andrew nods, and the man rushes toward the door. His keys jingle as he runs.
“Stop,” Andrew shouts. “I changed my mind. Leave her sister here.”
“Andrew, what are you doing?” Leilani asks nervously. “We can talk about this, just let my sister go. She has nothing to do with you, and you know she’s innocent.”
“Oh, we can talk about this?” Andrew asks with a mocking smile. “Why don’t we talk about the sleeping pills mixed into my food? Why don’t we talk about you drugging me when you know I have a delicate heart?”
“You were keeping me, prisoner, at Misty Mansion,” Leilani says. “You know I was miserable there, and you know I wanted to leave, but you kept me anyway. I did what I had to do to escape. You can only blame yourself for that. You were overconfident and arrogant to think that no one could escape.”
“You didn’t seem so miserable to me,” Andrew says, crossing the room toward her. His voice becomes low and suggests, “Next time, just tell me what you want.”
“Of course you knew I was miserable,” Leilani says, backing away. “And there won’t be the next time.”
Andrew grabs her hand and gently places it on his chest. Even though his suit jacket, she can feel the warmth of his skin and the powerful beat of his heart. He closes her eyes and holds her hand on his chest for a while.
“My heart has missed you,” Andrew says. “Charles’ heart has missed you. Please come back with me.”
“What if I don’t go with you?” Leilani asks, tugging her hand away.
“I’ll let you leave,” Andrew says. He smiles and adds, “But Gabrielle has to stay in prison.”
“So, you’ll let me go back to Waylen and keep my sister here with these monsters?” Leilani asks. “What will you ask them to do to her?”
Andrew shrugged, “If you go with me, I’ll have one of my men take Gabrielle back to wherever she wants to go.”
Leilani thinks about the situation. It would be easy enough for Waylen to get Gabrielle out of prison, but who knows what could happen to her in the time it takes Leilani to talk to Waylen. She looks at the police officers and thinks about their greasy hands on her throat, and she shudders. She can’t let them touch Gabrielle.
“You really like to use my sister against me,” Leilani says grimly.
“Well, you’re the most difficult woman I’ve ever met,” Andrew says with a laugh. “I have to do whatever it takes to conquer you.”
Leilani rubs her temples and tries to think of a way out of the situation. She doesn’t want to go with Andrew again—if Waylen finds out, he’ll put himself in danger to rescue her. Things are bad enough with his grandfather already, and she’s terrified of what Francis will do if Waylen angers him. Still, she knows she can’t leave Gabrielle.
“I refuse both of your options,” Leilani says. “I have a third one.”
“What’s the third option?” Andrew asks, raising his eyebrows in surprise.
“Let Gabrielle go, and I’ll take her place at the police station,” Leilani says confidently.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.
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