Bad Men - Piper Stone Page 0,11

the shame too much to bear.

But my body refused to respond other than to remain electrified. Even the way Diego was leering at me excited the woman deep inside. I couldn’t believe I’d fallen to such a disgusting level. Was I nothing but some primal beast? I wasn’t certain I wanted to know the answer.

“You will learn that all women want nothing more than to succumb to the men who own them. You will also accept that your place is only to please me. If not, you will be punished severely.”

I shuddered at the thought of the words the Serpent had used more than once, his threats always coming after my refusal to bow to him like some dog.

Sighing, Diego leaned over, lifting my arm and forcing me to wrap my fingers around the bottle of water. I hated to admit that the feeling of the cool plastic was pleasant, the sweltering heat within the cabin almost too much to bear. However, I allowed it to drop on the bed next to me, still trying to understand what was going on.

“What did the Serpent do to you?” Diego asked quietly as he dared to finger a fading bruise on my arm.

“What do you care?” When he sat still, his eyes never blinking, I rubbed my eyes.

“Don’t be ridiculous. No man should ever be able to harm a woman in such a manner.”

“Yeah? Well, he didn’t seem to give a shit. Just leave me alone.” I pushed the bottle away, wanting nothing to do with either of them. I couldn’t trust even myself.

“Doctor, you need liquids or you’re going to succumb to the heat,” he stated. I couldn’t stand the fact his voice held a hint of caring, like I meant anything to them. I was just some paycheck. I had to wonder how much I was worth.

“Nothing you can offer me will matter. Nothing. You are a pariah and nothing more. All men are.”

Grimacing, I anticipated some horrible kind of punishment. My bottom still ached, the slow burn something that would remain for at least a full day. When he sat down on the bed beside me, I closed my eyes trying to block him out. I knew Jack, the arrogant bastard, was outside, his rifle firmly planted in his hand before he left.

He chuckled, shaking his head. “Maybe you’re right, Doctor, but I came here to save your life, not hurt you any further. I realize you don’t know what’s going on and certainly can’t trust your surroundings, but Jack is correct in that the less you know the better. Rest assured that we’ve been hired to get you back home safely. And we are damn good at what we do. You’ll just have to trust us.”

“Trust? You are out of your mind.”

He inhaled, looking away for a few seconds. “That will come with time.”

“Do you really expect me to buy that my father, a doctor in Washington, DC, actually hired you? He doesn’t know people like you,” I snarked. How the hell was I supposed to trust them?

He seemed surprised, turning his head slowly. I could feel the heat, a level of anger lying just underneath the surface. I’d been unable to take my eyes off the various tattoos covering his arms, the oversized dragon gorgeous in detailing. Maybe I was just trying to remain sane.

“What exactly does that mean, Dr. Walters?”

“It means that my father has no idea that I accepted the position that brought me to Brazil. He and I don’t get along and never have. He wanted me to stay and work in the same hospital where he’s been the chief of staff for thirty years. I wanted to get as far away as possible. When the opportunity to work for Doctors Without Borders came, I left without talking to my parents, selling just about everything I owned in order to have enough money to live on. My decision was something my father would never believe. The Walterses are far too eloquent to serve in something so tawdry. Given that arsenal of information, how did you and the arrogant asshole know where to find me?”

I hated that something nagged at me. My father had his share of secrets, business dealings with the criminal element. I rolled my eyes at the thought. While my father’s salary was significant, that certainly hadn’t paid for the extravagances surrounding him. Expensive cars. A gated estate. Vacations to every corner of the world. Had he gotten involved in something that