Chapter SIX
Jagger stayed in bed, contemplating his revenge. He knew how to handle people who betrayed him. He had tortured before. He had killed before. But, she was different. He thought about hurting her the way he'd hurt so many men. It pained him. He didn’t know if he could bring himself to do it. Maybe he would let his family handle it. No. He got himself into this mess, and he would get himself out.
Plus, no matter how infuriated he was, he didn’t want anyone else to touch her. She was still his. How did he let himself fall back into this habit so quickly? He hadn’t seen the woman in ten years. Still, he had dreamed of this reunion every day since he left her. It was exactly how he had imagined it; except for the red dress of deceit. He felt her breathing slow against his chest and knew she had fallen asleep.
It pleased him to know that she still felt comfortable around him. If she were about to betray him, why would she have fallen asleep? Wouldn’t she have been on high alert? He would have to get answers before exacting his revenge. This would be new for him, but he was willing to try a different approach if it might prove her to be innocent. But how would he get her to talk?
Britton opened her eyes. She had fallen asleep. How did she fall asleep? Where was she? It was Jagger’s hotel room. The memories of passion came rushing back to her, and she lost her breath at the thought. She couldn’t believe how much she had enjoyed him: his touch, his passion. What was she doing? She was instantly reminded of her initial fight with David after he had dropped Jagger’s file in front of her. She didn’t think she was ready for this case back then. The stream of emotions rising to the surface of her body proved that her original fears were, in fact, accurate. She knew she couldn’t let this affair last much longer; she might get sucked deeper into his trance.
It was dark, except for a small light coming from the bathroom. Should she go check out the room for evidence? Was Jagger asleep too? Where was Jagger? His arms were not wrapped around her as they were before she had nodded off. She slowly turned her head to the other direction. Nothing. Where had he gone? She tried to reach out. Her arms were stuck. Why were her arms stuck? She tried to pull her knees to her chest. Her legs wouldn’t budge. She was bound. How did she not remember this happening? Was it during their love making? No. She remembered every second of their passion. This must have happened later. How deep was she sleeping?
“Jagger?”
The bedside lamp flashed to life. He was sitting alongside the bed, staring at her. He held up her dress.
“What is this?”
“The dress I wore tonight. Why am I tied up?”
“I’ll ask the questions. Why did you wear this dress?”
She knew he had recognized it. Damn. Why had she wanted to tease him with their past? Of course he would think that she was up to something. She needed to think of a back story, and fast.
“I was hoping I’d see you.”
“You knew I’d be here?”
“When Larry offered me the promotion, he mentioned a few of his favorite clients. You were the first name he threw out.”
“Why did he bring me up?”
“He only gave me your first name. He told me I should get to learn everyone’s name so it felt more familiar and welcoming in the high roller room.”
Jagger didn’t know whether to believe her. Her story made sense, but it seemed too easy. He wasn’t used to things being easy. He crawled over her, and reached for her wrists. Britton thought she had passed his test. She wanted to let out a sign of relief, but knew it would make her seem guilty. She held her breath. Without warning, she screamed. He had tightened her bindings. The rope was digging painfully into her wrists.
“Why?” she whimpered.
“I don’t know if I can trust you.”
“What else can I say? I only know my truth.”
“Why did you wear that dress?”
The only escape she could think of was to confess to him that she had been thinking of him all these years. “If I saw you, I wanted you to recognize me.”
Now he knew. She was still hurting from him. Why hadn’t she thought of a stronger cover story? Hell, why did she have to wear that dress and make everything so complicated now?
He pulled in close to her, allowing his breath to warm her neck.
“Britton, why wouldn’t I recognize you? You were my first love.”
The word ‘first’ stung her. She had wanted him to say ‘only’. She scolded her heart for thinking in such a childish way. Who cared what he said. Did he believe her? She wanted to tell him that she thought of him every day. She wanted to ask him why he left her. She wanted him to hold her and tell her everything would be all right. Britton looked into his eyes, hoping they would soften. Instead, his hand clutched her face.
She couldn’t move her head, his grip too strong. She tried to struggle, to fight back, but her binds were so tight she was losing feeling in her arms. Jagger reached for her bag. Had she left her badge in there? Was she that stupid? Did she have a government I.D.? Was she unaware of a bug they had put in her bag? She tried to think of another reason for him to be angry, but her vision started to become fuzzy.
“What is this?”
She squinted and tried to focus.
“My phone?”
“Thirteen missed calls from David.”
David. She had forgotten to call him. She had fallen asleep. He must have been so worried.
“Whom do you work for?”
“The casino. Larry.” She squeaked out.
“Don’t lie to me.”
“Please…”
His features began to soften and he loosened his grip on her, beginning to believe the sincerity in her eyes.
“Jagger…” She began to cry.
This hurt him. He did not want to put her through this, but he needed to know the truth. He laid his head on her chest.
“Shhh. Just… stop crying. I just need to know why you’re here, it's all too coincidental.”
He could feel his anger slowly leaving his body. How was he doing this to her? He didn’t want to hurt her; after all these years he still cared about her.
“Britton, just tell me who David is.”
She couldn’t tell him that he was her superior at the FBI, but why else would he have called her thirteen times? She would need to come up with something. Something. She couldn’t help the tears streaming down her face. She was in pain, both physically and emotionally.
“Britton.” he repeated, raising his eyebrows.
“He’s my boyfriend.”
Jagger sat back. She knew he wouldn’t be happy to hear that, but she needed to remind him of his jealousy. She knew this would hurt him, and right then, the only thing she wanted to do was hurt him back.
“Your boyfriend?”
“He’s the reason I moved back to Las Vegas.” That was a more likely story and it explained her return to the city she had promised to never look back on.
“How long?”
“We’ve been together almost four years.” That would explain her moving back three years ago. She was thinking surprisingly fast, in spite of the train wreck of emotions crashing over her.
Jagger stood up and walked toward the door. He paced for a second and then kicked the small corner table into the wall. His hands moved to his head and his face crinkled.
“But you slept with me.”
“It wasn’t planned.” It actually was, but he didn’t have to know that.
“But you slept with me.”
“David and I are fighting.”
He moved closer to her. “And you wore this dress.” He was still clinging to it.
She fought the next words that would come out of her mouth, but she knew she had to say them.
“I’ve never stopped loving you. How could I pass up the opportunity to see you one more time?”
She carefully selected those last three words hoping they would burn. She wanted him to fight her, to force her to stay with him. That would be how she would finish this case and take him in.
He reached over her naked body and undid her wrist tie. He still felt uneasy about her sudden return to his life, but he couldn’t keep her tied up anymore. It was making him nauseated to see her like this. He finished untying the ropes. She didn’t move. He leaned into her, hoping to feel her lips against his. He needed to know that she was okay.
Without warning, she slapped him across the face as hard as she could. It felt so good to do that, she'd been wanting to physically hurt him for so many years, the feeling was exhilarating. She stared at him, her eyes level with his, in this moment she wasn't afraid of him or what he was capable of—he knew he was acting like a motherf*cker and she wanted him to know she wouldn't stand for it anymore. She smacked him again even harder, drawing blood from his lip this time.
He stood up, looking absolutely crushed, clearly hating himself in this moment.
“I'm sorry Britton, but this is who I am. You have to understand that I have to be careful. But I want you to stay. I hope that you’ll consider spending the rest of the night with me.”
Britton didn’t say anything; she just stared at him. If she were any normal woman, she would run out of there. If she didn’t, he would be suspicious. Was he still testing her?
“Can you please hand me my dress?”
She reached out, and he cringed as he saw her wrists were burned and bleeding from the coarse rope. Why was he so good at hurting her?
“Please stay.” he pleaded.
It was a sincere request. He truly wanted her forgiveness and he needed her touch. But why would she stay with him after what he had just done to her? After what he had done all those years ago? He wasn't worthy of her forgiveness.
“I apologize if you didn't hear me. Can you please hand me my dress?”
She wasn’t budging. Jagger slowly passed on the red satin and hung his head. Had he lost her again? Had his dark soul cost him the love of his life twice now? He was so used to ordering people around that he had forgotten what it was like to lose. Britton slowly stepped into her dress, her ankles as torn as her wrists. They stung, and she didn’t hide the pain from her face. She wanted him to see what he had done to her. She turned her back to him, willing him to zip the dress closed. As he did, he felt his stomach drop. He did not want to say goodbye to her. He didn’t want their reunion to end this way.
Jagger quickly turned her around and grabbed her shoulders.
“Britton, don’t leave. I am sorry.”
“Jagger, look at this.” She presented her wrists. “Why would I stay here with you? To subject myself to more of your sociopathic abuse?” she started to cry. “You used to have a hold over me...but not any longer, I don't need you, and you don't scare me—you can't possibly take anything more from me.”
She was in character, but the tears were real. She couldn’t believe what he had done to her. Although she knew this side of him from her research, she had hoped the words were a lie. They weren’t. He was a monster and she wouldn't stop until she took him down.
“Because I need you, Britton. I need you.” he tightened his grip on her shoulders.
“Let go of me.”
“No.”
“Jagger. Let go of me.” She shook free, grabbed her bag and pushed through the door.
The door slammed shut, and she ran. She didn’t want him to catch her. She wanted to get away. She raced to her car and turned the key. There was that sound again. His sound. She hated him more today than she had yesterday. She sped away, knowing that he would come after her. It was the trap she had laid. She knew he couldn’t resist. He always got what he wanted, and right then, he wanted her.
She ran into her house and started cleaning. She had to get rid of anything that linked her back to the FBI. Degrees, pictures, and files were shoved into a box and hidden in the crawlspace above her bedroom. Britton felt a sense of relief as she set out the single picture she had of her and David. That would have to do. There was no sign of Jagger. It would take him a few hours to find out her address, and she desperately needed a shower.