"You heard me," she replied, taking a step back and crossing her arms. She was hit with an instant wave of nausea and willed herself to swallow back the fear that was causing her stomach to churn.
"Then kicking and screaming it is," he said evenly. "I'm sure I can find some rope and duct tape in the garage." He had no intention of tying her up while she was fighting him. He started to pull his fist back, mentally gauging how much of a blow would be needed to knock her out without killing her. But she was faster. Spinning around, she started running for Vivian's open bedroom door when Anthony managed to catch her by the arm.
She was pulling away from him with all her strength. Before he knew it or could prevent it, he realized he was losing his grip on her. She broke loose, and he heard the sickening crack of her forehead as it collided with the open edge of the bedroom door. He caught her before she hit the floor.
He looked at the thin red imprint the door left on her forehead and was relieved she wouldn't need stitches. It was a complication he wouldn't have wanted to deal with. She would, however, have a huge lump and possibly even two black eyes. Not to mention a whopper of a headache.
Cradling her to his chest while bending low, he easily snatched up the bag she dropped and turned off the light with his elbow as he left the master suite. He effortlessly carried her downstairs, shaking his head as he went.
Good thing you knocked yourself out, princess, he thought to himself. I take no pleasure in punching a woman. Even a sarcastic, spoiled brat like you.
Chapter Three
Naples, Florida 1977
One Year Earlier
Jason “Grizz” Talbot reached over the console of his black Corvette and squeezed his wife’s leg. Kit had been staring out of the car window. She turned and gave him a knowing smile. Grabbing his large hand, she brought it to her lips.
“Thank you for the best day ever!” she told him.
“Ah, I knew it was something you’d enjoy, Kitten,” he answered.
“And the fact that it was something I know you didn’t enjoy is what made it even more special. Thank you, Grizz.”
He looked at her and saw the shy smile she was giving him and knew that his resolve to spend the afternoon at the Ringling Brothers Circus Museum with the woman he loved hadn’t been for naught. He reflected on the last two years and how much his world had changed because of her. He never dreamt that having her abducted back in 1975 would turn out to be the best thing that ever happened to him. He’d never expected to fall completely and totally in love with her, and he knew the day she’d been recognized by a school friend and refused to identify herself meant she was falling for him too.
Their first Christmas together he’d vowed to give her anything she wanted, and when she asked that he let her attend church every Sunday, he honestly had no way of knowing how he could make that work. The likelihood of her being recognized had been too risky. Until he realized there would be less of a chance of that happening if he, or someone else, drove her over Alligator Alley to the west coast of Florida every Sunday morning. When he took her, he usually tried to make it a small getaway by staying overnight or hanging out a little longer to have some alone time before heading back home to Fort Lauderdale.
They’d arrived Saturday night and stayed in an upscale hotel on the beach. The next morning, he dropped her off at church and headed back to the room to make some phone calls. He picked her up after the service and took her to a nice brunch and then surprised her with the museum visit. Nothing made him happier than seeing Kit smile.
“We have to make a pit stop on the way home, Kitten,” he said matter-of-factly.
“Business?” she asked.
“Yeah. I need to talk to Bear,” he replied as he pressed on the gas pedal. “This conversation needs to happen in person.”
Kit leaned back in the comfortable leather seat and remembered the first time she’d heard about Anthony Bear. It was last year, she’d already been married to Grizz and was living with him at an old motel where he also conducted his business. Her husband was one of the most feared MC leaders on the east coast of Florida, and she’d just witnessed her first murder of two innocents who’d been lured back to the motel as a ruse to steal their motorcycle. She’d been so shaken, she defied Grizz’s order to never leave or drive anywhere by herself.
Grunt found her a little while later. Grunt was the younger brother of Grizz’s second in command, Blue. Grunt convinced her to go back to the motel. Back to Grizz.
She peeked at the man sitting next to her that she was so in love with and secretly thanked Grunt for his wisdom that day. She would never condone the things Grizz did, but she also couldn’t deny her love for him.
Her thoughts went back to last year after she’d returned to Grizz, and how she'd noticed that name when her husband had paged someone and picked up the phone a few moments later.
“Bear?” he’d answered on the first ring. “She’s back. Thanks, man.”
After hanging up, Grizz had explained that Anthony Bear was the leader of his own gang on Florida’s west coast. The two had known each other for years, but played the part of rivals to squeeze out any moles or traitors in their individual groups. Grizz told her he’d called Anthony when he realized that she may have driven across the Alley.
“What if I had driven over the Alley and Anthony or one of his guys found me?” she’d asked, her eyes wide.
“We would’ve put on a big show of making some kind of trade,” Grizz answered. “And I know what you’re thinking, so don’t. You would’ve been safe with Bear. He wouldn’t have let anybody touch you. Just like I would do the same for him if it ever came to that. Which it won’t.”
“Why wouldn’t it come to that?” she asked, her curiosity piqued by his last comment.
Grizz’s forehead creased and he looked thoughtful. “Bear’s not the type to fall in love. I’d eat my own shi…shoe before I’d believe that Anthony would settle down.” He noticed Kit’s smile when she recognized that he was doing his best to watch his language around her. He usually caught himself about one out of every hundred times.
“I bet a lot of people had that same assumption about you, Grizz,” she told him as she wrapped her arms around his waist and looked up into his bright green eyes.
“Yeah, I guess you’re right,” he said, giving her a mischievous grin. He kissed the tip of her nose and headed outside.
She was startled out of last year's memories when Grizz came to an abrupt stop.
“You could’ve made that traffic light,” she said, nonchalantly.
“Yeah, but I can’t do this when I’m driving,” he answered, his deep voice low and soothing. He used the moment to lean over the console and pull her into a long, exploring kiss.