"Dominic Luca," he announced as if the name held meaning to her.

Liv knew it should. She'd heard it before. She sifted through her fear to place the name. No such luck. At the moment, images of her body floating in the Mississippi ruled her. "And?"

"And you better pray your brother loves you more than he loves the money he stole from me. He has three days to repay me or else."

Liv didn't like the 'or else' at all, even if Mr. Luca's words didn't make sense. Blaine received money from a lot of people, many of them loans he had no intentions of repaying. "You're intending to use me as bait for Blaine?"

Mr. Luca nodded.

"But you just bought me."

"Easier method than grabbing you off the street. You walked away with me to fulfill your charitable obligation. I expect a full refund from Bradford."

"In other words, you're kidnapping me?" she squeaked.

"Bright girl."

Liv turned away and stared out of the tinted window. Not so bright if she'd gotten herself kidnapped. Sheer will made her cling to calmness. Should she make a run for it? Could she? They weren't expecting her to jump out of the vehicle. They might try to kill her anyway, so she'd lose nothing in an escape attempt.

The driver turned from Basin onto Claiborne Avenue and Liv knew there were several stoplights along the route. Even if the driver turned on Esplanade Avenue and drove all the way to Wisner Boulevard, there were a lot of stoplights, giving her plenty of opportunities to jump out of the SUV. At the intersection of Esplanade, the red light halted them, her first chance to escape.

The moment Liv placed her hand on the door handle Mr. Luca seized her arm and dragged her closer to him, enveloping her in his hold. She dragged in a breath, trying to control her panic and her reaction to being in his embrace.

Dominic Luca must not know her brother very well if he thought Blaine had a shred of compa.s.sion. He'd been born into wealth and felt as if the world should bow down at his feet.

She might as well tell Mr. Luca the truth so he could get on with whatever justice he intended. She clasped her hands together, her nails digging into the back of each. "He's not going to pay."

"Excuse me?"

"He isn't going to pay you to save me," she snapped with impatience, attempting to wiggle away. With very little strain, he kept her in place. In his arms. Close to his body. "Just save me the torture of imagining my death and you the hope of getting your money and do away with me now."

"Since he won't pay up for your safe return, I might just do that."

"Mr. Luca-" Liv gulped then snapped her mouth closed, the name clicking into place.

Dominic Luca.

Two days ago, once she'd gotten the last file Blaine insisted he needed, Liv had seen the name Dominic Luca on one of the doc.u.ments. She cleared her throat. "Dominic Luca of Domamill Enterprises?"

"One and the same."

f.u.c.kity-f.u.c.k.

Before she descended into full-blown panic, Liv realized the vehicle had stopped and the doors opened. Mr. Luca stepped out then pulled her behind him. A plane sat on a runway, the engines roaring, no doubt awaiting her kidnapper. And her. Outlines of other airplanes and hangars told Liv they were at New Orleans Lakefront Airport. A salty breeze from Lake Pontchartrain swirled around them and Liv shivered.

She gripped his wrist. "Don't do this. I'm not important enough to Blaine to spend money to save me."

He ignored her, signaling to the bodyguards and propelling her toward the jet.

She was being kidnapped. Instead of sending the police after them for hijacking his proprietary information, Dominic Luca sought personal retribution. Whatever money he kept referring to, she had no idea. Her only comfort was his apparent ignorance of her involvement. She sincerely believed it saved her from a worse fate and for that she was grateful.

Chapter Two.

Dominic studied Olivia Bradford, who sat ramrod straight in the tan leather seat across from him. In the living area of his plane, an action sequence from a movie hummed in the air. His bodyguards sat near the guest bathroom and the c.o.c.kpit, pretending to watch whatever they'd popped into the DVD. They looked bored, a far cry from the buzz in Dominic's veins.

Olivia was a beauty, all long legs, slim curves and delicious b.r.e.a.s.t.s. Her black hair sported a simple twist, wisps of it framing her oval-shaped face. Thick, sooty lashes framed bright-green eyes, her arched brows accentuating her flawless ivory complexion. Teardrop earrings hung from the tender lobes of her ears, a matching bracelet on the delicate circle of her left wrist. Her black evening gown clung to her and he wondered what was beneath it. From what he could tell, nothing.

His attention roamed to her bag and he listed the contents in his head: handcuffs, satin ties, blindfolds, edible body oil, d.i.l.d.os.

My, my, what a naughty girl he'd borrowed until her brother returned the money Dominic had invested in Bradford Enterprises. The things Dominic could do to Olivia Bradford using her toys. His erection pushed against his zipper and he adjusted his position. Her gaze fell to his groin and she flushed, chewing on her lower lip, drawing Dominic's attention. He imagined nibbling on it, suckling on it before worshipping her nipples and c.l.i.t.

By sheer luck he'd walked in while she was up for bid. At first, nothing mattered except she was Bradford's sister. Then he'd focused on her, instead of just seeing a woman who shared his enemy's DNA. He'd noticed her hand curled around something, betraying her nerves. It wasn't until a few minutes later, when he'd gotten closer, that he'd realized she held a phone.

He'd felt a twinge of an unidentifiable emotion at the vulnerability he'd detected beneath her bravado. She'd grinned and bared the humiliation of not receiving a single bid. The fact she'd completely disregarded propriety and kept the volume turned up on her phone had amused him, as well.

She'd looked so innocent and sweet, and it had shocked him no one had bid for her. Despite the obvious snub, she'd stood proud and defiant.

Captivated by her and unable to find Bradford, Dominic had made the quick decision to take her in her brother's stead. Once her belongings were identified and collected, he'd intended to make a minimum bid. As he'd walked toward the stage, however, he'd heard the snickers about Blaine parading his sister about, believing her beauty would lull everyone to forget his actions. Whatever the man's actions were, Dominic didn't know, but if they were anything like what Blaine had done to Dominic...

Discovering Olivia's charity of choice, Dominic had increased his bid. The substantial amount had nothing to do with her, he'd insisted to himself.

Sitting across from him now, she kept glancing in his direction. Wariness shone in her glade-green eyes. He supposed she was frightened but he wasn't in the business of killing innocent young women because they had slime for brothers. However, until he was certain of her role, he'd afford her the same treatment he would've offered Blaine.

No, not the same.

If he'd had her brother, the man would already be beaten to a b.l.o.o.d.y pulp. He needed to employ a different strategy with Olivia.

Be certain, a voice warned him.

Every time Dominic considered Bradford's duplicity, Dominic wanted to tear Blaine a new one and spill buckets of the man's blood. Just on general principle, since Blaine was a stupid snot. First, though, Dominic needed his invested money and his company's confidential files returned. The man had no wife, no children, no mistress. Only her, Olivia Bradford, his little sister to use as incentive to facilitate the matter.

Dominic leaned forward, resting his elbows on his thighs, attempting to contain his rage. That he found her gorgeous infuriated him all the more. Currently, he didn't do normal relationships and he didn't show mercy to his enemies. Businesswise, he was his father's son and he took pride in that fact. He was close to erupting, to grabbing Olivia Bradford and shaking her until she told him the truth or kissing her until she begged him to f.u.c.k her. Either scenario would work to lessen the frustration, anger and l.u.s.t riding him hard. Looking at her now, his decision to kidnap her satisfied him.

He knew her type. Society girls. He'd been weaned on them, groomed to choose some rich man's daughter, worthy of the Luca name. Love wasn't required. Money, appearances and connections were. His greatest revenge on Bradford would be sending his little sister home pregnant and abandoned.

f.u.c.k. Could he be that heartless to an innocent woman and his own child? His parents may not have shown him much warmth but they'd never abandoned him. Not like that, anyway.

Besides, today's standards were different. Out-of-wedlock pregnancies didn't carry the stigma they had decades ago. Yet, in their world, she'd be damaged goods for sons like him, who were tasked with carrying on the family name. Scions didn't raise other men's b.a.s.t.a.r.ds.

When he glanced at her, he found her watching him and the urge to rea.s.sure her that she'd be fine made him grit his teeth. Instead of acting on the impulse to reach out and touch her, Dominic b.u.mped his knees against hers and she scooted away. The back of her seat greeted her, leaving her nowhere to escape him.

He reached inside his jacket and got her cell phone then held it out to her. Without hesitation, she s.n.a.t.c.hed it from him, their fingers brushing. His entire body tightened at the feel of her soft skin against his. The screen on her cell flared to life, dragging his thoughts away from the magnetic pull he felt toward her. He lifted a brow, aware of the rise and fall of her b.r.e.a.s.t.s, the delicate column of her throat.

"I don't remember telling you to turn on your phone."

Her eyelids lowered and she gazed at him through the fringes of her lashes. Lewd thoughts swirled through his head at the sultriness of her expression. "I don't remember asking you if I could turn it on."

A sniff punctuated her words, amusing him, but he covered it with a scowl, needing her so afraid of him, her fear would almost reach out and touch her brother when she talked to him. No man worth his salt would leave his little sister to suffer on his behalf.

A series of vibrations buzzed from her phone. She glanced at it before dropping it onto her lap, which served to draw Dominic's attention to her smooth knees and slender calves, revealed by the center slit in her gown. Her thighs were clamped together, not allowing Dominic one glimpse of the treasure between.

She stared at the phone, the tip of her nose reddening. Dominic wondered what she'd read to upset her so. He'd check later. At that moment, he intended to test Olivia's honesty versus his belief that no man was so spineless he'd leave his sister to fend for herself.

Dominic slid a hand along Olivia's knee, gliding his fingers upward along her thigh. His touch raised goose b.u.mps on her flesh. A bit of fear flashed on her face before curiosity brimmed in those expressive eyes. Desire flushed her cheeks and parted her lips. Her study of him was like a physical touch and he drew in a deep breath, restraining himself from skimming his hand farther until he settled over the pulse point between her legs.

Pressure tightened his b.a.l.l.s and his engorged c.o.c.k became uncomfortable. Standing helped. Her gaze fell to his tented pants and straining zipper and she flinched. He bared his teeth, an animalistic urge to possess her rising within him. She looked too inviting to resist, the signals she sent him igniting his l.u.s.t. The thought of all the things in her bag added to the fire inside him.

Idly, he wondered if she was as easy as Blaine was criminally inclined.

The thought made Dominic jerk her to her feet. The bodyguards glanced in his direction then turned their attention back toward the television. Dominic dragged her through the sitting room to his bedroom, where he slammed the door and watched as she processed what she believed he intended. She took in the dark silk comforter, already turned down to reveal complementary sheets, and the bed with a slatted headboard and footboard.

Dominic knew the exact moment her thoughts mirrored his and roamed to the handcuffs in her bag. Handcuffs to restrain her for pleasure not captivity. He held her, her b.r.e.a.s.t.s rising and falling with her nervous pants. The realization she had been kidnapped seemed to settle into her and she wiggled against his hold.

Dominic grabbed her wrists, felt their fragility, stared into her green eyes.

And saw sudden stars when her knee connected with his groin. He released her and dropped like a stone to the floor, the contents of his stomach churning. He couldn't think beyond the pain, couldn't form a coherent sentence. Or a howl. Or a curse. His pride felt as bruised as his c.o.c.k. Tears leaked onto his cheeks and he swore his junk would never be right again. A moan erupted from him.

Through the haze of humiliation and agony, the battle going on outside the bedroom swirled to Dominic from a distance, demanding he move. Screams for help. Hysterical female. Grunts. Curses. Breaking gla.s.s. Flesh connecting with flesh. A slamming door. As the pain receded, he realized he lay in the fetal position. He dragged himself to his hands and knees. His b.a.l.l.s were throbbing. Any sympathy he felt for her melted away. She was a Bradford all right, underhanded and deceitful. She'd lured him with her beauty then struck.

She'd attempted to ruin a part of him more precious than any other place on his body. He wanted to charge like a raging beast. He could barely tiptoe. Opening the door, he grabbed the edge of the sofa in the small sitting room of his bedroom, pausing while his insides settled back into place. After her kick, he wondered if his c.o.c.k still worked.

He glowered. Perhaps he'd use her as a test subject.

More in control of his pain, Dominic continued into the main cabin toward his bodyguards. Broken gla.s.s he identified as once being decanters of expensive alcohol littered the floor. The roof and walls dripped with gin and bourbon, the smell overwhelming. Albert, bald-headed, taciturn and quiet, sported a black eye, and Howie a b.l.o.o.d.y lip.

"Where is she?" Dominic snarled.

Albert's chest rose and fell in rapid pants. "The bathroom." The words slid past lips tightened with anger.

Dominic understood. Not many people bested the bodyguard.

"See to your injuries," he instructed, heading to the small guest bathroom. He found the door locked, just as expected. "Open the door."

"As soon as I get reception, I'm calling the police and I'm not coming out until they escort me away and you to jail."

Instead of answering, he went to the pilot and instructed him to contact air traffic control at Sugar Land Regional.

"Tell them we've had a change in schedule and we're going to Charleston."

"Yes, sir. But we will have to make a stop somewhere to fuel. We're getting low."

"Fine." Dominic turned and headed back to the door. The useless f.u.c.king k.n.o.b locked and unlocked from the inside.

They were low on fuel so he needed to get her and this situation under control. He'd try to reason with her one last time. "Open the f.u.c.king door, Olivia."

"Go to h.e.l.l."

Dominic gritted his teeth, his anger simmering. He slammed his palm against the door. Pain stung his hand and careened down his arm. "Albert!" he yelled, though the man sat not too far away, an ice pack on his eye.

The bodyguard placed the ice on a nearby table and rushed to Dominic. "Yes, sir?"

"Shoot the lock off the door."

Not hesitating, Albert unclipped his 9mm and moved forward with a satisfied grunt. He trained the gun on the lock.

Dominic raised a hand, halting the man. "If you don't want to be shot, Miss Bradford, either clear the G.o.dd.a.m.n door or open it."

"You wouldn't dare!"

He clenched his jaw at the challenge in her voice and nodded to Albert, giving him the go-ahead to fire. He prayed the little fool moved. Albert aimed, squeezing the trigger in three rapid motions. The gunfire resounded like cannon shots in the small s.p.a.ce. Olivia screamed as the handle plinked to the floor.

"Tell Scanlan not to worry," Dominic instructed, referring to his pilot. He yanked open the door.

She stood in her bare feet, her complexion colorless. Considering the chaos she'd caused, her terror should've been satisfying as h.e.l.l but her vulnerability stole some of his satisfaction. She gripped the edges of the sink, displacing her phone and sending it to the floor.

Not giving her a chance to recover and take aim at any of his body parts, he scooped her into his arms. Sweat beaded her brow, though she felt as cold as a corpse. He met her look and it seemed to snap her out of her terror. Adrenaline pumped into her and a wild light brightened her eyes. He could almost hear the drums of war-the call to action-blaring in her head. Before she inflicted any damage on him, he readjusted her and threw her over his shoulder, pinning her legs to him. She pounded on his back with her fists and he slapped her a.s.s, her squeal of outrage making him laugh. Reaching the bedroom, he tossed her onto the bed then subdued her with his body. He trapped her arms above her head, rearing back just before she clamped her teeth onto his jaw.

f.u.c.k, but these Bradfords were G.o.dd.a.m.n trouble. If he really intended her harm, her actions would've brought it about in spades. What the f.u.c.k had she expected to accomplish, fighting him thirty thousand feet in the air with not a friend around?

He lay beside her, keeping her body subdued with his leg and her arms trapped with a hand. He grabbed the V of her neckline with his other hand and rent her gown in two. Pasties covered her nipples, tan against the blue veins running just beneath her skin. Her feminine curls were quite visible to him through her sheer thong.

"If I let you go, promise you aren't going to fight me."

Her gaze shot daggers at him and he knew the moment he released her, she would begin to fight all over again. He had to subdue her. Curling his fingers around the thin waistband of her thong, he yanked.

And finally, finally, she stilled, speaking, her words too low for Dominic to bother with at the moment. He took the opportunity to remove her ruined dress and tie her hands together with her panties, still warm from her body. The scent of her p.u.s.s.y filled his head and he drew in a deep breath. He was going to f.u.c.king geld Blaine Bradford for this torture.

Ignoring the sight of Olivia's nude body and the heaviness of his erection, he removed his tie and wrapped it around her feet. The plane was starting its descent and he couldn't trust her not to do something reckless. He hurried to her bag and brought it back to his bedroom, ignoring the sly looks of his bodyguards, a loud thud catching his attention. He ran toward the sound. Just as he'd suspected, Olivia hadn't remained still. She must've twisted in an attempt to free herself and had landed on the floor.

The plane was gliding to a stop. He knew it and Olivia knew it, too. She opened her mouth and let out a piercing scream. Dominic tossed her bag on the bed, lifted her and threw her next to it, knocking the wind out of her. He used one of the blindfolds to cover her mouth and enclosed one of her wrists in the handcuff before locking it to the bedpost. Spreading her legs, he secured one ankle to the foot post with one of her silk ties then did the same to the other ankle. Her legs were close enough to allow mobility and open enough to allow access to her p.u.s.s.y.

Her b.r.e.a.s.t.s rose and fell in agitation and he realized one of her pasties had fallen away, leaving a succulent pink nipple exposed to his hungry gaze. Her hair was wild and free and her eyelids were blinking furiously. Her nose had reddened and he knew she was a breath away from sobbing her heart out.

No time like the present to place his call to Blaine f.u.c.king Bradford. They would be on the ground for at least an hour while the plane was refueled and new flight plans filed. Since her phone remained in the bathroom, he got his phone and dialed Bradford's number. It was burned into his memory. He probably recited the digits in his sleep.

"Bradford."

One ring and the a.s.shole answered. He must've been expecting Dominic's call.

"I have your sister. You return my doc.u.ments and my initial investment, you get her back unharmed."