"It was my idea," he declares as soon as it's only the two of us in the lounge, "to have the boss show you my video."
"Oh?" I'm not sure what exactly he wants to hear, but since he's looking at me expectantly, I feel obliged to add, albeit uncertainly, "Do you film those professionally?"
Gerard appears surprised, and then he laughs. "Flattered you think I'm a pro, but nah. You know how film studios would test audience reaction to their movies? I thought we could use the video to see how you'd react. It would be best for the boss to know from the start if kidnapping you was worth it."
"Right." Gerard is really making it hard for me to think of anything to say. And what can I say as a captive...when he's talking about kidnapping like it's just another normal hobby?
"If something as simple as sexual asphyxiation would scare you—-" He actually rolls his eyes at this, and I manage a smile just to be polite. These guys definitely need to recheck the actual definition for the word 'simple'.
"Then you'd never be able to handle being with him." His gaze turns sly. "Then again, I'm thinking we've underestimated you and all. You, little madam, are quite the moaner—-"
It takes me a second to understand what he's being sly about, and when I do—-
Oh my God.
Gerard laughs as I quickly cover my face and end up moaning again.
"It's all cool, little madam." Gerard heads out of the lounge and beckons me to follow him. "And I can prove it."
His words confuse me, and it distracts me enough that I forget my embarrassment and follow him down the steps. "Are you sure this is okay?"
"It's cool. You're going to meet the others sooner or later."
Did he just say others?
And the answer to this pops in front of me as we reach the bottom of the steps and I'm greeted with the sight of a man cave currently occupied by three other equally good-looking guys of varying ages and in various states of undress.
Gerard starts introducing them one by one. Cain, the youngest at nineteen, takes a quick break from chopping vegetables to give me a wink. Russell, who seems about Mr. Sinister's age, looks up from his laptop to greet me with a gruff 'hello' while Ramon, dressed in a scuba suit unzipped to his waist, winks at me just as he drawls, "That was an amazing performance earlier, señorita."
Oh. My. God.
My face bursts into flames, and everyone laughs.
"You need to start taking sex less seriously," Ramon advises, "or you're going to run out of blushes soon in our company."
"It was...it was because..."
"The boss asked you to be loud?"
Gerard's accurate guess has everyone snickering, but while this is even more mortifying, I'm also just a little bit suspicious. Could this be a thing with my kidnapper? Is it possible that Mr. Sinister has a reputation for asking women to be loud?
"Will you look at that, mi amigo?" Ramon asks with a grin. "Our señorita looks a little jealous."
"I'm not!" The protest is instinctive even as his words hit a nerve, and when the guys laugh, I force myself to laugh as well, just to hide how disconcerted I am. And ashamed. Because I am jealous, and although I know things can't always be black or white, there's a part of me that still thinks it's unforgivably wrong to have such feelings towards my kidnapper.
Cain offers to make iced drinks for everyone, and my world takes a surreal swing back to normal as I find myself sipping from a glass of iced americano while sharing a table with four guys like we're the group of cool kids that everyone else in school wants to be a part of.
I should be a nervous wreck with these four, but I'm not. I just don't think any of them would hurt me, but be that as it may...
"Can I, um, ask..." I pause for a moment. 'How did you get to be kidnappers' is what I want to know, but I also know I need to be a bit more polite than that. "What I mean is, I'm just curious on how you guys, um..."
Gerard finally takes pity on me, asking, "How did we start working for the boss?"
"Yes!" I smile in relief while making a note for myself: kidnapping is also work, duh.
Russell, who has been typing quietly all this time, closes his laptop at my question, and I suddenly find myself subjected to a frowning stare. "What do you know about Raaf?"
"Well..." I clear my throat, but only because I need a moment to compose myself again. I finally know the Dutch word for 'raven', and even though I know I'm being silly, I can't wait until I have the chance to test my kidnapper's name on my lips. Hopefully, that will come soon, but for now...