“No. I’m going to use my own helicopter and fly myself.” Matthew glanced at me. “I have a landing pad here. I fly the helicopter to Aspen then charter a jet. Easier than that road.”
“I saw,” I said around a mouth full of potato. My anger was growing with every chew. Were these assholes forgetting the fact that I was a victim? Kidnapped? They were sitting, eating, and discussing helicopters like nothing of any huge magnitude had happened.
Who’s the girl at the dinner table?
Oh, don’t mind her. She’s just a little souvenir I picked up while at a party hosted by a crime boss. No biggie.
Rich, pretentious fuck.
“Shame, shame,” Tennessee said as he cut into his meat. “That chopper man was so pretty.”
I took another bite of my food, my sour mood not improving even with the growing full belly. Every single moment we sat around the table pretending as if this were completely normal, made my annoyance grow to an epic proportion.
“And our guest? How long will she be here?” Tennessee asked.
I slammed down my fork, glaring up at him. “I’m not a fucking guest. Didn’t this fucker fill you in? I’m here against my will? Just because we’re sitting around the family dinner table eating like everything is normal, doesn’t change that fact. I’m not a god damn guest!”
Tennessee grabbed his white napkin and began waving it back and forth in front of him. “Simmer down now. Simmer down.”
“Aria, eat and calm down,” Matthew said firmly. It sounded like it was almost a warning.
“Or what?” I challenged as I glared at both of them. I grabbed my drink and downed it in one swallow, feeling it burn all the way down my throat. “This is sick you know that?” I pointed at my clothing. “I’m wearing clothes that you bought for me as you planned this kidnapping out to the finest detail. You got my fucking size right! What kind of stalker shit is that?” I pointed to Tennessee. “You brought him here for what? To guard me? To make sure I don’t run away? How long were you planning this? What exactly else are you planning, you sick fuck?”
“Aria…” Oh yes, he was warning now. But fuck him.
“Now, little missy—” Tennessee tried to cut in, but I wanted nothing to do with this man either.
“Go fuck yourself and your southern twang.” I stood up and pushed the chair from the table. Slamming my hands on the surface made all the dishes rattle, and though I wasn’t one for dramatics, I was proud of the show I was putting on.
Fuck them both.
“You have until the count of three to sit down,” Matthew said calmly.
I leaned toward him and stared directly into his eyes, inches from his face. “Or what?” I challenged. “You need to keep me alive if you plan to ransom me.”
Matthew smiled as he took a sip of his drink, washing down the bite he’d just calmly taken. “Oh, trust me, princess. I won’t kill you in retaliation of poor behavior.” He took another bite of food and swallowed. “One.”
I stole a look at Tennessee who had a look on his face that practically said I should do exactly what Matthew said and sit down before he reached the number three.
“Two.”
“You can’t do this to me. You both can’t keep me locked in this house in the middle of nowhere. Don’t you see that?” I looked at Tennessee with pleading eyes. “Surely, you can see how absolutely insane this is?”
Tennessee pointed at my plate of food. “I advise you to sit down and eat my mama’s roast.”
Reasoning with either one of these men was absolutely pointless.
“Three,” Matthew said as he dabbed his mouth with his napkin and then stood up to face me.
I should run. I should most definitely fucking run.
But Matthew took hold of my arm and flung me over his shoulder before I could process what was being done to me. I couldn’t even release a squeal of protest before he was charging up the stairs with my body dangling like a rag doll over his broad shoulder. He took the stairs two at a time and everything passed me by so fast.
“Put me down!” I screamed as I tried to wiggle myself off his body to no avail. Matthew only held me to him firmer as we quickly approached the landing at the top of the stairs.
I pounded my fists into his lower back and his sides, and Matthew’s reaction was as if I were just an annoying gnat doing nothing but bugging him.
The door to what I assumed was his room opened, and I was flung onto the mattress of his large king-size, four post bed. Matthew was slightly out of breath, but I was far worse. I expected to see rage in his eyes, but none was present. His eyes were dark but calm, even though his actions were anything but.