A Matter of Circumstance by M J Marlow (top 20 books to read txt) 📕

mean to hold you to that promise, husband, so you’d better mean it.” “I don’t make promises I don’t intend to keep, wife,” Hawk smiled and ran his finger along her lips. He stepped away and watched her drive off. He felt uneasy about her driving on her own. She had made herself the enemy of some very powerful men. They were not going to take her betrayal well. 17 Victoria was smiling as she drove out of town after the arraignment. She had not been called to testify; she had just wanted to watch and make certain Michael Kennedy was arraigned and denied bail. She was headed to Montrose now where she would spend part of the evening with Martin and Joanna and their family. She would finally get to meet Juliana, who she had portrayed to help trap a deranged woman. She had been hearing good things about the girl from Joanna. The nightmares were diminishing and the girl had formed a very close friendship with Hawk’s nephew, Adam Tallchief. “Everything is going to be just fine, buddy,” she smiled as she stroked her abdomen. “If all goes as it should, you and I will be free of that bastard and free to be with your Daddy.” She was halfway to her destination when the storm that had been threatening all day hit as she pulled onto the road leading into Montrose. She hit the wipers and they would not turn on. She arrived home just as the storm grew more violent. “We’re home,” she smiled as she unlocked the door and got inside. She closed and locked the front door and took a hot shower. She dressed and went to make herself some tea. She frowned as she saw the rain coming down even harder. No dinner out tonight, she thought as she went to the phone. She dialed Martin and Joanna’s number and the line was dead. The lights flickered and then went out completely. She got a flashlight out of the desk drawer and jumped, as there was a loud crash. She should stay where she was, Victoria thought; but her cell phone was out in the kitchen in her purse. She prayed as she moved out into the great room and saw the front door standing wide open. She knew she’d locked it when she came inside earlier. There was no way it should be open. A man-shaped blur appeared in the storm and Victoria turned to run into the office. If she could get in there and lock the door, they would have to break in. She could be out the window, in her car, and on her way into town before they could get to her. These thoughts died as she ran into someone. A hand clamped down over her mouth as she started to scream and the lights came on. “You didn’t say his wife was pregnant,” the man holding her smiled as he forced her to the kitchen table and made her sit down. “You just sit right there nice and quiet, Mrs. Travers, and we won’t have to hurt you.” “Who are you?” Victoria decided to play the frightened victim role to keep them underestimating her. “What do you want?” “You know what we want,” the man at the door told her. Madison closed the door and locked it. “Did you really think we wouldn’t know what you did to the computer network?” He got out his cell phone and opened it. He dialed a number and held the phone to her ear. “Tell your husband to stay away.” “Hello?” Hawk’s voice came over the line. “Who is this?” “Honey,” Victoria said shakily. “I was worried about you. Are you still at work?” “I’m just pulling into the Cavenaugh’s drive,” Hawk replied. “If you look out the window, you can see me.” “I’m not at the Cavenaugh’s, Hawk,” Victoria told him. “I was more exhausted by the drive home than I realized. I was practically falling asleep at the wheel.” She heard what the man whispered and she decided to defy him. “I’m fine here, Hawk. I’d feel better if you stayed there until the storm breaks. I love you.” She grabbed the cell phone and threw it against the wall, watching it shatter and fall to the floor. “That was pointless,” Madison said as he shoved Victoria to the office and forced her into the chair. “Did you think we wouldn’t figure out what you’d done with the computers, Victoria?” He ran the tip of his finger slowly along her arm. “If you undo the damage, maybe I will rethink my decision. Although,” he continued as he dug his fingers into her arm until she whimpered from the pain, “I am really looking forward to making you scream.” Victoria was not going to let him frighten her into doing something she knew was wrong. He laid his hand against her cheek and she refused to back down. The delight in his eyes told her nothing she did mattered. He was convinced he had the upper hand. The phone rang and he made Victoria answer it. “Hello?” Victoria noted him press the Speaker button. “Victoria,” Joanna was on the line. “Are you certain you want to be there alone?” Her voice was filled with concern. “I was looking forward to sharing mommy-to-be experiences with you.” “I’m really tired, Joanna,” Victoria did not have to lie. “I’ll see you tomorrow.” Joanna hung up and Madison followed suit. The expression on his face was one of annoyance. He hung up the phone. “There,” he nodded as he set it on the kitchen table, “now the interruptions will stop.” He saw her watching his men as they moved from room to room. “They’re just making certain we’re secure. We don’t want anyone sneaking in now, do we?” He clamped his hand on her throat and his fingers dug in until she moaned. “I am going to make the punishment last a long, long time, pet. You will be on your hands and knees to me, begging me to stop, before I am done with you.” “Everything’s secure, sir,” one of the men said a few minutes later. “No one is getting in here without our knowing.” “Tell Mason how much you appreciate him taking care of us, pet,” Madison laughed as he yanked her head back painfully. “Good job, Mason. Say it, pet.” “Go to hell!” “Not even close, pet,” Madison shook his head. He looked at Mason. “Make her scream, Mason. Twist her pretty little wrist.” Mason smiled and came towards. He laughed as she tried to escape from him. He grabbed her wrist and twisted. He forced her down on her knees as she fought the pain and the need to scream. But he did not let up until the scream rose out of her throat. “Very good, Mason,” Madison smiled and patted the man on the back. He pulled her head up where she was sitting on the floor, sobbing. He yanked her head back so he could see the pain in her eyes. “Find their first aid kit now and strap that wrist up for her.” He held her by the hair as Mason got the kit and put an Ace bandage on her damaged wrist. Madison released her and she remained seated on the floor, cradling her wounded wrist. The man was insane! He yanked her head back and smiled at her. “Ready to do as I asked, pet?” he asked her as he grabbed her wrist and she whimpered in pain. “It’s just a little computer work, Victoria.” He yanked her head back further and he could see the pain she was feeling. “You want to live to give birth to this child, don’t you, Victoria?” “Stop it!” Victoria cried out in pain as the man tightened his grip on her wrists even more. She was in tears now and she knew she had to at least make it look as if she was doing as he asked. “I’ll do what you want,” she whimpered and lowered her head in defeat. “Please don’t hurt me anymore.” “That’s my good girl,” Madison smiled and let her go. “You just sit right there while I get things set up for you.” Victoria heard them moving away from her and she opened her eyes just enough to see them in the kitchen. She got up slowly and as quietly as she could and edged towards the door. She had it open before they spotted her. Mason yanked her back and slammed the door. “That was a very, very stupid thing to do, pet,” Madison shook his head and slapped her across the face. He nodded towards the office. “Bind her to the grid and find something to use as a whip,” he said as he shoved her to Mason. “It’s high time Victoria learned who her master is.” Hawk, Martin, Joanna, and the kids arrived at the Sheriff’s Office. They were all armed and ready for action. He asked what the situation was. Hawk told him Victoria was in trouble. They called the house and there was no answer. “She’s unplugged the phones, Hawk,” Warren frowned. “I’ve only met your wife a few times. She didn’t strike me as a stupid women.” He thought it over. “We’ll move in and check out the situation, but no one moves in – I mean no one,” he continued as he looked at Hawk pointedly, “until we know what is going on.” Hawk nodded his agreement. “Then let’s find out what’s going on. Maybe it’s nothing more than a power outage.” They got into their cars and drove out of town carefully through the worst storm the county had seen in years. Hawk refused to let it stop him. He had a strong feeling that his wife needed him and nothing was going to keep him from her side. Martin looked at his face and he didn’t say a word. He knew how he’d feel if Joanna was in trouble. They arrived at the house and parked out behind the storage barn so they would not be seen. Warren was letting Hawk take point on this maneuver. They crept up slowly and cautiously and Hawk was the first to note that too many lights were on for someone who was tired and only wanted to go to bed. And then they heard her scream. Warren and Martin held Hawk back as he started to rush headlong into an unknown situation. The screams ended. “Someone is obviously hurting her.” Warren frowned. “We go on the assumption that she is still all right.” They moved in around the house and Adam was the one who saw the man shoving Victoria out of the kitchen. He recognized the man from the photographs his uncle had brought home. His aunt was in trouble; that was all he needed to know. He went to find his uncle. “It’s Madison, Uncle,” he told Hawk bluntly. “From the bruises on Victoria’s face, I’d say he’s not being gentle.” He had never heard the whole story. “What did she do to this man to piss him off?” “She planted a command into his computer network that transmits copies of every file, every memo, and every email to the FBI and Interpol,” Hawk told his nephew with a great deal of pride in his voice for his brilliant wife. He handed his weapon over to Martin. “One of us will open the hidden entrance, Martin. Be ready to move.” He saw Martin’s look. “If it was Joanna in there, you’d be doing the same thing, Martin. You know you would.” He turned as they heard Victoria’s screams of pain. “I’m going!” He started towards the house, his hands out and away from his body as he called towards the house. He spotted Adam and his friends moving in around the back with their rifles and smiled. Two minutes after he entered