Page 25 of Fearless

How should she play this? On one hand, giving in too quickly would make him suspicious. On the other hand, she didn’t know Kingsley well enough to gauge his volatility. Would he become angry and carry out his threat immediately, or would he give her some time to come around? What was his tolerance level?

“I can see you’re vacillating, trying to think of a way to manipulate me. And while I find your thought processes fascinating, I’m not one to play around. This is a business meeting, and it’s as serious as it gets. So here’s a little more incentive for you.”

The photograph of her parents disappeared. In its place was another picture of them. This time, they were sitting on the porch swing at their home in Francine.

Only by sheer will and practice was she able to hide her horror and dismay. How had anyone gotten this close to her parents? No one entered Francine uninvited or unvetted. There were two possible explanations, both chilling her to the bone. Either there was a traitor in her family, or someone evil had infiltrated her community through a family member. She quickly discounted the first possibility, which left her with the second choice. Someone had used a family member to gain access to Francine.

“Something you might not have noticed about your chair is that your pulse, respiration, and blood pressure are being monitored. I have to give you credit. You’ve done an amazing job of keeping your pulse and respiration from spiking, but I’m afraid your blood pressure is on the rise.”

Of course it was. He had just delivered a major blow to her equilibrium.

“In case you think it’s just your parents who are being watched, let me show you a few more photos.”

What followed was her very own personal horror story in the making. Photo after photo appeared on the screen. Her brothers and their families. Her aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents. Even pictures of family pets were included. There were also photographs of the Thursday night family dinners that included the entire community.

Whether he was giving her a chance to take in the sheer volume of horror that could occur if she didn’t cooperate or he was just enjoying the moment, she didn’t know, but he kept the photo of the family dinner up for several long moments. In that time, she counted every family member. They were all there, which meant someone else—an invited guest—had taken the photo. Who?

She would have to deal with that worry later. For now, she had a job to do, and that was to play Colton Kingsley. It was well past time to put her acting skills to good use.

She let tears pool in her eyes and her lips tremble slightly. A soft sob caught in her throat. “What kind of monster are you?”

He touched a hand to his chest in mock outrage. “Aw, now you’ve hurt my feelings. I’m not a monster. I’m a businessman. One with a purpose to fulfill. As long as you cooperate, not one hair on your loved ones’ heads will be touched.”

“I’ll need time to think about this.”

“I’m afraid that’s not possible. Your absence will be noted soon, which I’m sure you understand puts us at a disadvantage. You had the night to consider your situation. You knew this was coming.”

Before she could respond, he leaned forward again, locking eyes with her. “You can save your family or lose them, Serena. It’s up to you. Either way, you’re never leaving here. Wouldn’t you rather choose to work with us, knowing that your family is safe? Isn’t that the ultimate in selfishness if you⁠—”

A ping sounded. Frowning at what was likely an unusual interruption, he glanced at the phone lying on the desk. A red flush crept up his neck, and one side of his mouth twitched. The man was excellent at hiding his feelings, but something had definitely upset the cool, calm, and collected Colton Kingsley.

“Looks like you’re going to get your wish, Serena. I have something to attend to. We’ll talk later in the day. I expect your answer when we do.”

He said all of that quickly, as if he’d said it many times before. Seconds later, Smith rolled her out of the office and back to her bedroom. Once he’d left, the clamps on her arms and legs opened, and she was free once more.

No matter the reason for the delay, this extra time was a blessing to her. She had a plan. Now she just needed the right strategy to make it work.

Stretching her limbs, she worked on scenarios and options. Ordinarily, she liked to write her ideas down, but she had searched the room earlier and found no paper or pens. She did have an eyebrow pencil—so thoughtfully provided in her makeup supplies—but she’d be forced to write her ideas on mirrors, in plain view of the cameras, and that would defeat her purpose.

Needing to move as she worked, she went to the closet and pulled out yoga pants, a sports bra, and a T-shirt. She quickly donned the workout clothes in the bathroom.

She already knew she would agree to do the work. She just needed to figure out how to satisfy Kingsley, cause the least amount of damage, and still accomplish her goals. Laying a large bath towel on the floor, Serena went through her regular yoga routine, allowing her mind to do what it did best. This was an opportunity unlike any she’d ever experienced, and while she wanted to take advantage of this chance as much as she could, she also wanted to keep her family safe and stay alive herself. If he discovered what she was up to, there was a strong possibility that none of them would survive.

Just how far could she push Colton Kingsley?

Chapter Twelve

Every muscle tense with controlled fury, Colton stomped into the Situation Room. Even though the text he’d received had described the incident in detail, he wanted to see the footage for himself. He had a decision to make, and he didn’t take these things lightly.

Sitting at the long, narrow table, he clicked on the video snippet he’d been sent and watched Dr. Jenson Mosley signal to Serena. It was just a simple hand gesture, but it held a world of meaning. Asking for her help was tantamount to betrayal of the first order. Each person at that table, with the exception of Serena, had made a solemn vow that they would not seek help from any source or attempt to escape. Mosley had broken that vow, and now he would suffer the consequences.

It was naïve of him, but Colton was slightly disappointed that Serena hadn’t told him about the incident. He had missed it himself, as he’d been focused on his upcoming meeting with her. Serena had no loyalty to him, at least not yet, so he wouldn’t punish her for not telling him. He would, however, be sure to let her know what consequences Mosley suffered as a direct result of his betrayal.

Punching his phone’s keypad, he barely waited for his assistant to answer before he said, “Is he ready?”

“Yes, sir.”

Colton stood, straightened his tie and suit jacket, and headed out the door. As he made his way to the Punishment Room, he realized that this actually might work in his favor. Allowing Serena, and the other guests, to witness what happened when one broke the rules might well be what they all needed. It would reinforce the rules for the others and give Serena a real-life example of what she and her family faced if she didn’t make the right decision.