Sweet Bondage Read Online Free Page A

convince you—for the moment.’
    Conversation temporarily ceased as the car’s powerful engine burst into life and it shot off at hair-raising speed. He hadn’t been joking when he said he intended to travel at a fast pace. It didn’t take her long to realize that he was more than a merely competent driver. The car seemed almost an extension of his own hands, following orders from a brain that was like lightning when it came to anticipating road conditions. His skill gave her a sense of security.
    She must be as mad as he was. Here she was being kidnapped by a dark-visaged speed-demon and she was thinking in terms of security! She ought to be sitting on the edge of her seat, biting her fingernails and shivering in terror. Why didn’t she feel afraid? She felt a lot of things, anger, frustration and—yes!—a sneaking admiration for the magnificent way he handled the car and a rising sense of adventure, but no fear. Now why was that?
    Chewing on that thought it came to her that he was no ordinary run-of-the-mill kidnapper. Not that she had ever met a kidnapper before; she had no yardstick to measure one by, but he seemed not only too kind but too affluent. On the other hand, she supposed that kidnapping could be quite a lucrative business. If he made his living by it, and providing he didn’t make today’s mistake too often and pick up the wrong victim, he could afford to dress well and run an expensive car.
    Somehow, though, she thought this had the flavor of a one-off job, rather than a regular occurrence. If that were so, then her first, hastily reached conclusion that she was being abducted for money might also need revising. She could be wrong, but perhaps Glenda hadn’t been chosen solely on the grounds of her father’s vast wealth. What if money didn’t enter into it and she had been abducted to settle a score?
    She’d heard enough village gossip to know that this was more than likely. Clifford Channing hadn’t got where he was today without making enemies. He was reputed to have a nose for profit, seeing possibilities others missed, playing his hunches with boldness, flair, and ruthlessness, using people, then destroying them. It was said that he didn’t care what hardship he caused and turned a deaf ear to appeals. It didn’t matter to him if he left a man’s life in ruins or broke a woman’s heart. He liked female companionship almost as much as he liked making money. His lady of the moment was always ‘the one,’ but the cosseting never lasted. He quickly tired of her and she got the same shabby treatment he handed out to his business associates.
    They had traveled for quite some time now, through daylight and into darkness. Funny how courage wanes when light fades. Things always seem more terrifying in the dark. She wished she hadn’t remembered Clifford Channing’s reputation. It wasn’t funny anymore. She realized that she had been foolhardy not to appreciate the gravity of her position sooner, not that she could have done much about it
    â€˜You’re very quiet,’ he tossed at her over his shoulder. ‘Are you all right?’
    â€˜I’m a bit stiff. I could do with stretching my legs. And I’m hungry.’ And scared. She didn’t add this, thinking it was better to keep her new-found fear to herself.
    Perhaps fear wasn’t something she could hide very well, because he said, ‘There’s food in the car. I’ll pull off the road as soon as I see a likely place. Oh, and you don’t have to sound so frightened. You must know that I’m not going to harm you.’
    â€˜Thank you,’ she said gruffly, comforted by the assurance despite herself.
    The car headlights picked up a road sign indicating a lay-by ahead. He reduced speed in preparation and pulled in.
    He flicked on the interior light, hauled out a food hamper, and lifted it on to the passenger seat by his