“So defensive.” His gaze was searching her face. “I don’t really care if you’re lying to me. I’ll learn the truth eventually. Regardless, whatever your parents could offer now wouldn’t be enough to tempt me away from taking you to the mountains.” He paused. “However, it might have a strong influence on Baldwin if he found out that you were a pot of gold he could tap. That might be the reason why he took off when he’d ordinarily be scared shitless.”

“Ridiculous,” Sasha repeated. “He was just jealous or drunk. Though you’re right, he’s probably too scared to face you.”

“We’ll see, when I find him. I’m leaning toward believing my own reason why he took off, and I know him better than you.”

She shrugged. “Two of a kind.”

“That’s an insult. Baldwin would never be my equal. He only serves me, as you will soon.” He turned and started across the grounds toward his tent. “Which reminds me, you’re beginning to bore me, and I need entertainment. Any recommendations? I’ve been using the older girls, but I became quite excited at the event the other day. Perhaps I’ll go a bit younger…”

She didn’t answer. He only wanted to hurt her. She knew no matter what she said, he would do whatever he wished. She stood there, fists clenched, watching until he disappeared into his tent. Then she threw back the canvas door and entered her own tent. She could see Gilroy’s shadow on the far end of the wall. “He’s gone,” she said shakily. “He’s just reached his tent. But you can’t leave yet. He’s going to send for one of the girls, and that means guards moving around. There will be…disturbance.”

“I heard him,” Gilroy said quietly. “I heard everything the son of a bitch said. Are you sure you don’t want me to kill the bastard? There are all kinds of ways to do it that wouldn’t leave even a hint of evidence.”

She nodded. “And Alisa knows them all, but she couldn’t do it, either. Not until we get all those girls out of here. Masenak and Baldwin were the only ones permitted to rape or torture them on a regular basis, but without Masenak in control those soldiers would become savages.”

“Pity,” Gilroy said. He looked down at the signal jammer and the chemical solvent. “What do I tell Korgan? Yes or no?”

“What do you think? Of course I want to do it. I have to do it.” Masenak had been gone long enough to give the order, she thought desperately. It should happen anytime now. Don’t think about it. Just keep talking. “How long should I wait before I use that solvent on those links?”