Tender Savage Read Free Page A

man of will and intelligence could subdue even that most powerful and primitive of urges. “I don’t believe in lying. Jurado will do what he likes with you. He’s commandant of the Abbey and uses gang rape frequently as an interrogation tool.” He kept his tone deliberately matter-of-fact. “I can’t stop him from hurting you, but I can show you ways to make the pain less. We have a little time and you can learn enough to—”
    “Is that a microphone?”
    He turned and followed her glance to the small black metal object mounted high on a shelf in the corner of the room.
    “Yes, the Abbey isn’t sophisticated enough for video surveillance, but Jurado likes to make me feel the lack of privacy.” He raised his voice. “Don’t you, Jurado?”
    “It’s
terrible.”
Her voice was shrill. “Everything here is hideous. How can they do this to me? I’m frightened and angry. I’m no whore to be—” She broke off. “And now you tell me theycan hear us while we—” Her voice rose hysterically. “Well, I won’t have it. I won’t!” She ran across the room to the washbasin and grabbed the water pitcher. She slung it at the microphone, knocking the device from its shelf and splattering both it and the white stucco wall with water. The smashed microphone crackled and hissed as it dangled on its long cord.
    “That won’t do any good,” Ricardo said gently. “They’ll just replace it.”
    “Is that the only bug?”
    “Yes, it’s not really a security device. Jurado only installed it to annoy me.” “Tape recorders?”
    “No.”
    “How long do we have?” Her voice was breathless, but no longer hysterical.
    He slowly stiffened, his gaze narrowing on her face. “Jurado should be here in five minutes. Perhaps less.”
    “The guards in the cell block?”
    “They’ll wait for Jurado unless there’s a threat of escape. They know he likes to run the show.”She flew across the room toward him and spoke quickly in a whisper. “Paco Renalto.”
    He repeated warily, “Paco?”
    “He sent me to tell you they’ll be attacking the Abbey day after tomorrow. He wants you to be ready.”
    “Ready? I’ve been ready for over five months.” Ricardo felt a leap of hope he quickly smothered. “You expect me to believe you? Jurado delivers you to my bed and suddenly I find you’re working for Paco?” He shook his head. “Not likely.”
    “You’ve got to believe me. We don’t have much time.” Lara moistened her lips with her tongue and whispered, “Renalto said to mention the caverns.”
    Ricardo’s hand automatically clapped across her lips. “Quiet!”
    Lara turned her head to avoid his hand. “I won’t say any more about it. I don’t even know what it means. Renalto just said to use it as a password.”
    Ricardo was thinking quickly. The Abbey had been breached before by frequent raids but not in the last few years. The grounds were now wellguarded and enclosed by an electric wire fence, and even if the courtyard were reached, there were still problems. The Abbey was a one-story U-shaped building and the cells were all on the left side of the courtyard. He shook his head. “The cell block’s too well guarded for him to hit. There’s a machine gun mounted on the roof above Jurado’s office aimed at this side of the courtyard. How does he intend to—”
    “How do I know?” Lara’s lashes quickly lowered to veil her eyes. “He just sent me here to tell you to be ready.”
    “Who
are
you?”
    “That doesn’t matter. I’m here to help.” She laughed shakily. “Though at the moment I can’t think why. I never expected to playact as some kind of sacrificial virgin when I came to Saint Pierre. It’s not my style at all. I’ve always been very sensible and practical.” She tilted her head as she heard the sharp clatter of footsteps on the flagstones in the hall. “They’re coming. Tell me, do they give you pencil and paper?”
    He shook his head. “And the only time we’ll be able to