Even now, she was still determined to keep her promise.


    Leonard was the kind of man who would keep his word, but only if it involved someone he actually cared about. When it came to a promise made to an enemy... well, that was just another weapon in his arsenal-a way to toy with them.


    Leonard arched an eyebrow, clearly surprised by Ste''s willingness to go through with it.


    He pretended to consider for a few seconds. "But Ms. Cameron, if you don''t do it yourself, won''t it look like we''re ganging up on a defenseless woman? If you goining afterward, that could get us in a lot of trouble."


    Although his words sounded cautious, his face betrayed not the slightest hint of fear or concern.


    Ste understood: Leonard didn''t actually care whether she did it herself.


    Her lips, drained of all color, trembled as she spoke. "Then what exactly do you intend, Mr. Lerman?"


    Leonard grinned at her. "Since you''re not exactly in fighting shape, I won''t make things hard for you. Let''s try something new. When I break your hand in a minute, for every scream you let out, I''ll send one of your dear friends a man to keep thempany. How does that sound?"


    Sellers flinched at that, unable to hide his difort.


    People couldn''t control themselves when wracked with pain; screaming was almost automatic. In fact, it was the body''s way of coping-a small, desperate defense mechanism.


    Leonard''s suggestion that Ste shouldn''t even cry out was tantamount to killing her.


    There was no pain quite like the agony that shot through your fingers and into your heart.


    Sellers worried Leonard had gone too far. He spoke up, his voice edged with unease. “Leonard, that''s enough. She''s already been taught a lesson. In her condition, she probably won''t ever y the violin again. She''s been missing for a while now-people out there must be searching everywhere. We should get out of here before things get dangerous."


    Leonard shot him a cold nce. "What''s there to be afraid of? As long as we have Ste, Foreman and his people won''t dare make a move.


    If you don''t want to get your hands dirty, just stay out of the way."


    Sellers frowned, realizing that the ways he''d imagined punishing Ste were child''s ypared to Leonard''s. Leonard''s methods were ruthless-almost disturbingly so.


    If it had been up to him, at most he''d have someone ruin Ste''s hand. But Leonard wanted more than that he wanted Ste to destroy herself.


    Ste was having the best year of her career, making waves on the international stage. If nothing went wrong, she was a shoo-in for the championship this time.


    To shatter her hand, to destroy her mother''s cherished violin, to tear apart her future and her


    passion-wasn''t that punishment enough? There was simply no need for this kind of sadistic cruelty.


    Sellers might not have been a good man, but tormenting a woman like this crossed a line he wasn''t willing to step over.


    His thoughts were interrupted by a sudden gasp-Abby''s voice, sharp with outrage.


    "Leonard! You''re a despicable, cowardly bastard! What kind of man tortures a woman?"


    Leonard barely spared her a nce. He simply lifted his foot and brought it down, hard, on Ste''s hand.


    Abby''s eyes filled with tears of rage. "Star!"


    Breaking your own hand would hurt,


    but at least you''d be braced for


    it-you''d have some measure of control. But Leonard''s boot was like a sledgehammer, mming down with merciless force.


    Ste heard the sickening snap of bones in her hand, one after another.


    The pain nearly made her scream, nearly broke her. But at thest second, she


    bit back the cry, swallowing it whole.