Free False Finder by Mia Hoddell Page B

Cora had run out of lies herself and would have to sign to survive or watch her friend tortured. Rogan had his doubts, but when he saw her reaction he knew instantly she would comply. It wasn’t just the shock of seeing her best friend tied up in the basement with four of his men surrounding her that made Cora gasp. It was the fact she knew she was beaten.
    “So here’s the situation. You can either refuse to sign and my men get the order to do whatever they please with your friend, Misty. And then I will force you to sign a contract. Or, you could save Misty a lot of pain and trauma, and yourself a lifetime of guilt, if you willingly sign the contract and work for me. The choice is yours and because I’m feeling benevolent, I will give you ten minutes to consider my offer.” He leaned in closer. “Refuse to sign and I’ll let the dogs loose.”
    Cora stood there batting her eyes as she tried to comprehend her options. Sinking back down into the chair, she knew Rogan had her cornered and she could hear the truth in his words; Rogan never bluffed. She couldn’t allow Misty to go through any torture Rogan had planned for her if she wasn’t going to be free anyway. But that was Rogan’s plan.
    He had built his empire on exploiting people and giving them impossible choices where he was the only winner. Rogan never gave you options that let him come out of the deal a loser. There was always a catch and Cora knew it well. He was always one step ahead. He was smart, ruthless, conniving…a predator. He owned his world and when the war had hit he saw an opportunity and was ready.
    Of course, he was already making large sums of money from his casinos up and down the country, but when the number of punters dwindled to only the seriously addicted, he still had a lot of debts to call in. Rogan had it all planned out. Those who could not afford to pay off their debts worked them off. However, what the people signing on to his workforce didn’t realise was it was a lifetime contract.
    They were desperate and desperate people very rarely read the small print, let alone hire a lawyer. Rogan gave them a way out that seemed a better option and his force grew rapidly. They weren’t having to pay anything back, were getting food and some got shelter, so nearly every one of them eagerly took up his offer before the deadline expired.
    That was another reason Rogan got his way almost always; he gave short deadlines for a decision to be reached. It caused people to panic and make rash decisions. Rogan didn’t need money really, the one thing he desired most was to build an empire and the desperation people were feeling gave him the perfect opportunity.
    The recession and war had enabled him to take control of people’s lives and he hadn’t released his grip. Rogan had grown his cartel and business so he controlled nearly all of London. Everyone knew what he was capable of. No one wanted to be indebted to him. But people couldn’t survive without him. Anyone who tried to usurp his power he quickly moved in on and made the problem disappear. Violence was the hammer he used to forge his new world order.
    Cora knew what it meant to be indebted to Rogan and she wanted to buy herself more time because of it.
    “I want to see her first,” she demanded as Rogan moved towards the door to await her decision. His hand paused, outstretched and halfway towards the handle.
    Turning slowly, his head spun in Cora’s direction, his eyebrows raised in disbelief and question as his body followed behind. “And why would I allow you to do that? It doesn’t help me in any way.” He spoke slowly, a teasing smile creeping on to his face as he saw Cora’s annoyance.
    “Don’t play dumb Rogan, you and I both know I don’t make rash decisions and I’m not desperate like all the others you get in here. I want proof and I’m not signing anything until I see and talk to Misty,” Cora said, walking around from behind his desk to face him head