“Help!” she called out weakly.
She heard a dark chuckle coming from somewhere, and then the door to the room she was in opened. There was no light on, only what was coming in from the hallway. How much time had passed? Where was she?
Her stomach churned as she saw Black moving toward her. He wasn’t holding a gun anymore, but something about the way he moved seemed off. Was he on something?
“I couldn’t do it,” he said, walking closer to her. She smelled the alcohol on his breath and wondered how much he’d had to drink. “No matter how much of a cut they offered to pay me, I couldn’t shoot you. You’re just too goddamn pretty to throw away like garbage.”
“What do you want?” she whispered. “Please let me go.”
“I can’t do that,” he slurred. “I would love to fuck you though.”
She gasped and pulled at the restraints on her wrists. Her arms were tied to the headboard, but her ankles were merely tied together. If he got close enough, she could lift both legs and kick him. He paused and swayed slightly on his feet. She was positively terrified, but at the moment, she was actually thankful he was as drunk as he was. He seemed too inebriated to rape her.
“Why are you doing this?” she asked.
“Money. He blackmailed me because he knew about my drinking problem.”
“Who?” she asked in confusion.
“Dave. The IT asshole over in Bagram. He was feeding intel to the enemy—fucking traitor. I figured it out, but he blackmailed me when he found out I’m an alcoholic. It’s a disease you know,” he said, stumbling as he moved closer to her. “A disease,” he repeated.
“So you...what? Thought you’d kill me?”
“I had to do whatever he wanted,” Black said. “I have to admit, you’re way too pretty to kill though. You’ve got that creamy pale skin, a nice rack—fuck, I’ll love seeing what’s under your clothes. I’ll keep you here until Dave comes.”
“This is crazy!” Hailey said. “You’re going to get arrested.”
“Probably,” he agreed, slurring his words. “I’ll lose my job, get thrown in jail.” He shrugged, stumbling even closer. “I might as well have a little fun with you before they lock me up and throw away the key.”
“No!” she cried out as his hand landed on her leg. “No!” she shouted again. She tried to kick him in the face like she’d planned, but he was already pinning her legs to the bed, surprisingly strong for how drunk he now was.
“No one can hear you, angel,” he said.
She struggled against him, screaming, and then his hand covered her mouth, his face hovering close to hers. She smelled the booze on his breath, and tears streamed down her cheeks. This was it. He was drunk but clearly strong enough to pin her down. To hurt her.
Struggling against him, she tried to buck him off of her. He shifted slightly, his head falling toward her neck. She screamed again, his heavy weight holding her down, and realized he’d passed out right on top of her. She pulled at the ropes binding her wrists, desperately trying to get free.
She could barely get a deep breath with his weight pressing down on her, and she wondered how long it would take for him to wake up. Crying in earnest now, she struggled harder against the ropes. They bit into her wrists, but she didn’t care, she wasn’t going to stay here and let him attack her when he sobered up.
Minutes ticked by, and she struggled against his dead weight. She had to get away before he woke back up. She had to. There was no way she was going to lay here tied to the bed while a crazy guy raped her.
Trying to slow her breathing, she used her lower legs to see if she could get him off of her. Maybe if she could kick him to the side enough, she could push him right off the bed.
A sudden crash upstairs had her freezing in shock, and then she heard footsteps thumping around. “Help!” she yelled. “Help me! Please! I’m downstairs!”
It felt like hours passed by, but she knew it could only have been minutes. She heard voices and movement, and she prayed it was someone here to help her, not one of this guy’s friends or something. Someone came running down the hall, and the light in the room she was in flicked on. She squeezed her eyes shut at the sudden brightness, and then she cried out in shock as Black was ripped off of her.
“Ghost! She’s down here!” Ethan bellowed. She opened her eyes as she met Ethan’s concerned gaze, blinking against the light. “Are you all right?” he asked gruffly.
“Fine,” she said. He clenched his jaw at the tears running down her cheeks but didn’t argue. He pulled a scary-looking knife free from his pants and then cut the ropes on her wrists as she cried.
“Shhh, Ghost is coming,” he murmured. “You’re almost free.”
She heard more people upstairs, shouting, and then Ethan moved to her legs, quickly slicing through the rope at her ankles. She sobbed as Ethan lifted her off the bed and into his arms.
“I’m coming!” Grayson yelled from down the hallway, and then Ethan was carrying her to him as she shook. He handed her off to Grayson without a word, and then Grayson was holding her close to his muscular chest and she buried her face against his neck.
“I’ve got you, sweetheart,” he said, his lips brushing against her hair. “You’re safe now, baby.” He carried her down the hallway while Ethan and some of the other guys dealt with Black. She didn’t even see who was with them, she was shaking and crying so badly.
“I’ll call an ambulance,” Jackson said quietly as they came upstairs.
“You’re okay, sweetheart,” Grayson said as he held her, trying to calm her down. “You’re safe now. I’m here. I won’t let anyone hurt her.”
He sank to the ground right there in the upstairs hallway, holding her tightly in his arms. She saw combat boots walking around, other men in camo uniforms, and she wondered how many men he’d brought with him. It didn’t matter though. Nothing mattered now that he was here.
Grayson’s large hand palmed the back of her head, holding her to his chest, and she shook and sobbed in his arms. “Did he hurt you?” Grayson asked, his lips at her ear. “I swear to God I’ll kill him.”
She shook her head against him.
“He didn’t touch you?”
She knew what Grayson was asking. Of course he’d touched her—he’d literally tied her to the bed. But he hadn’t raped her.
“No,” she said softly.
Eventually she heard sirens coming, and Grayson was murmuring soothing words into her ear. Her breathing eventually slowed as paramedics and police officers came through the front door. Blake called out orders, directing the officers downstairs, and the EMTs came rushing toward her.
“How did you find me?” Hailey asked, looking up into Grayson’s concerned gaze.
A woman was taking Hailey’s pulse, and someone else was examining the reopened wound on her forehead, but her eyes were fixed solely on Grayson.
“A buddy of mine tracked your cell phone. It was on the side of the highway, but Blake and some guys on base got Black Howell’s address. We came straight here.”
“He was supposed to kill me,” Hailey whispered.
Grayson stiffened, then nodded at Blake, who was still standing there. The other man clenched his jaw and crossed the room, no doubt going downstairs to talk with the police officers. It didn’t matter. They’d found her, and she didn’t want anything to do with the crazy man who’d kidnapped her earlier today. He could rot in jail for all that she cared. Grayson had saved her.
“We’re going to need to take you to the hospital,” one of the EMTs said. “We’ll get you stitched back up.”
“I’m going with her,” Grayson said. Without a word, Ethan crossed over to him, gripping Grayson’s arm to support him as he stood from the ground with Hailey still in his arms. Two of the other men walked over to them, Troy and Jackson, and the men briefly talked while the paramedics readied to go.
“You need anything, Ghost?” Jackson asked.
“Can one of you drive my truck to the hospital? I
’m going in the ambulance with Hailey.”
Ethan spoke. “Give me your keys. I’ll drop your truck there and catch a ride back to base with one of the others.”
A second paramedic team arrived, going downstairs to treat the man who’d kidnapped her. Hailey shuddered, wishing they could leave him there so she didn’t have to see him again.
“I’ll get you out of here,” Grayson said, sensing her concern.
Blake jogged back upstairs. “The rest of us will meet with the commander back on base at seventeen hundred. Ghost, he said he’ll see you tomorrow.”
Grayson nodded, then turned and walked out the door with Hailey still in his arms. He jumped right up into the ambulance, not even bothering with the stretcher the EMTs were carrying back. She didn’t ask any questions, just closed her eyes and relaxed into him. She was safe now. She heard more people climb in and the murmur of voices as the back doors shut, and then the engine turned on, the siren wailing as they readied to drive to the hospital.
She didn’t move though, just buried herself further into Grayson. His scent and strength surrounded her, and there was no place on Earth she’d rather be than right here in his arms.
Chapter 20
“HI HONEY, I’M HOME!” Grayson quipped the next afternoon as he walked into the apartment. Hailey glanced up from where she’d been sitting on the sofa, smiling at him.
“Hey, hot stuff!” Ethan jokingly called back. He winked at Hailey and stood, readying to leave now that his teammate was back. Grayson had gone out to pick up a few things at the store for her, and Ethan had offered to wait with Hailey. Even though Black was now in jail, and the traitor from base had been arrested, Grayson hadn’t wanted to leave Hailey alone. And she had to admit that she felt more comfortable having someone else here.
“Thanks for coming over,” Grayson said to his teammate.
“No problem. Hailey was telling me a little about her friend Kim. I hope to hell they locate her soon.” Hailey saw the glance the two men exchanged, and she sensed there was something they weren’t telling her. “See you bright and early Monday,” Ethan said, heading toward the door.
Hailey said goodbye to him and then watched as Grayson carried a couple of bags into the kitchen.
“Need any help?” she asked.
“Nah. I just grabbed a few things. And more tea of course,” he said with a wink, setting it on the counter. He quickly shoved a few things in the fridge and then came over to her.
“I missed you,” she said, smiling at him.
“I missed you, too, sweetheart. And I was gone less than an hour.”
“I still can’t believe you found me yesterday,” she said softly.
Grayson sank down onto the sofa beside Hailey, then shocked her by pulling her into his lap. She was straddling him, her legs spread on either side of his thighs, and he palmed her face with his large hands. “I’ll always find you. It doesn’t matter where you are or what you’re doing. You’re the most important thing in my life now.”
“Grayson,” she murmured. Her hands slid to his shirt, and she gripped the soft cotton, feeling the muscles of his abdomen beneath the fabric. His gaze was intense as he looked at her, and he leaned closer and kissed her gently, one hand sliding to the back of her neck, the other moving to her waist. She whimpered and kissed him again, loving the feel of his lips and stubble against her. His erection nudged against her core, and she felt arousal dampening her panties. Moving her arms to wrap around his neck, she kissed him harder, sliding impossibly closer to him.
They both groaned at how perfectly they fit against one another. Hailey had on leggings and a tank top, and the thin cotton leggings did nearly nothing to separate his thick length from her core. Only a few thin layers of fabric separated them, and she could barely stop herself from lightly bucking against him.
“You’re so beautiful,” he said, his voice gravel.
“Make love to me,” she whispered.
Their gazes locked, and Grayson’s thumb slid against the back of her neck, sending shivers down her spine. “Are you sure? I’ll wait however long you need, sweetheart.”
“I’m sure. I thought I lost you yesterday—that I’d never get a chance to see you again. I don’t want to wait any longer. I need you.”
He paused a beat and then kissed her, hard. Grayson stood up, his hands moving to her ass to support her as he carried her down the hallway to his bedroom. She’d been sleeping there alone all week, but she wanted him in there now, too.
Clinging to him, she let him lay her down on the covers, his large body hovering over hers. Grayson nipped at her neck, moving slowly down lower. His hands edged beneath her tank top, and then he was pushing it off and tossing it aside.
She giggled as he looked in confusion at her bra. She’d taken to wearing a front-close one because of her ribs—it had been easier than wrestling into another one. Figuring it out pretty quickly, he undid the clasp, and then she was bared to him.
“You’re perfect,” he breathed, reverently. Grayson ducked down, the stubble of his beard brushing against her tender breast, but then his lips were on her, sucking her taut bud right into his mouth. His tongue flickered over her, and she arched up against him, digging her fingernails into his short hair to hold him to her breast.
Her clit throbbed with every swipe of his tongue, and she moaned as he teased her more. Moving to her other breast, he laved it with his tongue, giving her nipple the same treatment. She was wet and writhing on the bed for him, pulling him closer as she gasped and cried out.
“Please tell me you’re ready,” he said, kissing his way down to her stomach.
Normally she felt shy and nervous when she was with a man for the first time, but with Grayson, she felt nothing but cherished and beautiful. “I’m ready,” she assured him.
“Thank God, because my dick is so hard, I’m about ready to explode.”
His fingers slid under the waistband of her leggings, and he pulled both those and her panties down, his gaze taking in every inch of her. Grayson quickly shucked off his own shirt, pants, and boxers, and her jaw nearly dropped at how big he was.
“I’ll be gentle,” he said, reaching for a condom in his nightstand.
She took it from him, eagerly ripping the top off and starting to sheathe his thick length. “Let me,” he said, stopping her. “If you touch me, I won’t be able to stop. Just the first time,” he said, clenching his teeth as he slid on the condom. “I need you too badly.”
His cock twitched as he readied himself between her legs, the head of it just brushing against her folds. She whimpered, spreading her legs wider. Grayson was on his knees before her—all hard muscle and mass, with six-pack abs that would put most other men to shame. It was the look in his eyes that slayed her though—the heat and intensity was impossible to look away from.
He lined himself up with her opening, grabbing a pillow to put under her hips to better position her. She was vulnerable and exposed to him like this, but Grayson’s gaze was raking over her reverently. “You’re mine, sweetheart.”
He moved over her then, his cock just pressing inside. He kissed her intensely, moving into her tight channel inch by inch, and she wrapped her legs around his waist, holding him to her. He edged in slightly more, and she gasped as she adjusted to his size. She’d only been with a couple other men in the past, but Grayson was bigger than them both. Sensing that she needed a moment, he kissed her softly, slowly pulling out and then edging back in.
When he finally pushed all the way inside of her, they both moaned. “God, you feel amazing, Hailey. So damn tight.”
“You’re big,” she breathed, her inner walls stretching almost painfully around him.
“I won’t hurt you,” he said, moving a hand between them and slowly rubbing his thumb over her clit. She gasped as pleasure washed over her, and then Grayson began moving, slowly, all the while strumming her clit.
She was there quicker than she ever thought possible, gasping for breath as Grayso
n slowly brought her higher and higher. He kept his thrusts slow and deep, but his fingers on her clit were magic. He worked her faster and faster, and then suddenly she was clenching down tightly around his thick cock, screaming out his name as her orgasm slammed into her.
“That’s it, baby,” he murmured, beginning to move faster. “Let yourself go for me.”
Hailey clung to him as he bucked into her, trying to keep up by moving her hips but finally just surrendering to him. Grayson took her harder and then suddenly cried out, stilling as he came deep inside her welcoming body.
“I need to taste you,” he said, and then Grayson shocked the hell out of her by pulling out and flipping her over. He eased her up onto her hands and knees, and licked her pussy from behind, causing her to cry out at the sensation.
His stubble lightly scraped against her sensitive folds, and she swore she almost came right then and there. He licked her again, groaning. “Fuck, you’re so sweet,” he murmured. “I’ll never get enough of your taste.”
He gently pushed on her back, so that her cheek rested against the bed, her ass in the air, and then he tasted and licked her sensitive folds with a ferocity that astounded her. His tongue delved into her core, and she shook, already feeling another orgasm rising within her.
Normally she’d be embarrassed with a man eating her out like this, but with Grayson, she was too lost in the sensations to do anything but feel.
His mouth and stubble moved over her swollen sex, and the contrast of his rough beard abrading her and softness of his lips and tongue was startling. He latched onto her clit from behind, holding her hips, and her thighs shook as pleasure mounted within.
His tongue flickered expertly over her bud, tickling her with pleasure, and she bucked back against his mouth, screaming as her orgasm suddenly slammed right into her. Grayson kissed her nether lips softly, slowly bringing her back down, and then finally collected her in his arms.
“Oh my God,” she murmured, burying her head in his chest as he held her.
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