by V. F. Mason
“I’m hungry,” Beth’s soft voice said in the dark, and I checked Dom and Ben, who were fast asleep. She watched me with pleading eyes, and I was surprised I was the one she asked. She was glued all those hours to my brother, somehow finding her solace in him, and he let her. They were a lot alike probably; she didn't try to act brave like Ben did, who was more like me. I would be dead before I’d show anyone weakness.
“Do you want an apple, or a sandwich?” We had some food stashed where no one could see, and kept it in good condition under the floor. We’d found a small opening, and kept some things. John never checked anything much inside the cell. We had to clean it ourselves. Unless his men were in the mood to fuck one of us, then they took me or Dom out, and they fucked the remaining one. Not that they touched us much in the last five years; their tastes ran strictly to the young ones. The food from the new client never reached us. No one cared for some stranger’s orders. In addition, how would he check it?
“Apple.”
I picked it up, stood up to wash it in the small sink we had, and sat back to give it to her.
“You need to be quiet, okay?”
She couldn't be heard chewing loudly. Someone might come, and it wouldn't be good. She nodded and took a small tentative bite. Beth wasn't loud, so I rested my head against the wall, willing myself to sleep a little bit. The next day was Monday, the S’s favorite day. He would come, and I needed to be prepared. Usually he booked me for the whole day, but with this new guy, I’d have to divide my time between them. I couldn't be tired and unfocused.
“He has owies all over.” Beth’s voice was barely a whisper, but I heard it nevertheless. She watched Dom and softly touched his arm, which was covered in purple bruises from the chains. “They must hurt him.” She turned her head to me, and I knew she needed an answer from me. She was so little, so small. How could I help her? I needed to lie.
“They don’t anymore, pumpkin, okay?” I had no idea where the nickname came from; it wasn't as if I talked with anyone anyway. She nodded, but still carefully put her head on his arm. I thought she fell asleep, but then her words made everything inside me stop.
“I don’t want Ben to have those owies.”
A single tear slid down her cheek, and I removed it with my thumb. Her chin trembled, and she had such pleading in her eyes, as though I was the only salvation they had. How I wished for that to be true.
“I’ll do my best for it not to happen, okay?” She nodded once again. Before she could ask another question that would gut me, I ordered, “Now sleep.” She put her head, once again, back on her brother’s arm and closed her eyes.
God, I needed to save them all. And my only chance was tomorrow. It was either we died or we would fucking have our freedom back. For the first time in my miserable and pain-filled life, I decided to do something that my mom taught me all those years ago.
Prayed and hoped.
Damian
Ken died a quick but painful death. I wouldn't have been me if it were any other way. I knew Sapphire wouldn't be able to watch me kill him, so I didn't have any restrictions to play nice. The fucker remembered Dom and rage filled me. After he took his last breath, I wrapped him in the black tarp, drove to the swamp, and watched his body slide into the dirt, hoping some alligator would eat him, even though it was doubtful. Animals and fish had more dignity than touching festering shit like him. The area of my dungeon was secluded enough, and I owned the majority of the land that was a few hours away from the city. I didn’t have to be worried about anyone ever suspecting me of doing it.
Once I was back in the house, the sun was already down. I took a shower in a special room so the blood washed off, and not one ounce of evidence remained on me. Plus, I didn’t want Sapphire to see me covered in blood; she’d lose her shit for good. The strong part of me hated to admit nervousness rushed through me when I stepped into the living room, unsure of my welcome or her state of mind. She’d heard more from Ken than I expected. She was smart enough to figure out the things left unsaid.
I found her sitting on a stool, flipping through a magazine. Her mug was at her feet, shattered. Her hands had small bruises like nail marks on them, and dried blood on her knuckles.
“What the fuck did you do to your hands?” How dare she harm the body that belonged to me? She didn't even flinch, her attention still on the magazine, but by the way her eyes chaotically ran through it, she probably didn’t see a word written in it.
“The mug shattered on the floor. It annoyed me. I hit my fist on the counter. No biggie.”
She was in a state of shock. I took a step toward her, and she hastily hopped from the stool, her eyes wide with her hands in front of me to stop any movement.
“Don’t come any closer,” she almost screamed, breathing heavily. “Dominic is dead.” Tears ran down her cheeks. “My dad and their stupid organization killed him, and you decided to destroy them. Dominic could have been a great guy, but I’ll never know. You endured the same torture. I understand why you kill everybody. Really, I do.” She frantically nodded. “But what I don’t understand is your desire to keep me against my will. To play with me like you did a year ago. It wasn't a coincidence, was it?”
My head shook; the lies between us were over.
She laughed humorlessly. “Yeah, I actually put two and two together. The contract on the desk and all the events were your great plan.” She sobbed through her tears, but continued talking. “You destroyed my life, and then decided I should be yours. Although it beats me what you found so irresistible about me.” She wiped her cheeks and took a deep breath. “Tell me, Damian. How are you different from all those men and my father? When essentially, you did the same to me?”
The room froze in silence.
She compared my obsession, possession, and my desire to give her everything, to something as hideous as my years of captivity in the cell? She was mine and I was hers. Didn't she agree on this in her father’s study? How could I have been wrong about it?
No!
Swallowing the sour taste in my mouth when memories of all those clients flashed through my mind, I looked down at my hands as they clenched into fists. Was my touch repulsive to her? She didn't crave it?
“Damian—” she started, life coming back into her empty eyes, but I didn't give a shit. I was ready to give her everything when she had nothing, and she threw it back in my face?
Fuck this.
“Goodnight, Sapphire. I won’t bother you with my unwanted attention anymore.” I turned and left the fucking house, hoping like fuck that my bike would give me clarity through the soul-piercing pain she inflicted with her words.
Sapphire
Studying my reflection in the mirror, I wondered for the hundredth time about the events earlier.
After Damian fled, I snapped out of my shock and cleaned up the mess my actions created. Afterward, I found a first aid kit under the sink in the bathroom and applied soothing cream to my bruised flesh. Instead of talking to him about his past and the things that led him to this life, I accused him of the worst things possible. Like it or not, whatever I did with him was completely consensual. Who was I kidding? I fell for the guy a year ago, and my heart had belonged to him ever since. Dominic wouldn't have been on my radar had I not felt Damian and my connection underneath it all. Finally, tired of self-loathing, I decided to take a bath with the hope it would calm me down.
My reflection showed a woman who was anything but calm. A shiver ran through me as I heard the door slam, and then Damian entered his room and shut the door loudly. Guess whatever he did to calm down hadn't helped him either.
My nipples hardened against the silk nightgown, which had been placed in the drawer for me. My heart rate sped up as my mouth opened, gasping for breath. Just the idea of him close to me did this. I couldn't go to sleep without healing this conflict between us.
Or maybe I just needed an excuse to see him again. I slowly tiptoed to his bedroom, opened the door, and in a second, his strong arms wrapped around me.
Damian’s mouth crashed with mine as we devoured each other in a hot, deep kiss. He squeezed my ass as I groaned against his mouth.
“Say you want me,” he said harshly and bit my lower lip as my head shook in denial. “No, you don’t? You don’t want me to tie you spread eagle to my bed and put my bloody hands on you?” His words made the thrill of the forbidden slip into every bone as I craved for him to do all of it to me. “Your lush body open for my tongue, fingers, and cock.” His hand fisted in my hair, tipping my head back harshly, and the wetness between my thighs increased. “Do you want it, Sapphire?” He licked the side of my neck, sucking for a second there then nipping my jaw. “This time, you won’t have the excuse of not wanting it. Say it, and this,” his hand gripped his cock through his jeans and rubbed from base to the tip, “will be yours.” I breathed heavily against him. His erection dug painfully into my stomach as—even though I knew it was a mistake—my eyes closed, and I nodded. “Open your eyes, Sapphire,” he snapped. “And say the words. Look at me when you agree to be mine.”
Licking my lips, I whispered, “Yes, I want all—” Damian didn't even let me finish what he demanded as he took my mouth in a punishing kiss, his grip on my nape. Then he maneuvered me up in his arms and, in a few short steps, threw me on the bed in his room, watching me with heavy eyes.
“Take off your clothes. Fast.” I removed my silk nightgown as he opened the bedside drawer and took out four silky bands, a blindfold, and a rope. My heart started to beat faster, but at the same time, my nerves were on high alert. My palms were sweaty, and I had to run them over the sheet to dry them off. “On your back.”
It almost seemed like he found the right string inside me and played it like a virtuoso guitarist. He tied one leg then the other, slowly caressing my skin to make sure the rope wouldn't do permanent damage. Damian then moved to my right hand, lifted it up, tying it securely and repeating the same action with my left hand. Lastly, he covered my eyes with a blindfold and darkness greeted me. My hearing became attuned to every sound in the room.
I heard him take off his clothes and throw them somewhere; his belt buckle made a metallic clunk as it hit the floor. My sex clenched with desire as I waited on his next move. His hot breath blew gently over my core, and he slowly licked my folds up and down. My spine arched off the bed, but he spread his hands on my stomach, pushing me back down while his stiff tongue entered me and his hands moved under my ass to raise it up. My loud moan was probably heard outside.
He French kissed my pussy, and then his lips nipped my clit, sucking on it. Before the sensations could overtake me, he removed his hands and my ass fell. Breathing heavily, my hands fisted as I dreamed of running them through his silky hair. His hands caressed my breasts, weighing them. He licked and blew softly on the hardened peaks. Then he sucked on each one, changing breasts every few seconds while the heat between my legs grew.
Once again, he let go of them, and his lips traveled up my neck in light feather kisses and finally to my mouth. His thumb pressed on my chin, willing me to open it wider, and his tongue entwined with mine in a slow yet passionate kiss, which lasted and lasted and lasted.
Then, I felt it.
His cock was running over my folds from my sensitive clit to the opening and back again.
“Please,” I whimpered, and his hot breath washed over me.
“Please what, Sapphire?”
“You know what!”
“No.” He bit painfully on my neck. “Tell me. Tell me how much you want me to fuck you hard on this mattress so you can scream my name.” My head shook from side to side while he kept on torturing me.
“Tell me,” he said, and I gave up.
I was dying without him inside me.
“Fuck me, Damian. Hard.” He pushed inside me to the hilt, stretching me, filling me completely. He moved back and then slammed in. His wild rhythm drove me crazy…more, more, and more. Suddenly, I felt the snap of the silky bands and my hands were free.
“Touch me. Fucking touch me, Sapphire.” My arms wrapped around his neck, drawing him closer, and my lips searched his while he continued to slam inside me harshly.
Then the epic finale came.
Pleasure consumed me. A deep scream rose from within me and found its way out.
After a few more seconds, he roared above me, and we lay spent on the bed.
My body was satisfied, even though the coupling was fast. He gave me what I came for and stayed with me in bed this time.
Why then did I feel like it was the loneliest experience of my life?
The doors opened as the man stood inside the typical ‘session room.’ One bed, one couch, one bathroom, and various toys to play with. John took into consideration all desires, so clients could enact whatever they felt like. Alex stood beside me, watching the next client carefully who was sitting on the couch. The man was gazing down at his phone while he smoked a cigarette. I shivered slightly from the cold in the room, my body covered only in sweatpants and flips-flops.
“You can leave.”
Alex frowned. “The boss said to watch.”
“I paid additional money for my privacy. Want me to call the boss?” he asked with his low voice, finally raising his dark, cold, and dangerous eyes. Alex shifted uncomfortably. Even though he acted like John’s right hand, “the boss” couldn't give a fuck about him, and he knew it.
“Whatever.” He placed the keys of my handcuffs on the table and closed the door behind him. Cameras or any other devices were strictly prohibited; dirty fucks clearly didn't want any evidence on them. We were facing each other, when suddenly, he threw a jacket at me.
“Wear it and cover yourself up.” In places like these, you learned to forget about cold or heat; you dealt with it in the same way, sitting in the cell either shivering or sweating like a fucking pig. “Sit on the couch.” Weird wants, but I did as he asked. He studied me carefully for several minutes, the silence stretching between us to the point of uneasiness before he finally spoke. “You remind me so much of your father.” His words shocked me to the bone and my heartbeat accelerated.
“What?” I whispered.
“Your father was one of my closest friends. My name is Tony. We were together in the service. A couple of friends and I came to save you and Dominic. I can finally keep my promise to your mother.”
“Mom’s alive?” The child in me still remembered the beautiful and vibrant woman who held nothing but love in her eyes.
Tony’s eyes darkened with sorrow as his shoulders slumped. “No, she died of grief. She could have lived without your father, but you boys were her world.” He didn't need to say anything else; reading between the lines was my specialty. Mama committed suicide.
My fists clenched, but the pain running through me had to be put aside for another time. The man here offered escape.
Escape!
“How can you help us?”
“My two men are waiting outside. We need to disarm those two idiots, get in the cell to save your brother, and get the hell out.” His words sounded unreal, but there was another issue.
“We aren’t alone here.”
Tony’s face twisted in regret. “I know, kiddo, but I can’t save everyone. There are only three of us, and the department is too corrupt to proceed with more at the moment.” He meant other kids in the cells that we heard. God, who would avenge them?
“They brought two kids yesterday to our cell, a girl and a boy. I won’t leave them behind.”
Tony nodded. “Fine. Now listened to me carefully. Follow my instructions, no matter how strange they sound. Do you understand? One mistake and we all die.”
“I won’t do anything to jeopardize it.”
“Good.” He picked up a gun from the duffel bag I hadn't noticed before, and then gave me two. “One for you, one for your brother. If a man grabs you, or hurts you or the kids, you shoot without thinking, understand?”
I nodded, as my palms closed over the heavy metal, enjoying the power it gave
me. Tony proceeded to explain for several seconds how to use them, open up, put in the magazine, and how to pull the trigger. My eyes scanned the device rapidly, making sure to memorize every detail. Satisfied after I repeated his every direction one-by-one, he finally motioned with his head to start the plan.
Several knives were under his belt, one each for Dom and me, and we were ready to leave. Tony opened the door, and Alex and Lance stood outside, eyeing him suspiciously.
“What’s going on?”
Tony didn't hesitate. He killed one then the other without so much as a wince. I blinked from the shock, but more from the thrill, which flowed through my body at the sight of people who tortured my brother and me for many years lying dead. The idea of having the power in my hands to eliminate every threat that came at me was liberating. I quickly guided him to the cells, where a stunned Dom and the kids stood with shock and fear in their eyes.
“What’s happening?” Dom asked as I handed a gun to him. Quickly, my hands showed him how to use it.
“No time to explain. We need to run. Come on.” Tony pointed to the exit, where five guards came at us at once. He shot each one of them, but then unexpectedly, one rushed in and knocked Tony to the ground, but not before he pressed the alarm button.
The deafening sound of the siren filled the air, followed by the pounding footsteps of more guards. With shaking hands, I pulled the trigger and the guard fell lifeless beside Tony.
“Good job, kid.”
Dom, as weak as he was, held the two children in his arms as we sheltered them and kept on moving, but then about fifteen guards came running, and Tony cursed. He grabbed some weird device and said into it, “Luke, do you hear me?”
In a second, there was a reply. “Yes.”
“The alarm.”
“On it. There is an exit gate near the hall on your right. Follow it to a tunnel, and it will lead you out into the woods. Matias and I will wait for you there.”
Tony pushed us in that direction. We hurriedly moved forward, when out of nowhere, a guard I didn’t recognize grabbed Tony from behind and stabbed him with a knife in the back of his neck. The kids screamed. Tony dropped to his knees, and with one last glance at me, he fell forward. His eyes were still snapped open as he was pointing with his fingers to the tunnel. He held my gaze with his for several seconds, smiled, and with a final breath, closed his eyes as his body stilled.
