His excuse pisses me off. What he’s doing is not fucking okay. I can’t remember a damn thing. Ergo, there’s no reason for me to be here. They should’ve just let me go. I close my eyes as his soothing touch relieves the ache. I try to remember.
I recall that moment when he introduced himself with his handsome smirk after I heard his deep masculine voice state, “I’m Vince.” That moment flashes before me and sends a warmth through my body. That memory is followed by the feeling of my back arching on the hard, cold desk while his mouth licks and sucks at my clit. Fuck! I force my heavy eyes open as his arms wrap around me, bringing me close to his hot, hard body. I push away from him and snap, “I can walk.”
His pissed off expression makes me want to cower, but he slowly puts me down and lets my feet find purchase on the ground.
I hate that I gave myself to him. I clench my thighs again. I don’t feel any different. I’m not sore at all. More than anything, my clit is swollen with the need for his touch. I have no idea what all we did, but it’s more than I’ve ever done before, at least on the receiving end. I’ve never had anyone go down on me. My cheeks flame with embarrassment.
I take one step forward with his hand resting lightly on the small of my back. I look up at the house. It’s not large, but it’s not small either. A country home, with light blue shutters and a porch swing. It looks like a picture-perfect home, out in the middle of nowhere with a dirt driveway. My eyes dart to the left--nothing but a flat field. My eyes dart to the right--woods.
Seeing the woods and knowing we’re alone terrifies me. My body turns to ice.
He’s going to kill me. My feet stumble and I nearly lose my balance. I take a ragged breath. I can’t do this. Anxiety makes my blood race and adrenaline pumps through my veins. I can’t handle this shit. My throat closes.
“You okay?” Vince asks me, and again I’m confused by the concern in his voice. I don’t know what’s going on. I wish I could remember. I swallow thickly and nod my head, righting myself. I wish all this were over with. I close my eyes and remember how he choked me against the wall. I can’t. I can’t go in there with him. I won’t make it out alive.
I may not be strong, but I don’t have to be. Not physically, anyway. I push my heavy body forward and shove my elbow right into his spleen. I saw someone do it in a movie once. I hear a gush of air push out of him and his groan of pain as he topples forward, but I don’t waste a second. I force my body to move and sprint toward the woods. Everything is a blur. My heart isn’t steady, and my ankle nearly rolls, but I push forward. I lose one of my flats, but I don’t spare a moment to even consider it.
My bare foot pounds against the grass as I race to the edge of the woods. I can hear him getting up. He’ll catch up to me in no time. If only I can get into the woods far enough to hide. It’s dark out. I can hide. I need to be able to hide. My feet slam against the ground. I feel the cold dirt on the sole of my bare foot. My heart hammers faster. Branches whip by my face. I duck to avoid as many as I can. I brace my body against a thick tree trunk and try to keep my balance. The rough bark scratches against my skin.
I heave in a breath and then scream as Vince’s body slams into mine, knocking me to the ground. His large body pins me down. His hips spread my legs apart and his knees land on my thighs, pushing my body open and forcing me to stay beneath him. He pins my wrists above my head with one hand, and his other hand wraps around my throat. I let out a scream, but he doesn’t put any pressure on my throat. Instead, he's just merely gripping it. I try to buck him off of me, but it’s hopeless.
He growls into my ear. “You can’t fucking listen, can you?” I close my eyes and whimper.
“I don’t want to die.” My murmur is barely more than a whisper.
“You’re not fucking acting like it.” His hand tightens on my throat, and his hips push harder into mine.
For a moment my eyes flash to an image of him on top of me, pounding into me, ruthlessly rutting between my legs. My body heats at the thought. I can see us just like this. I turn my head to the side and refuse to think about it. My body flames with need, but I deny it. I’m so ashamed. So confused.
“You need to fucking listen to me.” He clenches his teeth and slowly lets go of my wrists. I don’t move. I stay as still as possible. He grips my chin and forces me to look at him, but I keep my eyes closed. He squeezes tighter and I instinctively open my eyes. His sharp, dark gaze stares back at me.
“Don’t fight me,” he commands. “You will obey me.” His words send another shot of arousal through me, but thankfully he’s already on his feet and pulling my nearly limp body up onto his. He slings me over his shoulder to carry me away like some kind of primitive caveman.
I don’t know what to think. I don’t understand why I feel this way.
I don’t have a choice in any of this.
Chapter 6: Vince
I can’t believe she fucking ran. My blunt fingernails dig into a tender part of her waist as I drag her body back to the house, with my hand gripping her hip. She’s not walking fast enough, not making this easy, but at least she’s not fighting.
“That wasn’t a smart thing for you to do, sweetheart,” I mumble under my breath. I’m pissed off. I’m really fucking pissed off. I’m trying to help this girl. I’m going out of my way and risking my own ass for hers. If she got out… My blood runs cold thinking what would happen. For a split second, the choice is obvious. I can’t allow it to happen. There’s only one way to make sure she never talks. I don’t trust that she got a high enough dose. And neither will the familia.
I shake my head and pull her closer to me. “Walk with me, Elle. Stop making this so fucking hard.” My voice reflects my anger. She quickens her pace and I take a look at her as we near the porch. Her face is red from panting, her cheeks stained with tears. Her shirt’s ripped from falling down earlier, and there are scrapes on her knees.
My heart sinks in my chest. I’m such a fucking asshole for being angry with her. I’d run, if I were in her shoes. First chance I got, I’d fucking bolt. How can I blame her? She has no idea what’s going on. Other than the fact that I’m not letting her go, and that some people in the familia want her dead.
I look down at her feet. She lost one shoe somewhere back there, and her bare foot is dirty and bleeding from running through the forest. My poor sweetheart. I stop at the door and sigh. “Are you going to listen to me?”
Her wide, frightened eyes dart to mine. She slowly nods her head. She’s fucking lying. I can see it written on her face. “Don’t make me chase after you again, sweetheart.” I move my hand up to the nape of her neck and fist her hair. I pull slightly, which gets me a small whimper, and lean down to let my lips barely touch her ear. “Next time I won’t be nearly as nice.” I whisper my threat and let my hot breath send a shiver down her body. I let go of her and open the door with my back to her, giving her the chance to fucking defy me. Again.
The sound of her heavy, shaky exhale make my chest hurt. I feel like such a fucking asshole. But what the hell am I supposed to do? It’ll be better tomorrow. As long as she doesn’t remember what she witnessed earlier at the bistro, everything will be better. If she remembers though, I’m fucked. She can’t remember any of this shit. And that reminds me about the tablets in my pocket.
I unlock the door and walk in, holding the door open for her. She sways slightly on her feet and looks behind her. A low growl vibrates through my chest, making her head snap back around as she looks at me with wide eyes.
“Come on in, sweetheart.” I can’t help my narrowed eyes and threatening stare, but at least my voice isn’t completely menacing. She swallows loudly and slowly walks in. I can see she’s tired. She’s fighting this shit, even though it should’ve knocked her on her ass. That makes me worry even more. She walks in slowly and at an angle. She keeps her eyes on me but keeps her distance, staying more than an arm’s reach away.
I shut the door and lock it. The loud click of the lock makes her eyes dart
to the doorknob. I practically see her heart beating out of her chest as her breathing picks up. I can tell she’s on the verge of a panic attack. If only she’d just sleep. Just go to bed and make this easy on both of us.
My heart twists with agony as I watch her eyes dart around the foyer like something’s going to come out of a dark corner and attack her. I need to help put her at ease. As much as I can, anyway.
“Are you hungry?” I’ve got this place stocked with food, no fresh stuff though. I’ll pick some up when I get Rigs. I clench my jaw. I’m gonna have to tie her up to do that. She’s not going to like it. But there’s no fucking way I’m risking anything at this point.
She’s quick to shake her head no.
“Did you eat before you went out tonight?” I ask calmly. She tilts her head to one side as though she’s thinking. “Do you remember?” I prompt.
“I’m not hungry.” Her voice is small, but even.
“That’s not what I asked.” I manage to keep most of the irritation out of my statement.
“Yes I remember, and no I didn’t eat,” she responds quickly.
I nod and take a step towards her, but she takes a step back. She’s cornering herself in, but she has nowhere to go anyway. She won’t be getting away from me now.
“I want you to eat something, and then I have to leave for a bit.” I watch as her eyes light up at the thought of being alone. It pisses me off. All of this pisses me off. If she hadn’t been so damn eager to leave earlier at the bistro, I could’ve had her cumming on my dick right now. Instead she’s scared of me, when I’m the one busting ass to keep her alive.
“Stop running from me,” I practically snarl. I take in a deep breath through my nose as my anger rises. I reach out and grab her waist before she can back away, pulling her small body to mine. Her hips press against mine. “Let’s get one thing straight, Elle.” I wrap my hand along her upper neck and use my thumb to push up her chin so that she's forced to look me in the eyes. “You fucking wanted me, before all this shit happened. You wanted me, and then you left me. You got yourself into this shit, and now I’m saving your ass.”
Her eyes widen as though she’s surprised. And I’m not sure which part triggered that response. I lower my lips closer to hers. “The least you can do is make this easy on me.”
Her light blue eyes stare into mine. She parts her lips and all I want to do is take them with my own. I want to make this easy. I want to make it right. But when she speaks, it ends that desire.
“I don’t trust you.” The softly whispered words hit my chest like fucking bullets.
It fucking hurts, but I can’t say that I’m too surprised. It takes a lot for me to trust a person, too. “Fair enough. Maybe you can make it easier on yourself then and stop pissing off your captor.” My stomach drops as I refer to myself that way. But that’s exactly who I am to her. Not her fucking savior, that's for damn sure. I’m the enemy.
“Does that sound like a smart thing to do, Elle?” I ask her as I tilt my head.
“No.” Her plump lips stay parted as she answers me, and her eyes fall to my throat. A sadness washes over her. Her eyes stay on the dip of my throat as she asks, “What are you going to do to me?” I can hear the obvious defeat in her tone. I suppose in a way that’s good, but it crushes me. I don’t want to kill the bit of spitfire she has.
“I’m going to feed you.” I tilt up her chin again to make sure she gives me her full attention. I repeat, “I’m going to feed you, but then I have to tie you up again so I can leave.” She takes a quick inhale and her nostrils flare, but she keeps her mouth shut before nodding at me.
I pull back and walk away from her towards the kitchen. I turn to look over my shoulder. “Come.” Her feet move obediently at the command.
“When you wake up tomorrow, this will all be over. Everything will be perfect,” I say, trying to sound reassuring. I listen to her feet moving slowly behind me as I enter the modern kitchen. I turn to look at her as I reach the pantry. “You won’t remember anything, and everything will be just as it was.” I fill a glass with water and set it on the counter. I debate against showing her what I'm about to do, but ultimately I decide to show her. I don’t want to trick her.
I reach in my pocket and pull out the bottle with the tablets. I pop the top off and drop one of the tablets into the glass.
I pick up the glass and watch as the tablet quickly dissolves into nothing. Her full, plump lips frown as I take a step toward her. “Drink this, sweetheart.” I hold out the glass and her small hands reach out to accept it from me. Her fingers overlap as she lifts the glass to her lips. I’ll have a good hour to hour and a half with her before she should pass out with this dose.
She stares at the glass for a moment and I consider pushing her, but I don’t. Thankfully she puts it to her lips and downs the water completely. With the glass empty, she gently places it on the counter, with her eyes on the floor and drenched in defeat.
Her mouth opens as her fingers toy with the loops on her shorts. But she slams it shut and instead focuses her gaze on the slate tiles on the kitchen floor. She looks so beaten down. She looks hopeless. She’s covered in dirt and scratches. I’m going to need to bathe her. She can’t wake up like that.
Her eyes reach mine with sadness and her mouth opens and then closes again. “What is it?” I ask, with patience and comfort.
“Please don’t touch me.” Her shoulders rise and her body trembles as she swallows thickly and moves her gaze back to the floor. She clasps her hands in front of her. My forehead creases with confusion, and then I realize the meaning of her words. I close my eyes and give myself a moment.
When I open them, her hands are covering her face as she stands there in the middle of my kitchen. She doesn’t belong here. It’s so fucking obvious to me that this is fucked up.
“Elle, sweetheart...” I walk over to her and wrap my arms around her so that she can lay her head against my chest. She’s stiff at first, but I rub up and down her back with comforting strokes. “I would never do that to you.” I kiss her hair and continue rubbing soothing circles on her back.
“I promise you. I won’t hurt you.”
Chapter 7: Elle
“I’m not leaving you alone again, and I’ve already seen you naked, so just strip.” I stand with my back to Vince as I face the shower. I can’t believe he’s serious. I can’t believe any of this. He tried to get me to eat, but I’m so sick to my stomach. And now he wants to bathe me. I can’t wash myself, thank you very much.
“I can--” I start to say the words in the softest, most respectful tone I can manage, but he cuts me off.
“I’m not leaving you for one second.” I turn around slowly. His muscular arms are crossed, pulling his tee shirt tighter over his chest. It makes the muscles in his shoulders and arms bulge.
I look up at him through my thick lashes. “I promise--”
“I’m staying right here.” His words are absolute. “You’re going to be tired soon. You could pass out in the stall. I’m not leaving.”
I take in a deep breath and close my eyes, and pull my tank top over my head and unhook my bra, removing them both quickly before I hurriedly shove my shorts down. I step out of them and quickly walk underneath the hot cascade of water. I wince as the heat bites into the small scrapes on my body. They aren’t that bad. Tomorrow they’ll start to scab over and not look like much of anything. I open my mouth and let the water hit my face.
Tomorrow I won’t remember. I hope I don’t.
I feel like a coward for thinking that. But I really don’t want to remember this. I’ve given up. If I do remember, I’m going to pretend like hell that I don’t remember.
“Here.” I jump at the sound of Vince’s voice and nervously watch as he hands me bottles of cheap shampoo and conditioner. They’re small bottles like you’d expect to find in a hotel bathroom. I reach out and take them both with one hand. I have to close my eyes as our fingers touch. I feel so alone. That must be why I want hi
m. It’s the only reason I can think of as to why I’m feeling this way.
I don’t know which emotion is stronger. The fear that he’s going to kill me, or the desire for him to fuck me. My conscience is raging war within me. One moment I want him to use me. Yet the next moment, I’m afraid he’s going to touch me. It’s as though my fantasies and nightmares have combined into a reality. And I’m not sure which is which anymore.
I open my eyes and I find him staring at me. He looks like a caged beast. His hands grip the edge of the stall and he leans in just slightly. “Do you need anything else?” he asks. I know exactly what he’s asking, and the answer is no. I quickly shake my head no and open the first bottle. The other I set down on a shelf. He pushes off the wall and steps backward, but I can feel his eyes on me.
I clean off as quickly as I can. I’ve already submitted. I can only hope tomorrow I’ll forget. Tomorrow I’ll wake up, and he’ll take me back home. Then all of this won’t even be a nightmare.
It simply won’t exist.
I close my eyes again and feel a fog set in. I welcome it.
I lean my back against the cold tile wall and vaguely hear Vince’s voice speaking. But it fades in the distance, and suddenly his face is in front of me with that handsome smirk. “I’m Vince.” I hear his confident, masculine voice. I see him lift his head away from my heat and stare up at my body as a wave of heat rolls through me. Another flash, a mix of memories. And then my body seems to go weightless.
Darkness sets in.
The last thing I hear before I pass out gives me a sense of peace and calm that I’m not sure I’ve ever felt. “I’ve got you, sweetheart.”
Chapter 8: Vince
I park in front of my house and sit in the car to take a quick mental inventory of everything before I go in there. It took a good bit to get over here, but I still haven’t had enough time to process all this shit. Pops’ car is out front. I know he’s waiting for me inside. I sent him a text letting him know I had something I needed to talk to him about, and I know he’s gonna be sweating his balls off with worry. I grip the wheel with both hands, remembering how I left her at the safe house.
His Hostage: Valetti Crime Family (A Bad Boy Mafia Romance) Page 5
