by Opal Carew
And probably kill the bastard who had hurt her.
*
The fingers around her neck tightened … and tightened … squeezing the life from her.
Laurie awoke with a start, the collar so tight around her neck she could barely breathe. She pushed herself straight on aching legs and leaned her head back against the bars again.
“I was wondering if you would wake up this time.”
Her gaze darted to the armchair in front of the cage at Donovan’s voice. He sat there, quite relaxed, gazing at her. The sky outside the windows was lightening with the rising sun. She had been in this cage for hours now.
“Please let me out of here.” Her voice was hoarse. She didn’t want to ask him for anything, an admission she was at his mercy, but she didn’t know how much longer she could take this.
“And what will you do for me if I free you?”
“What do you want me to do?”
“Well, for starters, call me Mr. Blake.”
“Yes, Mr. Blake.”
“Now tell me how sorry you are for being such an ungrateful bitch and running off on me. And how much you would like me to punish you to make amends.”
Her legs ached, her muscles straining to balance her. Her ankle throbbed and the choking band around her throat sent waves of panic through her.
“Mr. Blake, please forgive me for being so ungrateful. I should not have run off on you …” It crushed her to utter the words, but it seemed like the only way to change her circumstances. “Please punish me as you see fit.”
“Do you want me to punish you?”
She responded only by meeting his glare with a hateful one of her own.
“I said, do you want me to punish you? Answer now or I’ll leave you here for the next twenty-four hours.”
At least if he bent her over a punishment bench, she wasn’t in danger of choking to death.
“Yes,” she ground out. “Please punish me, Mr. Blake.”
He stood up and walked behind her. She could hear his footsteps as he walked across the room, then returned.
“Although you are an unworthy slut, I am willing to rehabilitate you.”
She felt the bars move away from her ass as he opened a door positioned—she was sure not accidentally—right over her behind.
She jumped as his fingers stroked over her round flesh, then his hand connected with her ass in a sharp slap, the sound filling the room.
“Do you like that?”
“Yes, Mr. Blake,” she lied. To do otherwise would trigger his wrath.
“Good. If you like that, then you’ll love the riding crop.”
Then he stepped back and she felt a sharp stinging across her ass. She yelped at the pain. Then he slashed it against her again. She arched forward, regretting it instantly as the collar tightened. He wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her back hard against the cage, then he whacked her again. And again.
She sucked in air, trying to ignore the burning pain.
“Your ass looks quite appealing bright red like that.” He stroked one cheek, then smacked it with his hand.
She had to force herself not to pull away from his repulsive touch.
She was rewarded when he released the fastener holding her wrist attached to the bars. Then the other one. She lifted her arms, which were stiff and numb. She squeezed and flexed her fingers, and moved her arms to get the circulation moving.
But instead of untying the cords holding her neck and feet immobile, Donovan sat down in the chair in front of her.
“Touch yourself.”
“What?”
His passive expression tightened in annoyance. “I said touch yourself.”
She glared at him. “Fuck you!”
Fury flashed in his eyes and she instantly regretted her rebelliousness. He stood up. Her chest constricted as he strode toward her. What would he do to her?
But as he got closer, he schooled his features and appeared very calm.
He walked behind the cage and wrapped his hand around her throat, his fingers gliding back and forth along the edge of the collar.
“I’m going to fuck you,” he murmured near her ear. “So hard you won’t be able to stand for a week.” His fingers tightened on her neck. “Then I’m going to do it again. And again.”
Blind panic gripped her and she sucked in a breath.
Suddenly, the front door burst open.
“Get away from her right now or you’re a dead man.”
Steele!
She couldn’t see him, since the door was behind her, but relief surged through her knowing he was here to save her.
Donovan tightened his hold around her neck, and she feared he was going to thrust into her despite Steele’s presence, but then someone pulled him back.
In her relief, her muscles sagged and the collar tightened painfully as her body sank. Panic rushed through her, but it was as if her body had given up now that help was here.
Wild Card dodged in front of her. “Fuck, she’s choking. Someone get over here and help me.”
There were shouts and the sound of a struggle behind her.
Big hands wrapped around her hips through the bars behind her and lifted her slouching body, loosening the collar a little, as Wild Card fumbled with the door in front. She sucked in a breath.
“Hold her while I get this collar undone,” Shock said behind her.
Wild Card wrapped his arm around her waist and held her tight to him and lifted her, taking her weight. The pressure on her throat loosened and she fell forward against Wild Card’s solid shoulder.
“Wait, now I need to get these shoes off her. Fuck, give me your knife.”
Wild Card continued to hold her as he reached in his pocket then handed the pocket knife to Shock. She tensed as she felt the back of the blade glide along her ankle, under the strap of the shoe, but he jerked it away from her, cutting the leather and not her. A second later, he freed her from the other strap, too.
“One of her ankles is swollen badly. Be careful.”
Wild Card helped her step forward out of the shoes, supporting her body. He drew her from the cage with infinite care, then lifted her in his arms and carried her to the armchair. He gently set her down, then pulled off his leather jacket and covered her with it.
She clutched the soft leather and pulled it around her.
She saw the others now. Dom and Magic gripped Donovan’s arms tightly. Steele strode to her side and sank to his knees in front of her. His fingers stroked lightly against her cheek.
“Are you all right, baby?” he asked in a hoarse whisper.
She nodded, tears prickling at her eyes. “Now that you’re here.”
Shock handed Steele a blanket and he tucked it around her gently. She clung to it, just wanting to get out of here, but at the same time needing to get her bearings.
He slid his hands behind her neck and carefully unbuckled the thick collar. As soon as it loosened, she sucked in a big gulp of air. He ran his fingers gently over her tender throat.
“What did that bastard do to you?” he muttered under his breath. Then he turned and glared at Donovan.
In a flash, he lurched to his feet and stormed toward Donovan. His fist connected with the man’s jaw. Dom and Magic let him go and stepped out of Steele’s way. In shock, she watched as Steele pulled the man to his feet and hit him again, then when he was down, Steele kept on pounding his fist into Donovan’s face.
“No, Steele. Please stop,” she cried. “You’ll kill him.”
“He deserves it for what he did to you,” Wild Card said.
She glanced to Shock. “Please don’t let him do this,” she begged.
Shock nodded and stood up.
“Steele,” he said as he strode toward him. “That’s enough.”
He nodded his head to Dom and Magic. They grabbed Steele and pulled him off the bleeding man. He struggled against them. “Fuck, let me go.”
“Steele. He’s not worth it,” Laurie implored.
“Please, Steele. For me. Just let it go.”
*
Steele’s heart pounded as he stared at the man lying on the floor. He wanted to pummel the life out of the asshole. He wanted to wrap his hands around his throat and squeeze out his last breath.
When he’d seen him standing behind Laurie, all his fears brought to life as he saw the man about to rape her, a murderous rage had built inside him. He’d held it at bay still hoping that Laurie was all right, then when he saw the truth, it had consumed him.
If Laurie hadn’t stopped him, he would have kept on hitting the man until he was a bloody, lifeless husk. But Laurie wanted him to stop and the saner part of him knew that if he killed the man, he’d wind up in prison, no matter what the other man’s crimes had been. And if he was in prison, he couldn’t be with Laurie. And that was all that mattered to him now.
He took a step back, then turned and walked toward her. He knelt in front of her again, his gaze falling to the redness on her throat where her weight had pressed against the too-tight collar when her body had sagged. The sadistic son of a bitch had probably kept her in that cage all night.
He stroked her hair from her face. “It’s all right now.”
He glanced over his shoulder to Dom. “Put the collar on the asshole and put him in the cage.”
He turned back to face her and stroked her cheek. “Sweetheart, let me get those straps off your wrists.”
She brought one hand out from under the blanket and he unfastened the strap. As his fingers worked on the buckle, he caught a glimpse of blood on her skin, below the shoulder, and his gut clenched. She offered the other wrist and once he had them both off, he tossed them to Magic.
He stroked his finger over the small cut. “What happened here?”
She just shook her head, clearly not ready to talk about it yet.
Wild Card set her jeans on the arm of the chair. “These aren’t usable anymore,” he said as he held up her bra and panties.
Steele’s stomach tightened as he saw they’d been sliced by a knife. That probably explained the cut. And with how evil this bastard was, there were probably more. Wild Card tossed them on the table beside the chair, then he handed Steele a shredded T-shirt.
“I suppose she could wear this backward and tie it somehow,” Wild Card suggested.
“No need.” Raven walked toward them and pulled off her jacket. She tugged her shirt over her head revealing a black push-up bra beneath. She tossed the shirt to Steele, then pulled on her jacket and zipped it up.
“She doesn’t look in very good shape to be riding on the back of a bike,” Raven pointed out.
“We have no choice,” Steele answered.
“I’ll be okay,” Laurie said as she pulled Wild Card’s jacket from under the blanket and handed it to him.
She took Raven’s shirt and pulled it on, then she slid on the jeans under the blanket, feeling painfully vulnerable after the attack. She pushed aside the blanket, then tried to stand up, but immediately winced and dropped back in the chair. Steele saw her swollen ankle.
“You’re not walking anywhere on that.”
Magic handed Steele the comfortable, black, tie-up shoes Laurie had been traveling in. He slipped each one on her foot, being careful of her sore ankle, and tied them loosely, then he lifted her from the chair.
“What about him?” Rip asked, nudging his head to Donovan, who was now in the cage, his neck and wrists fastened to the bars.
“Don’t worry. We’ll alert the police to his situation. In a few hours.”
“You’re going to regret this,” Donovan shouted from the cage. “That slut is going to bring you more trouble than you ever bargained for.”
Steele carried her outside and the door slammed on Donovan’s empty threats. Steele set her on the front of his bike, then fastened a helmet beneath her chin. He stroked her cheek. “I’m never going to let you out of my sight again. I promise you that.”
He smiled and kissed her gently, then he mounted behind her and started up his bike, relief surging through him that she was finally in his protective keep again.
*
Steele and the others hadn’t ridden very far before he felt Laurie drooping. If the asshole had kept her in that cage all night, she wouldn’t have gotten any real sleep. She had to be exhausted.
A road sign indicated a town about ten miles ahead. As they got closer, he saw a motel along the side of the road. He signaled for the others to pull over and they all turned in to the parking lot.
He pulled off his helmet as the others parked in a row beside him.
“It’s been a long night. We’re all pretty tired. Let’s get some rooms and relax.”
“I’m all for that,” Shock said. “I’ll go in and get us set up.”
Laurie still leaned back against him. He handed his helmet to Wild Card, then unfastened her helmet and pulled it off. Wild Card stowed both away.
Steele stroked her hair from her face. “You doing okay?”
She tipped her head back and gazed up at him. “I am now that I’m with you.”
At her words, and the soft glow in her eyes, warmth filled him. He loved this woman. He would do anything to protect her. And to make her happy.
Shock returned and handed Steele a key, then tossed keys to the others. Steele dismounted and scooped Laurie up, then carried her to room nineteen and opened the door. Carrying her over the threshold like this made him think of white lace and promises of a lifetime together.
That was something he’d never thought he wanted before, but now he craved it … with her.
He pushed the door closed behind him and carried her to the bed, then set her down. He turned around to see the curtains fully open and the crew smiling in at him. He strode to the window, a grin on his face, and pulled the curtains closed, blocking out their friendly faces.
This would actually be his first time alone with Laurie in a bed, since they’d become intimate, and he would take every advantage of it. Not that he expected anything from her. He just wanted to hold her close. Feel her body against his, and know she was safe in his arms.
He just wanted to cherish her.
He pulled back the covers. He knelt in front of her and untied her shoes, then pulled them off. He suppressed the urges that threatened to rise in him. She’d been through a horrible ordeal. He was not going to do anything to make her uncomfortable.
“I’ll go grab my stuff from the bike and get you a nice, clean shirt to sleep in.”
She nodded as he slipped outside. When he returned, she was in bed, the covers pulled up to her neck. He riffled through his bag and grabbed a T-shirt. He placed it on the bed beside her, then turned back to grab a change of clothes from his bag, giving her privacy.
When he turned back, she was gazing at him.
The room had two double bedsand as much as he wanted to climb into bed with her, to hold her tight in his arms, he realized he needed to give her time after her ordeal. He kicked off his shoes, then sat down on the other bed, but she pushed back the covers on her bed.
“Don’t you want to be with me?” she asked, looking uncertain and a little vulnerable.
“Of course, I just … I mean, after what you’ve been through I just thought you might need space.”
“What I need is you. I want to feel you close. I want you to hold me.”
He shifted to her bed and slid in beside her, then wrapped his arms around her and drew her close. He kissed her temple. “It’s okay, baby. I’m never going to leave you alone again.”
Soon she was asleep in his arms. He reveled in the feel of her so close to him, her soft hair pressed against his cheek. Finally, his own exhaustion overtook him.
*
Laurie’s eyelids popped open and she glanced around. Where was she? The last she remembered she was … oh, God, Donovan had grabbed her and stuck her in that c
age. But then Steele showed up and saved her.
Panic welled up. Where was he now?
“Steele?” She bolted to a sitting position.
“What is it, sweetheart?” Steele glanced up from a magazine he was reading. He sat in an armchair in the motel room he’d brought her to. He put the magazine down and walked toward her, his features etched with concern. “Nightmare?”
“I just … I wasn’t sure where you were.”
He sat down on the bed beside her and stroked back her hair with a sweet tenderness that touched her heart. “I told you, I’ll never leave you alone again.”
His words, and his gentle touch, made her want him with a desperation that dug deep into her soul. She grasped his hand and kissed his palm, wanting to let the covers fall from her body and expose her naked breasts to him. Wanting to draw his hand to her breast and press it over her. But something stopped her.
Then he frowned and his fingers stroked over her skin, just below her shoulder. “That son of a bitch cut you.”
She glanced down and saw his fingertip stroke over the small cut where Donovan had nicked her with his knife when he’d cut away her bra strap. Steele’s gaze took in the cuts on both sides. The dried blood caked over them made them seem worse than they really were.
The concern in his eyes tore at her heart and she was glad he couldn’t see the others right now.
“Thank you for coming for me.” She didn’t want to imagine what would have happened if Steele hadn’t burst in when he had. She wanted to thank him more sincerely. Wanted to somehow make him understand how much it meant to her.
He stroked her cheek, his granite eyes warm and caring. “I wish I’d gotten there sooner.”
He leaned toward her and brushed his lips to hers. His arms swept around her and she lost herself in his kiss, her heart aching with a need to be closer.
“Steele, I want …” She gazed into his eyes, but she didn’t know what to say. She wanted to be close to him. To be intimate. But the thought sent her stomach churning.
“What is it?” He gazed at her with such concern.
“I want to be close to you. To …” She blinked back tears, fighting the fear inside her.
