Freed (Bad Boy Hitman Romance)

by Terry Towers

  I looked over at Tanner, who was walking beside me, his hands stuffed into the outer pockets of his black leather jacket. Feeling my eyes on him, he turned his head and met my stare. He was easily one of the best-looking men I’d ever come across. For one of the first times in my life, I questioned whether refraining from sex until marriage was really necessary. Women my age had premarital sex all the time and found good, hard-working, loving husbands. Every one of my new friends indulged in it regularly. Bonnie had teased me the previous night, calling me a prude and saying my father had brainwashed me. Maybe she was right. I found I was questioning my beliefs more and more lately. Was the vision I had for myself truly my vision, or was it my father’s? I honestly didn’t know anymore.

  I gave my head a shake, even though my emotions were in turmoil. No. I’d made a promise to God, my father and myself. But that didn’t mean I couldn’t at least indulge in a kiss. I’d been kissed a few times, and Billy Thorne had felt me up once. Certainly not a large amount of experience, but I wasn’t completely clueless either.

  “So,” Tanner prompted. “Spill it. Tell me everything.”

  I shrugged. “There’s not much to say, really. My father is a pastor, and he usually relocates our family every couple of years. He doesn’t like to stay in the same place too long. I go to college in the fall, so this is going to be my last move with my family.”

  “So you’re close with them?”

  “Very.”

  “Must be a lot of pressure living up to the standards I would guess are expected of a pastor’s daughter?”

  “Yeah. It can be. I try my best, but sometimes Father’s expectations seem out of reach.” We rounded the block and began making our way back toward the nightclub parking lot. “Father is very demanding, but I get it. He only wants the best for me.” I laughed. “He’s scared that when I go off to college, I’ll turn into some wild woman and forget everything he’s taught me.”

  Tanner chuckled along with me. “Oh, I don’t think so. You seem to have a pretty good head on your shoulders.”

  “I like to think so. But to be honest, I kinda wish I was more adventurous. Sometimes I want to be more like the girls I came to the club with – sexy and exciting. There’s a part of me that wants more. It feels like I’ve been missing out on things.”

  “Oh, I think you’re perfect the way you are.”

  “You don’t have to say that.”

  “I wouldn’t have approached you if I didn’t think you were beautiful.” A little something different played in his dark eyes. Lust, maybe? I couldn’t quite place the look, but either way it made me feel sexy and desirable, sending a shiver through me. The heat rushed to my cheeks again and I lowered my gaze. Yeah, like a man like Tanner would be all that interested in me, especially now that he knew he wouldn’t be able to score with me. I’d be lucky to get a drive home.

  I huffed.

  “Hey, what’s the matter?” He stopped walking and grabbed my hand, forcing me to stop as well.

  The feel of my hand in his made me want to get closer. “Nothing.” I shrugged and lifted my gaze. “I appreciate the kind words, but I think you’re wasting your time with me tonight.”

  He frowned. “I don’t follow.”

  “Because I’ve never…” I gave him a shy smile and quickly lowered my gaze again. “You know. And it’s not going to happen tonight. I’ve made a vow to wait ’til marriage, and please don’t take this the wrong way, but I have a feeling waiting isn’t your strong suit.”

  Tanner laughed and gave my hand a tug, pulling me in to him. I allowed myself to be pulled into his arms despite the voice in the back of my mind screaming at me to just go back to the nightclub, find Bonnie and go home. Tanner was bad news; he was dangerous.

  “I already told you. I just want to get to know you. You’re a beautiful, interesting woman. You need to know that.”

  When I looked up into his eyes and saw his sincerity, something in me swooned. I’d come to the nightclub to be a little impulsive and do something I normally wouldn’t do. Looking up at him as a sexy, seductive grin spread across his lips, I decided to take a chance. Just once. Pressing myself against him, I stretched up on my tiptoes and brushed my lips across his. His lips were soft and tasted of beer, and I wanted to taste more.

  His response was surprisingly reluctant at first, as if he were deciding whether to respond or not. Then suddenly his arms were tightening around my waist and he was pulling me in to him, his lips teasing mine and his tongue urging my lips open.

  With a low moan I parted my lips to him, inviting him in. As his tongue slipped between my lips and caressed mine, a jolt of pleasure and need rushed through me. It was a feeling that was foreign and powerful and exciting and a million other things all rolled up in one, and I liked it – I craved it. I moaned again and fisted the shoulders of his leather jacket as a warmth spread between my legs. I’d been kissed before, but never like this; he kissed me as if he owned me. His tongue dominated mine, and I loved how he took control. And God help me, I wanted to feel more.

  But suddenly, to my displeasure, he pulled his lips from mine and took a step back out of my embrace. “Come on, sweetheart. Let’s get you home.”

  I’ll admit, I was disappointed. I wasn’t sure how far I’d have gone with him, but as we walked toward his car, talking about everything and nothing at the same time, I realized I’d never know. Father would never approve of the man walking beside me – in fact, had I not arranged to stay at Bonnie’s that night, I would have had to request that Tanner drop me off a block from my house so he’d never know. The kiss hadn’t just been nice… No, it had been mind-blowing, but he wasn’t going to wait for marriage for me. I knew that without a doubt, and I certainly didn’t blame him.

  We reached his car, a black Mustang, and he opened the passenger door for me, motioning for me to enter.

  “Are you sure you don’t mind?”

  He smiled and gave me a wink. “Nothing would make me happier than to have an excuse to spend more time with you.”

  I blushed yet again as I slipped into the passenger seat.

  Tanner closed the door and hurried around the front of the car and then slid in behind the wheel. “But before we go, I just have one request.”

  Chewing at my lower lip, I nodded, my eyes dipping to his lips, hoping it would be a request for another kiss. “Sure.”

  He paused for a moment and then leaned forward. I let out a little sigh as his lips ghosted mine. Our lips teased, him pulling my lower lip into his mouth and me doing the same to him. Just when I thought he was going to deepen the kiss, I felt a pinch at my neck. Less than a minute later the world went black.

  ***

  My mouth was so dry and my throat felt like sandpaper. Parting my lips, I swept my tongue along them, to realize they were also dry. I needed some water and maybe some chap-stick. What in the heck had I done last night to end up in this state? I searched my brain, but everything about the previous night was a haze. With a groan I shifted from my back to my side and the bed under me creaked.

  Something wasn’t right and I had an urgent need to pee. Time to get up. From the way I was feeling it had to be past noon. I didn’t have to open my eyes to know I wasn’t home; I must have stayed at Bonnie’s house. Bonnie was an early riser – if she’d allowed me to sleep in like this she must be really wasted. With reluctance I opened my eyes. I blinked against what seemed to be bright sunlight but was actually a fluorescent light hanging from the ceiling, and gasped as I immediately locked gazes with a dark-haired man who was sitting in a red plush armchair across the room.

  “Good afternoon, sleepyhead. About time you woke up. I thought you were going to sleep the day away.” The corners of his lips turned up into a warm smile. My eyes continued to stare into his and I saw amusement dancing within them.

  I know him… My brow creased as I struggled to sit up. He’d been at the club, I was sure of it. I quickly searched my brain, trying to part the fog. Yes, at the club,
he’d approached me. He was so sexy and I wondered why he’d ever have an interest in plain Jane me.

  I sat up. “Ummm.” I could feel my cheeks growing warm and lowered my gaze, immediately noticing the army-green blanket under me. “Did we?” I was still fully clothed aside from my shoes, so I assumed not. I hoped not, anyhow; if I was going to throw my virginity away for a one-night stand then it would have been nice to remember the experience.

  “Did we what?” He cocked a brow up at me.

  I lifted my gaze again, and before I answered, my eyes swept the room. It was plain, with a concrete floor and tan-painted walls. Aside from the bed and the chair he was sitting in, the only other piece of furniture in the room was a wooden bench. I frowned, noticing a video camera in the corner and then seeing several chains hanging from the ceiling with cuffs attached to the ends. What was this place? Why was there a video camera? Nothing made sense.

  “You know… did we?” My voice was so weak. My mouth so dry. I desperately needed something to drink. My stomach did a not-so-pleasant flip-flop. How much had I drunk? I remembered nursing the blue drink Bonnie had given me, but had I finished it and drunk more? Considering I’d never drunk before, I had no doubt it wouldn’t take much to get me blitzed out of my mind.

  I was surprised when he chuckled. “No, we didn’t fuck. Not yet.”

  I cringed at his choice of words. But of course “fucking” would have been the appropriate term had we done anything. I let out a sigh of relief; at least I hadn’t done something stupid and given my virginity to a complete stranger.

  Not yet? He’s rather presumptuous.

  He was going to be severely disappointed when he found out I had no intention of “fucking” him, no matter how attractive he was. I’d had a lapse in judgment last night, but today was a new day. I shifted to get off of the bed, but a rattling sound caught my attention. Looking down at my feet, I froze, my eyes widening as I peered down at my left leg, which was shackled to one of the steel bed posts. I hadn’t noticed it when my eyes had done the initial sweep of my body, but the steel shackle seemed to gleam under the light. How could I have missed it?

  I wordlessly turned my head and peered over at the stranger, confusion etched in my expression.

  “Oh yes. That.” The stranger stood and began to cross the room toward me, the smile still on his face, but the smile was no longer attractive to me. The smile seemed to mock me and sent a chill down my spine.

  Instinct told me to get away and I tried, crab-walking my way backward until my back was flush against the cool wall. “What’s going on? Why am I chained to the bed?” Panic was beginning to creep up within me and I scanned the room again. There were two doors. One was open, and I could see a countertop with a sink, so evidently that was a bathroom. The other door was closed and made of what I assumed to be solid oak.

  The stranger stopped at the edge of the double bed and crossed his arms over his chest. “Yeah, about that, I couldn’t really trust that you wouldn’t go a little crazy when you woke up and do something stupid like try to escape.”

  “So, I’m a prisoner…”

  “I prefer to use the term ‘guest.’”

  “A guest can leave.”

  He laughed. “Touché.”

  The events of the previous night were becoming clearer by the second and I remembered that smile. I’d swooned over that smile. I’d never dreamed that smile could be associated with someone who… who what? A kidnapper? Captor? Rapist? Well, not a rapist – yet – but I was confident in the kidnapper assumption.

  “Why am I here? I don’t understand. My family has no money, if that’s what you’re after.” I forced a smile onto my face despite every fiber of my being wanting to break down in tears. I had to have faith. I’d get out of this, whatever this was. God was testing me. Father liked to say that God gave his children tests throughout their lives, some we may not understand, but he did it to make us stronger. Our job wasn’t to question his will, but deal with it. I would deal with this and it would be all right.

  He sighed and sat down on the edge of the bed, facing me. I crawled to the far corner, putting as much distance between us as the shackle would allow. “Truth is, I was actually there for your blonde friend, but you caught my eye. I’m going to assume what you said last night was true and you’re still a virgin.”

  I didn’t answer.

  He nodded. “Don’t want to answer?”

  I shook my head, my cheeks growing warm.

  “Well, we’ll find that out soon enough. Modesty isn’t an emotion you’ll find useful here.”

  I still didn’t answer. I didn’t know what to say.

  “Any questions?”

  The urge to relieve my bladder increased. I would surely pee myself if I didn’t get to a bathroom soon. “I need to pee.”

  “That’s a request, not a question, but fine.” He stood and pulled a set of keys from his pants pocket. Leaning over my leg, he inserted the key into the cuff around my ankle, but didn’t turn it. He lifted his head and his gaze caught mine. “I’m going to say this to you now, and take what I say as the absolute truth. If you do anything stupid, if you try to run, I’ll catch you and you’ll be punished. So be a good girl.”

  “Okay.” As I answered, my eyes left his to focus on the door. Punished? What did he mean by punished? I suspected I didn’t want to find out.

  “It’s locked and I have the only key in or out. So if you think you’re getting out that way you’re mistaken.”

  “I wasn’t –”

  His hand shot out so quickly I didn’t know what was happening until my chin was in his grasp and he forced my eyes to meet his. His grip was painfully tight and I grimaced. “Don’t lie to me. Don’t ever lie to me. Are we clear?”

  I gulped down the sob that was threatening to make me lose control. “Y-yes.”

  “This is a relationship of sorts, and I expect it to be an honest one. If you’re honest with me, I’ll be just as honest with you. I don’t want lies between us.” He released my chin from his viselike grip. With a twist of his wrist, a click sounded and the shackle released from my ankle.

  Even though my ankle didn’t hurt, I immediately began to caress the area it had been fastened around.

  “Are you hurt?” He pushed my hand away and examined my ankle.

  “No. I just…”

  “Good enough, then. Let’s go.” He stood and offered me his hand. Ignoring his extended hand, I crawled off of the bed and stood. I didn’t expect my legs to feel like jelly under me and they immediately began to buckle under my weight. Had it not been for Tanner’s swift movement in catching me, I would have hit the floor.

  “Let me go!” I attempted to shake his hands away from me, but he refused to release me.

  “The drug isn’t out of your system yet. Don’t be so fucking proud and let me help you.”

  I glared at him. “If you wanted to help me, you’d have taken me home or to Bonnie’s last night instead of…” I looked around us – my cell – my windowless prison. Instead of making me a prisoner, I finished to myself.

  “Didn’t your father ever teach you that pride is a sin?” he chastised me.

  “Go to hell!”

  Tanner’s lips turned into a tight line, but amusement continued to dance in his eyes. “Such vulgarity from my little virgin church girl. What would your father think if he heard such language coming from your lips?”

  Not giving him the satisfaction of a response, I settled for simply glaring at him again.

  He didn’t comment further, and I allowed him to assist me across the room to the bathroom. By the time I reached the bathroom my legs seemed okay to support me and I batted his hands from me. “I’m fine.” As I crossed the threshold to the bathroom, something occurred to me, something horrifying. There was no bathroom door.

  Looking over my shoulder, I saw Tanner casually leaning against the doorframe, his arms crossed over his broad chest. He eyed me with intensity.

  “Do you mind?�
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  He motioned to the white toilet. “No. Go ahead.”

  I looked at the toilet. I really had to pee. I was minutes away from my bladder bursting and causing a puddle where I stood. “I can’t go with you watching.”

  “You’ll be surprised at what you’ll be capable of doing over the coming weeks. I said it once and I’ll say it a final time; modesty isn’t going to serve you well here. By the time we’re finished you won’t even remember what it’s like to be prideful or modest. I promise you that.”

  I should pee right on the floor. It would serve him right. But I suspected he’d force me to clean it. Knowing I had no choice, I pulled down my panties and sat on the toilet, grateful I was wearing a skirt that covered my privates from his eyes, but it was still humiliating.

  Once I was done, I did my best to wipe myself while attempting to hold on to what little bit of modesty I had left in me. I washed my hands, dried them on the small white hand towel that was neatly placed on the side of the countertop, and stood before him. Even if the door out hadn’t been locked, his large frame took up most of the bathroom exit; I’d never get around him.

  “So now that you’ve watched me urinate, what’s next? Want to insert my tampons for me too?” I waited with bated breath for his reaction. To my surprise, his head fell back and a roar of laughter erupted from him.

  When he stopped laughing, the delight remained in his eyes. “I’ll allow you to insert your own tampons. But you’ll have to let me in on when you need such things. I have a stockpile for those occasions.”

  “For the others.” I said it and wasn’t even sure where that assumption came from, but was positive it was a fact.

  “Exactly.”

  “Aren’t you nice?” I huffed, and surprised myself when I gave him a push backward and walked past him. He didn’t retaliate but simply followed me back into the main room.

  “All right, now that that is settled, we’re going to go through some rules. I expect these rules to be followed at all times. If they aren’t followed there will be repercussions.”