Cities of Rust

by Ariel Bonin

"Where's Lindsey?" he demanded to no one in particular.

  One woman pointed to the door at the other end of the room, and Andrew headed in that direction.

  "You can't go in there!" someone hissed.

  "Shut up," Andrew spat as he ripped open the door.

  As it closed behind him, he froze in place. Lindsey was standing at the edge of Samuel's bed, clad in only a few scraps of clothing. In a normal situation, the sight of Lindsey in lingerie would have turned him on, but to know that she was wearing it for Samuel turned him inside out with rage. He charged at the man sitting on the bed, but Lindsey stepped in front of him.

  "Andrew, wait! Think before you act," she whispered, her voice unsteady. He could see the relief in her eyes at his presence, but they also showed fear of what Samuel would do to him for the sudden intrusion.

  "How did you get in here?" Samuel asked in annoyance. He rose from the bed and shrugged on his robe.

  "I'm going to rip your fuckin' head off!" Andrew threatened, pointing over Lindsey's shoulder while she held him back.

  "Says the man with a gun pointed at him," Samuel retorted, and raised his pistol.

  Andrew dragged Lindsey behind him, not only blocking her from harm, but from Samuel's approving gaze.

  "What were you trying to accomplish by coming up here?" the man asked, keeping his gun trained on Andrew.

  "You can't have Lindsey. She won her fight fair and square. This is between you and me." Andrew gestured between them. "We can work out some kind of deal. She doesn't need to be involved in this."

  Samuel appeared to think it over. Eventually, one of his chilling smiles crossed his lips.

  "I have an idea, a compromise. That way we all get something."

  Andrew couldn't ignore the uneasiness rolling in his gut. "What did you have in mind?"

  "If you do this, she can go back to the barracks with you. I'll relinquish her from my possession."

  Andrew liked the sound of that, but wasn't feeling hopeful just yet.

  Samuel looked to Lindsey. "You and I just don't seem like we'd ever be compatible, honey, which is a shame. On the other hand, you and Andrew make such a beautiful couple. I want to see what you do behind closed doors."

  "What do you mean?" Lindsey asked, dismay clear in her voice.

  Samuel's pale eyes sparkled with excitement. "I mean that I want you two to have sex, right here, right now."

  Chapter 25

  Andrew and Lindsey stared at the gray-eyed man in utter shock.

  "No. We're not doing that," Andrew simply stated.

  Samuel grinned as he taunted Andrew with his gun. "Oh, I think you are."

  Andrew shook his head. "No. Absolutely not."

  "Shall I get Zoey up here? Maybe she'd like to watch, too," Samuel suggested with a smirk.

  Andrew lurched forward, but Lindsey held him back. "You leave my daughter out of this, you sick son of a bitch!"

  Samuel put his hand up to signal for Andrew to calm down. "Lindsey? Do you have anything to say?"

  She stepped around Andrew and he noticed that, with her heels, they were almost the same height. Her eyes darted between the two men. All Andrew could think about was picking her up and taking her far away from this horrible place.

  "Could I talk to Andrew in private for a minute?" she asked, her voice just above a whisper.

  With an irritated sigh, Samuel took a step back. "I'll be right here. Don't even think about trying anything."

  Lindsey gave him a nod of understanding and gripped Andrew's arm as they walked to one corner of the room.

  "I think we should take the deal," she whispered the moment he looked at her.

  "What? Lindsey, no—"

  "You know what the alternative is, don't you?" she interrupted, her eyes dark with apprehension.

  Andrew swallowed the lump in his throat and cocked his head to the side. "This isn't right, Lindsey. We- I can't do this to you."

  Lindsey held his gaze with fierce intensity as she cradled his cheek in her hand. When she spoke, her voice wavered. "I love you, Andrew. The circumstances may not be 'right,' but we are. We have to do this—I'll do whatever it takes to be with you."

  Andrew closed his eyes in an attempt to draw in some of her strength. He knew there was no getting out of this. Lindsey was right—if they wanted to be together again, this was the cost. Certainly, the last thing he was going to do was leave her with Samuel.

  "Okay," he mouthed, and glanced at the man across the room. "Just stay focused and pretend he's not even here. Keep your eyes on me."

  Lindsey nodded, trust rich in her gaze.

  As the twosome turned back, Samuel raised his brows. "So, what'll it be?"

  "We'll do it," Andrew muttered. Hating to ask the question, he said, "You give us your word that we do this one thing, and you'll back off for good?"

  Samuel put up his hands. "For what it's worth, yes—I give you my word."

  Uncomfortable silence descended upon the room. Andrew snuck a peek at Lindsey out of the corner of his eye and saw that she was staring at the floor.

  "Is- is there a certain way you want us to do this?" she questioned Samuel, awkwardness emanating from every word. Andrew's heart ached for her. She didn't deserve to be subjected to this kind of lewd treatment.

  Samuel sat in a leather chair by the door and placed his handgun on the arm. "Just do what comes naturally. You can start whenever you'd like," he said with a shrug.

  Andrew clenched his jaw and turned to face Lindsey. Her thundering heart was visible, even from the outside of her chest. Of course, that brought his eyes to the red lace that partially covered her breasts. He admired how they swelled out of the cups of her bra, forming the perfect cleavage. Sliding his hand over her shoulder and cupping the back of her neck, he pulled her close. He buried his face in her golden hair and pressed his lips to her ear. "I'm right here, Linds. You'll be okay. I promise."

  Lindsey moved her face to look at him and gave him the slightest of smiles. She circled her arms around his waist, before gently gripping the back of his shirt. Andrew brushed her lips with his own, deepening the kiss only when she slipped her tongue into his mouth. He let his hands wander over her body and was met with miles of silky skin. He did feel guilty that she had such little clothing on, but if he needed to make the best of this shitty situation, he had to admit—she looked sexy as hell.

  From the other side of the room, a creak resounded, snapping Andrew out of his lusty haze. He tried to focus on Lindsey's sweet taste and the warmth radiating off her skin, but was perpetually distracted. With a quiet grunt, he broke the kiss and dropped his head.

  "Having a hard time getting there? It happens to the best of us, Andrew," Samuel said from his chair.

  Andrew flicked his eyes to the ceiling in exasperation.

  "Lindsey, I think he needs to relax. Why don't you help him out?"

  "W-what do you want me to do?" she mumbled, and Andrew had to fight the urge to throttle Samuel for putting that unmistakable fear in her voice.

  The man gestured to a matching leather chair by the bed. "Andrew, take a seat." Samuel stared at Lindsey expectantly, and she glowered back. "Well? Dance for him."

  Lindsey's wide brown eyes met Andrew's blue ones, and he shook his head. "You don't have to do this."

  She bit her lip thoughtfully and spun to look at Samuel. "Do you have anything to drink?"

  The man chuckled. "Of course, honey." He opened a cabinet by his chair, withdrawing three cups and a decanter filled with caramel-colored liquid. He poured each of them a drink and held theirs out. "This should help with the stage fright."

  Andrew began to sip the spicy liquor, but paused to watch Lindsey over the rim of his glass. She threw back the entire drink, swallowing it in one gulp. After releasing a ragged cough, she clunked the empty glass onto a nearby end table. Lindsey combed her fingers through her hair and began to move her hips in slow, undulating circles.

  Quickly, Andrew finished the remainder of his drink. He r
ested his hands on the arms of the chair and looked up at the stunning woman before him. As much as he didn't want Lindsey to have to do this, the point was for him to relax. She was doing her part—he needed to do his.

  It seemed like she was listening to a song inside her head, because her hips swayed in a smooth, rhythmic motion. Andrew allowed his gaze to wander over her—from her hooded eyes and parted lips, to her shapely breasts and flat stomach. She skimmed her own hands over her chest, down her waist, and settled them on her slightly rounded hips. If she kept this up, he would have no problem getting aroused.

  Lindsey moved closer, leaning over the chair to rub against him. He exhaled a shaky breath as she turned and gave him a view of her backside. The lacy panties didn't do much to cover her, and the sight of her perfectly-shaped ass was almost too much for him. Lindsey took it a step further when she wound up sitting in his lap, grinding her backside against his concealed erection. He squeezed the arms of the chair.

  "For God's sake, Andrew. She's not some cheap stripper—you can touch her," Samuel said out of the blue.

  Andrew gritted his teeth at the unwelcome interruption, but had no problem doing what the man said. He gripped Lindsey's hips and pulled her tighter against his arousal. She leaned back, stretching out her lithe body. Andrew pressed his lips to the curve of her neck, and she let out a sweet sigh. He kissed up behind her ear and whispered, "You are so beautiful, Lindsey."

  The heady combination of alcohol, adrenaline, and lust tore through his veins. She moved over him, her body sinfully smooth under his hands. At that point, all he could think about was being inside her.

  Lindsey must have read his mind, because she stood and offered him her hand. He took it, and she hauled him upright. Andrew tried his damndest to ignore the prying eyes and concentrate on the woman in front of him—his woman. He fully intended to show Samuel that that was the case.

  Andrew pulled Lindsey into his arms, kissing her once again. He wove his fingers through the length of her soft hair and slipped them under her bra strap. He hesitated, but Lindsey took over. With a swift hand, she reached around and unsnapped the entire top, sliding the straps down her arms. Andrew tightened his hold, pressing her chest against his to keep Samuel from seeing her. He continued to kiss her, stroking his fingertips down the curve of her spine, and let them linger at the top of her panties.

  Lindsey tried to step back, and, grudgingly, Andrew let go of her. She flattened her hands over his chest and began releasing the buttons on his shirt. He shrugged off the tattered material, letting it fall to the floor. He took a moment to admire the shadowy features on Lindsey's face. With a hint of color spread across her cheeks, and eyes glassy in the dim light, he assumed that the alcohol was having a strong effect on her as well.

  Her hips swayed as she moved toward the bed, clasping his hand behind her. She lay back on the comforter and gazed up at him in anticipation. Andrew could feel Samuel's eyes on her body. He'd tried to keep her out of the other man's path of sight, but she didn't seem to care. It wasn't like this was the first time she'd been naked in front of a man. If she wasn't worried about it, then he'd let it go.

  With hunger in his gaze, Andrew removed her heels. He slid his hands up her right leg and slipped off the stocking. As he reached for the other, she rubbed her thighs together restlessly. After getting a slight nod, he curled his fingers into the sides of her lacy panties and tugged them down her bare legs. Lying before him completely nude, he appreciated the image she made with her hair spread in a halo around her pretty face, like some kind of wicked angel.

  Andrew figured that it was only fair for him to bare all. Lindsey chewed on her bottom lip as she watched him unbuckle his belt. He popped open the button and unzipped his fly. With a nervous gulp, he peeled off his bottom half of clothing. Apparently, his uneasiness was obvious to Lindsey, because she didn't hesitate to reach for his hand. She parted her legs, and he settled on top of her.

  Samuel cleared his throat, and Andrew rolled his eyes in frustration. "Almost forgot," the other man said. "Condoms are in the drawer. Don't need any mistakes right now..."

  You have no idea, Andrew thought as he swapped a meaningful glance with the woman under him. He shifted away from her and reached into the bedside drawer. Before he could open the small packet, Lindsey plucked it from his grasp. She ripped the foil and, while looking between their bodies, slipped the condom over his hard length. What the hell had gotten into her? She'd never done that during any of their previous occasions—not that he minded the sudden change.

  Lindsey smoothed a hand over his hair, gathering the strands at the back of his neck. She smiled up at him, and he knew she was ready. Gently, he pushed into her. Lindsey exhaled, not tearing her gaze from his. Andrew thrust into her again and felt her tremble beneath him. He kept a slow pace, coaxing her to relax. Samuel sighed in annoyance.

  "All right Andrew, enough of this vanilla shit. She's not your wife so stop fucking her like she is! We saw her fight—you and I both know that she likes it rough."

  Andrew bit down on the surge of vulgarities he wanted to spew at the man for disrespecting Lindsey. His chest heaved in anger as she rested a calming hand on his cheek.

  "Forget him, Andrew. Let the bastard watch," Lindsey whispered just loud enough for only him to hear. She tugged his head down and touched her lips to his ear. "Fuck me like you mean it—I want you to…"

  Andrew gathered her legs around his waist and sat back, lifting her into his lap. Lindsey eased down onto him, shivering at the new and exciting angle. He wound her blonde locks around his hand and kissed the soft skin on her neck. Lindsey moaned as she sank down deeper, and Andrew wrapped his other arm around her waist. He grazed his lips along her jaw and nipped at her mouth. He roughly raised her hips and dragged her back down, burying his full length inside her. The demanding movement elicited a harsh cry from the back of Lindsey's throat. Andrew refused to let up—he was ready for this to be over, but wanted to make sure she got what she needed before he did.

  He enclosed her in his arms and flipped her onto her back. He drove deeply, making her cry out over and over. As Lindsey's damp body quaked with her unforgiving release, Andrew pushed into her one final time. With a hoarse groan, he clutched the comforter next to her head.

  Staying over her, he weakly supported himself so she wouldn't be crushed. Lindsey gasped for air, her eyes clearing as she looked up at him. Andrew studied her face as he fought to catch his breath as well.

  "Get yourselves cleaned up, and then you're free to go," Samuel said as he took a sip from his drink.

  Andrew and Lindsey rushed to put on their clothes—she was back to her sports bra and jeans—and Andrew outstretched his hand to her. As they were walking past Samuel, he stopped Lindsey. Andrew gripped her hand tighter, ready to put the man down if he made any sort of move toward her. Instead, Samuel just gave her a grin and said, "That was quite the show, honey."

  With a bitter glare, Andrew pulled her out of the room. As they exited Samuel's living quarters, they overheard the man asking for Claire. Andrew felt sorry for the woman, but he was leaving with Lindsey, and that was all that mattered to him.

  Andrew retraced his steps back to the barracks, keeping a strong grip on Lindsey. He had managed to get her back, and had no plans of letting her out of his sight. They hurried down the winding hallways until Andrew halted next to a dark alcove. He turned the corner and immediately pulled Lindsey into his arms. He simply held her, and she returned the intimate gesture. It didn't feel right for him to rush her back to the crowded room—not after what had just happened.

  Lindsey took a deep breath and looked up into Andrew's eyes. He pressed a soft kiss to her lips, and asked, "How are you? How's your head?"

  Her weary features hinted at more than she was letting on. "I'm okay. I should be asking you the same question," she murmured, reaching up to caress her fingertips over the gash on his forehead.

  Andrew noticed the splint on her pinky and cradled her ha
nd in his own. He examined the injured finger and inflamed skin overlaying her knuckles. He was tentative as he flicked his gaze to her face, knowing exactly what he'd find.

  Remorse.

  It shadowed the warmth in her brown eyes, exposing her true feelings, even when she'd said otherwise. She had been forced to kill another person in order to stay alive, but the reasons didn't matter—the guilt was still the same.

  Lindsey's uncomfortable expression told him she wasn't in the mood to talk about that—not yet. Instead, he asked her about something else he'd been wondering.

  "Whatever happened to Dean?"

  Quickly, her gaze hardened. "Samuel's men killed him."

  Andrew didn't have much to say. Good riddance was about all that came to mind. The man had been a thorn in his side since they'd met at the school. With his sights set on Lindsey, Dean had been willing to do almost anything to get to her, especially if there was a chance that it would take Andrew out of the picture. Well, Dean was dead, and Lindsey was still with him.

  Screw you, Dean. I'll see you in hell.

  It was an unfortunate swap, though. With what weight Dean had pressed upon Andrew's shoulders, it was now replaced by Samuel—and then some. There wasn't room to make mistakes this time. Dean had been right about one thing—there were worse people to worry about on the outside of those school walls.

  Lindsey wrapped her arms around her middle, shivering slightly. Andrew was disgusted that no one had bothered to give back her shirt, so he began to unbutton his own. She gave him a sweet smile and stilled his hand.

  "I'm all right, thank you."

  Andrew redid the buttons and brushed his firm hands over her arms. "Zoey, Charlie, and Ana are back in the barracks. I know we can find a shirt for you there."

  He stopped rubbing her arms, and she slipped her hand into his. "Show me the way."

  Chapter 26

  Lindsey felt herself sobering up as she and Andrew entered the brightly lit barracks. Men and women occupied rows of cots, and she put the number at somewhere around thirty inhabitants. A few people were milling about, but most were lying down. It was dark outside now; it would probably be time to turn in soon.