“Are you going to stay here with me?” I ask. He’s free. He can run away, he can go back home, go far away from all this.
“Absolutely.” He nods with a grim smile. “Everything we do from now on is together, remember?” He pulls the shower curtain back. “In you go.”
I climb into the tub and dunk my head beneath the hot spray. I could purr, it’s so wonderful. The curtain sweeps to the side, and Ken steps in behind me. He takes up a lot of space, but I don’t mind. It’s better this way, being close to him.
“Is this okay?” he asks me. If I said no, if I asked him to go, he would. He wouldn’t make me do anything I didn’t want to do.
“Yes.” I nod, folding my arms over my chest. He’s seen me completely naked, seen the horrible marks they left on me, there’s no reason to be shy now. The water and soap clean away the dirt and blood, but my hair is matted to my scalp and the paint they put on my face has to be smearing down my cheeks.
“You don’t have to hide from me.” He brushes my arms away. “I’m going to check your nipple. He bit—” He stops, his eyes meeting mine. “I want to be sure it’s all right.”
I nod and move forward, out of the stream. With his large hand, he cups both my breasts, cradling them in his palms.
“A small cut.” He runs his thumb over the spot he’s looking at. “It will heal by tomorrow.”
I bite the inside of my cheek. His warm breath washes over my pert nipples.
He stands upright again, still holding my breasts. “I want to be honest with you. Of all things, we must always be honest. Do you agree?”
“Yes.” I can’t lie to him. The sight of disappointment in his eyes would shatter me.
“I want to kiss you. I want to kiss away all your marks and scars.” The porcelain squeaks as his feet shift closer, the water rinsing him of the evil of the past.
I lean into him, brushing my cheek against his chin. The roughness of his beard reminds me this is real. We are here together. Not in our cells. There isn’t cold cement at our feet or bars between us.
“I want that too,” I assure him. He needs to know I want his touch. He can’t think I’m afraid of him. I won’t tarnish his touch with fear.
Lowering his head, he flicks his tongue over my taut nipple, and I close my eyes. He goes easy, biting with sweet pressure before switching sides. A long swipe of his tongue across my nipple, then he devours me. I sink my hand into his hair, fisting it in my fingers.
“That’s…that’s nice.” I sound like an idiot, but it’s his fault. His touch makes my thoughts scatter too far away to reach.
He stands and walks forward until I’m beneath the stream of water again, then presses me against the tiles. His hands fist in my hair, holding me steady as he drags his mouth across mine in soft brushes before capturing me. I’m still holding his hair, and he moans when I tighten my grip.
“Fuck yes, Dolly,” he mutters between kisses, pressing his body against mine. His cock is hard, the length of him presses against me.
I lift my leg and wrap it around his waist to feel him closer. The need in me increases the deeper he takes the kiss.
“I don’t want to hurt you,” he says, but doesn’t stop kissing me.
“I’m already hurting. I need you to make me feel good again. Take away the pain. Take away their touch.” I bite his lip, sweeping my tongue into his mouth.
A low growl erupts from his chest, the vibrations playing against my chest.
He releases my hair and cups my ass, lifting me until the tip of his cock is poised at my entrance.
“Please,” I beg, trailing kisses along his jaw.
“Dolly,” he sounds strained, but when his eyes meet mine, I see the hunger. He’s just as pained, needs my touch just as much.
I frame his face with my hands and lock our gazes as he lowers me onto his hard length. My body stretches around him, taking every bit of him. I let out a harsh breath and push my head back. The burn is delightful. It dances through my body while he adjusts his grip on me.
“Not soft,” I say, pressing my foot against the edge of the tub. I push my hips at him, and he withdraws. “Not soft,” I say again, rewarded with a forceful thrust. I cry out at the freedom the pleasure bursts from me. “Don’t stop,” I order when he pauses. “Don’t stop.”
“Remember you said that.” He gives me a challenging grin, and I wrap my arms around his neck, gladly taking everything he can give me. I want it all—all of him.
“Yes. Yes!” My clit grinds against the rough curls above his cock. The friction drags me closer to the edge, exactly where I want to be. I need to fly.
The tiles rub against my back as he pumps into me. His fingertips dig into my ass, and the bite of his nails keeps me from flying off into my head.
“Oh god. Oh god,” I chant, tightening my hold around his neck.
“Dolly. Oh, fuck, Dolly.” He bites my chin, then my neck.
“Right there. Harder, harder, harder.” I place my foot on the edge of the tub for leverage and begin to buck against him. Water splashes over us, running into my eyes and between our lips as we find each other.
He slams into me, and my insides shake, erupting the fragile bubble building in my belly. I scream with the waves, over and over, crying out as my body unravels.
“Such a good girl, my good girl,” he says softly, releasing one cheek to fist my hair again. He drags my face to him and covers my mouth with his. My whimpers fade away as he pumps harder and harder until he finds his release. His fingers pull my hair, and I swallow his cry as he takes his own flight over the cliff.
Moments pass as we hold each other, our breath mingling. The water is tepid now.
“Are you okay—?” I shush his question with my hand over his mouth and level him my best glare.
“I’m in your arms. How can I be anything else?”
He grabs my wrist and pulls my hand down, revealing his soft smile.
In silence, he puts me back on both feet and takes the soap from the tray. Lathering his hands, he washes my back, my breasts, my ass tenderly. Once he’s finished with my hair, he lets me wash him.
“I don’t think we can stay here,” I whisper as I dry my hair. He tucks the loose end of the towel around his waist.
“We need to find our things. Get clothes, cash…information.”
“What information?”
“Queenhearts is responsible for tonight, and Dragonmate is responsible for your last special request. And how many others have bid to see you harmed?” He cups my chin in his hand. “They will pay. Every one.”
“Yes. Every one,” I repeat.
All the hopelessness drowning me since coming here washes away. They won’t get away with what they’ve done.
Fourteen
KENDOLL
The second bedroom we enter has everything I’m looking for. Piles of clothes are folded on the bed. A few dresses, sweaters, leggings, underwear… How many dolly’s have they held here?
I find the jeans and t-shirt I was wearing when they brought me in. Why keep the clothes?
“Dolly?”
She’s standing at the end of the bed holding a pair of black leggings and a red sweater. “I think these are mine,” she whispers. I’m at her side in two steps. She runs her fingers over the knit sweater, petting it. “It was my birthday dinner.”
She still hasn’t told me how she ended up here. “When they took you?” I keep my voice soft. If I push too hard, too fast, she’ll hide.
“I was meeting my parents.”
The brightness of her cheeks fades, and her shoulders drop as the memory takes hold.
“You don’t have to think about it now.” I take the clothes from her. “Let’s get you dressed.”
“I can do it.” She sits on the bed. “There’s lots to do before we leave here.”
She’s right. First order of business is figuring out exactly where we are. I shove into my jeans and t-shirt while she lays her clothes out. While she’s dressing, I go to
the window and twirl the stick on the blinds to open them. Bright sunlight blinds me.
“Fuck!” I clench my eyes against the light. Keeping them shielded with my hand, I take another look outside. The front yard is covered in dead grass. Crumpled up papers blow across the sidewalk. I blink until I adjust to the sunlight well enough to make out the rest of the street. Worn down houses. Broken shutters. Boarded up doors. Red spray paint marks the windows and exterior walls.
We’re in an abandoned town. How far from Lake Palos?
I close the blinds. My mind lists all of the things we need to do, the supplies we need.
“Are we going to leave them…?” Dolly asks, standing in the doorway, looking down the hall at the room we left the assholes to rot.
“I need to get the computers out of there. Then we’ll search the rest of this place for anything else that will be useful.”
“Like food?” She presses her hand to her stomach.
“Fuck yes.” I laugh. “Food is top priority.”
“I’ll go downstairs. Maybe the fridge is full.”
I catch her arm before she gets far. “No. Stay up where with me. Don’t wander by yourself.” We don’t know for sure Bossman and Beardman were the only people in the house. Getting showered was risky enough, I’m not willing to push my luck and let her scope out the downstairs unprotected.
“Then let me help,” she insists. She’s lost a lot of weight. Her sweater drowns her.
I sweep her hair behind her ear. “Okay. Go through the rest of the stuff in here and see if you can find any purses or wallets. And if anything fits, take it.” I look down at her bare feet. Scratched and calloused from her time in the cellar. “And don’t forget shoes.”
She wiggles her toes with a laugh. “I guess those would help, huh?”
Her chuckle envelopes me in warmth.
“Yeah.” I press a kiss to her forehead. “I’ll get what we need from the other room. I should have a jacket. It’s black with a gray liner. See if you can find it. It will have my wallet in the inside pocket…unless they removed all that stuff.” Rapists, murderers, torturers—why wouldn’t thieves be on the list? “When I’m done, I’ll come get you. Don’t leave this room, okay?” She’s seen enough of those fuckers to last her three lifetimes, no need to extend it.
“Sure. I don’t want to look”— a shudder goes through her—“at them.”
“You don’t have to, ever again.” I squeeze her shoulders.
Dolly rifles through the discarded clothing while I make my way back to the playroom.
Standing outside the door, the stench of death already leaks into the hallway. The sight inside is overwhelming. I have to gulp in a sizable breath to keep my mind from spinning. They are dead. Finally, and forever, they’ll leave Dolly alone.
The simple computer set up is quick to dissemble. There’s a closet in the room I hadn’t noticed before. Inside, I find a three-drawer file cabinet. External hard drives and flash drives. Too many to carry in my hands.
“Ken?” Dolly’s at the door
I grit my teeth. “I told you to stay in the other room,” I bark before I can bite back the words. Her eyes widen a fraction, and her chin tucks into her chest.
With a sigh, I get up from where I’m crouched in the closet. “I’m sorry.” And I am. She’s safe with me. I can’t take out my frustrations on her. “No, don’t look at them.” I grab her chin and direct her gaze to me. “Why did you come in here? Did you need something?”
“I need a bag to put the clothes and shoes inside.”
“Let’s go downstairs. Maybe we can find a garbage bag or something.” I slide my hand down her arm and lace our fingers together, giving hers a gentle squeeze. “And some food.”
That has her smiling. Hell, if we find something edible down there, I’ll be happy as fuck. My stomach stopped begging for sustenance a while ago, but the possibility has brought back shadow pangs in my belly.
Leaving the mess in the room behind, we make our way down the hall. I keep Dolly behind me as we descend the carpeted stairs. The house is still. No creaks or shuffling. Once down in the front hall, the scent of pizza lures us to the kitchen. A large pizza box sits on the counter with half a six pack beside it.
“Looks like they were pregaming.” I release her hand and flip open the box. Pepperoni. There’s still plenty of slices left, and they’re warm. “Have a piece.”
She takes a large slice. Dipping her head back, she slides the corner inside her mouth, biting off a large chunk. She hums while she chews, and for a moment, I’m lost in the sound of it.
“Aren’t you going to eat?” she asks before taking a second bite.
I grab a slice and inhale it, not slowing down to even taste the cheese and spice of the pepperoni. My stomach twists at the invasion.
“Not too fast.” I touch Dolly’s arm. She’s almost done with her second slice. Grease from the cheese slides down her chin. “You don’t want to get sick.”
She nods while taking a smaller bite.
If we had time, I’d help her polish off the pizza. But we have to get supplies and get out of here. I have little doubt Bossman and Beardman worked alone in their venture. Whoever else is in their circle might have seen the livestream and could be closing in on us.
The kitchen is void of anything useful, so I search throughout the first floor. Each room empty. They didn’t stay here.
“Ken, I found something.” Dolly finds me in the hallway, two black duffel bags in her grip. “They were in the little room by the garage door. There are jackets too.”
“Did you go in the garage?”
“No.” She pushes her hands out toward me with her bounty.
“Go back upstairs and fill one bag with the clothes you found, okay?”
“Where are you going?” A light tremble shakes her words.
“I’m just going to check the garage and their coats. They could have cash, and I’m hoping there’s a car we can use.” I cradle her face between my hands. “I’m not leaving without you. Together, remember?”
The need to believe me dances in her eyes, but she’s unsure. Now that we’re free, I could walk away at any moment. Telling her I won’t doesn’t cement it for her, so I’ll have to keep showing her. That’s okay. I don’t mind. Dolly is worth the effort.
“Okay. I’ll get the stuff from upstairs.” She drags in a big breath and pulls away from my grasp. “Here I go.” I wait until she’s up the stairs before I rush to the garage.
Three coats hang on the back of the garage door. Rifling through the pockets produces a cell phone, wallet, and a set of keys. Please be car keys.
My heart soars when I open the garage door and find a black Ford truck sitting in the middle of the empty space. I fumble through the keys until I get hold of the fob. The truck fires right up. A knot unravels in my chest. I can breathe easier. We’ll be able to get away from here quickly. We can go anywhere we want.
Turning off the ignition, I climb out of the truck and head back into the house to find Dolly.
“Dolly! Are you done?” I yell up the stairs as I climb them. The house has nothing to offer but memories already scarred into us. It’s time to get away from here.
“All set.” Dolly steps out of the playroom with both duffel bags in her hands. There’s blood on her chin. Her shoes are covered with it as well.
“What did you do?” I lick my thumb and wipe off the small splatter on her cheek. She doesn’t wince at my touch, allowing me to clean her. She’s no child, but she smiles up at me like a little girl who’s been caught stealing cookies.
“I just said goodbye.” She lifts a shoulder.
“Is that right?” My lips tug into a smile. “It looks like you stomped around in there.” I point to her shoes.
She frowns. “I made a mess.”
“Are there new shoes in the bag?” I ask.
“Yes. Only one pair, though.”
“That’s fine. Leave these behind and put the new ones on so we don
’t get blood all over the truck.”
Light shines in her eyes. “You found a truck?”
“Yes, now hurry and switch the shoes.”
She drops the bags and digs around. While she’s changing out the bloody for the clean, I lean my head into the playroom. Following her bloody footsteps, I find Beardman’s head turned toward me, his nose disjointed and jaw hanging open at an awkward angle.
“Okay, I’m ready.”
I pick up the bags for her and gesture toward the stairs. “It’s the garage. Did you find any purses or wallets or anything like that?” I ask as we hustle down to the first floor. I don’t mention it to Dolly, but the longer we stick around, the higher the chance of running into Bossman’s associates.
“Yeah, there in the bag. They kept everything from people.” She follows me into the garage.
I stash the bags in the backseat of the truck cabin, then help her up.
“That’s weird, right? To keep the clothes and stuff. It’s weird.” She scrunches her lips to one side.
I round the front of the truck and hop in the driver’s side.
“Everything about this place is weird, Dolly,” I say, searching the console for the garage door opener.
“But they kept them like souvenirs. That’s really weird.” She scoffs.
Finding the remote, I open the garage door. Sunlight pours in, and we both cover our eyes.
“Sunlight,” Dolly whispers, gingerly taking her arm away from her face. As the beams light up the cabin, she leans forward toward the windshield, a large grin dancing on her lips.
It’s not only the warm rays of the sun lighting up the truck cabin, it’s our freedom.
“Where are we going to go?” she asks as I pull out of the garage, hitting the button to close the door behind us.
I turn onto the empty street lined with boarded up houses on both sides.
“Somewhere safe so we can look over everything.” I reach over and hold her hand. Smaller than mine, but just as mighty.
“Then what?” she asks, rolling down the window. Crisp spring air rushes into the cabin, and although it’s chilly, it’s fresh.
DOLLY Page 7
