SLAUGHTER

by Tessier, Shantel

  “Don’t say that,” I growl. I know the man. There are plenty of other things he could do to her. All involve screaming and blood.

  “I don’t want to be afraid. I don’t want to always be looking over my shoulder waiting for him to show up.”

  “You’re safe here.”

  “You may no longer see me as your slave, but I’m still a prisoner here.” She raises her hands out to her side.

  “No, you’re not.”

  She crosses them over her bare chest. “Can I go home this weekend? To New York?”

  “Absolutely not!”

  “See.” She sighs. “You say I’m not a prisoner, but I can’t leave the house. How fair is that?”

  “Bunny—”

  “Avery,” she growls, interrupting me.

  We stand, staring at one another. Neither one of us backing down. Her eyes dare me to argue, and her body tells me to deny her. My eyes trail down her perfect round tits, and my cock starts to harden as I imagine fucking them. My eyes lower to her smooth pussy, and her inner thighs are still wet with our cum from earlier. Then I see the bandage around her thigh, and it reminds me of just how strong she is.

  She steps to me, dropping her hands to her side. “How long will you keep me locked up here?” she asks softly.

  I reach up and run my hand through her brown hair. “Forever, if I need to.”

  She sighs heavily. “That is no way to live.”

  “At least you would be alive.” I’d die if anything happened to her. I would take my own gun and end my life if I lost her again.

  She pulls away from me, and my hands drop to my side. “I need more.” She fists her hands.

  “I can give you anything you want.”

  Her eyes narrow on me. “I want to leave.”

  “Anything but that,” I say, shaking my head.

  “I want to show him that I’m not afraid. I want to show him that no matter what he did to me, you still want me.”

  “He knows that nothing he could do would keep me away from you.”

  “Really? Because he told you I had an abortion and left with another man, and you believed him,” she snaps, getting angry. “And that lasted eleven years.”

  “Stop.” I growl. “Things have changed.”

  PRESLEIGH

  He doesn’t get it!

  He doesn’t understand what I want. All these years, I’ve been helpless, and now I know I need to stand up for myself.

  I reach down and grab his shirt that I was wearing and put it on over my head.

  “What are you doing?” he asks with a sigh.

  I’m not sure if it’s lack of patience or annoyance. And I don’t care either way. Ignoring him, I grab my underwear and pull them up my legs. Then I make my way to the door. As I pull it open, his hand slaps it, slamming it shut, and he pins me against it.

  “I asked you a question,” he growls, looking down at me with narrowed eyes.

  “I’m leaving,” I snap. He starts shaking his head, and I arch a brow. “What are you gonna do? Tie me to my bed?” I ask, shoving my hand into his hard, bare chest. He doesn’t budge. “Whip me?”

  “Bunny,” he growls. “Don’t fucking test me!”

  “Maybe you’re testing me,” I counter.

  He leans into me, pressing my back into the door. I hitch in a breath when I feel his now hard cock against my lower belly.

  He lowers his face down to mine, his nose tracing my jaw before dipping into the crook of my neck. His hands still flat against the door above me, caging me in.

  I reach out and wrap my hand around the base of his dick. He jumps but doesn’t pull away from me.

  He lets out a moan as if he’s pained. Then he speaks roughly into my ear. “I can’t get the image of you tied to my bed out of my mind now.”

  Wetness pools between my legs as my breathing picks up. “Avery,” I pant and begin to stroke his hardness. He just fucked me, and already I need more. I’ve always been so dependent on this man. I’m not sure how I survived eleven years without him.

  He removes his right hand from the door, and it slides down my ribs to my hip. His fingers are gentle but setting me on fire at the same time. He gives my hip a little squeeze before he reaches between my legs.

  My head falls back to the door, and I pant when he slides a finger into me. “I think you have that image in your head as well,” he says, and I can feel the smirk against my neck.

  “I do,” I admit shamelessly.

  “And?” He slides another finger into me, his knees spread mine wide.

  “And …”

  A knock on the other side of the door makes me jump, but Avery stays put, pinning me against it. “What?” he snaps.

  “I need to talk to you.” Tristan announces.

  “Can’t it wait?” he demands.

  “No.” There’s a long pause. “It’s about Vaughn.”

  Avery pulls away from me and slides on his pants. “Put that blanket around you.” He gestures to the one over by the fireplace. I sit down on the couch and drape it over my legs since I’m not wearing any pants but have his shirt on.

  Once Avery has his pants buttoned, he looks at me to make sure I’m presentable and then opens the door, sans shirt. “What is it?”

  Tristan comes walking in, and I bite my lower lip nervously. It smells like sex in here. Not like he didn’t already know what we were doing, but still. “We found him.”

  “Where?” Avery demands.

  Tristan looks over at me and then back at Avery. “Manhattan.”

  Avery runs a hand through his hair, letting out a long breath. His shoulders are now tense. The gorgeous features on his face hardening. He turns to face me, and I push myself back into the couch at the look in his eyes. “Well, Bunny, looks like you get your wish after all.”

  “What wish?” Tristan asks, and I frown.

  Yeah, what wish?

  “We’re going to New York.”

  “What?” I ask, sitting up straighter. “All of us?”

  “Yes,” Avery answers.

  “No.” Tristan shakes his head. “She can stay here with Chloe.”

  “No. She won’t,” Avery snaps.

  “Yes,” he argues. “I will leave some men here—”

  “Absolutely not!” Avery interrupts him. “I’m not letting her out of my sight again. Bring the men with us. We’ll need them.” Then he looks at me. “Go upstairs and pack a bag.”

  _______________

  Less than an hour later, we are in an Escalade SUV on the way to the airport. I bounce my right knee and bite my bottom lip nervously. I keep waiting for Avery to pull out the syringe to drug me. I can’t get on his plane without it.

  I’ll freak.

  The car comes to a stop, and he opens the door. “Wait,” I say in a high-pitch tone. Four sets of eyes turn to face me. Avery, Tristan, Kayn, and Chloe. I lock on Avery’s. “Aren’t you going to drug me first?”

  He opens his mouth, but Chloe beats him to it. “Drug you?” she snaps and looks at him. “You drug her?”

  Avery ignores her. “Not this time, Bunny.”

  “But …”

  “Come on.” He reaches out and takes my hand, pulling me out of the SUV. And then we are walking toward his private jet.

  “He fucking drugs her?” I hear Chloe shout from behind us while she talks to Tristan, but I tune them out.

  I’m shaking. My legs feel heavy, and my throat tightens.

  Avery slows his steps and presses his hand on my back, pushing me forward up the stairs to board the plane. With each step, I feel my heart pound harder. My breath comes quicker. I try to slow my steps, but his hand on my back pushes me as he forces me up the stairs.

  I step into the plane and spin around to run off but slam right into him. He stands before me, blocking the only exit. “Avery … please.” I squeeze my eyes shut.

  “Look at me,” he orders, placing his hands on both sides of my face.

  I slowly do and silently beg him to do
it. He knows I hate to fly. “Are you punishing me?” I whisper and feel my eyes start to sting. For standing up to him in his office.

  He frowns. “No.”

  “Then why won’t you just give me …?”

  “No.” He growls the word this time, interrupting me.

  “Avery …” His lips crash to mine, silencing me. His hands leave my face, both sliding into my hair. They tighten, and goose bumps spread across my skin, causing me to gasp into his mouth. He tilts my head to the side and deepens the kiss. His tongue meeting mine with passion. My pussy tightens, and I moan as he pushes his hips into mine. He’s hard.

  He pulls away, and I gasp for a breath. Placing his forehead on mine, he takes a deep breath. “Fuck, Bunny. I could kiss you for hours.”

  “Don’t stop.” I rasp.

  “Sir?”

  He pulls away to turn around. Kayn had walked halfway up the stairs and is holding a black backpack. “The bag you requested.”

  “Thank you,” he says and then turns back to face me. “Let’s go, Bunny.”

  I choose a seat, and Avery promises to get me a drink. Maybe he’ll put something in it if I’m lucky. Chloe sits down across from me and looks around before leaning forward and whispering. “You want him to drug you?”

  “I’m afraid of flying,” I admit.

  She frowns. “It’s the safest way to travel.”

  “Tell that to my parents.” She tilts her head to the side in confusion. “They died in a plane crash.”

  Her green eyes soften with sadness. “I’m sorry for your loss.”

  I look away from her ’cause I never gave my father’s death a second thought. The world got rid of an ugly man. He had once sold his soul to the devil, and he came for payment. My mother, however, did I miss her? Yes. But I think she too had done some unforgivable things. Avery used to tell me he was playing his part. I’m not sure if that’s what my mother was doing or not.

  “Here.” She reaches out and grabs my hands as the engines roar to life.

  I close my eyes and start to count to ten. When I get to five, I feel a hand on my shoulder, and I jump, my eyes springing open. I look up to see Avery standing next to me with a glass in his hand containing dark liquid. I take it and throw it back all at once. It makes me cough, but I hand it to him and order, “Another one.”

  I don’t miss the fuck you look that Chloe gives him when he turns and walks away. “Are you excited to be going home?” she asks.

  I look down at my hands knotted in my lap, my knees bouncing. “Yes. I haven’t spoken to my best friend in over three weeks.”

  “Why not?”

  “I’m not allowed to use the phone,” I tell her.

  She exhales, showing her annoyance, and then pulls her cell out of her purse and hands it to me. I just stare down at it. “Go ahead. Call your friend.”

  I dial her number, and it rings once, then twice. I have no clue what time it is here, so I can’t even decipher what time it is in New York. She answers on the fourth ring. “Hello?” she answers sleepily. I woke her up. Not surprised. She’s like a freaking vampire. Sleeps all day, runs all night.

  “Alex.”

  “Who is this?” She yawns.

  “It’s me. Presl—”

  “Presleigh!” she interrupts me. “What the fuck, bitch? Where the hell have you been? I’ve been looking for you.”

  “I’m in Vancouver.” I finally found this out last night when I spoke to Chloe. She seems to be the only person willing to tell me anything.

  “What? No way.” She pauses. “You don’t even have a passport.”

  If only that is all it would have taken to keep me out of Canada. “Long story.”

  “When are you coming home?” she asks, and I feel my chest tighten. Home? I’m not sure I can consider that place I hid a home anymore.

  “We’re about to takeoff.”

  “Takeoff?” she asks confused. “As in take off in a plane?”

  “Yeah.” I begin to chew on the end of my nails.

  “Presleigh, are you high?”

  “No.”

  “Did you smoke some PCP again?” she asks concerned. “You know that shit is bad for you.”

  “I’m sober.” Then I think of the drink Avery just gave me and the next three I’m about to have. “For now, anyway.”

  She sighs heavily. “Where are you flying into? I’ll meet you there.”

  I look around the spacious and expensive air craft. “I’m not sure. I’m on a private jet … I don’t think it’s going to land at JFK …”

  “Frankford,” Chloe says.

  “What?” I ask, looking at her.

  “I overheard Tristan telling one of his men we are flying into Frankford. It’s a private airfield.”

  I nod and mouth a thank you. “Frankford.”

  “Where the hell is that?” Alex asks.

  “I don’t know. You’ll have to Google it.” I smile even though I feel the plane start to taxi, and my heart race. “Don’t tell anyone I’m in town. Okay?”

  “Presleigh. Everyone has been worried sick about you.”

  “Please, Alex?” I beg. “Just keep it a secret. I’ll …” I take a deep breath when the plane picks up speed. “I’ll explain everything when I get there. Just come alone and don’t tell anyone.”

  She sighs but finally agrees. “Fine.”

  I smile. “I’ll see you soon …”

  The phone is ripped out of my hand, and my head snaps up to see Avery standing beside us. Chloe’s phone is now in his hand, and he terminates my call. “Hey!”

  “Who the hell were you speaking to?” he demands.

  “Alex …”

  “Where the hell did you get this?” He holds up the phone gripped in his hand.

  “It’s mine,” Chloe answers, snapping at him.

  Tristan plops down beside her. “Why the hell would you give her a phone? She’s not allowed to talk to anyone.”

  Before she can answer him, Avery yanks me up by my arm and shoves me down the small aisle, and then we’re entering another room. It’s the same tiny bedroom Darrell shoved me into when he drugged me. He spins me around, and his eyes glare down at me like he wants to murder me. “You should have never called him.”

  “Is that what this is? You’re jealous?” His jaw sharpens. “For your information, he is a she. And she is my best friend.”

  “I don’t want anyone knowing you’re back in New York.”

  “Then you should leave me in Vancouver,” I snap.

  He steps into me. “Are you gonna make this difficult, Bunny?”

  “Goddamn right, I am,” I growl back.

  He glares down at me, and I can feel my feet vibrate from the plane’s engines. I want to reach out and grab him for stability but refrain. I refuse to show weakness anymore.

  The corner of his lips lifts, and a cruel smile spreads across his face. It makes my stomach do flips. Or that could be the fact I’m on a plane about to take off.

  “Okay, then. If that’s what you want, then that’s what we’ll do.”

  His hands grip my hips, and he pulls me to him. He’s still hard. I bite my bottom lip to keep from whimpering out loud.

  “Are you gonna throw me on this bed and handcuff me to it?” My mind is going through every scenario where he keeps me in one place. Where no one can get to me and I can’t get away.

  He lowers his head and runs his lips along my jaw. And I break out in goose bumps. “Is that what you want?” His voice has dropped to a rough growl, and my legs tighten.

  “No.” My voice is barely a whisper.

  “Liar.” His hand comes up and grips a handful of my hair and yanks my head back. I moan.

  I feel my body sway, and then I’m falling backward. My lips part, and I let out a squeal in surprise. He grabs me and spins us around, slamming my back into the wall. His body presses into mine. “Oh, God.” I gasp.

  “You’re okay,” he assures, pinning me to the wall.

  I close
my eyes when I feel the plane leave the ground, climbing high into the sky. “I need a drink.” My voice shakes with nervousness.

  “As soon as we level out, I’ll get you one.”

  I nod quickly, and my hands fist his button-down.

  “Bunny, I …” he pauses.

  “What?” I ask, looking up at him, trying to ignore my racing heart.

  “Nothing.”

  CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

  AVERY

  I ALMOST SAID YOU’RE OKAY. That I would never put you in a situation that could possibly harm you. But she would only see it as a lie although it would be the truth. Now. Things are different between us. I just hope she can see that.

  The plane starts to shake a little, and her blue eyes widen in fear. I grab the back of her neck and kiss her just as I did earlier. I press my lips to her and force her to open for me. Her body is stiff, her kiss weak. I take her hands and place her arms around my neck, and then I grip her right thigh and lift it to wrap around my hip. And I deepen the kiss, pushing her head back, my tongue crashing with hers. She releases a small moan into my mouth, but it’s not enough. My free hand reaches between her legs and slides into her black yoga pants. Pushing her thong to the side, I run my finger over her pussy. Teasing.

  She rips her lips from mine and pants. “Avery …”

  “What, Bunny?”

  Her eyes are tightly closed, and her fingers grip my hair. She’s afraid still, but she’s trying not to show it. “Please …”

  I rip her from the wall and toss her onto the bed, and she yelps in surprise at the sudden movement. Before she can say another word, I have her yoga pants yanked down her hips, and my slacks unzipped.

  _______________

  I sit with my brother and Kayn at the front of my jet. I have clear line of sight of Bunny sitting in the back by the minibar with Chloe. She’s made her three drinks since we came out of the bedroom.

  “He was staying at a hotel in Manhattan but was spotted at a night club over in Queens,” my brother informs us.

  I look away from Bunny to him. “When?”

  “Last night. He closed it down and then stumbled out of the club with a woman.”

  “Do we know where they went?”

  He shakes his head. “No. But I guess this is his new favorite hangout.”