“Fuck!”
When rigor mortis sets in, sometimes the bodies twitch. Cadaveric spasms they called them. I learned that when doing my research. The morgue can offer some very helpful insights into the human body, especially when studying autopsies at the coroner's office. I took a job as a diener before I joined the army. It wasn't something I wanted to do, but it paid the bills until I enlisted.
What does a diener do?
We handle the dead bodies. We move them, we clean them, and at times we’re even part of the dissections. I never thought the skills I’d learned back then, would be something that would be useful in my current state, but getting rid of bodies was my forte, and those skills I’d learned back then were priceless. I should have been used to it by now, but when the dead move, the living will always stir.
As I continued to dig, the woman who I’d been hired to kill was now hidden away in my apartment and had encompassed the deepest recesses of my mind. What the hell was I going to do with her?
I didn’t have the mind to kill her. Not yet anyway. Maybe not ever. But if that was the case, this asshole wasn’t going to be the first one to come after her. I knew Vadik and he’d stop at nothing to get his way, and when he realizes I’d betrayed him, he was going to come after my head. I just needed to be long gone by then.
Calling in a favor was easy, disappearing was entirely different. And disappearing with a woman was challenging at best. I leaped out of the hole I'd spent the last two hours digging and leaning against the handle of the shovel, I gave the black garbage bag a swift kick, dumping the useless form inside. I stared back at the mountain of dirt I now needed to shovel back. This was never an easy task, and I needed to move quickly to beat the daylight and get back to Rose before she woke up.
What was I going to tell her?
That I was there to protect her.
What a joke that would be?
The killer protecting his mark. But that’s exactly what I was planning to do.
4
ROSE
I was seated in a stranger’s living room, in a place that was tucked in the depths of the woods near the Cazenovia Lakefront. The house was small, not a lot of furnishings, but it served a safe house for the time being. This was not the alley I'd been almost killed in and the man standing in front of me was definitely not the man who attacked me. No. This man was the one who supposedly saved me, but the whole memory was obscured. A blur of horrid scenes now. Scenes that tormented me. There were shadows and screams. A grunt and hands wrapping tightly around my throat. I remember fighting and then just as quickly losing that fight right before the world closed in around me.
Now, a man who states to be my savior has me tied up to his kitchen chair and is pacing back and forth before me, occasionally stoking the fire before turning his eyes on me. Dark black eyes that unnerved me.
He'd barely spoken to me when I awoke, and I was both startled and frightened by this man. He'd assured me I was safe, but I didn't want to hear him out. I didn't trust anyone, least of all this man. After putting up a fight, he finally forced me down into a wooden chair, tying my wrists to the handles, my ankles to its legs. It had been an hour since I came to, and here I was, gagged and bound to a chair in front of a man I did not know. A man who I didn't trust. A man who looked at me with a hunger so deep I thought he was truly capable of devouring me.
He crouched down in front of me and narrowed his eyes on me. The scratch I'd left on the side of his cheek looked red and painful, but that wasn't what had angered him. The fact that I had run out was what put him over the edge. He'd chased me down the rocky path until we'd reached the side of the road. At that point, he wrapped his arms around me and practically dragged me kicking and screaming back into the house. After tying me up, he'd placed the gag over my mouth, telling me that when I learned not to bite or scream, only then would it be removed.
“Are you ready to talk?”
I stared back at him, fear hovering over me, but I nodded in agreement nonetheless. His dark eyes never left mine as he reached up to remove the rag. I sighed as he untied it, slowly moving my stiff jaw. His look radiated with intensity and it was heavily intimidating.
“You’re one of them,” I breathed.
“You’re safe. For now,” he stated, avoiding my comment.
“What do you mean, for now?”
“I mean you do what I say and you live. You defy me, and you die.”
I struggled against the rope, grimacing from the harsh restraints. “How exactly do you want me to trust you when I’m sitting here bound to this thing?”
He shrugged. “What makes you think I trust you?”
He had a good point. He shouldn't trust me, because that door looked awfully tempting. But at that moment, I just wanted answers.
“Who are you?”
“Doesn’t matter who I am.”
“Fine, then who attacked me?”
“Who do you think?”
I stared at his broad back as he crouched before the fire, stoking it once again. “How did they find me?”
“You’re smart, I’ll give you that. But you’ll never be as smart as they are. They are always one step ahead of you.”
“The Baranovs?”
He disappeared into the kitchen and then came back with two bowls of soup. The steam rose off the dishes and the smell of food made my stomach growl. Dragging a kitchen chair in front of me, he dipped a spoon into the steaming soup and then offered it to me.
“It’s hot,” I whispered and watched as he arched a brow and then proceeded to purse his lips and slowly blow on it before offering it to me again. The scent made my mouth water, and it was so tempting, I couldn’t deny myself a taste.
“After you eat, I’ll show you where you’ll sleep.”
He brought another spoonful to my lips and I turned my head. “Will you at least tell me your name?”
He brought the spoon down and squinted at me. “Will that change anything?”
“It will be a step towards trusting you.”
“You can’t.”
I stared back at him. “I can’t what?”
“Trust me.”
He brought the spoon back up to my lips and I slowly parted them allowing him to feed me. After a little while, he got up and I could hear him rummaging in the kitchen. When he returned, I felt his presence at my back.
I let out a trembling breath as he moved my hair aside and pressed his lips to my ear. His fingertips sliding down the long strand of hair as they softly brushed against the side of my neck. My gaze dropped to my arms, where goosebumps formed along my skin.
“Behave,” his hot breath caressed the back of my ear and I shivered involuntarily. Something in me igniting, and not comprehending what was going on, I pushed the feeling down.
He tugged on the rope and finally I was released. I massaged my bruised wrists as he moved in front of me. “If you try to leave, I’ll tie you to the post outside and let the wolves feast on you.”
I stared at him as he walked towards the dark hallway. He stopped and turned slightly, an unspoken command to follow him. I looked over at the door, and then back at the man standing in the dark entrance. I had two options, run for my freedom and risk getting caught, by him, or stay by his side and survive one more night.
He looked up, his eyes questioning, and I knew what I needed to do. Standing, I quietly approached him.
"Smart girl," he stated as he guided me down the hall and into a bedroom at the far end. Switching the light on he gestured for me to enter. The room had barely any furnishings. A large four-poster bed stood in the middle, a dresser at the opposite end. A black leather accent chair stood in the corner, and a door stood ajar where I supposed the bathroom was.
“Your door will remain locked, the only way in or out, is through there.” He signaled to the door and I realized his bedroom was connected to mine. My stomach dipped as the notion hit me that there was no escaping him.
“You’re going to keep me locked up?”
&nb
sp; “I’m going to keep you. Period.” He muttered and a hot shudder ran through me.
Walking over to the dresser, he pulled out some sweatpants and a tank top, laying them on the bed for me. “There are no locks on the bathroom doors, just so you know.”
He walked toward his bedroom door and then turned. “If you need anything, let me know.”
“I won’t need anything.”
"We'll see," he murmured, slamming the door shut.
I looked around the bedroom and walked over to the windows. I tried to open each one, but they had all been sealed shut. Pressing my forehead to the icy glass, I closed my eyes, anxiety running through my bones.
He never gave me his name. I thought, quietly sitting on the edge of the bed.
He was such a mystery, yet he had this familiar way about him. And as if my body recognized him, it was aware of every movement he made.
At least he had been kind enough to feed me.
I reached over to the pile of clothes on the bed, fingering the tank top.
And clothe me.
I slowly removed my clothes, piling them on the leather chair in the corner, and I slipped into the warm comfortable fabric of the clothes he’d given me. Feeling warm and sated I crawled into bed, the tears slowly flowing onto the pillow as I drifted to sleep.
5
ROSE
I couldn’t breathe as a hand wrapped around my neck. A scream caught in the back of my throat. Struggling, I clawed at the shadow above me, trying to scramble away, trying to free myself from its grip. Suddenly, dark eyes entered the light, and the hand wrapped around my throat tightened, while fingers lingered along my pussy. A growl could be heard in the darkness as the shadow became the man who had saved me. His rough hands parted my legs as his eyes took their fill of me. Licking his fingers, he slid them through my swollen center and I shivered at his touch. A soft yet familiar touch.
“Didn’t you say you didn’t need me?” His hoarse whisper made me whimper in lust.
“I don’t need you,” I tried closing my legs, but he gripped my knees, roughly prying them open.
Sliding between them, I waited with bated breath, staring up into nothingness. Without warning, the feel of his wet tongue glided through my slit. I cried out, trying to slide away from him, but he held me captive, his expert tongue delving in and out of my entrance. I cried out, shaking as I tried to shove him off me, but I was roughly pinned down. My hips moved as if trained to want him.
“You will,” his words echoed in the dark and as he penetrated me I screamed out, startling myself awake from the erotic dream.
I sat up in bed, breathing harshly, breaking the silence that surrounded me. I squeezed my knees together still feeling his tongue on me, still fighting that urge to find my release. Slowly, I remembered where I was, and searching the room I realized I was all alone.
Creeping out of the bed, I froze as the mattress creaked. I hissed as my feet met the freezing wooden floorboards. I tried again and sighed as I made my way into the bathroom, trying desperately not to make a sound. When I opened the door there was a dim light that drifted from beneath the adjacent door to his bedroom and I paused, quickly noticing it was left slightly ajar.
As I crept closer, a floorboard creaked beneath my barefoot and I hesitated. Waiting, I prayed he hadn't heard me, and after a few minutes, I approached the door. I intended to close it, but I froze when I saw the scene that was laid out before me. There was absolutely no way I could tear my eyes away. He was just so absolutely stunning to watch.
His bed faced the bathroom door, his body was splayed out on the mattress, and he was half sitting up, his legs spread wide. I gasped, wrapping my hand over my mouth as I twisted my back to the wall. I prayed he hadn’t heard me, but when his grunts filled the room I knew he was lost somewhere else. I peeked back inside and watched as his hand wrapped around his massive dick, his abs rippling as he pulled on it. It was so long and veiny. The tip a perfect mushroom head that ejaculated white cream as he stroked it. He began to jack off harder, his hips slightly coming off the bed, the muscles on his legs and thighs tightening and defining as he sought out his pleasure.
The light played along his chest and abs and I could feel the ache in my core growing, my fingers wanting to trace the reflections of the light as it played along his body. Forgetting all my inhibitions, my hand trailed beneath my pants and fluttered against the soft material of my panties. I held back a moan when I slid my fingers through my aching pussy. I was soaked through from the dream I had earlier, and this only tempted me even more.
My body had a mind of its own as I began to pull my panties aside as I watched his intimate display while being hidden in the shadows. It felt wrong, but that only excited me.
He shifted, and I got a full view of his cock, glistening with wetness, my mouth watering, wondering what he tasted like. My fingers flickered against my hardened clit and I gripped the side of the doorframe, careful not to be seen. I stroked my core to the beat of his tempo, picturing myself seated on top of him, sliding down on his erection. My breaths were ragged, my mind controlled by my desires. There was no reasoning left, just the strong need to cum for him.
The dream haunted me as I stood there, becoming a voyeur to this stranger. My fingers slid inside of me and I bit my lip as his hips lifted.
Fuck, if I didn’t need him right now.
I bit back a whimper as my pleasure began to elevate, he groped his shaft, sliding his fist in rapid strokes over his thick muscle. My eyes were focused on that part of him, wanting to find my orgasm at the same time he found his. My fingers whirled around my clit, over and over in small circles, my release so close. And just as I reached the edge, my lips parted, my body trembling, that's when his eyes suddenly captured mine. A dark seductive look that gave me a hot thrill and ignited my orgasm. I stared at him as I came, convulsing while I gripped the doorframe. Slamming my eyes shut, I closed out the inevitable, and when I opened them, there was nowhere else to go. He was heading my way, his cock long and rigid as it swayed back and forth. My body still wanted him, wanted to feel his touch. It had been so long since it had been touched.
In that instant, I had the sense to flee, but at the same time, his eyes held me in suspension. I wondered what he thought of me, such a pervert, standing here, masturbating to the sight of him. But he didn't say one word as he approached me. Slowly his eyes followed my movements as I removed my hand from within my waistband. He stared down at me, his dark eyes taking their time as they seemed to memorize my face, running down my neck and lingering on my breasts. Although I was fully clothed, I knew what he was doing as the heat of his gaze licked at me, slowly undressing me, and as his eyes ran down to the apex of my thighs, he licked his lips. He reached out and took my hand, smiling down at me. My breath left me, my core flooded as he pressed my fingers to his lips. His hand came down across his crotch, and he stroked his cock for me, his tongue lapping at my cum coated fingers. He sucked on them, one by one as he touched himself, and then just as suddenly he dropped my hand. With a smirk, he slammed the door shut in my face.
I stood there, dumbfounded. Thoughts flooded through me, feelings of confusion and lust. I’d never, in my life, could have imagined a man like this stranger. The way he manipulated my senses without a word, it was beyond ludicrous. I shook my head and tore through the bathroom, sliding back into the covers as if though they would protect me.
What did I do? What just happened?
I shivered in the cold sheets, trying to find warmth again, and letting the quiet engulf me. After a few minutes I heard the bathroom door open, the light turned on and I could see the silhouette of his shadow pointing towards my door. I held my breath, praying he wouldn’t come through it. I couldn’t face him. But instead, the sound of water running filled the room, and I slowly began to relax against the pillows. My drained body finally drifted off into a deep sleep, forgetting, for now, what it had been forced to succumb to.
6
JACK
I was planning on taking her, making her mine little by little, but this was better than anything I had hoped for. The taste of her on my tongue while her eyes were on me, that was the ultimate aphrodisiac. But I couldn't let my guard down. The game wasn't going to be so easily played. And slamming the door shut in her face gave me satisfaction. I knew it threw her into a whirlwind of uncertainty, leaving her wondering if I was going to come after her. And I did cum, so fucking hard as I pictured those pretty lips sucking on my cock. I'd exploded just from the mere sight of her, just as the door clicked shut. I held back my groan because she didn't deserve to hear that just yet. At least, I reserved that satisfaction for when I was filling her with my seed. And it wouldn't be long now.
She hadn’t said a word all morning, just quietly curled up into a chair near the fireplace. The cabin was a safe house that one of my contacts had let me use a few years back. It had been left empty for a while now and it had been the perfect place as it was secluded enough that no one would find us. And far enough from the roads that she would never survive the hike back into civilization.
I poured us both a cup of coffee and made my way over to her. I had my secrets to keep, but the least I could do is reassure her safety.
“Take it.”
She turned her face toward the window, and I forced the cup into her hands. Hissing from the heat of it, she turned that angry glare at me.
“What?” I asked, trying to force those words out of her.
“What do you want from me?”
“I don’t want anything from you,” my eyes lingered between her thighs as I took a sip of the coffee. I noticed how she squirmed beneath my gaze and I enjoyed the moment.
Leave Me Breathless: The Black Rose Collection Page 24
