by K E Osborn
He cracks his neck to the side. “Yes, Eva, you’re at my clubhouse, but I’m not going to give you specifics. Not yet.”
I take the last bite of my sandwich, thinking my questions through thoroughly. “Will I be confined to your room for the rest of my life?”
His eyes widen, almost like he hasn’t thought too far ahead. He slides the tray to the other side of the bed, shifting right in front of me. His eyes hold mine, and my stomach flitters in giddy butterflies betraying me. “I have to figure some shit out. I told people you drowned. They believe you’re dead. It’s better if they keep thinking that for now.”
My chest squeezes at the thought of being kept in here for the rest of my life. “Nycto, honestly, I’ve been in here for hours. I’m already going stir-crazy. I’m a dance instructor. I move around, it’s what I do. How am I supposed to stay cooped up in here for the next seventy years, give or take?”
“I know. Trust me, I know. And you won’t. We’ll find a workaround. I also have to trust you won’t go running off. If anyone sees you, it not only puts your life in danger but everyone here at my club… I simply can’t have that.”
“Can’t have your club in danger because of me,” I mock.
“No, Chiquita, the club is in danger because of me because I kept you. Now it’s my job to make sure all the moving parts don’t turn into a wheel of torture. If word gets out that I have you, Eva, it’s not going to be pretty. For this club, but especially for you because the man who was selling you is going to come back. I don’t want that life for you. You’re better than that. It’s the whole reason we’re in this mess.”
My pulse increases as I stare at him. “Because you didn’t want me to go into that life?”
“Exactly.”
The atmosphere in the air is buzzing, surging with adrenaline, popping with electricity while our eyes remain on each other. My breathing is rushed and sharp. “I still don’t understand why you chose me out of everyone.”
Nycto leans forward, the smell of leather and sandalwood hitting me full force. My skin prickles as his hand caresses the side of my face.
Dammit! I should back away.
I should be terrified.
But there’s something about him that seems so genuine.
I can’t pull away, even if I want to.
His thumb darts out brushing along my bottom lip. The move is so tender as I pant trying to catch my breath. My entire body shudders as our eyes stay connected. His hand slowly slides from my cheek down my neck, his hand tightening a safe grip around my throat. It’s a chokehold, but the move doesn’t scare me. It’s not threatening. Not even a fraction. As I pant, my clit starts to throb as I sit here, my eyes transfixed on him. I can’t move them away.
His hand meets the apex of my neck and collarbone, his firm grip slides out as he presses his flat palm over the top of my heart. It’s racing so freaking furiously as I sit here watching him.
“The reason I chose you, Eva, is because of the way your heart is reacting to me right now. It’s the same response I had when I first saw you. Rapid, relentless… excruciating.”
My clit throbs at his poetic words. How can this man, my captor, have me so attuned to him? “This is crazy, Nycto. We don’t even know each other.”
His hand slides back up to the side of my face. My fingers automatically reach up, taking his wrist and holding it to keep him in place. I bite down on my bottom lip as he flares his nostrils.
“I don’t understand it, Eva. I don’t do this. It’s not who I am. I don’t put the club at unnecessary risk. I don’t feel anything for women other than a need to fuck them. Don’t get me wrong… I want to fuck you, but it’s not why I’m doing this.”
My eyes widen at his honesty. “I don’t think I can be who you want me to be, Nycto. I’m not made for this kind of life. I need to find my sister. I can’t have any kind of happiness knowing she’s out there living in a hell I can’t protect her from.”
Nycto’s eyes glass over. His hand drops from my face as he lets out a huff. “You haven’t heard a word I’ve been saying, have you? If I let you go anywhere, Andrés’ men will see you, and my club will suffer. You will be taken to be sold, and I won’t be able to protect you.”
A shiver runs up my spine at the thought. “I have to try.”
His nostrils flare as he stands abruptly. His fingers run through his hair as a low growl erupts from his chest. “Stubborn woman! You can’t try, and you won’t. You will stay in here for as long as it takes for you to get it through your head. I won’t have you putting my club in any more danger than it already is.”
My face begins to heat as I stand, throwing my hands in the air. “Oh, so it’s your club you care about. You honestly don’t give a shit about my safety anymore, huh? I see how it is.”
He stifles a laugh. “Chiquita, you test my patience. You have no idea what I’m doing for your safe—”
“Then. Tell. Me!” I yell in frustration.
He turns to storm back toward me, standing so close I’m enveloped in the scent of his aftershave. It’s intoxicating. “You want to know?” He scoffs, turning up his lip. “I had to ride out to a brother chapter today to borrow money from them so I could pay the man who bought you. He wanted his money back because he didn’t receive his package. And that payment is to stop the buyer from coming after my club and possibly finding you in the process. I had no other choice… now I’m down 125K. I have to pay it back to my brother chapter with damn interest. So, you think I’m not doing anything for your safety? I just paid a hefty price for it, sweetheart!”
My stomach rolls as heat flushes all over my body. I stumble on the spot, but he reaches out, grabbing me before I fall.
“I got you,” he affirms in a much softer tone. He leads me to the bed, and we sit as I try to take all this information in.
He paid one hundred and twenty-five thousand dollars?
Why on earth would anyone want that much for me?
His hand rests on my thigh, giving it a gentle squeeze. “You with me, Eva?” he asks quietly as I stare into space.
My eyes glisten as I turn to him. “I-I heard what you were saying… that I had been sold, but I guess it didn’t really sink in until I heard the dollar amount. I was going to be sold to a man who was going to do God only knows what to me.”
Nycto wraps his arm around my shoulders, pulling me to him as the tears slowly fall down my face. I sniffle, the emotion of this hitting me all at once.
My sister is gone.
Taken by the very men who tried to steal me.
She’s going through hell, and I feel guilty because I’m here with a man who not only aggravates me but also invigorates me, more so than I have been in my whole life.
I’m mortified because I’m here, meeting Nycto, and a part of me, even if it’s the tiniest part of me, is glad this happened.
Because if it didn’t, I wouldn’t be here—with him.
I burst into a river of tears, hating myself for feeling this way. My hand comes up cuddling into Nycto, needing him. He’s tense in my grip, but he smothers me in his affection. Even though I’m falling to pieces right now, Nycto’s going to be here to put me back together.
And it scares the absolute hell out of me.
Chapter Nine
NYCTO
Eva’s a sobbing mess in my arms. This is hitting her hard as I guess it should. The gravity of the situation is tough. She was taken from her home country to be sold, but is now being held captive by some stranger who’s saying her sister has been taken by the very men who tried to take her too.
I feel like shit as I cling to her, smoothing her hair back. My stomach knots wishing I was man enough to take her pain away. I could tell her about Ivy being beneath us in the lower bunker. If I were a decent man, I would. Though, I’m worried it will make her hate me right now when we’re just starting to make some damn progress.
So, I pull her to me tighter, wrapping myself around her for comfort, deciding to keep my
secret a little longer.
I’m going to tell her when the timing is right for both of us.
She sobs again—the noise rips at my heart.
I need to calm her, so I pull us down to lay on the bed. This is all kinds of new to me. I’ve never really held a woman on my bed before, and the feeling’s completely foreign. She leans her back into my front while I wrap my arm tightly around her waist, pulling her to me. My nose smooths into her hair, letting her know I’m right here as she begins to settle.
I never saw myself as the comforting type. Not with my history. I’ve always been a lone wolf, a complete man of solitude. Even joining the club was a huge step for me. Being part of the brotherhood, having men there to rely on, to lean on, wasn’t something I was used to, but the protection, that’s why I joined. Always knowing a group of men had my back, a support system as it were, I needed it at the time, and now Eva needs me.
I’m at ease when I’m around her, and I can’t put a finger on why. I want to protect her. I want to see her happy.
She stops crying, and her body stills as if she’s drifting off to sleep, so I close my eyes. Calmness washes over me. Shit’s been a little hectic for a while, but here, in each other’s arms, there’s a tranquil peace relaxing over both of us.
So, I shut off the worries of the world, letting everything wash away.
***
Movement startles me awake, my heart rapid firing. My eyes dart open in a panic as Eva stands from the bed with a grimace. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you. I need the bathroom.”
I’m not used to feeling someone next to me when I sleep. Generally, if there’s motion when you’re sleeping, it’s some fucker trying to attack you. She’s lucky I didn’t react. Her gorgeous face was enough to stop me in my tracks. My anxiety calms to its normal level as I wave my hand, letting her head for the bathroom. She takes off as I sit on the edge of the bed trying to wake fully to gather my thoughts.
Glancing at my watch, it’s just past seven in the evening. We’ve slept for hours. I haven’t had a solid sleep for as long as I can fucking remember. I didn’t have one single nightmare. What the fuck?
Standing from the bed, I know the club might need me. I’ve been absent for hours. I want to stay and talk to Eva, but I don’t want her to be awkward around me, either. She got up, leaving for a reason. She was distraught and sought comfort in me. Eva’s probably having regrets.
To me, sleeping with her in my arms was fucking amazing. I honestly don’t recall ever sleeping with a woman in my arms. Eva has no idea how lucky she is. To her, though, it was probably a lapse in judgment.
I don’t want to see that register on her face.
So, I’ll leave to give her some time.
I need some time to think this through, anyway. Eva’s changing me. Making me do things I have never done. She holds power over me I never thought any woman could ever hold.
It’s unsettling.
I don’t know how to feel.
Standing, I walk to the door, unlock it, and pull as I hear the bathroom door open. Closing the bedroom door behind me, I lock the door, then stand here for a minute listening to make sure she’s okay.
I can’t hear anything, so I turn to make my way out into the clubroom. I need to find Voltage. He’s standing at the pool table with Crow.
I walk over bowing my head at them both. “Voltage, a word.”
He places the tip of his cue on his boot, chalking it up with the blue cube. “Hit me,” he instructs, focusing on the little blue square.
“I need you to keep an eye on my bank account. Tell me when the cash comes in from Hatch. I need to send it off to Andrés as soon as I can.”
Voltage places the chalk on the side of the table, then lines up his shot. “Sure thing, Prez.” He smashes the white, slamming it into a pile of balls. Two smalls sink on opposite ends of the table.
“Fucking hell,” Crow spits out.
I chuckle to myself as I walk off, leaving them to it. I figure I better check on Void and Ivy. See what the fuck is happening down there while filling my VP in on what’s going down.
My feet stomp the stairs, heading into the chilly room. The door to the Brick Cell is slightly ajar. It piques my interest as I walk up, spotting Void sitting in the room with Ivy.
Seems I’m not the only one making friends with our houseguests.
Void is playing cards with Ivy as they sit on the sofa. Ivy’s giggling as I stand back observing the interaction. Void, however, shows no emotion. His replies are curt, sharp like always, but Ivy’s more at ease than last time I came down here.
Striding up, I open the brick wall a little more, announcing my presence.
Ivy’s head peeps up as Void turns to look over his shoulder. “‘Bout damn time you got your ass down here. You wanna fill me in on what the hell is going on?” Void grumbles.
I move inside the cell, taking a seat on the sofa next to him. “I went to Miami. Spoke to Hatch.”
“That’s always fun.”
“He’s letting me borrow the cash to reimburse the buyers for the girls.”
Void stares blankly at me, blinking a few times like he can’t believe what I’ve just said.
“You’re aware you are purchasing them?”
My eye twitches. “Aren’t they better here than where they were headed?”
Ivy sits taller, her eyes widening. She understands.
Void huffs. “Maybe. Not sure a life being held down here is much of a life, Prez.”
Ivy nods in agreement. So now they’re ganging up on me. They don’t have to, I feel bad enough about this shit already. I have to tell Eva. I think when the time comes, there’s no doubt she’s going to hate me, and right now, I’m not ready to give up whatever it is we have going on.
“Well, it’s the life they have right now. Ivy, the Brick Cell isn’t the best place to be staying, but until I find a way to let Eva know you’re here without her losing her shit, you have to make do.”
Her eyes take in the small room, and she shrugs. “I’ve stayed in far worse places.”
With dead bodies inside the walls outside your room, I don’t think so.
Void almost cracks a smile, obviously pondering the same thoughts as me.
“You’re taking this in stride, Ivy.”
She rolls her shoulders. “Not like there’s a hell of a lot I can do about it from where I sit, but if there’s any way you can find it in yourself to let me see Eva—”
“No… not yet.” Her eyes droop. “You will. Just let me figure this out.”
Void inhales sharply like he’s pissed off at me.
“Stay down here, Void. Keep our guest company.”
“Like I wasn’t already doing that, for fuck’s sake,” he mumbles.
Rolling my eyes, I turn, heading for the stairs. Void might be annoyed at me for putting him in charge of Ivy, but there’s no other man in this club I trust with the duty. He’s my VP. He might consider it to be a prospect’s job, something someone of lower rank should be doing, but to me, keeping these two sisters safe, and more importantly, away from each other, is a crucial task in this club right now.
So, the two highest-ranking members of the club should be on duty.
President and VP.
Void may not like it, but if he wants to be my VP, he’s going to deal with this until I figure out a way for it to all come together. It will. I know it. Somehow. I just need to put my mind to it, but for now, I need to try and come up with a game plan about how to tackle this shit with Eva.
She’s moving something inside of me. I’m not sure what it is, but the feisty firecracker has my attention firmly fixated on her. I don’t know why, but she makes the world an easier place when I’m in her presence.
I sleep better.
See clearer, but I can be completely blind at the same time.
She’s dangerous.
Captivating.
Completely addictive.
She has the potential to be my undoing
if the threads to this cord haven’t started to unravel completely already.
To her, I’m her captor.
A man holding her against her will.
The man who let her sister slip away from her grasp into the arms of pure evil.
How can she see me as anything but her captor?
Waking up in my arms the way she did probably freaked her the fuck out. Even though it felt all kinds of right to me, it kind of freaked me out if I’m being completely honest with myself. I don’t sleep with women in my bed. I fuck them, they leave.
Eva isn’t like that.
Sure, I’ve thought about her naked. I’d be a fool not to. She’s sexy as sin, but there’s more to her than her looks. I want to get to know her. I want to save her from everything wicked in the world—that should include myself.
But I want her.
Everything in me craves her.
I’m no good for someone like Eva.
But I will protect her from everything coming our way because she doesn’t deserve the life that was destined for her and Ivy. Neither of them do. I will lay down my life before I see either of them taken into that world.
I simply need to find a way to make sure Eva acknowledges I’m not the bad guy in this scenario.
Even though in every damn aspect, I probably am.
Chapter Ten
EVA
I’m so confused.
I’m not sure what I’m supposed to be feeling, let alone thinking. I fell apart last night in Nycto’s arms. He held me. Rocked me to sleep. I never thought, not for a single second, I would ever be as comfortable in his arms as I was. For some reason, I felt the safest I ever have when he held me. This entire shitstorm has been a whirlwind. A rollercoaster.
But where would I be if he didn’t take me?
Where Ivy is now, I suppose.
My stomach clenches as I sit on the edge of the bed. My mood is falling even more. Nycto left. I went to the bathroom—he left me without a word. I felt like we had made a connection, then just like that, he took that connection away. I read him all wrong. He isn’t here to save me at all. If he were, I’d be out walking free through the clubhouse. The man doesn’t have my best interests at heart. Nycto must have something in store for me.
