by D W Marshall
“Hey, sexy. Can I buy you a drink?” a very pretty blonde in a tight, short dress approaches me.
“Ish your na…name Vivian?” I slur.
“No.” She frowns. “My name is Lindsey. So how ’bout that drink?” she asks again.
Before I can slur another word, Maddie pounces. “Look, honey. This is a private party. I’m sure you can find another hot guy to buy a drink for you, being half-naked and all. Liam is suffering right now, so back the fuck off!” She shoos the girl away with both hands.
The girl is persistent. “I’m just…”
“No, no, no…not another word,” Maddie cuts her off with a ‘talk to the hand’ gesture.
The girl gets the hint and disappears into the growing sea of customers.
“To Vivian!” Maddie holds up a shot glass and we all drink.
My heart aches hearing her name. I want her back more than I want air. I pray every night for her to come back to me. The glasses make loud sounds when they slam on the table. I glance over at the bartenders to see if they are paying attention to our beating up their glasses, and the room tips and spins. Vivian’s picture flashes on several of the television screens.
It all happens so fast, I don’t remember how I got over to the bar. The bartender points the remote to change the channel. “Leave it!” I shout over the music and voices. “Turn it up, please.” He does.
Suddenly, all is quiet—no music or sounds.
The television reporter discusses her case, details about her, when she was taken, and a number to call if anyone spots her. The camera never leaves her beautiful face. She is happy in the picture. It’s a recent photo of her and her family on a vacation to Hawaii over spring break. It sat on their mantel. The camera crops everyone else out and zooms in on her. My girl…just like I remember her. She’s happy, carefree, full of life, and is a heart-stopping beauty.
“I’d snatch her, too. That bitch is fucking hot!” a heavy voice yells out from down the bar.
“Who the fuck said that?” My eyes frantically scan for the asshole.
“I did, boss.” A man stands up to own his words.
All I can hear is Maddie yell. “Liam, no!” It’s too late. I pounce.
My fists connect with his face so many times that I can only see blood, no features. My boys pull me away from the bastard before I have a chance to kill him.
“She’s mine, and someone took her, you fucking insensitive asshole!” I can’t hold the rage in any longer. I cry heavy sobs. I attempt to go after him again. Xavier and Blake refuse to let me go.
“Man, I’m sorry. I had no idea. I’m sorry,” he says holding his face.
I don’t know who called the cops, but I’m swiftly put in cuffs.
“Officers, I had it coming. I’m not pressing charges,” the man says around the towel he’s wiping his face with.
“That will be for a judge to decide,” the officer says. They read me my rights and start walking me out.
“Liam. Shit. Don’t be pissed at me. We were having a good time, right?” Maddie walks behind me.
“I’m not mad at you, Maddie. I’ll be fine,” I call out behind me.
“I’m calling your dad.”
“Don’t call my dad!” I yell behind me. “I’m serious, Maddie, don’t fucking call him,” I say before they stuff me into the back of the police car.
Fuck. She’s gonna call my dad.
The cops throw my ass in a drunk tank. This isn’t my first time being arrested. It’s almost a rite of passage for a young man.
When I wake up from my drunken siesta, my dad is standing outside of my cell.
Fucking Maddie.
Being the son of a millionaire comes with some perks. Namely, the proverbial get-out-of-jail-free card that I try to never use.
My father and I are not what anyone would call close. Estranged is a better word. He sealed the fate of our relationship when he walked out on my mom for some bimbo only a few years older than me. At the time, I was seventeen. In his defense, he tried to keep in touch, and share custody of me and my brother. After a year, he gave up. It was clear that my younger brother Lincoln and I had chosen our mother’s side.
It’s been three years since I have laid eyes on my father. He hasn’t changed. Lincoln and I definitely took after him with our dark hair and clear blue eyes. I have grown to match his six-foot figure. He doesn’t look angry. He looks sad.
“Hi, son. They’re doing the paperwork. You’ll be out of here in a few minutes.”
He’s wearing his signature sharp black suit—the kind a man wears on a fancy date or his wedding day. It’s exactly what I want to wear the day I marry Vivian. “You look good, Dad. Were you in the middle of something?”
“Nothing more important than you.”
I smirk as the cell door slides open and a guard ushers me out.
The summer air sobers me up the second it hits my face. I’m not surprised to see a driver standing outside of my father’s Maybach. We both climb into the backseat.
I’m not a stranger to this type of service, but since my father walked out on my mother, our lifestyle has scaled back considerably. My mother and brother still live in the seven-thousand-square-foot house I grew up in. My father’s alimony and child support payments have made sure that we’ve maintained a certain lifestyle over the years, but we have nothing as elaborate as chauffeurs and private jets.
“Nice ride, Dad,” I can’t hide my sarcasm.
“Thanks. Liam, why didn’t you call me when Vivian was first taken? I could have hired someone to help find her,” he says.
Maddie told my dad about Vivian.
I look down, angry at myself because I would take anyone’s help, including his.
“I wish I would have thought to call you, Dad.”
“I’m here now, son. Vivian was always a wonderful young lady, and the cutest little thing when you guys were growing up.”
“Is Dad. She is wonderful,” I correct him.
“Right, son. Is.” He clears his throat.
My father and I sit in silence until we arrive at the Wynn hotel. He’s staying in the penthouse. Of course.
As we enter the suite, my father takes off his suit coat and rolls up his shirtsleeves. “Are you hungry?” he asks.
“I am.” I rub my stomach and it rumbles in response.
He hands me the phone. “Press six and order anything you want.”
I order enough food to feed a family.
My dad has his tablet in his hands. “So, details, Liam. What happened to Vivian?”
“Well, her birthday was on April tenth. Maddie, and her boyfriend, and I planned to take Vivian to San Francisco for her birthday as a surprise. I was going to officially ask her to become exclusive. The next morning, her parents go in to say happy birthday and she’s gone. All her stuff—her phone, overnight bags, purse—were still in her room. The crazy thing is, that their back door was broken into, but the house alarm never went off.”
I bury my face in my hands. I’m overcome again. My father is by my side, rubbing my back.
“I think the cops thought I had something to do with it.”
“Well, that’s preposterous.”
“I miss her so much, Dad. It hurts.” For the first time in years I let my father comfort me.
“Son, let me see what I can find out. I’ll make some phone calls. I know some people, Liam. I will use all of my resources. Make yourself at home. There’s an extra bedroom at the end of the hall.”
“Thanks, Dad.”
“I love you, son,” he says and disappears behind his bedroom doors.
I devour everything on the table that room service brings, including two pieces of chocolate cake. I pass out, fully clothed, in the other bedroom, with renewed hope that my father can somehow find the answers that I could not, and bring Vivian back to me.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Out of the Darkness
When I get my next letter from Tyson, I’m thrilled. I can’t ge
t enough of him. I run to the bathroom and flop onto the commode seat. I’m greedy at the task of pulling the letter out.
My dearest Vivian,
The past few days with you have been nothing short of amazing. The time we spent at the get-together was so normal, I forgot where we were for a minute. Our nights together are always something I dream about and look forward to. The more I get to know you, the harder I fall. My fear is not knowing how you feel for me. I don’t want to pressure you, because I know how strong your feelings are for him, but I am honest with you, and I always want you to know how I feel. No matter what happens, I will respect your decision, but I want you to please consider me.
I love you.
Dom
P.S. Please fall asleep in your Chamber tonight.
Wow. Does that mean he would leave The Chamber for me? Could I ask that of him? Would I? I never would have thought something like this could happen.
How is it possible that Tyson crowds my thoughts when we have only known each other for a short time? I have dated other guys over the years, and not one of them ever had this effect on me. Is a sexual relationship strong enough to change the tides? Is that all Tyson and I are to each other, sex partners, or are we more?
I really do fall asleep in my Chamber after the guests leave. My body was ravished, and I’m mentally exhausted from all of the chatter in my head. I wake to Tyson pulling me into his arms.
“Hi, sleepy girl,” he says, kissing me quickly on the lips.
“I really fell asleep.” I state the obvious.
“It certainly seems so. Do you want to keep sleeping? I don’t mind, if you are tired.”
I shoot up in bed when I realize what he is saying. “No way! I don’t get to spend enough time with you as it is.” I scoot so I’m sitting completely straight up. Tyson smiles when he hears my words.
“How about we just talk, then? Since you’re tired,” he says.
“I’m not that tired,” I say. I would love a visit from The Captain.
He shakes his head. No Captain Thunderdick for me tonight. Even in my disappointment, I smile because this is an important statement on his part. It’s about more than sex for him. Yes.
“So, tell me about Liam.”
I scoot in close to him and he wraps his arm around me. “What do want to know?”
“Anything you want to tell me.”
“Let me see. We met in middle school…seventh grade. He and Maddie and I have been inseparable ever since. He’s gorgeous and sweet, but he has a bit of a temper. He’s very protective of me, too, just like you are. I didn’t start out crushing on him. That’s something that changed over time. I love him, but I’m not sure what kind of love it is yet, because I was brought here before we had a chance to figure that out.”
“Life can really throw some curve balls,” he sighs.
“You said it. I never expected to find someone like you in a place like this. I truly thought my life was over when I was taken. I definitely didn’t see you coming.” I take a breath, and reality hits me—this place, being in Dominic’s arms. Life can change on a dime. “My turn to ask a question. How old are you?
“Twenty-seven.”
“Ooh, an older man,” I say, and we both laugh lightly.
“Dominic?”
“Yes.”
“Why were you in ‘the dark?’”
He tenses an almost unnoticeable amount, but I can feel it. He stares into my eyes.
“I mentioned to you that I’m from Hawaii?” He crosses his arms across his chest. “When I was sixteen, my mother was gunned down by some thugs who wanted our car. They shot me, too.” He pulls his sleeve to show me the scar on his left shoulder. I reach up and touch it gently, I’ve seen it before. “I was never quite right after that. When I turned eighteen, I joined the marines. While in the service, I was recruited by a special group based on a certain aptitude I had.”
“What aptitude was that?” I ask, even though I see where this is going.
“Let’s just say that not giving a fuck about what happens to you, or anyone around you, makes you a pretty lethal government assassin,” he replies. “I fell into my new life easily. Every target was just the fucker that killed my mother and left us for dead. I picked them off without thought.”
I squeeze him tightly against me. He can’t see my face, but tears prick my eyes. I can hear the pain in his voice.
“I performed my job that way for four years. I stopped when it wasn’t fun anymore.”
“Killing people was fun for you?”
“Like I said, I was in the dark. I came home to Hawaii, to my dad and my sisters. I have two of them. But I wasn’t happy. The world was darkness around me. I rarely came out of my room. I was plagued with terrible nightmares almost every night. I ate, worked out in my room and slept. I couldn’t get out of my sister’s high school graduation, though. That’s where I met Mason. He struck up a conversation with me in the bathroom of all places. I thought I was gonna have to kick his ass. He didn’t give me much information other than he had a job for me as head of security. I took his card, and after about a week, I called him. I became his head of Chamber security. The nightmares continued, but at least I had a purpose, and I didn’t have to kill anybody.”
“Do you still have the nightmares?”
“Nope, not one.”
“When did they stop?”
“They stopped the first night I saw you on the surveillance camera two years ago. I told you, Vivian. You are my light in every way. You brought me to life. I owe you everything. I will start with my undying devotion. I love you.” He kisses my shoulder.
A sudden flood of tears escapes my eyes. I weep for his sadness and his awakening.
“Don’t cry, Vivian. I’m a new man because of you.”
“I’m a new woman because of you, too, you know.”
“I guess you are. Now close your eyes and get some sleep before I change my mind and bury The Captain inside of you. He’s really mad at me for denying him tonight,” he says.
So am I. “Why are you denying him and me?”
“Oh, believe me, I want to give in, but falling in love isn’t about sex. It’s about this. Just being together.” He kisses me on my nose. “I love you…you horny little creature. Now go to sleep.”
My smile is a mile wide. I close my eyes, snuggle into him, and fall asleep in Dominic’s arms.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Mr. Creepy
The regularity of my nights with Tyson are my saving grace. I crave getting to know everything I can about him. Feelings that I’d only felt for Liam are now there for Tyson. I never thought in a billion years that I would feel love for anyone but Liam. How is it possible to feel such strong feelings for two men?
My only solace is that once I get out of here, I will only have to worry about one of them. The other will remain here in The Chamber. I’ll miss him, and I’ll mourn the loss of him in my life, but I’ll have no choice but to move forward. Knowing him and loving him will allow an extra ray of light to be cast whenever I recall this crazy year of mine.
What if he doesn’t stay behind?
What if he keeps his recent promise to leave The Chamber and find me in my real life? Would I let him go so easily then? Would I turn my back on my feelings for him?
I don’t find a letter from him under my pillow tonight.
That saddens me. I want him any way I can get him, and especially in my Chamber. Maybe I’m being cruel for allowing this to happen between us. He has told me that I’m his light and he loves me. How much will he suffer when I’m gone? It pains me to think of him finding the darkness again. I do love him and I don’t want that for him. If he does decide to leave The Chamber, I could see possibility then. But the possibility of what? A friendship? Him instead of Liam?
Zion prepares me for my night in The Chamber.
I scan my playlist and see that Mr. Not So Creepy is up at bat tonight. His name got an upgrade, because he really has gotten better. He
still doesn’t say anything, and I find that disturbing, but he is gentler with me. I’m sure he’s not happy about getting roughed up, but if it improves his behavior, then it was worth it.
He’s first on my playlist.
I never know if that’s better or worse. On one hand it’s better, because the night ends on a more positive note. Worse, though, because he sets my mood for the rest of the evening.
In a surprise move, he wants me clothed. I don a floor-length sexy sheer nightgown. My hair cascades down my back in ebony waves, and my lips are the deepest red. I resemble a black-and-white movie starlet. When I cross the threshold to my Chamber, he’s sitting at the round bistro table.
Before tonight, I’d never gotten a good look at his face. He’s older than I thought he would be, and attractive, in an Eastern European way. His eyes are tiny, beady. His lips are thick and full. He’s stout and strong. His hair is dark blond.
“Good evening, Flame,” he speaks for the first time.
I liked the silence better. “Hi,” I say, my nerves getting the best of me.
He even has a European accent. “Please sit.” He gestures to the chair. I do as I am told. “You look lovely,” he says.
His words crawl over my skin like bugs. I don’t know what this is, but I don’t like it. I don’t like him.
“I’ve been doing some soul searching,” he continues.
What the fuck?
He looks at the table. “After my ass was handed to me by the guards, I mean.” His eyes dart to mine and stay there, I want to break his gaze, but I don’t.
What? “I’m sorry that happened to you. I had no idea. I thought we were past that. I thought we were…friends.” I have no idea where that came from.
“You don’t know me, but if you did, you would know that Vladimir is my real name.” He leans forward with a smile that makes my stomach turn and my skin prickle.
