by Bane, Lucian
****
He was tying her, thank you, God. She would show him, she would show him she was his, she trusted him. After he tied the last arm, he suddenly clenched his eyes tight and pulled away from the bed.
Mercy watched as he walked away, leaving her panting with the need to make it right. She’d been scared, she didn’t remember her training, she was sure she’d trained for that kind of thing. Relearn, that’s what she’d do, that’s all. Problem solved.
Sade stood next to the table, his head down. His body heaved in the silence, making her own quake for him. The memory of his cock shoving inside her made her gasp. It had hurt and felt good all at once. Then she’d said that mean stuff to him. She was pissed, that’s all, just pissed. She had a temper, everybody had a little temper.
God, what was he doing? He paced with his hands on his head and finally turned and came to the bed. Grabbing that box, he sat next to her with it.
“I uh… have some things I need to show you.” He swiped a hand over his mouth and his head. Had he always had short cropped hair? She liked it, but she wondered what he’d look like with longer hair. Would it be wavy and thick?
His tone said he was trying hard to put things right too. She’d messed everything up, he was a wreck. She could see it.
“Tell me if you remember any of these things or anything about them.” He finally looked at her, and the confusion in the depth of his eyes stole her breath.
“Okay,” she said. “Is this the plan? You said you had a plan to help me remember?” She hoped to get him back on track, remind him what the goal was. She’d helped him before, she could do it again, even without remembering. She could feel that much, she could do that.
He nodded and then held up a little teddy bear. She’d honestly not expected anything in his box of tricks to help but… something seemed familiar about the stuffed animal. It made her sad. When no “why’s” came, she narrowed her gaze before shaking her head. “Kind of, maybe. But nothing specific is coming, just feels… familiar.”
“It’s okay,” he said softly, setting it down. Hear heart ached at hearing the hopelessness in his tone. Like he didn’t expect this to help either.
He pulled out a small wooden box next, and she gasped. “That’s my jewelry box!”
He stared at her. “Are you shitting? You fucking remember?”
She nodded and gasped several more times. “Yes. Right off. My dad gave me that when I was ten!”
Sade grabbed his head with both hands and held it. “Thank fuck!” He looked up at the ceiling. “Thank you,” he mumbled then hurried and pulled out the next item. Ballerina slippers.
“Those are mine!”
“Oh fuck, Mercy!” he gasped. “You’re remembering, baby!”
She hid her sob with a little laugh as tears sprung to her eyes. He quickly took out the next item and she stared at the handkerchief, waiting for recollection then shook her head. “Sorry.”
“It’s okay, Angel.” He pulled out a book next. “I’m going to show you each page.” He got closer and turned the pages for her.
She shook her head and apologized through several pages then on the fourth, she cried, “Stop! That, I remember that. I know how to play the piano! I used to play it for my dad!”
Sade’s mouth was suddenly on hers and Mercy’s hunger erupted immediately. She kissed him but then he pulled away abruptly. “Fuck, let’s keep going.”
Her heart pounded with a million emotions, need and frustration leading. He turned the next few pages and slowly her heart began to sink as she shook her head. “Sorry.”
“You’re doing amazing, don’t be sorry.”
But as he turned and turned it was item after item of strange stuff. “I… I recognize a few items in some of these pictures but don’t know why or how.”
Sade looked in the box and pulled out papers and held them up. “Remember this?”
She studied the hand drawings carefully and slowly shook her head. Sade presented the next one. Again, nothing. He went through three more. Nothing.
“It’s okay,” he assured her.
But it wasn’t okay, she heard it in his tone. His hope was slipping.
Mercy gasped at the paper plate with the glitter hands. “I remember!” she nearly yelled. “I made that when I was thirteen. It was… it was for…” she fought to connect the missing pieces.
“Don’t try too hard. It’ll come.”
“It was for something, I can feel it,” she muttered as he went through the remaining items. A potholder, crocheted items. Both completely unfamiliar. He angled his head and reached into the box and pulled out a couple of pictures. It was while she was looking at the strange people that shit crashed down on her mind, only they weren’t memories.
Chapter Twenty-Two
“Sade? Why are my things at this place?”
Sade regarded Mercy, dread slowly hitting him at realizing what he’d just done. How had he not even considered that? Sade continued to stare at her, fear tying him in sudden knots. Tell her. Just tell her everything, it’s time. Nothing to lose, only gain. Worst case scenario, it might jar her memory. Kane would just have to forgive me. And not die.
“What aren’t you telling me?” she asked, suspicious now.
“I’m going to come out and say this. Just right out.” He rubbed one hand on his forehead, staring at her.
She stared back at him, appearing worried now.
“This place… belongs to your father.”
She continued staring at him, a mixture of disbelief and anger crimping her face. “My… dad…w-what…why…” She closed her eyes a second. “I don’t remember that.” She slowly opened them, another realization dawning. “And… how would you know that?”
“Because I know your dad.”
She turned her head a little, her eyes not leaving him. “But… you said you didn’t.”
“I didn’t know the dad you were referring to.”
She stared at him fully. Fully confused, fully fucking scared. “Just… come out and tell me,” her voice quivered. “I-I’ve got too many missing pieces already, you’re not helping.”
Sade sat next to her and took a deep breath. “Mercy. Your dad… isn’t…”
“Isn’t what, isn’t what, don’t stop,” she said, agitated.
He lowered his head feeling like shit. “Isn’t dead. He’s alive.”
After many silent seconds, he chanced a look at her. She stared at him like he were a joke, a very bad fucking joke.
“That’s not… not something you should do or say. Why would you do this? To get memories? Is that what you’re doing?”
“No, no!” he hurried emphatically. “Your father led two lives, he-he rescued you when you were nine from a very bad life.” Sade realized he was not prepared to tell the whole story, and stuttering it out like he was making it up as he went, was the last fucking thing he needed to do. “Look,” he said. “He made me swear not to tell until he came back. Your dad is Kane Cross, the most lethal man—vigilante—in Los Angeles. He hunts killers and he takes them out. But he’s a good guy.”
“Vigilante?” her face screwed up while she shook her head. “My dad is no vigilante!” She let out one laugh.
Sade got up and hurried to the door and opened it. “Liberty! Liberty!” he yelled.
A few moments later, she came out of her room. “Coming! Jesus, you’ll wake the fucking dead,” she muttered, hurrying down the hall in a black silk robe.
He opened the door and hurried to the bed and covered Mercy’s legs. “Tell her about Kane.”
Liberty regarded Mercy tied to the bed then eyed him. “Ummm, Sade?”
“It’s too late, she already knows.”
“Tell her what?”
“Show her pictures, something. Prove he’s Kane Cross. Prove to her that her father led two lives, she doesn’t believe me.”
“He’s telling the truth,” Liberty said.
Mercy choked out a huff. “And I’m just supposed to believ
e you? I don’t even know you,” Mercy said, her voice edged with growing anger. “Untie me while you’re parading around in your underwear,” she snapped at Sade.
“I’ll leave you two now,” Liberty said, quickly turning to go.
“Don’t leave, make him untie me,” Mercy yelled. “Bo! Bo, help me!” She erupted in screaming now.
Sade ushered a muttering Liberty out of the room assuring her he’d take care of her then locked the door. He faced Mercy who kept screaming at the top of her lungs for Bo.
“He’s not going to come,” he yelled. “He knows too.”
She gasped and glared at him. “You’re saying my dad is alive! Do you realize how cruel that would be to say if it weren’t true?”
“Of course I fucking know that,” Sade said making his way to the bed. “Do you realize how cruel it is for you to think I’d ever do something like that?”
“Cruel? You? Why would I ever guess Mr. Sadomasochist would be cruel, sooooo sorry to insult you!”
“It’s not what you think. Yes, I want your memories but now we need them.”
She stared at him, her eyes wide and narrowed with another round of confusion that had her chest heaving. “Well, do tell.”
He paced now, not liking how this all felt. “We’re supposed to be ready to evacuate any day and there’s a tunnel leading to our transportation that only you know the code to. So, it’s actually more than just me wanting your fucking memories, it’s me needing to make sure you’re alive when shit hits the fan.”
Sade watched her reaction, trying to follow what was going on in her head. Judging by the sick look on her face, nothing helpful. He paced, waiting for something, anything from her. “Talk to me, goddammit!” he yelled.
“You… you need my memories,” she gasped. “Just not the way I thought you did.”
“Don’t fucking even,” he said, pissed. God, he needed to take a minute and get his shit together, not fight with Mercy.
“You are one selfish bastard,” she muttered. “You tie me up and make emergencies just to get your memories. You want memories? I’ll give you memories. I remember Bo. I remember opening the door and meeting him for the first time. I remember how sweet he was, how cute too.”
Sade stared at her, fighting back his sudden rage. “You’re lying.”
“Oh, I’m not. I can tell you what he wore. Light blue shirt? Dark blue denim jeans and those goofy tan bowling looking shoes?”
That’s fucking great! is what he should be thinking and saying. But she was rubbing it in his face that she remembered Bo and not him. She was just trying to hurt him. But why? Because she thought he’d lie about her dad? Lie about wanting her memories? So fucking stupid.
“That’s good, Mercy.”
“Is it? Don’t try to pretend you’re not jealous out of your mind.”
“I’m not pretending, I am fucking jealous out of my mind.”
“Good!”
He sat at the table, staring at her, his body trembling. “What else do you remember?”
“Not a damn thing.”
“Would you lie about that?”
“Maybe.”
“Why the fuck would you?”
“Because maybe I’m sick of you and your need for memories.” She jerked on the restraints. “Why don’t you get out of memory lane before life passes you by?”
“There is no fucking life without Mercy!” He slammed his fist on the table. “Don’t you see that?”
“Well too fucking bad!” she screamed, furious. “You’re a pathetic pussy, that’s what you are! Need a woman to hold your fucking hand? I don’t know what I ever saw in you!”
Sade toyed with the pain inside him, trying to decide what to do with it. He clenched his eyes tight as too many things train wrecked in his head.
“I wonder why I remember Bo and not you?” she said. “Strange, isn’t it?”
Sade covered his face.
“I even feel safer with him. Guess that’s not so odd, given your background. Maybe I don’t remember you because I’m trying to block it out? Ever thought of that? I mean think about the shit in that journal of yours. Think about the shit you just did! I was clearly a delusional fucking idiot to be with you!”
Sade paced now. “Stop,” he whispered.
“Maybe you couldn’t get your dick hard because your brain knew something wasn’t right.”
“Stop,” he yelled.
“Or what,” she yelled back. “Who are you to tell me what the fuck to do? You tie me up to jar my memories, terrorize me to jar my fucking memories!? All for you to get your precious Mercy back? Well fuck you and fuck your precious Mercy!”
Sade stormed to the bed and got an inch from her face. “Stop!”
She slammed her forehead into his, making him stagger back and blink around inky dots. “Fuck,” he gasped, his adrenaline spiking as he shook his head clear.
If there had been remorse on her face when he looked at her, it would have made all the difference in her world. Maybe. But it wasn’t. It was pure hatred. Hatred for him.
And all he could think in that moment was needing Mercy. Having Mercy back. One way or another.
His sadism shoved its way into his skin and filled his cock as he stared at her. “Change of plans, Angel.”
“Don’t call me your angel, your angel is a stupid fucking bitch!”
Her screaming fury made Sade’s hunger burn hotter. And the animal was out. Walking slowly around the bed, eyes on what he was about to break down and own. But before he did, he’d have her fucking weeping and begging for him. He’d make her eat every fucking hateful word until she confessed it. Liar. Filthy. Fucking. Liar.
****
Mercy’s heart pounded as she watched Sade turn into another person right before her eyes. She held her jaw firmly together, determined to not bow down, holding on to her anger. Reminding herself why she’d said those mean things. She was just something in the way of what he wanted. And it wasn’t her.
“You don’t scare me,” she muttered, snapping her jaw shut when it wanted to tremble.
He crawled slowly onto the bed, his gaze locked between her legs. Mercy’s chest heaved as he made his intentions clear. In one swift dive, his mouth covered her panties in a growl, bowing Mercy off the bed as she pulled the restraints in shock. He kissed her, his mouth pressing and moving like a vicious storm all over her privates.
She couldn’t keep from fighting the brutal force, his mouth was hot electricity shooting into her right at that spot. She shuddered, gasped, and jerked with it. His hands slammed down on her upper thighs, pressing her hard into the bed, making her take it like he commanded. There was no escaping the assault. He forced his mouth tight to her body and sucked, pulling at that boiling spot. His hungry growl vibrated into her, and Mercy gave several shrieks as her body exploded in spasms. His growls strained, and his fingers shot under her ass, pulling her impossibly tight to his mouth. Mercy’s shrieks continued as she jerked and convulsed with the pleasure.
Before she could recover, his mouth was on hers, pushing her lips open with that same hunger, tongue plunging, fingers biting at her neck and jaw. Her cries flowed into his mouth as he devoured her mind with his kiss, sending her world spinning.
The storm strayed from her mouth, a hot path along her jaw ‘til it reached her ear where he rasped the heated promise. “You will remember.” He bit her earlobe, making her shriek and turn her mouth, need and hunger burning through her.
“Make me,” she gasped. “Make me remember.”
He suddenly shot off the bed and walked to the small fridge. Pulling out a bottle of beer, he opened it and tilted it up. Her eyes feasted on the thick muscles moving in his neck then to the heaving of his chest and abs. Her stomach clenched at seeing the bulge pushing hard in his underwear.
He growled when done and threw the bottle. Mercy jumped at the shatter of glass while Sade sauntered back to the fridge and got another one. Again he guzzled while walking to the table. He set it dow
n and sat heavily on the chair and leaned forward with his forearms on his knees. What was he thinking? God, she needed to know.
He finally sat back, one leg cocked out and grabbed the beer and drank, his other hand hanging between his thighs. He had such beautiful hands. She raised her eyes and found his gaze locked hard on her, making her insides jump. The fierce premeditation there made her tremble inside. He put the bottle to his lips and tilted his head back, not breaking the stare, not blinking.
Mercy’s heart raced when he stood. Again he threw the bottle and this time she couldn’t stop the small scream.
Fear pumped through her as he walked to the small media center and turned it on. He flipped through the search then stood there with his head lowered while a choppy violin sound blasted through the room.
Her heart hammered to the tune as he slowly turned and made his way toward her. His eyes locked on hers just as a deep drag of bass tickled her ears and skin.
He came closer until he towered next to her, a wall of muscle in black briefs. Whatever was going through his mind had him extremely aroused, which had Mercy breathless. He climbed on the bed, hands on either side of her head with knees straddling her chest. She gasped up at the heaving abs and chest right before her. A spike of heat tingled between her legs as he grabbed the bulge in his briefs with both hands and thrust his hips to the music.
The sight of him touching himself made everything sizzle inside her. He lowered the front of his underwear, and she gave a whimpered gasp when his cock was free. The sight of it so close up, shocked her. In a way, he was her first. He’d given her first orgasm. She wanted him to be her first everything. God, what was he going to make her do?
Her breaths came faster as their tub episode flashed through her mind. She didn’t like doing that in water. She’d been blind and scared. Now, there was nothing to fear, so why was she so scared? Doing it wrong? Not satisfying him?
His stroked along his length slowly and she finally looked past his beautiful manhood to the brutal face staring down at her, his perfect teeth bared as he moved his hips. She pulled at the restraints wanting so badly to touch him now.