by Aliyah Burke
When the door opened, she realized she’d fallen asleep a bit and blinked to wake up. He looked over her, once more dressed in his robe and pants, then went to the rope and pulled her up so her feet weren’t on the ground at all.
Then he neared her and reached for one ankle. She jerked back and he shook his head. Without saying anything he swung around a Taser and shot her with it. This time when she woke, her legs were secured about shoulder-width apart and attached to anchors in the floor by more rope. It was official, she wasn’t going anywhere.
He sat across from her, in his chair. His cock was out, and he stroked it as he watched her. Her muscles ached from the Taser and she swallowed a few times to get moisture into her mouth.
“I told you to behave.”
“Tying and Tasing women to get them to your bed. Your mother must be so proud of your accomplishments. Is this how you keep your wife in line as well?”
He pointed to his shaft, rising from the dark hair there. “This is what she likes. And she will do anything for it.”
“Someone needs to take her to a toy shop. She can find one much bigger, harder, that can last longer without all the excess baggage you obviously come with.”
“You say that now, but I’m a lover. And once I’m done with you, that will be the last nice touch you remember on your body. I know this because I’m well aware of the one who you’re being sold to and his proclivities.”
She refused to allow the fear within her a foothold.
“So you see the ones you can’t keep under your control. Does your wife know this? That you prefer other women to her? That you get hard watching us hang from the ceiling but weren’t man enough to try anything when we could fight back?”
“You have a choice,” he said, getting to his feet and moving toward her. “Accept what is about to happen and I’ll make it nice for you. Pleasant. I’ll give you orgasms.”
She snorted. “Have you ever given a woman one in your life?”
That red flush returned.
“Or, I will take you and come all over your face so I can stand here and see my white cum dripping down your dark skin.”
Her gut churned. “So one or two drops is that what you shoot? Give it your best shot,” she taunted. “Unhook me and see what happens.”
“I have no problem Tasing you once more.”
She didn’t respond, just stared at his face. That same expression she used in class when some of the guys thought they could school her on some things. As with them, it made him uncomfortable and he shifted.
He backed up and got the Taser once more. Then he lowered her to the ground. Her legs were still secured so she couldn’t pull them together but at least her shoulders weren’t aching so much anymore.
Shai waited. Outwardly calm. On the inside, hanging on in the tempest raging. He paused, as if expecting her to start swinging. She wanted her legs free.
Taser in front of him, he neared and undid one leg, then the other. She closed her stance and rubbed her hips but didn’t go after him or for the door at all.
“Get on the bed.”
She glanced over to the large space. “No.”
He flicked the Taser in her direction. “I’m holding a fucking Taser on you. Now get on the bed.”
“No. Use it on me again. You’re still going to have to carry me to the bed if you want me there.”
Apparently he had taken enough of her refusals because he headed straight for her, mouth set in a mutinous line of anger.
“Get your ass on that fucking bed.”
She didn’t move until he was within range. Without warning, she snapped out one leg and while she wasn’t wearing her boots anymore, all her hours at spin class had given her some strong legs. She caught him in the groin and since he was still hard, it gave her sweet satisfaction to see the agony spread over his face as he crumpled before her after she connected and the loud popping sound filled the otherwise quiet room. The Taser falling from a numb hand.
One she swiped up in a second and used on him. His entire body jerked and spasmed on the floor as she stood there, holding closed her shirt he’d cut. As he lay there working through the tremors, she loaded a new cartridge for the gun. She wasn’t taking any chances.
She tied his hands behind his back and fed the end through the loop on the floor. Then she backed up to get her boots. As she shoved her feet in them, she continued to look to the door in hopes that the buyer wasn’t coming now.
Pants torn, shirt ripped, it didn’t matter. She bolted up the stairs, after having shut him in that room down there, tied up and still in pain. The door to freedom lingered just out of reach and she poured on the speed to get there.
Busting through, she screamed at the large body she slammed into and, without thinking, depressed the trigger on the Taser. As his arms were around her, she felt it too.
And together they fell in a tangled heap of limbs.
“Fuck it, Shai. Release the trigger.”
Sav’s voice penetrated the haze of pain around her. She dropped the weapon and tried to slow her heart and stop the agony from coursing through her once more. Once was bad enough but this was her second time today. At least she thought it was.
She lifted her head and found his green eyes, full of pain, locked on her.
“Thank fuck you’re okay,” he uttered.
“Like you give a damn.” All the bitterness of him leaving her rushed from the dam it had been behind. She didn’t have the energy to push away from him.
“Shai,” he said, eyes full of concern.
That did it, she found the energy and got off him. A female stepped forward and draped a blanket over her shoulders, hiding all the slices in her clothing. She looked down—her boots were untied and she didn’t give a damn.
“He’s in the basement, tied up.” She gulped as it hit her that this was over. “Naked.”
In her periphery, Savvas jerked again as if he’d just been pumped full of more voltage. She ignored that. The other way in the back of a car sat another man whom she presumed to be the one who was supposed to buy her.
“This is something that has gone on for a while,” she muttered as she leaned against the blonde who’d given her the blanket.
“Let’s get you home,” she said.
Shai nodded, refusing to look in Savvas’ direction once more. Never mind that she’d Tasered him, there wasn’t anything further to say. At least not to him. It was time for her to say goodbye. Close the door on this part of her life and move forward.
It was over. Her heart was breaking, but it was over.
Chapter Fifteen
Meeks laid into him and, as he’d done the last two times the man had done this, he tuned him out. His mind drifted to the woman who had very almost been sold into slavery. He exhaled and pushed his hand through his hair, took out his band and put it back in.
“Are you even listening to me?”
“No. I have to be at court soon. Is there something new that you need to tell me? Because I’ve heard all of this before. I’m bad, I broke rules, blah, blah, blah. I’m not going to apologize for anything that I did. I’d do it again in a heartbeat.” He got to his feet and smoothed his hand down his suitcoat. “I can’t be late.”
Meeks scowled but waved him to the door. Savvas didn’t tarry. He wasn’t lying, he needed to be there. This was the hearing for the case against Mr. Wayne. She may not be speaking to him but he’d be damned if he wasn’t there for support.
Jogging out to his SUV, he then climbed behind the wheel and took himself to the courtroom. A lot of people had turned out for this given the popularity of the man who’d been behind this. Pushing his way into the over-crowded courtroom, he skimmed it right away for the woman he sought.
She sat with her family. Parents flanking the three sisters, Shai sat in the very middle. Her head was up and she stared straight ahead. He knew in his gut it was tearing at Tara not to be up there but it was a conflict of interest to have her there.
He claime
d a seat and tried to listen to the ADA reading off what they were charging him for but his attention continued to swing back to Shai. She didn’t look to the side or behind her. Her eyes stayed locked ahead.
Derek wanted her to look at him. Wanted to be beside her, holding her hand. Have his arm draped over her shoulders, offering her the support her family did. Even from this distance he could see the way she tensed when Mr. Wayne was escorted into the room.
A low rumble rose in his chest and he nearly jumped from the seat to go after the asshole. He couldn’t forget how they’d found him tied up in that room in the basement. Naked enough. Sure, he had pants on and an open robe, but his dick was out and at some odd angle. The man was crying about how much it hurt.
Personally, he was glad the ass was in pain because it meant she’d not rolled over and accepted her fate but fought.
Of course she did. This woman is a fighter—she doesn’t know how not to do that.
The court date was set and as people rose to leave, he followed suit. Grateful for his taller height, he could see as she and her family pushed through to the exit, ignoring the reporters. He trailed her as best he could but lost her in the confusion when they were out on the front steps of the courthouse.
He picked her up once more as the car her dad owned drove out of the parking lot.
“She still not talking to you then?”
Cutting his gaze to Shell who stood beside him, he shook his head.
“Yes, she and I just had an amazing conversation. That’s why I’m standing here while she just drove off.” The sarcasm dripped from his tongue.
“Don’t get pissed at me because you were a stupid ass. I like her.”
He crossed his arms and returned her glare. She didn’t back down. Shell had dressed for court as well, and her badge gleamed against her waist.
“So do I, Michelle. So do I.”
She gestured off to the side and he went with her. “What?”
“Then what’s the holdup? Why don’t you go see if you can’t do this again. But, for real this time.”
“I bailed on her while she was in the shower and left a voicemail on her phone. Not really thinking she’s going to want to give me that much of a second chance.”
“Damn, that’s low. However, look at it this way. You did go after her. You were coming to save her, not that she needed it. But I did see the way her expression changed when she realized it was you holding her on the ground. There was deep and thick emotion in that face of hers. Of course there was also pain, but I’m chalking that up to her having Tased the two of you.”
“She’s not returning my calls.”
“I wouldn’t either.” Shell slapped him on the shoulder. “I would suggest you point your vehicle in the direction of her house and do a face-to-face. Don’t give her the chance to ignore your calls. Just go over there.”
“What if she calls the cops on me?”
Shell grinned. “All good because you are one and you’re there.” She walked down the steps. “I don’t see that happening for what it’s worth.” With a wave she went off, hollering over her shoulder, “Catch you later, partner.”
Meeks had suspended Lopez for his behavior and comments as well and reassigned Michelle to be Derek’s partner. He couldn’t say he had a complaint about that. She was a hard-as-fuck worker and he liked her overall.
So he listened to her and figured he would swing by later tonight. She’d not been at cooking class this week, so perhaps he would find her at home.
The hours leading up to that time when he was heading to her place moved by a snail’s pace and he was edgy and more than ready to get to her house. As he drove, he kept glancing in the rearview as if he could make himself lose the nerves that had been hounding him ever since he’d stepped behind the wheel.
It wasn’t working.
There was a single light on in her house, the living room, as he pulled into the drive and parked. The familiarity of being there washed over him and he closed his eyes to just enjoy the moment for a few more seconds.
With a deep breath, he climbed out and trekked to her front door. The twig base of her wreath hanging there had dogwood blossoms on it, a few roses, lavender and a yellow finch in a nest. That was new.
Another deep inhalation and he pressed the doorbell. If he’d had a hat it would be in his hands, him twisting it. As it was, he didn’t, so he just waited.
The curtain moved an inch before the outside light flicked on. Moments later he found himself face to face with Shai.
Swallowing, he rubbed one hand along the side of his jeans. “Hello, Shai.”
Her gaze was impersonal as she ran it over him. “Detective. What do you want?”
He could see the remnants of the bruise on her face—she didn’t hide it with makeup. And it fueled him all over, making him want to go down to the jail and beat the shit out of that man for daring to put her through what he had.
“I want to talk. Do you have the time?”
“I’m pretty sure we’ve said all we need to. Besides, if there is anything else to say, leave me a voicemail.” She vanished and closed the door in his face. No slamming but with a controlled click.
He braced a fist on the door and closed his eyes. “I handled that all wrong, Shai. Please open the door and let me in. I want to talk about this.”
“Go away,” she said.
“No.”
“I’ll call the cops.”
“I’ll let them know I’m already here. Open the door.”
She did. “You’re right, there is something we need to say to one another. But it’s from me to you. Not the other way around. I do thank you for coming after me. For doing your job and keeping me safe. However, you are a piece of shit for leaving the way you did. Couldn’t even talk to me face to face but had to do it over a goddamn voicemail?”
“Let me in.” He didn’t react to her words, just kept his voice even. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to show any emotion but he wanted to be in her home first. “Open the door and let me come inside.”
“Can’t talk on the porch?”
“Sure I can. I wasn’t sure you wanted all your neighbors to hear this. If you insist on doing it here, we can.”
She glared at him through slits in her eyes. “Fine. But no farther than the living room.”
He’d take it. In the house was closer than he’d been to her in far too long. He drew the door shut behind him and stepped into the living room. Not much had changed since he was in there last and he couldn’t help but feel as if he’d just walked through the door of his home.
It is home to me because she’s here.
“What?” She sat on the high-backed chair across the room and pulled her feet up on the cushion.
“We agree I fucked this up.”
She blinked and looked down at her nails.
He pursed his lips and tried again. “I was scared and I handled this like a coward.”
Still nothing from her. She did, however, move her attention from one hand to the other.
“I wish I could go back and make better choices that moment. Join you on the invitation of showering with you and take it from there.”
He swore it was a blank slate he stared at. She had no emotion on her face.
“Is that all?” she asked, getting to her feet.
Frustration churned in his gut. “Do you have anything else to say than that?”
“Nope. Good night.” She walked to the door and opened it.
“Shai,” he implored.
“No. We have nothing to say to each other now. You made your choice. I let you in to say your piece, so now you can leave.”
He wasn’t sure how he ended up on her porch once more but the light clicked off and he realized he wasn’t about to be allowed back inside. At least not tonight.
“Fuck it all!” He wanted to kick her door in and back her up to the nearest wall before claiming her mouth and going from there.
Not going to win me any points with he
r.
He conceded this round to her and headed to his vehicle. She may have won the battle but not the war, he wasn’t giving up on her this easy.
* * * *
“I’m glad you’re here. I was afraid when you didn’t make it last week.”
Shai smiled at Connie. “Just wasn’t feeling it then. But cooking always makes me happy so I didn’t want to miss any more class.”
“Uh-oh,” she whispered. “Guess who just sauntered in.”
There wasn’t any need to guess for her body alerted her to the identity of the man there. Only one person could affect her like this. Detective Derek Savvas.
“He paid for the class and should be here if he wants to be. I don’t care.”
“Are we mad at him or just ambivalent about it?”
“I’m here for the class, nothing else. If he’s here, so be it. I would still be here if he wasn’t.”
“Ladies,” he said as he claimed the table beside her.
“Detective,” she replied despite the pounding her heart did at the mere sight of him.
Bastard looked too damn good in his dark blue jeans and green shirt, which highlighted the intensity of his gaze. She pulled her eyes off him and returned them to Connie and smiled at her friend.
Class dragged on but the end result was delicious and as she sat at Connie’s station with her, enjoying the food, her friend’s gaze widened as she watched past her shoulder.
“Mind if I join you two?”
Connie looked at her and she shrugged. It wasn’t her station and she had to prove to herself she could handle being around this man who had turned her life upside down and inside out with nothing more than a simple touch.
He sat across from her, his plate filled with the food they’d made. “You ladies have plans for the night after class?”
Connie ate a bite and gestured at her to go ahead and answer. As Shai swallowed, another classmate came over and brought their stool and plate.
“Are we talking about heading to the bar?”
“I’m not sure if they were. I am not going out,” Shai said. “I have a presentation to work on.”