by J. L. Beck
“Don’t Fallon me,” she growls, and it kind of reminds me of an angry kitten. “I’m going. She is my sister, and I want to be there when she is rescued. I didn’t come this far just to sit on the couch while you finish the job.”
I can tell she isn’t going to let this go, and I guess I never expected her to. If I’ve learned one thing about Fallon during our time together, it’s that she cares and loves with her whole heart, and she is going to see this through whether I want her to or not.
“I’m only taking you if you’ll listen to every single thing I say. I can’t be worried about you following my commands while we’re doing shit like this.”
“I swear, I’ll do whatever you say.”
Giving up, I pull her back into my chest. “Fine. Pack some clothes, the essentials only. We’ll leave as soon as you’re ready.”
The smile that graces her lips makes me want to kiss her until the world around us fades away. “Okay…” Straight white teeth sink into her bottom lip. “Thank you for doing all of this.”
“Don’t thank me yet. Wait until we bring Amelie home.”
If we bring her home. I add in my head. Fuck, I really hope we bring her home. I hope that I can be Fallon’s hero for once, even if it will only ever be this one time.
35
Fallon
A few hours later, we are boarding the private plane Markus was able to charter at short notice. I take a seat in one of the large leather chairs, buckling up immediately.
Markus sits down across from me. I can feel his eyes on me, watching my leg bounce nervously. My gaze darts around the room as I try to locate an exit.
Would it be so bad to throw myself out of a moving plane?
“Are you scared of flying?” Markus asks while buckling up.
“A little, but more nervous about getting my sister back than anything.”
It’s much more than my fear of heights that’s got my gut twisting into worried knots. We’re on our way to get my sister, to rescue her. After all this time, it’s finally happening. I’m bringing her home. Everything worked out.
The joy I feel flips to fear when I think of all that my sister’s had to endure. She probably won’t be herself anymore. She’s probably a shell of herself. The more I think about how they hurt her and used her, the higher the panic becomes.
“Hey, you okay?” Markus’s deep voice reaches for me, but I’m already creeping toward the sky. My chest rises and falls, but it doesn’t seem like I’m taking in any air. I can’t breathe, can’t think. In my mind, I see my sister, beaten and broken. Used and abused.
“Once we take off, I’ll get you a drink. That will calm you a little, take the edge off, at least.” The plane is already moving, getting ready to take off, and my fear switches. I’m caught between a rock and a bolder.
I can feel Markus staring at me, watching me like I’m a crazed person. The plane picks up speed, the humming of the engine becomes loud, almost high-pitched, and the force of taking off pushes my body into the cushioned leather. I squeeze my eyes shut and grip onto the armrests to hold myself in place. A moment later, we’re in the air, light like a feather. I’m not so sure, though, so I remain with my eyes closed and a death grip on the armrests for a little while longer.
When the roar of the engine turns into a calming hum, I relax more.
After a few more minutes, Markus unbuckles and walks over to the bar. He moves bottles around before finding a decanter of whiskey and two glasses. He pours us each a small amount, but before he even steps away from the bar, he downs his like a shot. Placing his glass back down on the bar, he turns and returns to my side with a glass for me in his hand.
“It will help take the edge off.”
I take the glass with trembling fingers. “I’m afraid she’s going to look like Julie or worse, and I can’t…”
“Shhh, everything is going to be okay.” He tries to soothe me, but there is no soothing what my mind already knows. I don’t know the condition my sister is going to be in, but after two months, I would assume it’s not going to be much better than Julie.
“I’m also afraid of heights… and I just…” I’m spiraling.
Markus drops into the seat beside me and takes my hand into his.
“Breathe. It’s going to be okay…” He assures me.
But is it really? Is it really going to be okay?
Doubt clouds me. “What if it isn’t? What if everything is falling apart, and there is no way to fix it? What if my sister is dead?” The words hurt so much to speak aloud, and the panic closes in around me.
Oh god. I’m waiting for the moment I pass out, but it never comes. Instead, a different feeling encompasses me when I feel Markus’s lips against mine, kissing me with a feral need. He’s kissing me. His firm, gorgeous lips are on mine.
My eyes pop open, and I’m tempted to pull away and tell him no, but his hand sinks into my hair, bending my head to a different angle, and I melt into a puddle of mush. Thoughts of my sister and the panic I was feeling moments ago fade away.
All I feel is Markus, his hot kisses, and his firm grip in my hair. His lips move down my neck and across my collarbone.
“I thought you didn’t kiss,” I pant breathlessly.
“I’ll make an exception for you today,” he whispers against my skin.
He devours me, licking and sucking my flesh like he wants to crawl inside of me. The warmth in my belly moves outward through my limbs. I want him badly. I want him to fuck me, hard and fast with bruising force. I want him to own me like only he can, to remind me who I belong to.
My core tightens, and I can feel wetness against my panties at the thought.
“Stand up and strip. I’m going to fuck you, right now, hard and fast.”
I almost smile but hide it at the last second. It’s scary how well he knows me, how he knows exactly what I need, and what I crave. Eager for his cock, I do as I’m told and strip out of my clothing. He watches me, his dark gaze drifting over the length of my body, my breasts, smooth belly, and shapely hips.
“I want to devour every fucking inch of you. Mark every single inch of your body. Every time someone looks at you, I want them to know it’s me you belong to…”
He licks his lips, and a hunger takes over his features. That singular look gnaws at my resolve for him, and like two hungry animals, we collide.
Like the beast he is, he pins me to the leather couch across the plane. For one brief second, worry develops in my mind.
“Wait… what if someone comes out here?” I peer at Markus over my shoulder. He’s just popped the button on his slacks and is shoving them down his thighs. He looks at me with liquid molten in his eyes.
“No one will come out here. The only other person on this plane is the pilot, and for the price I paid, he better keep his ass in the fucking captain’s seat.” That’s the only response I get, and that’s fine because the thought becomes a distant memory the instant I feel Markus press the thick head of his cock to my entrance.
In one swift move, he plunges inside me. The air in my lungs escapes on a gasp, and I sink my nails into the leather to stop myself from sliding forward with the momentum of his thrust. Oh god. My core clenches around him, squeezing him tightly, and I know what’s to come. The anticipation bubbles up in my stomach, feeling like tiny little butterflies.
Fingers dig into my hips, and for the next few minutes, Markus owns me. He worships my body, claiming me with his cock. Each stroke, every touch, it sends me higher and higher, coaxing me closer to the edge.
“So fucking perfect… I wish you could see the way your pussy swallows my cock, it’s an incredible sight.” All I can do is whimper in response, the pleasure and pain ravaging me, stealing the words from my mouth.
My brain and body are in two dimensions. My nipples rub against the leather, heightening my pleasure. The slaps of our bodies coming together fill the room. His manly scent washes over me, blanketing my senses. He moves faster, grinding his hips into me, pushin
g my pleasure to a new height. I’m close, so fucking close.
“Beg for it. Beg to come…” He growls.
I’m so caught up in the pleasure, in the movement of his hips, the slap of his balls against my clit, and the way his cock enters me with punishing strokes, that if I don’t come soon, I swear I will die.
“Fucking beg,” Markus commands as he sinks a hand into my hair, fisting the locks and pulling me backward. The movement brings us closer together, and I feel him deeper in my stomach, in my fucking soul.
“Please… please, let me come…” I gasp as he grinds against me.
My orgasm sweeps through me, and my pussy clenches, gripping him so tightly it has to be near pain. Every muscle and cell in my body ceases to exist as pleasure overtakes my most basic instincts. I’m a slave to the pleasure he gives me.
Markus continues to fuck me, pressing deeper and moving faster as I float down from the high of my orgasm.
“You’re mine… forever… mine,” he growls each word, and I bet if I looked over my shoulder, I would find him with his teeth bared. I feel each word being burned into my soul. The idea of being with anyone else makes me sick.
Markus is it for me, and that is both terrifying and sad because I know he will never truly be mine. A second later, his entire body tightens, his movements cease, and the warmth of his release spills inside of me. Collapsing against me, he presses his body into mine, and the weight of him makes me feel safe, secure, cocooned.
I sigh and stretch out beneath him. His cock slips out of me, and I can feel our juices dripping out of me. Still, we remain where we are in a bubble of post-orgasmic bliss.
Stroking my hair, Markus whispers softly into my ear, “Everything is going to be okay. I’ve got you, Fallon. You’re mine, and I protect what is mine.”
He says it like I’m his treasure, something he values and cherishes forever, but I know the truth. When he is done with me, once I’ve reached my maxim use, he will toss me in the garbage and move on.
I’m nothing special to him.
Everything is not okay, and even after I rescue my sister, it won’t be. I never anticipated falling for my captor, and now that I have, the idea of walking away is earth shattering.
36
Markus
Handing one of my guns to Fallon, I watch as she simply stares at it. Instead of reaching for it, she looks at it like it’s some kind of alien device.
“Have you shot a gun before?”
“No.”
“If everything goes as planned, you won’t have to, but I need you to at least have this. If I go down, you start shooting.”
“If you go down?” she asks in a high-pitched voice. “What do you mean?”
“Fallon, you know what we are walking into. I might get shot. Fuck, you might get shot.” Even though I will do everything I can to prevent that. Just the thought of her getting hurt has my chest aching, but I know she won’t stay behind.
The only thing calming my nerves right now is knowing that she is wearing a bulletproof vest underneath her sweater. Of course, that won’t save her if someone aims for her head. Fuck, I can’t think about this, or I won’t go through with it.
I’m already contemplating calling this whole thing off, throwing Fallon over my shoulder and taking her back home, where I’ll keep her chained to the bed. Yes, that would be much safer.
“Okay, I’ll take it.” She reaches for the gun. It looks much bigger in her hand. Her fragile fingers wrap around the sleek metal tentatively.
“It’s loaded with a bullet in the chamber. There is no safety. All you have to do is point and shoot, that’s it. Aim for the chest if you can.”
“Got it. Point at chest and shoot,” she repeats, but her voice is shaky, making me wonder if she could really go through with it.
Would she kill someone if her life depends on it? I already know she would risk her life to protect someone else, but would she take a life to protect her own?
“Just stay behind me and follow my lead.”
Felix was able to get me the blueprints of the building, and the intel says there are only three guys guarding her. We should be able to take them down easily since we have the element of surprise on our side.
“Ready?” I give her a final once over.
“So fucking ready,” Fallon answers right away, making me smile.
She was nervous on the flight, she was scared on the drive over here, but now her head is in the game. Her hands are steady, and her voice is determined.
“Let’s go,” I nod and lead her down the alley.
I parked the rental a block away, so they wouldn’t hear a car approaching. This whole block consists of abandoned buildings, most of them condemned, which means besides the occasional homeless person, you won’t find anyone here. Especially not in a fifty-thousand-dollar SUV.
Staying close to the wall, I walk down the small back road with Fallon following close behind. When we get to the building, I spot the camera above the door, right where Felix said it would be. I don’t know how he was able to figure out all this shit, but I don’t care. I’m just glad he did.
Before we’re close enough for the camera to pick us up, I raise my gun and fire the shot, shooting straight into the lens.
“Hurry,” I urge as I quickly make my way to the door, holster my gun and get the lock pick kit out. The door is older, and it only takes me a minute before the lock clicks open. In one swift move, I pocket the kit and retrieve my gun.
I open the door slowly, staying low just in case someone is already in the hallway. Sticking my head in, I see nothing but an empty space.
“It’s clear,” I whisper and move inside. Fallon is so close, I can feel her body heat behind me, and I let that calm the fear coursing through my veins. The fear of something happening to her tonight.
The place is dark, apart from some outside light coming from holes in the ceiling. The floors and walls are cracked and wet, which explains the mold and mildew smell filling the air.
When we get to the end of this hall, it splits into two corridors. I knew this from the plans, but I do not know where they are keeping her. Luckily, the idiots start to talk somewhere down to the right, giving themselves away.
I follow the voices with my gun raised. As we get closer, I can make out some of what they’re saying. My French is rusty, but I do know what la fille means… the girl.
I glance back over my shoulder at Fallon one final time, giving her a small nod. I told her what to do. Hopefully, she’ll listen to everything I said.
Positioning myself in front of the door, I suck in one deep breath before I lift my leg and kick in the door. The old, rotted wood breaks with ease. Small and large pieces fall away as I step into the room with my gun raised.
Time slows down as adrenaline floods my veins, and I become hyper-aware of everything around me. Two men are sitting at the table, their eyes wide with shock. One gets up while the other drops to the floor, but both reach for their guns.
I don’t think. I fire the first shot at the idiot who gets up instead of down. The bullet hits him right between his eyes, and his body crumbles to the ground.
I lower my gun and shoot again. Unfortunately, the other guy is fast. He rolls away, and the bullet hits his shoulder instead of his head.
Reaching behind me, I grab ahold of Fallon and drag her with me as I take cover behind the wall. The guy shoots at us twice, and I can feel the impact of the bullets through the concrete wall, but luckily, it’s not thin enough to penetrate.
Then I hear nothing. Silence. He’s going to have to come out eventually, and I have time. It doesn’t take long for him to get impatient. I hear him move around the room with a groan. That’s when I make my move.
I come around the corner and fire into the room. He doesn’t have a chance this time. The bullet hits his chest before he can raise his gun at me.
The man joins his friend on the floor, and I watch the life drain out of his eyes before turning my attention back to
Fallon. She’s hot on my heels, staring at the man I just killed. Surprisingly, she doesn’t look scared or satisfied. She really doesn’t look like anything right now. As if she has shut her emotions down, which might be a very good thing, depending on what we are about to find.
“You okay?” I ask as I look around the room. There is no sign of Fallon’s sister, but there are two empty food trays with half-eaten meals.
“Yeah. Didn’t Felix say there should be three guys?”
“He did. So still be on high alert. Let’s continue down the hallway,” I say and go back to leading the way through the building.
When I hear footsteps approaching from behind us, I quickly spin us both around, shoving Fallon behind me. As soon as I see a figure appear around the corner, I aim my gun at him.
“Stop right there, or I’ll blow your head off like I just did your friends.”
The guy stops dead in his tracks, his face goes pale, and his eyes go wide. He even puts his hands up, showing me his palms as if that will save his life.
“Where is the girl?”
“S’il vous plaît… please,” he begs for his life. What a pussy.
“Where is the girl,” I repeat, my patience dwindling away.
He slowly raises his hand and points to the hall behind us. “Last room,” he says with a heavy French accent.
“Merci.” I thank him before I pull the trigger. The shot echoes through the hallway. Before I can turn around all the way, a second shot rings out.
Panic seizes every fiber in my body, and I spin around in terror. Did someone shoot me? Or worse, Fallon. What did I miss, who did I not see coming? If something happens to Fallon, I will kill everybody in this fucking country.
In the single second it takes me to turn around, my head is swarming with all of these questions. When I’m finally turned enough to see what’s going on behind me, I’m even more shocked than I could have imagined.
Fallon is standing with her back to me, but she is angled enough to where I can see that she is holding her gun with both hands. A few feet away from us is a man, gripping at the center of his chest. Blood is seeping out between his fingers, where Fallon must have shot him.