by Jan Springer
Her blood froze. She recognized those stares. She knew what this place was.
A brothel. Damn!
The man in black swept his hands in a large semicircle. “Welcome to my personal lair, Ms. Wilde. This will be your new home.”
Reena ignored the wild adrenaline roaring through her and gazed around, pretending she’d expected something like this and wasn’t pleased.
“I’ve seen better,” she said coolly, putting on airs, tilting her nose in a snobby fashion in hopes her attitude would irritate him.
He grunted, akin to that of displeasure, and then snapped his fingers. The two guards quickly left.
Well, there goes your only possibility of grabbing a gun and shooting your way out.
The stakes were one on one now. All she needed was her hands untied and she would kill the bastard who murdered her father.
“Ah yes, your short stay at the Pleasure Palace,” he murmured.
“I guess you’ve seen my resume, but you must not have read the part about my performing better with my hands untied.”
The man chuckled lightly at her wry comment and she tensed as he circled her like a vulture. His breath came faster and was raspy by the time he rounded her front. Thankfully he didn’t touch her. If he had, she wouldn’t have been able to handle it.
“Your hands won’t be freed until you’re under my full control, Ms. Wilde.” He pointed to a syringe filled with blue fluid set on a nearby glass table.
Shit! Sex drugs.
“Being under your control will be boring for both of us.” She forced herself to smile at him as sweetly as she could under the circumstances.
He smiled back, once again the smile not reaching his eyes.
Okay, so he was getting the picture. It encouraged her to plod ahead with her quickly formulated plan. She gazed at the open doors that led to the bedrooms occupied by the women.
“The women in those rooms. They look very pretty. They also appear quite bored. I could teach them a thing or two, things they could do to make you happy.”
Like putting a bullet right between your eyes.
His eyes widened. She noted his irritation when he shifted uneasily.
“I heard your laughter as we came off the elevator. A bored laugh. I can make you groan instead of laugh. You’d prefer that, wouldn’t you?”
She lowered her voice to the sexy whisper she reserved for getting information out of men. Those assignments were necessary, yet quite distasteful.
But this one, by far, was the worst. And if she had to seduce her way out of these restraints, then so be it. It was the only way to break free and get back to Cade and Will.
Just thinking about the two of them made her heart leap with hope. Surely she wouldn’t end up in here for the rest of her life? Never see Will and Cade again? She wouldn’t live long here. She knew that. Once the man in black tired of her, he’d have her killed or dumped back into that cell as fodder for those guards, just like the other woman she’d seen down there.
“So you have sympathy for my girls. You wish for them to please me?” His eyes snapped with a deadly fire.
She had his interest. “Yes, of course. If you’re pleased, then we’re pleased. Everybody is happy.”
He backhanded her across her face. The pain seared into her flesh, making her stumble backward. She collapsed onto a sofa.
She tried to get up, but thought better of it when he moved in front of her, standing with his legs pressed against her knees, blocking her way. Her gut churned at the satisfied smirk on his face. She resisted like hell the opportunity to slam her foot against the tender area between his thighs. He’d kill her for sure.
She wasn’t ready to die. Not until he was dead first. She owed her dad at least that. She squashed another well of emotions when she thought of her father. He was gone. She had to deal with her loss another time.
“Don’t even consider whatever you are thinking, my beautiful red-haired slut.” He grinned as he began to unbuckle his pants.
Oh God.
“You’ll lie on the couch and enjoy your first lesson in submission.” His eyes were darkening with lust as he lowered his zipper.
Reena could barely breathe as she quickly went through her options. She could either do what he said or die trying to escape. She decided on the latter.
Pistoning her legs, she smashed her heels directly into his groin. He sharply inhaled as surprise and pain sliced through his eyes.
The man gurgled and dropped to his knees like a stone.
Perfect.
In a flash, she circled his neck with her shins.
“I don’t like guys who scream like girls, asshole.” She twisted her legs and grimaced at the gut-wrenching crack. Broken neck. The man’s body went limp. She shuddered and let go and he flopped over like a rag doll.
Clapping hands made her lift her gaze toward the door where several men stood, all dressed in dark clothing like the guards who’d brought her to this room. Her stomach twisted in a sickening lurch, but then she recognized Tyler and Mac Outlaw.
They stepped inside.
“It’s about time you showed up,” she managed to say. Relief made her entire body go into tremble mode. She opted to remain sitting on the couch until she could slow her pounding heart at surviving such a close call.
“Couldn’t have done it any better myself, Red.” Blade smiled as he stepped into the room.
“That’s our girl. She knows how to take care of herself. I don’t know why we were worried.” Cade chuckled as he also stepped inside.
Huge relief splashed through her at seeing the two of them, and it took all her effort to fight back her tears at how they—once again—came to her rescue.
Cade moved forward, his rifle trained on the several women who now stood in their doorways, peering out curiously. Their hands smoothed over their breasts and thighs as they watched the men fan out and check the rest of the rooms.
“The building is secure, ladies. Get whatever you need and come with us. Be ready in three minutes,” Cade called.
None of the women moved.
“They won’t go. They need their next fix,” Reena replied as she leaned forward and Will untied her wrists.
The women were hooked on the sex drugs. She could tell in the way they were touching themselves and the erotic way they stared at the men with glazed eyes. They would stay here and wait for their next fix.
She’d been one of them during her stay at the Pleasure Palace and she knew how it could be. For her, it had been very hard to get off those drugs and she hadn’t even been on them very long. That’s the main reason she’d stayed at the SKULL safe house and had sex with those men. It had been her way of getting off the drugs.
Her shoulders screamed like fire as she moved her arms forward.
Fuck! That hurt!
Blade began a quick rub on her right arm, grimacing when she whimpered in pain.
“Sorry,” he whispered.
“You better be,” she teased. “How did you find me?”
“Mac has a lot of pull with people in this new government. He did some quick snooping and found out where this guy had you.”
“I need to thank him,” she said.
“Thank him if we get out of here alive,” Blade said. “We only secured this building, not the compound surrounding the White House. All hell could break loose at any second.”
“Your people have a back entrance to the camp secured.” Tyler moved in beside Blade and began to rub her left shoulder. Fire raced through her arm, but she held back a moan of pain.
Mac Outlaw stayed at the door, looking out as if he fully expected company.
She sucked in a breath as more pain flared, compliments of her circulation beginning to move faster.
“My entourage. Where are they?” She grimaced, fully expecting an answer that they’d been shot dead.
“We’ve released them. They were down in the dungeons. We got several other prisoners out. We got them all.” Tyler rubbed her arms
harder. “They’re okay. Some were tortured, but they’ll be fine. They are already on their way out. Hold on.” For a moment, he put his finger on his ear as he listened to his ear mike.
Her people were okay. Thank God. And that other woman was free. But Reena’s momentary happiness was shattered as she thought about her dad.
Damn! He was dead. She wouldn’t have a body to bury. But she could handle this. Yes, she could handle his death. She had to.
Tyler grinned. “Copy that.”
His grin widened as he gazed at her. “Everyone made it out safely. The entrance is still secure. Now it’s our turn. Ready, pumpkin?”
Reena nodded shakily. “I was, like, ready yesterday, Teach.”
Blade and Tyler grabbed her arms and helped her to stand.
“We need to find her something for her feet,” Blade called as he glanced down at her lack of footwear.
“Pants would be nice too,” she blurted.
“Already on it.” Cade dropped a pair of expensive-looking low-heeled silver shoes to the floor in front of her and handed Blade some clothing.
“Compliments of one of those women.” Cade indicated a very pretty, tall black- haired Asian woman. She smiled at Reena with overly bright-red lips.
“Thanks,” Reena replied and quickly donned a pair of silver, baggy pants and a matching silver long-sleeved top before she slipped into the shoes.
Geez, she’d be a neon target going outside in these clothes. But heck, beggars couldn’t be choosers and right now gratitude and happiness embraced her. Will and Cade and the others had come to her rescue.
Gosh, did she ever owe them. Big-time. She should never have doubted them. She’d have to plan the biggest thank-you party for all these men. That is, if they got out of there alive.
* * * * *
The instant they left the building a heavy line of gunfire exploded toward their number-one escape route, a gate north of the compound. Cade cursed. Pulling his mike closer to his mouth, he impatiently waited for an update. He didn’t have to wait long. Maggie’s anguished cry erupted over the line.
“The bastards found us while we were leaving. It just happened. Your north escape route has been compromised. I repeat. The north route is unsafe. Do not come this way.”
The other three men swore softly as they received the same information through their mikes. Blade pointed a finger at Reena, then at Cade, and then held up his hand, motioning for Reena to stick with Cade and remain at the back exit of the building.
Blade, Mac and Tyler disappeared around the building.
“What’s wrong?” Reena asked as she snuggled up against him. His body reacted favorably to all her sweet, hot curves, but his trained mind kept his attention on getting them the hell out of there. Alive.
Another line of gunfire crackled, closer this time. The ground shook from an explosion and Reena curled a hand around his shoulder to steady herself.
“Too close,” she muttered, her gaze flashing with fear for a split second, and then to determination and defiance as she kept an eye on the corner of the building where the other men had disappeared.
“I’d say you’re too close,” he replied, trying to lighten the mood.
She grinned at him and squeezed his shoulder. Her eyes sparkled with a magnificent fire and it was as if he’d been sucker-punched, but in one hell of a nice way.
“I’m sorry I didn’t trust you,” she whispered.
“Yeah well, Maggie explained about the satellite phone. Will and I will make you so sweetly sorry when we’re alone again. You can count on that, Red,” he promised.
She laughed. “Looking forward to it, Outlaw. Looking forward to it.”
“You better.”
She grew serious. “I need a gun.”
Cade had his pistol out of his holster before she even finished her sentence. In their hurry to get out of the building, they hadn’t even thought of arming her.
“What’s the matter? You don’t trust us to protect you?” He chuckled as she palmed his pistol, released the safety and swung upward. He had to admit, she knew how to handle a weapon.
“You’re not used to a woman wanting to protect herself, are you?” A smile nudged the sides of her sweet pink lips.
“The confident way you protect yourself makes you sweetly sexy,” he admitted. “But that doesn’t mean you have to keep getting into trouble at every turn, okay? Because I can’t handle how it turns me on and not being able to get relief.”
She laughed again, the sound as pure and bright as the sun shining down on them.
“Chopper coming in.” Will’s voice erupted in his ear.
Cade tensed.
“It’s ours,” Mac replied. “Plan B.”
“Fuck, yeah!” Tyler roared.
The report of gunfire snapped all around them. Just then Blade appeared at the corner and waved them over. Cade grabbed Reena and they quickly followed. He sighed in relief at the huge camouflage-green chopper landing not more than one hundred feet away.
A couple of men hung out of the open door, their submachine guns sputtering sparks as they took out some snipers on the adjoining rooftops. Mac, Tyler and Will kept up the rapid fire, allowing Reena and Cade to sprint to the chopper.
Pings ricocheted off the wall of the chopper, alerting Cade to more gunfire. Practically throwing Reena up to the two men inside, he twisted around and began shooting at a close figure rounding the corner of a nearby building. The man went down and lay still.
In quick unison, they all jumped into the chopper, each covering the others’ backs. Cade was the last man inside and he swore he’d never been so relieved when the chopper was successfully airborne and out of range from gunfire.
He had a good reason. Hell, he’d never been so in love with a woman before and suddenly everything in life seemed to matter again.
He couldn’t wait until he was alone with her. He and Will would show her exactly how pissed off and damned glad they were that she was safe. He could hardly wait.
* * * * *
The squeak of a key grating in the door quickly alerted Blade from where he and Cade were lounging on the sofa. Both of them dashed into a back room and quietly waited. It had been two weeks since their escape from the compound and Reena had been avoiding them. Okay, maybe avoiding was too strong a word. A busy lady didn’t have much time to sexually accommodate both him and Cade.
Well, that was about to change. It had taken them two weeks to finally convince Maggie to trust them enough to give them a key to Red’s place in the Resistance’s compound so they could plan a private surprise for her. Finally, this afternoon, Maggie had come through for them. Against her better judgment, she told them with a wink.
He and Cade were now full members of the Resistance. Will had sent a message to SKULL telling them he’d resigned. He didn’t expect any arguments. He was out and that was that.
“She’s undressing,” Cade whispered over Reena’s soft humming and the rustle of clothes being removed.
“We’d better follow suit,” Will answered in a low voice.
He grinned into the darkness as he began to peel off his clothes. They were in an unheated back room and it was damp and cool. Yet this did little to alleviate the heat flashing across his skin and the tight pull of his swollen balls and throbbing cock.
Ever since getting Reena to safety, he’d wanted to be around her as much as possible. Had needed to see her laughing eyes, touch that flaming, silky red hair of hers and just know she was safe.
He knew Cade felt the same way. Maybe more than Blade in the way he constantly made “ga-ga” eyes at her.
“She’s got the shower running.” Excitement laced his friend’s voice.
Will’s grin widened. Time to get their naked asses in gear.
* * * * *
Reena knew the instant they entered the bathroom. Their shadows loomed on the other side of the frosted shower door. She’d been expecting them. Of course Maggie had told her they wanted the key to her place. S
o Reena had stalled for as long as she could. She’d teased them by avoiding them and taking care of her own orgasms. Finally, today, she could stand the wait no longer.
Truth be told, her masturbating just didn’t compare to how fantastic Will and Cade made her climax. For days she’d been wound up tight and all she’d been able to think about was some red-hot sex and total satisfaction. The satisfaction that could only be achieved with Will and Cade.
Damn them!
Because of them she’d once again begun snapping at everyone. Maggie insisted she get laid. Maggie was right.
She needed sex, and to tell the truth she wanted to see Will and Cade again. Wanted them touching and loving her.
She gasped as the glass door slid open and a hand snapped around her wrist. Instinctively she tried to pull away, but Will stepped into the shower stall.
Wow! She’d forgotten what a big, tall man he was. He took up a lot of the space in the tiny, confined area. The shower spray splashed against his backside as he faced her.
He grinned. “So you finally decided to allow us to see you, you little minx,” he growled.
“Hey, good things come to those who wait,” she chirped and inhaled as he pushed his naked body against her breasts, backing her against the wall with a rough thud.
“And I’ve waited a hell of a long time.” His voice had lowered and his gaze darkened as he licked a bead of water off his lower lip. “If you’d hung around that first night we were together, you would have had a lot of good things happen to you. But you took off.”
She gasped in surprise. “I took off? You’re the one who left the room.”
He shook his head and she cried out as his fingers slipped between her thighs and he began a sensual rubbing on her clit.
“I went outside. Needed to cool down. Had I stayed… Let’s just say it was too intense and I didn’t want to hurt you.”
He’d come back fully expecting her to be there? But she’d taken off, hurt burrowing through her, thinking she’d never see him again. Boy, had she ever been wrong.
“I guess I should have stayed,” she whispered.