Hope Restrained

by M. S. Willis

  Xander stepped back, the knowledge that Aaron was slipping into a rage so deep, that his instinct to destroy would cloud over logical thought. “Calm down, Aaron.” He struggled to keep his own anger at bay when she answered, “She’ll tell me everything we need to know tomorrow.”

  They stood in the center of Aaron’s living room, the large iron chandelier hanging proud over their heads. Maddy and Jason sat on the couches that surrounded them and Xander forced himself into a relaxed stance, not wanting to trigger Aaron’s rage further.

  “How can you be sure of that?”

  “Because, I’ve agreed to fight her for it.” Xander stepped back again after admitting that small fact. When he looked at the murderous expression plastered across Aaron’s face, he took another step back just to be sure he was out of range.

  “Okay, you know what?” Maddy stood up and crossed the space to place her hand on Aaron’s shoulder. “We should all sit down and talk about this.” Aaron’s torso slowly twisted on his waist when he turned to look down at the petite beauty by his side. The controlled quality of his speech and movement made it frighteningly clear that he was on the verge of violence.

  “Madeleine, you will go back in our room and out of my sight for now. This conversation does not concern you.”

  Her eyes widened in recognition of his tone. She looked quickly at Xander, fear written across her face. Without arguing, she did as she was told, knowing better than to argue with Aaron when his anger had reached a boiling point. Xander watched her as she disappeared down the hall, wishing he could disappear as well.

  Returning his eyes to Aaron, he flinched in reaction to Aaron’s razor edged gaze. “I want you to explain to me what you mean by that statement, Xander, and I fucking hope to God that what you say to me is logical and well thought out. I would hate to think that the person I have in charge of the majority of this network is a fucking lunatic!”

  “She said she’d fight me for the information. I win, she tells me what I want to know.”

  “And if she wins?”

  “She won’t.”

  “How can you know that! She’s a trained assassin and from what I’ve learned since we’ve captured her, she’s a professional at what she does.”

  “Because I know something about her that I can exploit to my advantage. She won’t win, Aaron.”

  “You’re too arrogant and she’ll exploit that. This is not some ordinary woman, she is a trained killer. Even I would use caution in a fight against her, and you’re standing here telling me there’s no way she could win. You’re not thinking clearly and there’s no fucking way I’m allowing this to happen.”

  Xander’s own rage settled over his shoulders to hear Aaron question his decision. “She’s injured, starved and dehydrated. Add to that the drugs I’ve been feeding into her system for the last twenty-four hours and I’m not concerned that she’ll somehow defeat me!”

  There was a dangerous tension in the air when a third voice drawled, “You two argue like brothers. It’s amusing.”

  Their faces turned in unison towards Jason.

  “As entertaining as this is, I’m not sure how any of this is a fucking problem. The bitch is probably some psychopath who thought she’d make her name by taking out Aaron. I doubt she has any information and is toying with you, hoping for a slight chance that she can escape this place. Just fucking kill her now and work the other networks to find out who sent her. You don’t need to hear it from her. In fact …” He stood up. “I’ll do it for you.”

  “You’ll have to kill me first.” Xander immediately stepped towards Jason and Aaron’s hand gripped Xander’s bicep to keep him from moving farther.

  “Calm down, Xander; now.”

  He stepped back, but only because he wouldn’t disobey Aaron’s direct order in front of Jason. Even though Jason had proven himself a good ally when they’d taken The Estate from Joseph, and he’d also proven himself useful as a unit leader within the network, he wasn’t trusted enough for Xander and Aaron to let down their guards.

  “Jason, sit down. Xander will handle this. You’re here because I want sweeps run of every house on the compound tonight. Contact Patrick and organize the searches.” Aaron turned towards Jason. “And do not fuck this up.”

  Jason held up his hands and sat down. “I’m not trying to step on anybody’s toes, gentlemen. I simply thought it was a reasonable solution.” Apparently unaffected by Xander’s rage, his voice was relaxed and humble.

  Aaron let out a frustrated breath. “Of course, however some of us …” His eyes flicked to Xander quickly before falling back on Jason. “… have other interests in mind at the moment. Once you are finished with the sweeps, if you’ve found nothing here, then I want the smaller networks questioned, if they won’t talk, kill them. I cannot allow anybody to think that The Estate has become weak because of my father’s death.”

  Turning back to Xander, he paused, his green eyes searching Xander’s face. Jason was right, they were like brothers, and Aaron could read Xander’s thoughts just by the look on his face. “I’ll continue this talk with you in private, but you can get it out of your fucking head that I’d allow you to fight that bitch. The instant she took the advantage, I’d cut her fucking throat.”

  “You won’t have to. She won’t get that far.”

  Aaron blinked. “You can’t be so sure.”

  Chapter Eleven

  A small iron chandelier came into view when Hope peeked open her eyes. The room was dark and she was thankful to not have to endure the light of the sun when first waking up. Her mouth was sticky was dehydration and her head swam and pounded at the same time. She had no strength to move, but she didn’t hurt. For once, she couldn’t immediately feel the wound on her shoulder.

  Pulling her arms and legs, she heard the chains just as quickly as she felt the shackles press into her skin. Opening her eyes wider, she angled her head down to see that she was stripped bare and completely exposed. Fury swept over her spine, her heart pounding harder when she struggled to remember what he’d done. The chains weren’t so tight that she couldn’t sit up, so she pushed herself up from the mattress, pulling her bents legs to her chest to cover her nudity. Her eyes traveled around the room; bits and pieces of the night before echoing in her mind. Candles, his hands, his mouth … the collar and chain still fastened to her throat. The pounding headache increased, heat traveling her veins from her anger, her desire to kill. He’d raped her. Not able to remember, she hoped she’d damaged him in the process.

  She heard him before she saw him, the heavy fall of his shoes against the floor a warning as he approached. Knowing what he’d done had sparked her anger, seeing the arrogant smirk that now graced his face stoked that anger into in a seething fury. Her hands fisted and her fingernails cut into the skin of her palms. Her shoulders and back tensed and she ground her teeth, willing daggers into every vital organ of his body.

  “You look absolutely stunning this morning. How are you feeling?”

  He was gloating and she wanted to rip the expression right off his handsome face. “You drugged me you fucking bastard!” The words were choked in her parched throat, but she spit them out anyway. If she weren’t in chains, she’d find something around the room to slice him open.

  “You’re much more agreeable when drugged. You should do it more often. I think we’d get along a lot better that way.” He winked.

  “You are a pathetic excuse for a man.”

  He stalked towards her, placing both hands on the mattress so he could press his forehead against hers. “You were the one begging me. I must admit, your body is the most responsive I’ve ever had the pleasure to enjoy.” His lips felt like silk across hers when he kissed her, his tongue peeking out to slide across the crease of her lips.

  Red blinding anger burst within her and she pulled away. Bringing her arm over, she hit him in the side of the head with the shackle around her wrist. Her leg wrapped around his, tangling him in the chains he’d used to restrain he
r.

  He cursed quickly before grabbing the chain at her throat, and pulling her over as he fell backwards. His weight was enough to force her to move her leg, and he made quick work of the small length of chain she’d managed to wrap around him. Backing off the bed, he kept the chain on her collar wrapped around his palm and pulled her into a position where her arms were stretched out behind her from the shackles and her torso was bent forward. She was powerless to move and he chuckled above her.

  “That’s one hell of a way to wish me a good morning. And here I was trying to be playful. Maybe if you apologize and promise you’ll behave, I’ll release this chain and let you up.”

  “I’ll never fucking behave for a man so pathetic he has to drug women in order to rape them.”

  Keeping the chain taut, he approached her, leaning down and blowing his breath across her angry skin. Pressing his mouth to her ear, he whispered, “You’ve behaved for me quite well already, the means by which I brought about that result is unimportant, just the fact that I did.” Pushing closer, he added, “You begged me to break you, and I still have every fucking intention of doing just that. You should let go of your stubbornness and allow me to do it in a way that benefits us both.” Pulling away from her he released the chain and allowed her out of the uncomfortable position. She rolled her shoulder back and he grimaced to think what that had just done to the healing wound.

  She glared up at him, the cut of his jaw causing flashbacks of the previous night to play in her head; the candlelight across his skin, his teeth buried in her flesh. She looked down at her inner thigh and saw the angry bruise from where he’d bitten her, a shiver rolling through her body to remember what he’d made her feel. Her body fought against her, hatred and contempt mixed with a nagging ache for the torment of his hands.

  “I’ll make you behave in other ways as well. I’ll fight you today and once I win, you’ll tell me what I want to fucking know and then I’ll do with you as I see fit following that.”

  “Just unchain me and let’s get this over with.” The gold of her eyes shot to his, the color blinding hot from her rage.

  His expression darkened and his lids hooded. “So eager.” He blinked as if bored. “But first, let’s take care of some of your body’s other needs.” Grabbing the belt from the table next to him, he held it up to show her. “I’m going to need to put you back in this. If you resist, it’ll only delay the freedom you keeping requesting, so I suggest you cooperate.”

  She glared.

  He smiled.

  “I’d take you by just the leash, let you crawl on the floor in front of me like the dangerous and exotic animal that you are, but I can’t trust that you won’t try to kill me too soon. I’d hate for our fight to begin while you’re still so weak from lack of water and food. Plus, a good hit to the bladder and things could get messy.” He chuckled darkly. “Nobody wants that.”

  “You’re an ass.”

  “I’m an ass with a valid point. So do yourself a favor and behave when I place your hands in this belt.” He approached her and bent over to secure the belt around her waist. Releasing one of her hands at a time, he secured them to the belt. She considered lashing out at him, or strangling him with the chain, but if he was releasing her today, there was no point in starting the bullshit now.

  He tugged on the chain at her neck. “Let’s go.”

  ~ ~ ~

  “You’re insane for doing this, Xander. And if she does succeed against you, despite your arrogant fucking belief that she won’t, I will not allow her out of this mansion if she’s still breathing. I don’t care what deal you made with her, I’m not a part of it.” Aaron escorted Xander down the mansion corridors to a work out area in the back section of the building. After taking Hope to the bathroom, he’d given her water — unadulterated — and some food to settle her stomach and give her some strength. He didn’t tell Aaron that part.

  “You’re sure she’s weak?”

  “I’m flattered by your vote of confidence in my ability as a fighter. Seriously, stop, you’re making me blush.” Xander’s were spoken drolly, indicative of his annoyance. He’d sparred against Aaron for practically his entire life, not to mention fought and survived hundreds of attacks inside and outside of The Estate compound, there was no reason for Aaron to believe he couldn’t win against Hope.

  Aaron stopped and turned to Xander. “From what you and Maddy say, she’s like me. If that’s the case, then when you get in that room, you’ll be dealing with a person who feels nothing but a desire to kill. She’ll be a machine and she’ll take advantage of every weakness you have, probably the biggest one being that you obviously have a thing for her. Will you be able to kill her if it means you’ll live?”

  “She amuses me — number one — and, number two, it won’t come to that.” It was the only answer Xander could give. In his mind, there were no other options but to win.

  Aaron scoffed. “If she was simply amusing, you wouldn’t have threatened Jason’s life last night.” He gave Xander a pointed look. “I’ll be outside the doors. I’d tell you to yell if you need help, but if it got to that point, you’d be dead before I could open the door.”

  Xander patted him on the back. “A simple ‘good luck’ would have been a nicer thing to say.”

  Aaron’s brow arched over his eye and he pulled the door open. Walking in, Xander heard it close behind him and he stared at Hope who stood near the other end of the large space. She was dressed in the sweat pants and shirt he’d given her when they’d been in his room. They were two sizes too large for her and he wondered how well she’d be able to move while wearing them. Crossing the room with dread weighing on his shoulders, excitement also ignited in other areas of his body. He remembered how she was absolutely sensual in the way she moved, in the way she fought. He looked forward to experiencing it again.

  ~ ~ ~

  Hopes eyes tracked Xander as he approached. Dressed in a snug cotton shirt and military style cargo pants tucked into his boots, he walked casually across the floor, looking like he was ready to spar more so than fight for his life.

  “Will there be weapons?” She prayed to get her hand on a blade. After she’d woken up that morning, she realized how much time had passed since she’d seen Honor. While she waited for hours in the room to be brought to this gym, she imagined in horror the things being done to her sister. Hope’s heart shredded inside her chest and her throat thickened at the idea that things could have gone too far, that Honor couldn’t endure, that she could be dead.

  “Not sure you can beat me without the use of steel? I thought they would have taught you better than that.”

  Her eyes narrowed at him, hatred rubbing against her thoughts and nerves, but dotted with heat, with an ache for something he’d done the night before. “It would make things quicker if I could remove your head with one clean slice instead of having to tear it off.”

  He smiled in response and her body shuddered like it remembered him — his touch, his bite, the feeling of him tearing through her, filling her. She fought to shake it off, remembered that she had only one person that was important, and that person depended on her escape. Images of her sister growing up had been battering at her mind since Honor disappeared. Their childhood hadn’t been easy. There had never been much light in their lives, but what did exist was because of Honor. Losing her life now that she was old enough to leave these wretched networks would be a cruelty of fate from which Hope would never recover. She had no choice but to kill the man that stood in front of her.

  “Should we establish a rule that you refrain from tearing into me as I’m releasing you from the belt, or is it safe for me to assume that you will attempt to kill me with only one hand free?”

  “You’re a dick.”

  “You would know,” he growled in response, allowing his eyes to slowly travel over her body.

  She was suddenly glad she was going to kill him. His fucking arrogance had pushed on her last nerve. He looked down at the belt and used a key
he’d retrieved from his pocket to unlock it from around her waist. All she needed was one hand free and she could end things quickly, use the key herself in order to free the other hand once he was dead or incapacitated. Her response to the small metallic click was instantaneous. She immediately went for his face, hoping to cause enough damage to his eyes to give her time to use the chains to finish him off.

  But he was too fast.

  Her wrist went from the shackle directly to the iron grip of his hand. He caught her, had anticipated that she would strike out immediately once freed. His other hand gripped around her throat and within a second he had her pressed to a wall with every inch of her body completely immobile beneath his. His forehead pressed tightly to hers.

  “Do not think that I’ll go easy on you, Hope. I know you will end my life if given half a fucking chance.”

  Her gold eyes looked up suddenly into the stormy twilight of his.

  “I’ve already had you once, so it wouldn’t be a complete loss if you were to suffer a severe enough injury to prevent me from fucking you again. I’m not afraid to hurt you.” He let go of her throat and brushed his finger over the tip of her nose. “You never know, you might like it.”

  An aggravating mixture of rage and lust, hatred and need, coursed through her blood. She was still weak, lethargic; but the added shiver that his touch produced on her skin, or the way his smell ignited something deep within her core, she couldn’t allow those feelings to affect the fight — to cloud her thoughts or make her hesitate in her actions.

  Breathe in … Breathe out …

  Slow, steady, methodical. She calmed her body, her mind. When she no longer struggled against him, he released her and stepped back to unlock the remaining shackle from her wrist. His messy brown hair fell across his forehead and into his eyes, his broad shoulders flexed with each small movement he made with his hands, and when the last metal shackle fell from around her wrist, the back of his hand came up.