Hard Times: A Dark Captive Romance

by C. Hallman

I give him a tiny nod, not willing to say the words thank you out loud. He is planning on killing me after all, the least he can do is honor my wish.

  Back in the bedroom, he hands me a large black t-shirt before pulling some shorts on himself. I put it on, letting the soft fabric cover my body.

  Hunter walks in fully dressed, carrying a tray full of food in his hand. My stomach growls on cue.

  I sit on the bed, and Hunter places the tray on my lap. I’m starving and the sandwich in front of my face looks delicious. I don’t even care what’s on it. Without waiting for permission, I simply start eating.

  When I’m halfway finished with the sandwich, I peek up to find Hunter whispering something into Ryker’s ear. He nods, then both of their eyes fall onto me.

  I almost choke on the half-chewed food in my mouth. I know my end is near, and I know I’m going to die soon, but somehow I keep forgetting it. They treat me with such normality that I keep suppressing the real reason I’m here.

  “I’m heading to my room. You stay the night with Ryker,” Hunter announces, his expression blank.

  Is he leaving me here for Ryker to finish me off? Is he sorry? Does he care?

  I swallow what’s in my mouth, the food landing in my stomach like rocks, and suddenly I’m not hungry anymore. I keep my gaze on Hunter, telling him without words that I want to come with him, asking him not to leave me with his friend.

  Not giving into my silent plea, Hunter leaves the room without another word, and that hurts. Disappointment wraps its way around me like a vine.

  What was I expecting? A heartfelt goodbye? An apology?

  The door closes, and the lock clicks. The sound seems louder than before, or maybe I’m simply more aware now.

  “Are you done?” Ryker asks, pointing at the tray.

  “Yes,” I nod.

  “Drink a little more.” He picks up the orange juice and holds it to my lips. I take a few sips before I taste the bitterness it leaves behind on my tongue. I try to pull away, but Ryker grabs the back of my head. “Just a little more, Sugar.”

  A single tear escapes from the corner of my eye, as I finish the last bit of the juice helplessly. I didn’t think they would kill me with poison. At least that’s not his normal MO. Maybe he is just drugging me so I’ll be quiet while he tortures me.

  “Don’t cry.” He wipes the tear away and takes the tray from my lap. “It’s just something to help you sleep.”

  Either the drug works fast or it’s his promising words that make me suddenly sleepy. My eyelids turn extremely heavy and the urge to lie down and cuddle up in this bed overcomes me.

  Ryker helps me into bed before he gets comfortable next to me. He turns me over so we’re both lying on our sides facing each other. With his face only inches from mine, I get a real chance to study him.

  He is strikingly handsome, a perfect disguise for the evil man hiding beneath. He is a predator in every way, luring in his victims, making them feel safe, before striking… going in for the kill.

  “I want to be inside you so bad,” he admits. “I want to shove my cock between these plump lips.” He runs his thumb over my bottom lip, reminding me how he did the same earlier when he smeared his cum onto them.

  “Okay,” I whisper, shocking myself. Why did I say that? Maybe it’s the drug coursing through my veins talking. Either way, I regret saying it as soon as I see Ryker’s eyes light up, like I just gave him the key to the kingdom. I guess in a way I did.

  “You think you can handle that? Me shoving my cock down your throat?”

  “I-I don’t know,” I say honestly.

  Swallowing down my fear, I concentrate on the warmth in my core. I’m scared, but also turned on by his crude words. I like it rough, but something tells me Ryker is going to go further than what I’m used to.

  “I guess we’ll find out.” He smirks before sitting up and scooting back against the headboard. With a tug of my upper arms, he positions me so I’m on all fours in front of him with my head above his crotch.

  He frees his cock. It’s so hard and swollen it looks painful. A hue of purple tints the mushroom head.

  “This is going to be fast and rough,” Ryker warns, “but I’ll take care of you after.”

  I’m not sure what taking care of me means, but I don’t get to dwell on that thought, since he grabs my head with both hands and pulls me forward. I open my mouth and he fills it with his dick.

  He shoves himself deep, forcing my head down until my chin is touching his balls and his cock is bumping against the back of my throat. I gag, my back arching as I heave. He pulls out and I suck in a ragged breath before he thrusts back inside just as deep.

  Continuing the movement, he becomes more frantic and forceful with each thrust. If it wasn’t for the drug making me loopy, I’m sure I would panic right now, but I’m in some sort of daze.

  The gagging becomes less as I get used to the intrusion. I let him use my mouth, let him guide me, even though I’m still choking. My vision has gone so blurry, I can’t make out his features.

  When he comes, his cock is so far buried into my throat I don’t even taste his cum. He stills with a grunt, his fingers digging into my scalp as he holds me in place.

  When he releases me, I suck in much needed oxygen. I’m still gasping for air when Ryker grabs me and pulls me into his lap like I’m a rag doll. My head lulls to the side, and his large hand cradles it against his chest.

  He wipes at my tear-stained cheeks and kisses my forehead. “Fuck, Annie. I’m sorry… but I fucking needed this.” His words surprise me because a man like him doesn’t apologize for anything.

  “You want me to make you come, Sugar?”

  I shake my head, despite my pussy throbbing, begging for a release. “So… sleepy…” I murmur into his chest.

  “Sleep now. I’ll make this up to you in the morning.”

  And with that I fall asleep, wondering if I may have dreamed the last part.

  6

  I honestly wasn’t sure if I was going to wake up at all today. I definitely didn’t expect to wake with my legs spread and a fiery mouth covering my pussy.

  Looking down my body, I see Ryker’s disheveled black hair between my thighs. My legs hooked over his broad shoulders and his large hands palming my ass.

  “Ryker,” I moan his name while reaching for him. I run my fingers through his thick hair while his tongue teases my clit.

  Shameless, I grind against his face, urging him for more. He chuckles against my skin, the vibration only adding to my pleasure.

  He sucks and massages my clit, then runs his tongue down and dips it into my opening a few times, fucking me with his tongue. When he returns his attention to my clit, I come apart. He drags his teeth across my sensitive flesh. I shudder as tiny aftershocks run through my system.

  “I told you I would make it up to you,” he says cheekily while crawling up my body.

  For a moment, it seems he wants to kiss me. His eyes bleed into mine as he hovers inches from my face, but then he flops to the side to lie beside me.

  We stare at the ceiling, not talking for a while.

  “I wasn’t sure if I would wake up,” I admit, when I can’t take the silence any longer.

  “You thought I would kill you in your sleep?”

  “Kind of.”

  “Where is the fun in that?” His words are like a bucket of ice water being poured over my head. My blood runs cold. Every time I get comfortable with him, he does or says something to remind me of who he really is. He is a killer, worse… he enjoys killing.

  He sits up and looks down at me with a mischievous glint in his eyes. “Tell me Annie, would you prefer to know, or would you rather not see it coming?”

  The way he leisurely talks about my death–like it doesn’t matter to him at all–has my stomach in knots. The file was right. He is a psychopath, and I need to keep that in mind.

  “I don’t care as long it’s quick and pain free.”

  “Alright, Sugar. Quick an
d pain free it is… with your bracelet staying around your delicate wrist.” He leans in and kisses the tip of my nose, a contradiction to his words, to everything he is.

  “Why are you doing this? Why didn’t you already kill me?” Sex can’t be the only reason. I heard their friend. He could have gotten them willing girls and with them looking the way they do, I don’t doubt that one bit.

  “You don’t deserve to die, but we can’t let you walk either,” is all he says, which is not giving me anything new.

  I want to press the matter, but the door opening interrupts us.

  Hunter walks in carrying another tray of food in his hand. “Good morning, Sunshine.”

  I sit up and scoot back, using the headboard as my backrest.

  I take the tray from him and place it on my lap. “Thank you.”

  Ryker dresses and slips out of the room while Hunter sits down next to me.

  As I eat, I remember what his file said. Intelligent and can be reasoned with. This might be a longshot, but I have nothing to lose.

  “You don’t have to kill me,” I say between bites. “There are ways to make sure people stay quiet.”

  “Is that so?” he asks, almost amused.

  “For example, you could make me accomplice in one of your crimes, and keep evidence against me.” I take another bit of the omelet, swallowing my nerves with the egg.

  “Would you kill an innocent person to safe your own life?”

  Innocent? No. I would rather die than kill an innocent.

  “I would kill someone,” I say honestly. In my mind, I have done it a hundred times. I wouldn’t make it quick either. I would make him suffer, the same way he made my mom suffer.

  We don’t talk after that. If he really wants to let me live, he’ll consider it, but judging by his demeanor, he’s not too worried about it.

  I finish the food and wash it down with the coffee he brought me. Hunter stands and pulls a pair of handcuffs from his pocket.

  “We’re gonna be busy for a few hours,” he explains, “Do you need to use the bathroom?”

  “Yes.” I nod and hand the tray to him.

  When I get up and head to the bathroom, I almost expect him to follow me. Thankfully, he gives me that bit of dignity. I don’t close the door all the way, just enough for privacy as I do my business. After I wash my hands and face, I return to the bed and lie down in the same spot from earlier. Hunter pulls my arms above me and cuffs each wrist to the headboard.

  “We’ll be back around lunchtime.” He looks at me a few seconds, almost as if he wants to say more, or expects me to say something. When I don’t, he turns around and leaves the room, locking it behind him.

  For a long time, I lie staring at the ceiling. I try to keep my mind clear of unwanted thoughts, but all too soon those catch up to me.

  Sometimes reality is your worst enemy. At least it has been for me. My reality now is that my life will end soon. I’m sad, but the truth is I’m not terrified of dying like I should be. The prospect of leaving this earth is… okay.

  Especially after Ryker promised to make it quick and pain free.

  Maybe if I had someone waiting for me at home–someone who depends on me–I would be distraught at the thought of not returning to my place. But there is no family, no real friend, not even a pet. No one is going to miss me or even notice that I’m gone, and that reality is probably gloomier than my impending death.

  The only thing I fear is the unknown. What happens after I die? Is there really an afterlife? Is there such a thing as heaven and hell, and where will I go?

  My thoughts are reeling with the possibility of an afterlife when I doze off, dreaming about a place where I get to see my mom again.

  Too soon, the click of the door unlocking startles me awake.

  Ryker and Hunter enter, neither of them carrying food.

  “Hey, Sunshine.” Hunter unlocks the cuffs, letting my arms fall. I move my shoulders and wrists to get the blood flowing.

  “Are you ready to eat lunch?” Ryker asks.

  “Um, yeah.” I glance at their empty hands.

  “Come on. We’ll eat in the dining room,” Ryker says while digging in his dresser.

  Black sweatpants and a pair of socks land in front of me. I tug them on and stand. The pants swallow me, and I have to roll the waistband a few times, but it’s better than naked, I guess.

  “Ready?” Hunter asks.

  I nod. Ready as I’ll ever be.

  7

  Outside of the bedroom looks just like the inside. No windows, concrete floors, and bare walls. The only items making it apparent people live here are the pieces of furniture. The place must be climate controlled, because the air is clean and smells fresh, unlike a musky basement.

  A long hallway leads us to an open living area, which is almost normal looking. A U-shaped leather couch sits in the center, with a large flat screen TV mounted on the wall across from it. A pool table and several arcade games fill the far end of the room.

  My eyes search for an exit as we walk, but nothing looks like a door leading to the outside.

  The guys flank me as they lead me through their home, and even though we are supposedly going to lunch, I can’t stop thinking I’m being led to slaughter.

  As soon as we enter the kitchen and attached dining room, I confirm why I had a bad feeling. Two men sit at the table, one of which I already know. It’s the guy who threw me against the hood of the car and punched my head, yesterday.

  He grumbles when he sees us approach, equally unhappy to see me.

  “You’ve met Derick.” Hunter points to the asshole. “This is Eli,” he introduces the other guy.

  Eli, who is eating a burger, doesn’t even look up or acknowledge me. Okay.

  “Come on.” Hunter takes my arm and leads me to the other side of the large table, the furthest away from Derick and Eli. I take a seat and watch Ryker put food on plates. Hunter hovers behind my chair until Ryker brings our food, taking the seat to my right. Only then does Hunter go into the kitchen to prepare his plate.

  “Thanks,” I murmur before picking up the burger and taking a huge bite.

  Hunter returns and sits to my left. He eats while giving his friends on the other side of the table the stink eye.

  “Now she is eating our food too?” Derick barks.

  “Shut up–” Ryker snarls.

  “He isn’t wrong,” Eli cuts in. “She can’t be here and letting her eat is a waste of our supplies. You need to take care of it like you said you would.”

  Take care of it… I want to throw this fucking burger at his face.

  Gathering all the restraint I can muster, I don’t react to his words. Instead, I concentrate on eating the food, taking bigger bites to keep my mouth full so I won’t say anything I shouldn’t.

  My eyes ping pong between Hunter and Ryker, who are looking at each other like they are having a silent conversation. What it’s about, I have no clue. Probably about taking care of it.

  Just when I’m done shoveling this burger into my face, another person enters the room with a folder in his hand. Link, the driver of the getaway car.

  “Lincoln,” Hunter nods as Link sits down across from me.

  Lincoln lays the folder on the table and flips to the first page. “I ran a background check on your pet,” he announces.

  “That wasn’t necessary,” Hunter points out, digging the knife deeper. It’s unnecessary because I’ll be dead soon.

  “I did it anyway. She could be a fed trying to set us up.”

  “She wasn’t wearing a wire, if that’s what you’re thinking.” Ryker grins. “We strip searched her very thoroughly.”

  “I’m sure you did.” Eli shakes his head before he reads from the paper, “Annabel Sofia Williams, twenty-one years old, mother deceased, father deceased, no sibling, no other living relative, no close friends, or serious boyfriends in the past…” Flipping through the pages, he lists off my life, reminding me of how pitiful my existence is… was.
/>   “Attended four different high schools, applied for a job at the sheriff’s department right after graduation. Really boring stuff. The most interesting fact about her I could find is that she didn’t pass the psyche evaluation. The Sheriff had to make those test results disappear for her to enter police training. Just out of curiosity, how did you make that happen?”

  Wow, color me shocked. I’m impressed he found out about that.

  “The Sheriff owed me favor,” I explain. Actually, he owes me much more than that. “I asked him to do it so I could go.”

  “Even though the psychologist deemed you, and I quote, unfit for service.”

  “Yup,” I over pronounce the P. I’m done having this guy scrutinize me, rubbing my shortcomings in my face. “Why does any of that matter, anyway? I’m not staying here and I’m not leaving either.” With every word I speak, my voice gets louder, until I downright yell in his face, “I’m not a threat, so there is no reason to pick apart my life like it’s a fucking reality TV show.”

  The room goes eerily quiet; five pairs of eyes are on me and I almost regret my little outburst. Then again, what are they gonna do to me for yelling? Kill me?

  “I’m guessing your temper was part of the reason you failed the test.” Eli chuckles, closing my file.

  “I don’t have a bad temper,” I defend. I really don’t. Not in a normal situation anyway. This is anything but normal, and I’ve never liked talking about my past. At least he didn’t dig into my childhood. He must have started his search from the time I turned eighteen.

  “Well, it was great having lunch with you guys.” Ryker stands. “Derick, you don’t mind getting our dishes, right?”

  Hunter rises, pulling me to my feet with him. Derick glares daggers at Ryker but keeps his mouth shut.

  We walk back to the room in silence, and I make a second visual sweep for any exits but again come up empty. This hallway goes on past the bedroom, so it’s possible the exit is there?

  Although I can’t seem to find a way out of here, hope blooms for the first time since they took me.

  If they let me walk around in here, I might have a chance of escaping. It’s slim, but it’s there.