by Willow, Jo
I began to flail, pulling against the cuffs with every ounce of strength I possessed. Why the hell had he cuffed my cast? He could have taken the damned thing off and cuffed my ankle. Was he that stupid? I raised up as high as I could and looked down. He’d looped a fucking cable tie through one of the velcro straps of the cast, and attached the cuff to the tie. It wasn’t much, but it was the weak link in the chain. If I could manage to break the tie or the strap, I’d have one foot free. I knew how much damage I could do with a foot. It wasn’t much, but it gave me something to do.
Anton was pacing in his fiance’s living room, surrounded by everyone that loved either of them.
“It’s ten o’clock. Where the hell is she?”
Deacon was holding Dorothy’s hand and she was stroking her abdomen in a self-calming gesture.
“Anton, calm down. Freaking out isn’t helping in the least. We need to think and talk this out. We’re missing something.”
Anton stopped and leveled a glare at his brother.
“We’re missing Melody. When I get my hands on her, she won’t be able to sit down for a week!”
He looked at Pierce who looked distraught with his arm around Ayla who was crying softly against his chest.
“Pierce, I may need to borrow a flogger.”
Pierce’s face turned beet red and his eyes darted nervously to Chase and Austin.
“What the fuck are you talking about? Why would I have a flogger?”
Anton rolled his eyes and threw his hands up in the air as he resumed pacing.
“Cut the shit Pierce. We all know how you get your freak on now. All I’m asking for is a simple flogger. Maybe something with several tails. And knots. Leather with knots. She won’t forget who’s boss when I’m done with her wandering ass.”
He stopped moving and tore at his own hair.
“I TOLD her not to go out alone! Why the hell doesn’t she ever listen?!”
The rest of the family remained quiet, watching the one Sloan that always blew everything off in a smart aleck comeback, go insane before their very eyes.
They’d run through the timeline of events ad nauseum until they could all but trace her steps. They’d called everyone in her rolodex and no one had heard a word from her. Her parents were in Paris and Dorothy had persuaded the rest of the group not to contact them until absolutely necessary. Chase had pulled in every favor he could and Mel’s picture was now in every squad car in New York City. If she surfaced, she’d be spotted. The assumption was that Tony had her, but they were as close to knowing where he was as they were to knowing where she was.
The waiting was killing them. Sean had cooked dinner for everyone and now he was rocking back and forth on the loveseat in one giant bundle of nerves. He stopped abruptly, his eyes becoming half of his face.
“She went to him willingly.”
His words had everyone’s eyes on him in an instant. Even Anton stopped pacing and glared at him.
“Why the hell would she do that?”
“I don’t know, but she did. He got to her somehow. Think about it. She lied about a business meeting. Why would she lie unless she was somewhere she wasn’t supposed to be? She’d never cheat on you Anton and all of her friends are here in this room. Everyone else hates her, but she has no real enemies except for him. He owes her and he said as much. She’s with him somewhere.”
Chase blew out a breath and addressed Sean as if he were a child.
“We figured out that much Sean. What makes you think she went willingly?”
Sean sat back in his chair, crossed one jean clad leg over the other and steepled his fingers while he reasoned it out.
“In a lot of ways, she’s naive. She wants to believe there’s good in everyone. I know that’s hard to believe...”
Dorothy sat forward, her eyes on Sean.
“It’s true. She’ll trust anyone until they prove she can’t. Keep going Sean. What are you thinking?”
He nodded and continued, his eyes on Chase.
“If he called her...”
Anton spoke up, unable to hold himself back.
“How would he get her number?”
Sean waved him off.
“Oh please. I can get anyone’s number in this town with three phone calls. It’s called networking and I don’t even have that many connections.”
He turned his face from Anton and refocused on Chase.
“As I was saying, if he called her and played the sympathy card, I think she’d fall for it. All he would have had to have done was apologize for scaring her and stay calm. After the cold shoulder that Ayla’s been giving her the last few days because of Austin, she might have listened to what he had to say.”
Austin looked at his sister who was sitting up with red rimmed eyes.
“I was upset, okay? I thought she was dumping you for that asshole that keeps her chasing her own tail. I couldn’t help it. He’s not good enough for her Austin. She deserves you.”
Austin rubbed his face and looked at his sister, trying to figure out a way to make her understand.
“Anton is perfect for her Ay’. They’ve got history and they understand one another. Melody and I never would have worked. She’s too high maintenance for me. Think about it. I like simple. She is the farthest thing from simple that exists.”
Ayla narrowed her eyes at her brother.
“So she was right? You blew her off without a word?”
He blushed and looked at his feet.
“I didn’t want to fight with her. I thought this would be easiest.”
“Easiest for who? You? You are such an asshole Austin.”
He looked up at his sister who was looking right back with disgust in her eyes.
“Okay, I handled it wrong! Jesus, can we just find her already and discuss all this shit later please?”
Chase stepped into the fray, hoping to be the voice of reason.
“Okay everyone, focus. Ayla, is he persuasive enough to talk her into meeting him? You know him better than anyone.”
“He was persuasive enough to keep me beaten and in chains for years. If he turned on the charm, he could talk her into meeting him, yes.”
The room fell silent as they all digested this new theory. Anton walked over to her, leaned down and kissed her cheek.
“Stay with me here Ay’. Where would they meet? Where would he take her?”
Ayla grasped Pierce’s hand tightly in her own.
“He’d meet her somewhere public to keep her at ease and her guard down. It wouldn’t be in Manhattan though, too many people know her here. She’d be too easily recognized.”
Every word she said held a grain of truth and Chase moved closer.
“He’s not comfortable in fancy places, so it wouldn’t be someplace trendy or sophisticated. He’s from the shady side of Boston. It would have been a dive or a diner because that’s where he’s comfortable. If he was planning on kidnapping her, it would be close to where he’s staying.”
Anton looked up at Chase.
“How would he get her in a cab against her will if he kidnapped her? The minute she heard him give an address she didn’t recognize, she’d have panicked. I know her.”
Ayla perked up.
“She took the cab, not him. He rented a car. He always rents cars when he travels. He’s a punctuality freak and he always said that public transportation was too unreliable.”
Chase pulled out his cell phone and winked at Ayla.
“Now we’re getting somewhere. Keep going Ay’. Where does he stay when he travels?”
“Nice places. He’s vain. You’ll never catch him in a seedy hotel and he doesn’t know the area well enough to know which neighborhood to rent in. He’ll be in a four or five star hotel, probably someplace that offers kitchens of some kind. He doesn’t trust room service and he likes to cook for himself. The place will have to have a workout room as well. Remember he’s a boxer and has to stay in shape somehow.”
She slumped back against the sofa.
She hadn’t had to think about Tony in a long time and the memories had come flooding back. She feared for Melody if he truly had her. He was holding a three year grudge against her best friend and a more recent one against Melody herself. Tony never let a grudge go. If it took him ten years and every cent he had, he settled against his enemies.
I pulled for what seemed like hours. I heard a scraping sound and the cast felt looser. I felt energized and tugged harder. I had to be careful, because if I actually pulled my foot free, he’d notice. I need it loose enough that I could slide my foot out when the time was right. At some point, anger took the place of fear. I was gonna hurt this asshole and I was gonna leave scars this time if I had to put a lamp through his head.
I was so entranced with what I was doing, I almost didn’t hear him coming up the stairs. When he reached the landing in front of the door, I became perfectly still and concentrated on calming my breathing. I was exhausted and I had to hide it or he’d wonder why.
I heard him fumble for the doorknob and when he came into the bedroom, I saw why. He was juggling a dinner tray. He placed it on the bed beside me and took a seat. I looked at him and then looked at the tray. The chicken had been cut into bite sized pieces. There was mashed potatoes and green beans next to it, a glass of milk sat next to the plate.
He placed a napkin under my chin and it fell over my chest. I never moved a muscle.
He picked up the milk and put a straw in it, then placed the straw against my lips.
“Take a sip. It’ll help the food go down easier.”
“I have to pee.”
“I’m sure you do, but you’ll eat first. Then I’ll get the bedpan.”
“Bedpan? Can’t I use the bathroom like a normal person?”
“Nothing about this is normal and I don’t trust you Mel’. If you run, I’ll have to shove you down the stairs and swear it was an accident. We don’t want that, do we?”
He meant every word he said. I took a sip of milk and then he shoved a piece of chicken into my mouth. I chewed and swallowed. It could have been from the best restaurant in town, but it tasted like cardboard to me. I kept my eyes on him while I continually, chewed, swallowed and sipped until everything was gone and he seemed satisfied.
He moved the tray to the dresser and went into the bathroom. He returned with a bedpan and a roll of toilet paper.
“You have got to be kidding.”
“Lift your hips up so that I can slide it under you. If you get my bed wet I’ll be angry.”
I didn’t want to consider the threat he was implying, so I lifted my hips. He slid the device under me and waited.
“Go on. Pee. Don’t be shy Mel’, I’ve seen everything you’ve got to offer. Remember?”
Just for that, I’d make the prick suffer. Not only would I scar him, I’d maim him and make him suffer.
I released my bladder and felt immediate relief. When the stream stopped, I watched him wad up toilet paper and I tried to ready myself for his touch. I turned my head towards the view and raised my hips again. He made sure I was dry and I closed my eyes in shame and embarrassment. I felt the bedpan slide out and his weight leave the bed.
I gave another tug on my foot and felt it start to slide. Success. I knew it would be painful to flex my ankle and slide my foot out, but I could take a little pain if it meant that he’d have to take a lot. Paybacks would be a bitch.
I heard the toilet flush and the water run as he washed his hands. When he returned to the bedroom, he went to the closet and came back with a blanket. I watched him toss it onto the bed and then drop his sweatpants. He was commando and the guy was big all over. What the hell had I gotten myself into?
He caught me looking at him and he began to stroke himself. My eyes flew to his and he grinned.
“Like what you see baby?”
Could I stay brave? What could I say that would keep him from doing what he fully intended to do? My big mouth worked once, would it work again?
An idea popped into my head and I had to weigh the pros and cons. If he took me up on it, it would be bad, but it would be the lesser of two evils. It would distract him for a bit and that’s all I needed. A small distraction would work long enough for me to get my foot free. If I could knock him out somehow, I could scream the place down. Someone would come to shut me up, this place wasn’t soundproof.
His hand had produced the desired effect and he knelt on the bed next to me.
“While I was fixing dinner something occurred to me baby. You were begging for it and I walked away. That wasn’t nice. I figure I can start your training later in a more private place. For right now, why don’t I give you what we both want? How would that be?”
I licked my lips suggestively and his eyes fell to my mouth. His mouth hung open just a fraction and he moved closer.
“That depends on what it is you think I want.”
He moved to straddle me, his length resting on my chest. It was everything I could do not to shudder in revulsion. He was watching me like a cobra about to strike. I decided that actions would speak louder than words and I thrust my hips up violently. He fell forward, his hands catching his fall on the headboard near my cuffed hands. He was right there, so I stuck my tongue out, cringed, and licked him.
He growled and I felt his body shudder in delight. He sat back a fraction and moved farther up the bed, his black hair hanging down over his forehead. He looked menacing and powerful. For a moment, I didn’t think I’d be able to pull this off.
His knees were now braced under my arms and his hands fell to the sides of my face, embracing my head. He was holding me gently, but I’d seen him unleashed. I knew the animal was just under the surface.
He licked his lips and nudged himself against my lips. I opened wide and he slid inside. I applied suction, my eyes never leaving his, and his fingers slid into my hair while his head fell back and his eyes closed.
“Oh fuck Mel’. Baby do that again.”
He started moving in and out slowly and my tongue went to work, lulling him into a false sense of security. I fought my gag reflex and his thrusts picked up speed while he moaned. I started humming and he growled in satisfaction.
His hands left my face and fell to his lower back as he braced himself and leaned back a little. He started pushing deeper and I could feel him swell as he picked up speed. It was now or never.
“Are you sure it was her?”
Chase started laughing and when he met the anxious eyes of those around him, he coughed and calmed himself.
“Yep. That sounds like her. Did you see where they went?...”
He took a pen out of his pocket and jotted something down on a stack of sticky notes on the counter.
“Excellent. Did she look like she was being coerced in any way?”
They all waited while the person on the other end of the phone explained something else. Chase was nodding.
“Absolutely. Look, we need to find that car. Start with hotels, the more expensive ones. Since they were last seen in Brooklyn, start there. We don’t think he’d take her very far, so be thorough. We need both of them, but if it’s grab him or grab her, take her. We’ll catch up with him eventually, we know where his family lives. Call if you find it, I’d like to be in on the take down. Thanks Cliff.”
Chase hung up and put his phone in his front pocket. Anton was ready to strangle him.
“Well? Who was that? What’s going on?”
“A friend of mine is working undercover on a drug case. He was in a bar in Brooklyn called Mike’s Tavern, when he saw Melody there. With Tony.”
The other four adults stood and approached Chase. He held up one hand requesting a chance to explain but Anton couldn’t wait.
“Is he sure it was her?”
Chase’s lips twitched as he fought valiantly to suppress the laugh that was fighting just as hard to escape.
"He was there with two other officers and two drug dealers. He approached them as they were leaving because he thought he recognized T
ony. He was debating on whether or not to blow his cover and detain him, when Melody stepped up in his defense."
Anton was changing colors as he tried to control his emotions. Pierce asked the obvious question.
“She defended him? How?”
“She pretty much told him that if he started trouble with Tony, once Tony cleaned his clock, she’d kick him while he was down. Cliff said they left together and got into a Town car. Tony was driving. He got the license plate number and Miss Ayla? You were right. It’s a rental. It was rented to Tony a month ago.”
Anton grabbed his coat and started for the door. Deacon grabbed his arm.
“Where the hell do you think you’re goin’ in the middle of the night?”
“She’s in Brooklyn. I’m gonna go find her.”
Chase grabbed his other arm and pulled him back.
“She was in a bar in Brooklyn. We don’t know she’s still in the vicinity. They’re looking for the car Anton. They’ll call when they find it. They’re also checking out hotels. We’ve got more than we’ve had in the last several months. Calm down. We’ll find them.”
Anton shook them both off and put on his coat. He reached into the bowl by the door on his way out and grabbed his keys before turning back to face them.
“Yeah because you’ve done such a stellar fucking job so far. Austin’s bar’s been firebombed and my girl is with that asshole now, having god knows what done to her. Meanwhile we’re standing here while you and your buddy laugh on the phone about what she threatened to do. Nice one Chase. I’ll find her my fucking self. Thanks.”
Anton slammed the door on the way out and Deke looked at Pierce. A few minutes and a silent conversation later, they kissed their women and left to join the hunt.
Timing would be everything. If I missed, I’d never get a second chance. He leaned a little farther back as his orgasm built and I pulled a Rockette kick to be proud of. I nailed him in the back of the head while thrusting my pelvis skyward. The combination threw him forward and his eyes flew open. Unfortunately, the momentum pushed him into my throat and as my final act of defiance, I sunk my teeth down and locked my jaw. That bastard wasn’t going anywhere.