by Melissa Jane
“Laila!” he shouted, failing to disguise his fury. “Stop fucking running.” It was Aiden. Knowing it was him only made me want to turn around and pound his face more when he least expected it. I wanted to make him hurt. I craved the satisfaction of causing physical harm to him. Reluctantly, I put those desires to the side, knowing that one day they would take center stage, but for now I ignored his demand to stop. I had to lose him.
The force of the tackle took me by surprise, once again Aiden knocked me off my feet sending us both soaring through the air and landing in a heap on the ground. I groaned in resignation and frustration as dirt and debris covered my entire front and face, even making its way into my mouth.
Aiden’s body remained on top of mine while he recovered his breath. Every time I inhaled, I breathed in more dirt and tiny stones. After a few moments, he turned me roughly onto my back, lowering his weight, restraining my arms.
“For fuck's sake, Laila!” His voice was furious, but he had calmed down a degree.
Silence ensued except for the desert creatures that croaked and squalled in the distance. We were both exhausted and I was emotionally drained. The month of being at the mansion had taken its toll. My energy reserve had depleted to virtually nothing and my emotional stability was fragile.
“Why did you do it, Aiden?" I choked out.
In the darkness we lay, his body engulfing mine, both of us trapped within our own dangerous thoughts. Aiden held my hands tightly, his thumbs gently swiping the tears running down my temples. He couldn’t see me, but he knew.
“Why did you kill him?” I asked again, my voice a tiny whisper as a hard lump formed in my throat.
“Would you rather be with Juan right now?” he asked, ignoring my question.
“I don’t want to be anyone’s victim,” I said simply.
“Answer my question. Him or me?”
Fine! “Juan may be an asshole, but he wasn’t he one who killed Ethan!”
“Is that the only reason?”
“Of course, he hurt me physically but I trusted you. You broke my heart, Aiden, in so many ways.” I couldn’t hide my frustration. What purpose did it serve him asking me?
In the darkness, his lips touched mine, beautiful soft caresses. I sobbed quietly against his mouth, an ache inside of me becoming all too much. Aiden pulled away, our breathing intermixing. Squeezing my hand one last time, he moved to stand, pulling me up roughly with him.
“I asked you to trust me. He raped and beat you and yet you still prefer to be with him.” The angry Aiden had returned and I had no idea why. My heart plummeted. I had trusted him, he was right. But that was before he killed my brother and made no apology for it.
“Can’t you just let me go, please?” I tugged against his hold but he only increased the grip.
“Move,” he demanded arrogantly. The Aiden who had kissed me was incongruous to the man before me now.
“Aiden, please!” My pleas went unanswered. I heard a rattle of metal and then felt its coolness around my wrist before it snapped shut. The process was repeated as Aiden put his wrist through the other cuff, joining us together for our trek back to the car. He led the way at a fast, steady pace, yanking his arm forward whenever he felt like I was breaking stride. What would have been near impossible for me was a piece of cake for him in finding our way back to the road, his internal navigation working with precision.
I cried the entire way, my chest heaving with each sob. How I mourned for my lost freedom, a right I had taken so much for granted. Now it seemed, no matter what I attempted to do to save myself from this underbelly world, I would always wind back up in the hands of either Juan or Aiden and thrown back into the thick of things.
We reached the car quicker than I had hoped. Jorge stood leaning against the hood, holding his head back to stop the blood from flowing.
“That’s twice now she’s done a number on you,” Aiden mocked, but it came across as more of an accusation to his associate.
“Next time keep a leash on the bitch,” Jorge snapped, clearly in no mood for more bullshit.
The sudden quick jerk had me thrust forward, following Aiden’s body and causing me to painfully bite my tongue mid-stumble. Still attached by handcuffs to Aiden, wherever he went I followed. When his free hand circled Jorge’s throat and slammed his body against the hood of the car, I was unwillingly placed in the throes of the action, unaware as to why Aiden had reacted in such a volatile way. Jorge calling me a bitch was the least of my concerns. I had injured him twice after all. I probably deserved the name!
“Your job is to make sure she gets to her destination in one piece, not to be a fucking asshole about it!”
Aiden sounded pissed. I had never heard him speak in such a threatening manner, not even when he had reprimanded me all those times. I suddenly felt like I had gotten off lightly with him. “Understood?” he spat.
Jorge’s face had purpled a little from the lack of blood flow, but he still managed to give a slight nod, acknowledging Aiden’s demand. Once satisfied his point had been made, Aiden loosened his grip and stood back, trickles of sweat on his face glistening in the faint headlights.
“You’re driving.” Aiden threw the car keys at Jorge and then looked pointedly in my direction. I wasn’t apologetic. “We need to make a move.”
He had calmed a degree or two, but there was still venom in his tone. Jorge slid off the hood, his hands massaging the bruising around his neck while Aiden pulled me over to the back door.
Pulling out a key from his pocket, he unlocked the handcuffs.
“Get in the car,” he demanded coldly.
Knowing I was clutching at straws and quite frankly not caring to make their job any easier, I decided I still had some fuel in my own tank. Once he slid the metal off my hand, I made my move. Turning to face the open door feigning participation, I listened while his hands were busy with his cuff. I managed two quick steps to the side, breaking from between Aiden and the car.
Yet again I saw nothing but blackness ahead and prayed hopefully this would be my chance. He was too fast and pissed already at how his night had transpired. He pre-empted my moves with stealth-like precision. His right arm wrapped around mine, pulling me back roughly against his chest as a squeal escaped my lips.
“You really want to make me angry, don’t you, Laila?” he growled, the rumble reverberating from his chest onto my back. Once in a better position, Aiden wrapped both his muscular arms around my body pressing me tighter to his own. His citrus cologne drawing me back into a world I thought I trusted, the one where our bodies responded to each other’s touch that sparked desire deep within. Then the ugly truth always revealed itself, rubbing more salt in the wound.
Spinning me around to face him, Aiden picked me up off the road, restraining me from moving with his tight grip. I kicked wildly, my feet connecting with his shins, which in effect only caused me pain. He chuckled at my haphazard attempt to hurt him, which only incensed me more.
My face was pressed to his chest as he lowered both our bodies onto the back seat of the car. He jostled us into position, pinning my shoulders to the cushioning underneath me. Our labored breathing joined in unison, sweat forming a thin layer over both our bodies.
Aiden lifted himself off me slightly, but I was too weak to take advantage of the situation. Instead, I relented, allowing him to flip me over onto my stomach, drawing my arms behind my back. Once again, I felt the coolness of the metal slide against my skin as Aiden handcuffed both my wrists. I was acutely aware my negligee was sitting around my waist, but there was nothing I could do about it now.
“I admire your determination to stay alive but I am surprised your behavior has not yet got you killed.”
“You sound just like your father,” I spat, knowing the comment would be considered an insult. There was a pause and I fought with a surge of guilt and satisfaction that I had indeed struck a nerve.
“Perhaps he had a point,” he replied calmly with ill-disguised spite. Guilt
gone!
“Fuck you, Aiden! You would do exactly the same if not more if you were me.”
“If I were you, I wouldn’t be in this fucking drama to begin with.” Aiden lowered his mouth to my ear. “Laila, you are the most frustrating woman I have ever dealt with. I told you to…”
“Are we ready?” Jorge’s irritated voice from the front seat interrupted Aiden mid-sentence. “Like you said, we need to make a move.”
Aiden lips grazed my ear, “Things don’t always work out the way you want them to, Laila.”
He sat up and with his open palm slapped me once on each ass cheek. A groan of frustration laced with contempt escaped my mouth. He then knocked the seat in front of him twice and seconds later we were once again travelling down the dark stretch of road.
***
Aiden crawled over the front seat to take his spot as a passenger. I remained on my stomach, hands still shackled behind my back, the leather seat under my cheek drenched in tears.
My mind was swirling with a mixture of sordid emotions. Having Aiden so close to me, our bodies touching from head to toe, his breath caressing my skin, his strong possessive hold around my body, it was all too much. The raw combination had me quivering in certain places that made me feel deep shame.
I had developed feelings for this man who had shown me care and affection in a place that had only been harsh and violent toward me. Perhaps I had been a fool to have allowed emotion to build between us, but there were times I had been sure it wasn’t totally unrequited. I could feel it in his touch or sometimes in the way he regarded me, things I said would make his eyes shine and his smile warm. I had been a sucker in so many ways. Yet now, given all that had happened, I still felt the euphoric effects of all that was Aiden.
I silently cried myself to sleep at that thought.
When my eyes opened again, it was still dark, but we were no longer on the smooth tarmac. The car jostled about over the rough earth, stones flicking up and clinking against metal. Aiden and Jorge spoke in hushed tones and I made no effort to eavesdrop. I was too numb for that bullshit.
The car pulled to a stop and both the men jumped out. My door soon opened and a body leaned over mine to uncuff my wrists. I was ushered gently by an encouraging hand so I slid across the seat to the open door. Aiden stood in front of me, his eyes soft and shoulders more relaxed than earlier.
“Come on inside, we need to talk,” he said softly.
I had lost all desire to retaliate or fight back so I simply allowed him to guide me through the darkness toward what I presumed to be a house. A light flicked on inside, the soft glow giving us some guidance as we ascended the few steps to the front entrance.
Jorge appeared at the door, his body silhouetted by the glow. “Danny isn’t here. He left a note.” He waved it in front of him. “He’s not far off.”
“He’d better be organized. We won’t have a second to spare for any delays.”
Aiden took the note and studied it as if new information might suddenly appear. Once satisfied, he took me by the hand and walked me through the door. While I did my best to ignore the thrill it sent through my body, I couldn’t deny it.
The house was considerably smaller than Hector’s but it was still beautiful in its own homely, well decorated manner. The blue and white color scheme was quite refreshing compared to the heavy oaks and marble I had just spent the last month in. The furniture had a masculine feel to it with very little feminine features.
Aiden led me into the lounge and released my hand. Immediately I missed him. Inwardly chiding myself for my needy girl responses, I resolved to be more unaffected by his mere touch or presence. After all, much of me still wanted to hurt him in unimaginable ways.
Aiden ordered Jorge to search the house thoroughly while he moved through the closest rooms, closing the drapes as he passed each window. I noted his paranoid behavior as he secured locks and removed a lamp from a table, placing it on the ground in front of other large pieces of furniture and subduing the light. He flicked the light off at the wall nearest him, the room immediately darkening.
Crossing his thickly veined arms, Aiden looked to me, his eyes meeting mine, his face contemplative. I held his gaze, no challenge evident in my own appearance. His eyes travelled over my body and a small smile played on his lips before he spoke.
“You look awful.”
Glancing down at my negligee I saw that it was torn down the front, its pale purple now splotched with various shades of earthy brown. My arms and legs were stained with the same dirt from when I had been tackled to the ground in the desert. I could still feel and taste the remnants of gritty dirt in my mouth. Yes, I was without a doubt a terrible mess. I met Aiden’s gaze again, his eyes laughing at my personal assessment, the humor quickly vanishing as his eyes shot open wide with alarm. In less than a heartbeat, Aiden pulled the Glock from his hip and pointed it directly at me.
What the fuck? Bile rose in my mouth and my heart plummeted.
“Move,” he demanded in hushed tones. “Behind the wall.”
It all happened so fast my wobbly knees couldn’t move fast enough. The front door swung open and a strange man walked through, instantly noting the weapon pointed at him.
“That’s no welcome,” he said as if offended, “considering it’s my house.”
A full smile stretched across the man’s face, revealing perfectly straight teeth. The tension took a while longer to melt from Aiden’s face, who was still clearly on edge, but he at least lowered his gun.
“Danny, it’s good to see you,” he said and offered the man his hand.
“I’d hate to see how you greet the people you don’t wanna see,” Danny joked as they greeted each other.
Aiden rubbed the back of his neck, aiming to release some tension.
“I’m sorry, it’s just that we have had some…”
“Who’s this?” Danny interrupted, looking directly at me, his eyes roaming shamelessly over my body. I didn’t feel threatened by him, but I once again became increasing aware of my disheveled appearance.
“This is the girl,” Aiden began, sounding a little nervous. “The one I told you about.”
“My name is Laila,” I said as if he should care. I didn’t want to be known as just 'the girl'.
Danny’s megawatt smile lit up the room as he watched me curiously. Aiden’s narrowed eyes darting between us. Danny was an American, possibly from the South and the same build as Aiden. With dark chocolate colored hair and deep brown eyes, he was handsome in his own rugged way. I didn’t know what the connection was between the two or what role this man played in my demise, however, just hearing an American accent filled me with some comfort.
“You’ve got a live one here,” Danny joked, his eyes returning back to Aiden’s.
“You have no idea,” he sounded resigned. “Have you got the paperwork?” The friendly greetings were now over, it was back to business.
Danny waved the mustard yellow letter-sized envelope in front of him. “First things first, why don’t you take Laila..,” – he turned and winked after saying my name and I couldn’t help a small smile – “…upstairs so she can clean herself up. My sister leaves some clothes here when she stays so there are some in the drawer in the bedroom, second door to the left after the bathroom.”
We moved to the stairs, Aiden’s hand nestled in the small of my back as he guided me. Halfway up, Danny yelled to us.
“You’d better move the car as well. Dawn is about to break.”
Chapter Twenty-Five
Aiden
Watching Laila’s negligee reveal the bottom of her ass cheeks as she took each step, played its part in distracting me from the thoughts that plagued my mind. Even smeared in filth and her hair a wild mess, she looked amazing. Good enough to eat, dirt and all. Clearly I wasn’t the only man in the house who thought that way. I had seen the obvious look of approval written across Danny’s face. He fancied her and I didn’t blame him. She could fool anyone with just a smile.
The second floor was dark, so I took the lead and found the bathroom. I lit the candles on top of the counter and turned to see Laila standing in the doorway, her arms wrapped protectively around her body. She had been on her best behavior since we arrived and I was pleased the well-mannered girl had returned. I realized kissing her in the desert was not the most appropriate things to do given how she felt. She didn’t care for me in the slightest but I knew she was seeing things differently to how they really were. I couldn’t lie though, her words cut me deep. I was pissed that given everything that had happened between us, she still would rather be in Juan’s hands. Of course she preferred her freedom, away from both of us, but that could never happen.
Soon we would be on the move again and I wanted Laila to know the truth before we set off. I had been right in not telling her before now though – knowing Juan would track us down, I simply couldn’t chance it.
In the dim hallway outside the bathroom, she stood, a look of indifference and defeat marring her features. Kneading her tiny shoulders I felt her body tense under my touch.
“Laila, I am sorry for hurting you earlier but you should know some things.”
I watched her face for clues but she gave me none.
“Some things that have transpired over the last few days have impacted on us all, but you should know I had no choice.”
If she was unresponsive before, I had certainly struck a nerve now. Shaking her head in denial, her teeth clamping down on her bottom lip – even mad, she was fucking beautiful. I wanted to be the one to bite that lip, I wanted to suck it in my mouth and have her melting into me.
“Are you saying that you had no choice in drugging me in my sleep? In kidnapping me away from the place I was kidnapped to? Do you even realize how absurd that sounds? Then you chase me down in the middle of the desert after shooting at Juan. Or should I go back a little further in time when you had no choice but to kill my brother!”