Screaming in the Silence

by Lydia Kelly

I didn’t understand why he couldn’t finish his sentence.

  “I’d like to be with you���again, before they get here.”

  This wasn’t a request. It felt more like a business demand.

  “All right,” I replied, choking back the tears. “I’ll be finished in just a few minutes. I can, um, meet you in your room?”

  Just saying it out loud, negotiating sex with Kaden, was like torture. It made me feel cheep and used. But Kaden apparently didn’t want to wait for me to be finished in the shower. He pulled his shirt from his body, kicked off his shoes, and pulled his pants and boxers down before I could even start to protest. I backed toward the faucet, shaking my head and smiling.

  His body looked amazing in the steam. His broad shoulders and chest were smooth like marble next to the white tile. His abdominals clenched when the hot water hit them, but before my eyes could wander further south, he grabbed my hands and pulled me against his hard body. He kissed me playfully, biting my lower lip and pulling lightly on my hair.

  His touch was becoming familiar but my skin tingling and ached for his hands to roam my body. My knees grew weak and my head rolled back. I moaned and then moaned louder as his hand caressed the inside of my thigh. His fingers teased me, and as great as it felt, I realized how sore I was and stepped away from his hand before he could go further. He stood up straight and put his hands on my waist.

  “Is something wrong?” he asked, his lips barely moving, his hands pulling my waist into his thighs.

  “You left me a little sore,” I confessed.

  “Did I?” He raised one eyebrow.

  I put my hands on his chest. “Just be gentle with me,” I requested before pushing up to my tip toes and kissing him on the lips. Before I was done, he had lifted me off the ground and pulled my legs around his waist, pinning me against the wall of the shower.

  “Gentle? Where’s the fun in that?” He smiled and kissed my neck.

  “Kaden, please?” I said, running my fingers through his black hair.

  He raised his face and grinned at me. “I won’t hurt you, I promise.”

  I smiled back and then allowed him to take me. My arms wrapped tightly around his neck, his strong hands gripping my hips and thighs as he moved against me. My eyes remained open, as Kaden had requested, and I found myself staring at his handsome face. I could see such a longing, such a passion behind his determined expression.

  Kaden caught me staring but he didn’t look upset or surprised. A smile passed between us and he opened his mouth to speak.

  “Raleigh, I can’t even begin to describe how incredible you feel.”

  I was about to respond when I felt the first wave of pleasure rush over me. Kaden smiled as I trembled, showing no signs of stopping.

  “It’s not only that,” I saw Kaden say through the steam of the shower. “Just being around you puts me in a world that I never knew existed. Not seeing you for the rest of the day is going to be torture for me.”

  “Don’t talk about it, please,” I said as another wave washed over me.

  He understood my plea and buried his face in my neck, kissing softly and nipping at my skin. I squeezed him between my legs as my orgasm took over. Through the heat, I could feel him quiver inside of me as he finished. He held me against the wall and my arms wrapped around his shoulders, pulling him close. We stayed that way for a long time, both of us breathing heavily, using the other for support. He set me down gently when his arms started to shake, taking my face in his hands and kissing me. Too soon, he pulled away and smiled at me.

  “That should last me through the day, I suppose.”

  “So glad I could help,” I teased him while trying to keep my legs from trembling.

  Kaden’s fingers lingered on my face, tracing my jaw and chin.

  “Hand me the shampoo,” he said after a comfortable moment.

  I reached behind me and did as he requested. He took the bottle from my hand and poured a small amount into his palm. He rubbed his hands together and then raised them to my hair. I smiled up at him as he started massaging it into my scalp. His fingers sent tingles from my head all the way down to my spine and into my feet. I closed my eyes and held onto his hips to keep myself steady.

  He gently guided me under the shower head, rinsing my hair and running his fingers down my neck. Soap was next, and Kaden took his time, running the bar over my body. He rubbed me and washed me until he was certain he hadn’t missed a spot. The water rinsed me clean and Kaden held me close. I closed my eyes and leaned against his chest, wrapping my arms around his back and feeling the strong muscles beneath my fingers.

  I pulled away when I felt the stream of water weaken and eventually trickle to a stop.

  “You should get downstairs,” he said.

  He reached for a towel and wrapped it around me. He kissed me once more before stepping out of the shower and covering himself with his own towel. I walked slowly out of the bathroom and to the top of the stairs, watching Kaden as he made his way to his room.

  “Will I see you at all tonight?” I called to him before he disappeared behind his door.

  He turned around and smiled. “I’ll come see you after they have gone to bed.”

  I gave him a half smile and looked away before he could. The walk down to the basement seemed to take an eternity but once there, I knew all I had to do was wait for him.

  Chapter 14

  I had just made it downstairs and into clean clothes when the dust started to fall from the ceiling. Ray was home, and with him came a feeling that something was going to go terribly wrong. The letter I had written had been mailed to an empty P.O. Box somewhere in Delaware. It contained empty demands that Kaden had created to buy him more time. No one was going to find it, no one was going to ever read it, so how long would it be before Ray realized no one was contacting them to arrange for my safe return? Did I have a week? Two weeks?

  I settled myself into bed, hoping to sleep through the rest of the day instead of staring at the ceiling and wondering what was happening upstairs. But I was unsuccessful. The walls of the basement started to close in after a few hours. The ceiling and floor pushed together and soon I was confined to only my mattress, the rest of the world becoming infinitely small compared to the worry within my head.

  The dust stopped falling and I had rolled onto my side, staring absentmindedly at the wall, when I felt my mattress shake. I rolled over and sat up, a smile on my face because I knew Kaden had kept his promise and come to see me. But his green eyes were not the ones staring back at me. Marshal was standing above my bed, a guilty smile on his childish face.

  He sat down and I moved to the edge of the mattress.

  “I won’t hurt you,” he frowned, clearly upset that I didn’t trust him by now.

  I nodded, believing him completely. He glanced up the stairs before reaching into the pocket of his sweatshirt.

  “I brought you something,” he smiled and handed me a chocolate bar.

  I smiled back. Thank you.

  You’re welcome.

  I grinned at him before opening the candy bar. The chocolate was slightly melted and stained my fingers. I broke a piece off and put it on my tongue. If Kaden’s eggs had tasted amazing, Marshal’s chocolate was near euphoric. The sweet surprise nearly made me forget my manners and I was almost halfway done with the bar before I looked up and tried to offer a piece to Marshal.

  “No,” he said, pushing my offering hand back to my lips. “You look like you need it more than I do.” He patted his stomach and smiled at me.

  I laughed and put another piece in my mouth.

  “Raleigh, do you hate it here?”

  His question surprised me. I hadn’t assumed he would give much thought to how I found this place.

  I nodded my head. Yes.

  “I don’t blame you. I don’t like it much either.”

  Why?

  “Why?” He gave me questioning look and I nodded my head. “I don’t like what we’ve done. I don’t like t
hat my brother and Kaden are keeping you down here, hurting you the way they are. You seem really nice and I don’t think you deserve any of this.”

  Thank you.

  I wanted to tell him that he should leave, run away from all this craziness. But he already knew what I was thinking.

  “I wish I could run away. But Ray wouldn’t allow it. Do you have any brothers or sisters?”

  I shook my head.

  “Lucky,” he smiled at me. “Ray used to be a great older brother. I used to look up to him and he used to teach me things, like how to play catch and how to pick up girls.” He blushed.

  I grinned and gestured for him to continue.

  “I thought it would be fun, leaving my parent’s house and living with my big brother and his best friend. Ray got me a job and gave me my own room. It felt good to be free from my dad’s rules. But then you came along and I don’t have any freedom. Ray won’t let me leave while you’re still here. He watches me as close as he watches you. I think he’s afraid I’ll tell someone.”

  I swallowed and stared at Marshal. Was he really just as scared as I was? Was he being held captive as well?

  “I don’t know why I’m telling you this. I guess I just don’t have anyone else to talk to. But, Raleigh, I don’t want anything to happen to you. I don’t want anything to happen to me. Ray scares me. I would try to help you, but I’m afraid he’ll kill us both.”

  Don’t worry about me, I signed, blinking back tears of compassion I felt for Marshal.

  He stared at me blankly, not understanding what I had told him. Slowly, a smile replaced his frown.

  “But I think Kaden feels differently than my brother. He doesn’t seem to mind that you’re still here.”

  I nodded my head, agreeing with him.

  “Kaden’s always been able to talk sense into Ray. He never listens to me.”

  Why?

  “A few years ago, when my mom was dying���” Marshal’s eyes left mine and he glanced up the stairs.

  “Shit,” he swore and grabbed the wrapper from my hands, shoving it back inside his pocket. I leaned across the bed and saw Kaden’s shoes walking slowly down the stairs. Marshal stood up and took a few steps away from the mattress, waiting for Kaden to reach the bottom stair before saying anything.

  “Kaden,” he started, acting as if he were surprised to see him. “I was just���”

  Kaden wasn’t facing me but I could see the muscles of his neck clench in anger. He pointed to the door. Marshal nodded and walked up the stairs, not chancing a second look behind him. Kaden waited until the door had closed before turning around and looking at me.

  “What was that about?”

  He brought me food.

  Kaden snickered and rolled his eyes.

  He feels like a prisoner, too. Ray won’t let him leave until I’m gone.

  “He’s not my problem.”

  He’s just a kid. He shouldn’t have to be stuck in the middle of this.

  “He can leave whenever he wants.”

  He’s scared of his brother. He’s not going to���

  “Again, it’s not my problem, and it certainly isn’t yours.”

  I frowned, turning away from him and crossing my arms. Marshal understood me, at least on some level, and had shown me kindness without expecting or taking anything in return. It was more than I could say for Kaden.

  Kaden dropped to his knees and crawled over to me. His strong arms wrapped around my shoulders and guided my head back to the mattress. He started to pull the sheet up to my chin but stopped when he recognized it as his own.

  “I was wondering where this went.” He smiled at me and I couldn’t help but smile back.

  “Don’t be upset with me, Raleigh. They’ll go to work and I’ll make it up to you tomorrow.”

  I sighed and looked into his emerald eyes. They looked remorseful and tired, dark circles starting to form under them. His lips, on the other hand looked almost as good as the chocolate bar I had just finished.

  “You want to kiss me right now, don’t you?” Kaden’s smile widened and my eyes returned from his lips to his eyes.

  I shook my head, pointlessly trying to hide my grin.

  “Yes, you do,” he said, his face moving closer to mine.

  “No,” I whispered, completely forgetting why I was upset with him.

  “And what if I want to kiss you?”

  I blinked. “I wouldn’t object.”

  “And what if I don’t want to kiss you?”

  “I wouldn’t cry,” I smiled playfully.

  Kaden’s face became serious. “Just give me time, and I’ll make sure you never want to cry again.”

  He kissed me before I could stop him to ask what that meant. It felt as if he would never pull away, like he would never let me go. I wasn’t scared by his possessiveness. I had grown accustomed to it over the past couple of days. I expected it and almost needed it.

  I felt him moan against my lips before he pulled away. “What did he give you? Chocolate?”

  I nodded, closing my lips, afraid I had some stuck in my teeth.

  “You taste amazing.” Kaden smiled at me and bent down to kiss me again.

  I giggled under his lips and allowed him to kiss me until we were both out of breath. I fell asleep wrapped in his arms that night, my face buried in his chest.

  Chapter 15

  I woke up the next morning and Kaden was gone. It wasn’t surprising, just slightly disappointing. Waking up in his arms, even if it had only happened once, had been the best feeling I could imagine. I dressed slowly and didn’t have to wait long for the door to open and for Kaden to come running down the stairs. He picked me up and squeezed me tight. I closed my eyes and hugged him back.

  He set me down, eventually, and ran his fingers though my hair.

  “What should we do today?”

  The question caught me off guard. I could think of a number of things we could do, most involved him letting me leave, but I knew very few were actually plausible. “Can we go outside?”

  “It’s raining,” Kaden frowned and touched my lips with his fingers. I could guess what he wanted to do.

  “I don’t mind,” I pushed the idea.

  “All right,” Kaden smiled and led me upstairs to the front door. He hadn’t been joking. The rain was pouring outside and the sky was dark with low clouds. I stepped onto the stoop and could feel the mist on my face.

  “It’s one of the sounds I miss the most, you know? The rain. I remember thinking how calming the sound of it was pattering on my window. I could listen to it for hours.” I closed my eyes, not wanting to see if he had a response. I stood there for a minute, trying to remember the exact sound the rain had made, but was interrupted by Kaden putting strong arms around me. He picked me off the ground and carried me into the driveway like a child in the arms of her father. The cold rain hit my face and arms, running down my skin in tiny rivers. The droplets fell randomly but softly. Kaden started to spin us in a circle. He spun me faster and faster.

  We were both laughing as he set me down, my feet barely able to keep my dizzy body steady. I looked up at his wet face, his hair hanging into his wild eyes.

  “Thanks,” I said softly. “But I think I’m ready to go inside now.” Random gusts of wind chilled me.

  I started walking for the house. Halfway there, I turned around to see if he had followed.

  “It could be like this always, Raleigh,” he said to me through the rain. The wind was blowing his damp hair and his perfectly shaped almond eyes sparkled brilliantly.

  “Like what?” I called, not knowing if the wind was loud enough to carry my voice away.

  “You and me, together.”

  I stared at him. I could see clearly what he said, I just didn’t believe my eyes.

  “Raleigh, say something,” he pleaded with me.

  I shook my head. “Kaden, can we talk about this inside?”

  “Tell me, Raleigh. Tell me if you want it to be like this.
”

  “Come inside,” I said before turning around and walking back to the house. His words were pure lunacy. Things couldn’t stay like they were. They just couldn’t.

  I opened the door and was nearly inside when Kaden caught up to me and spun me around to face him. “Think about it,” he pleaded. “I thought about it all last night and realized what we needed to do.”

  “And what’s that?” He tugged at the bottom of my wet shirt and pulled it over my head.

  “We can leave,” he said. “Don’t you want to leave this place?”

  “Of course I want to leave.”

  “So, let’s go.” He was working at the button of my jeans when I backed away from him.

  “Kaden, you’re not making any sense. You know I don’t want to stay here. You know that you are keeping me here for a reason.”

  “That money doesn’t matter anymore. It hasn’t mattered for a long time.” He pulled his soaking shirt off and threw it on the floor.

  “Then why am I still here?” The tears started welling in my eyes.

  “Isn’t it obvious?”

  “No. No, it’s not obvious.”

  “You’re here because I want you with me. You’re here because I needed to find a way to make you see that you wanted to be with me as well.”

  I shook my head and took a few more steps back, raising my hands defensively as he reached for me.

  Kaden looked hurt by my gesture but that didn’t stop him. “Isn’t that what you want? To be with me? You said it yourself, you’re scared, you are feeling something that isn’t real. But it is real, Raleigh, because I feel it too.”

  Tears fell freely from my eyes. I had said that. It was true. I didn’t understand my feelings for Kaden but I knew there was a strong possibility they were merely situational.

  “Last night was torture for me. I didn’t realize how much you had affected me until they came home and I couldn’t be with you any longer. What I’m feeling isn’t just infatuation. It goes beyond that���”

  “What we feel for each other,” I began slowly, “may be real while we’re here. Taking me from this house to another against my will isn’t going to���”