Power Player: Anti-Hero Game (Power Chain Book 2)

by Ryan Michele

  “Then get comfortable.”

  She jerked her hand from mine. “No.”

  Rather than continue the argument, I scooped her up in a fireman carry once again before taking her up the stairs. I hit the gym every day to work off my life stresses and frustrations. Carrying her like this was something I could do all day, every day if necessary. Although, I was hoping for her submission in time. With her screeching and beating on me every step of the way, I pressed on. In the master bedroom, I dropped her to the bed. Moving to the door, I entered the code on the keypad and locked us in.

  While I had the cabin built to duplicate her grandmother’s place, I had modern upgrades like this keypad door lock on the master suite. She wouldn’t be getting out unless I let her.

  Without speaking, I moved to the bathroom where I passed the dual sinks and headed straight for the oversized bathtub. Drawing a bath, I added some relaxing salts that Ellen Sue picked up when I sent her to the store to fill the space with everything a woman could ever desire.

  Lavender aroma filled the air, making my lungs burn for a cigarette.

  Fighting back the craving, I continued my task. Once the tub was full I went back to the bedroom where Laurel stood right where I left her.

  “Get naked.”

  “No,” she fired back.

  While she wouldn’t be able to remove her shirt without me uncuffing her, she didn’t make a move to take off even her shoes. If she wouldn’t even make this small concession to bend to my will, then I would make shit more uncomfortable. Soon she would learn.

  “Fine.” I scooped her up again, taking the beating and my ears taking the assault of her screams.

  Dropping her in the tub, water splashed everywhere including onto my jeans. I let out a frustrated sigh. It shouldn’t be this hard.

  “Paxton! You put me in with my clothes on.”

  “Gave you a chance to take them off. Now, relax and wash up. I’ll be back. Clean the scrape on your arm from the bullet graze and bandage it. Wash up, angel.”

  She raised her hands showing me the cuffs. Her skin was pink in irritation from her bindings. I liked it.

  “Figure it out. I got shit to do. I’ll be back, be done and in bed.”

  “First, it’s nowhere near time for bed. We may have been on the road for a while, but it’s still not that late. Second, I haven’t eaten nor have you. Third, I can’t climb in the bed in sopping wet clothes.”

  I loved the way she challenged me. My cock throbbed in my pants seeking release.

  “First, I didn’t say go to sleep. I said be in bed. Second, I’ll be bringing dinner up shortly. Third, sleep naked if you don’t want to be in bed with wet clothes. Not my fuckin’ problem. I told you to undress, you didn’t. These are the consequences. Figure shit out, Laurel, you’re a smart woman.”

  Without another word, I turned and walked out of the bathroom leaving her muttering to herself about what a scumbag I was.

  Sure, it was the truth. Therefore, it didn’t hurt me.

  Once downstairs, I pulled out my cell phone.

  “You good?” Onyx answered on the second ring.

  “Yup,” I clipped out as I stepped out onto the porch. Pulling out a cigarette, I used the Zippo to light it before I continued. “Need Ellen Sue for a few weeks. She knows where.”

  “I’ll have her to you in an hour.”

  “Tell her to bring dinner.” I knew Ellen Sue would be pissed that she couldn’t be more prepared. She was like a mother to the four of us. She rotated houses taking care of our groceries, cleaning, and laundry. She understood us when the outside world didn’t seem to care. Even in our adolescence, when society saw nothing but bastards, Ellen Sue saw potential. She encouraged us when the world seemed to be against us.

  “You know what the fuck you’re doin’?” Onyx clipped into the phone as I took a long drag on my cigarette.

  I laughed, “Not a damn clue. Best laid plans go to shit. So I’ll ride this one out.”

  “You need anything, one call.”

  And that was how it was with us. One call and we took each other’s backs no matter what we got into, no questions asked. Been that way since we were kids and would stay that way.

  We disconnected, and I called Garrett.

  “You hit?” he answered on the first ring.

  “Nah.”

  “She take a bullet then?” Garrett asked, lowering his voice and letting me know he was not alone.

  “Nah, we’re at the cabin. Need you to check in on Riley. Make sure this shit doesn’t spin out of control. Let Stephanie know to cancel my appointments for the next two weeks. Tell her it’s a family emergency and the office is closed. She knows what the plan is for my clients.”

  He blew out a breath, no doubt frustrated with me. “All the I’s are dotted and all the t’s are crossed. Your shit’s in order even if it’s too damn soon.”

  He was an attorney. A damn good one, so there wasn’t a doubt in my mind everything was covered. Garrett’s attention to detail bordered on obsessive.

  “Fuckin’ told you shit changed, I had to get her out.”

  My own frustration grew. The situation was far from ideal, but I made my bed and now Laurel and I had to lie in it.

  Everyone else could get the fuck over it. They had their shit, and I would always without a doubt take their backs so now was my time.

  “I got you, Pax. Always. But damn, this shit ain’t going according to plan.”

  “Never does,” I replied, taking a deep drag from my cigarette.

  Smoking to take the edge off the racing inside me, but it did no good. My mind, my body, my spirit always felt wound up and ready to take off. Smoking gave me clarity typically.

  “I’ll call Steph. Consider your shit handled and this a vacation.”

  “You need me, you know how to find me. This phone will be shut down after I call Dane. I’ll be in touch.”

  I clicked off the call with him and went about reaching Dane.

  “You take a bullet?” he answered.

  “Nope.”

  “She claw your eyes out?”

  I laughed, “Nope.”

  “Got a body?”

  That was Dane always ready to work. “Nope.”

  “Then what the fuck you callin’ me for?”

  I took a pull off my cigarette. “Takin’ a vacation. I’ll be out of touch.”

  “Our business doesn’t give paid sick time or vacation, fucker,” he joked.

  “Don’t need the money. Need some time to sort some shit.”

  This time he laughed. “Or you need some time to fuck a broad outta your system.”

  “Something like that,” I gave him honestly.

  Laurel and I had a twisted past. She wasn’t someone I could shake even when I tried. Now I had her here, and it was time I figured out what I was going to do with her. The window of opportunity I had wasn’t large.

  I was good at making the best of a bad situation. In the game of life, I always came out the winner. Nothing less would ever be accepted.

  5

  Laurel

  I was pissed. Beyond pissed. Furious.

  My clothes clung to my body as the warm water surrounded me. At any other time, I would’ve enjoyed this, sitting and relaxing, not caring what was going on with the world around me. Unfortunately, Paxton took that away from me.

  Instead, my wrists were cuffed like I was a criminal, and the only clothes I had were now soaked. It was time for action. Carefully, I maneuvered myself out, which was surprisingly difficult with my hands bound. Water dripped from my body on to the floor, my shoes slipping a bit when I moved. Gathering my balance, I marched through the bathroom door and directly to the door to get out of this hellhole.

  The knob wouldn’t turn, and then a key pad to the left side began to beep loudly. Making my way over, I pushed buttons, what it did I had no clue, but I needed a way out of here. The red light glared back at me with each attempt. It went solid red and wouldn’t take any number c
ombination I tried.

  Damn it.

  I pulled on the door, and when that didn’t work I checked the windows. Nothing. No way to get out. Trapped. Kidnapped. There had to be a way out of here.

  The room was gigantic, nothing like I remembered my grandmother’s bedroom to be. Yes, the walls looked the same, but in this room there were a lot more modernizations. The bed stood out prominently with four tall posters carved of dark wood and a canopy swinging around the top.

  The headboard was grand with a light fabric with buttons precisely placed to cause ripples. On the other side of the bed were gorgeous floor to ceiling windows that had a view to die for. It was magnificent looking out over the trees while the sky hung. It was a postcard picture for sure.

  There were a few dressers, side tables, and lamps as well. The doors caught my attention. There were two others not including the bathroom. The first one was locked. I pulled and pulled but was unable to get it to budge. The other opened with ease.

  Feeling around the wall, I lifted the switch illuminating the closet. But this wasn’t any closet. No. This had one side filled with Pax’s clothes. Suits for work, ties hanging neatly, and shirts in every color. It was the other side that made my stomach fall to my knees. Lots and lots of clothes. Women’s clothes. In my size. In every conceivable fashion. Dresses. Shirts. Skirts. Jeans. Formal. Informal. Lounge wear. Everything a woman could ever want in one small room. The back wall was filled top to bottom with shoes. Not just any shoes, but designer heels. More importantly in the middle of the wall, the pair on a pedestal were the ones I left on the sidewalk in front of Scooners after he kissed me. I couldn’t get away from him fast enough so I stepped out of my eight-hundred-dollar shoes that I saved up to buy myself after getting a job in my field. It was my reward for a job well done. Instead of holding onto what I worked for, I discarded them and ran like the mouse I was.

  Surely he didn’t have another woman here and brought me. He wouldn’t let her wear my shoes, right? Pax was an asshole, but I didn’t think he’d be cruel. Who knows now though. This entire situation was too much for a human to handle.

  What had happened to Paxton to make him go to such lengths to get me here? First to take my money, then bring me here? The kicker was a cabin exactly like my grandmother’s. That was downright nuts. I knew Paxton was over the top. I had known it from the day I met him as a boy. He was always extreme. There was always this intensity about him I couldn’t explain, but it was overwhelming. The constant popping up he did everywhere I was while annoying, there were times I guess I found comfort in it. Paxton was always around, but never had he gone to these lengths before. What pushed him over the edge? What had I gotten myself into? A trickle of fear went down my body as I closed my eyes and tried to shake it off.

  Would he hurt me? Would he allow me to leave this room? Would he let me call my brother?

  Phone. I needed a phone. Searching behind every piece of furniture and every wall, there were no phones. Hell, not even an outlet to try to plug one in.

  “Dammit!” Part of me wanted to throw a two-year-old frustration tantrum, but I knew I couldn’t. My smarts would get me out of this mess. Somehow, some way.

  In the bathroom, I searched the cabinets for some kind of ointment to put on my wrists because with the addition of the water, they were chaffing really badly. Locating Vaseline, I very delicately, using a Q-tip, slathered it on my wrists. It took some maneuvering, but was instant relief.

  One problem fixed, so many more to go. My bladder came calling, and pulling off clothes that are sticking to your body wasn’t easy. I kicked my shoes off first then maneuvered my pants off of me, finally getting to relieve myself. My skin pebbled with bumps telling me I needed warmth, now.

  Kicking my pants, underwear, and socks off, I padded my way into the bedroom and searched the drawers. Sure enough I found underwear, my size with the tags still on. I tore off the plastic and slipped on the fabric, then went in search of the yoga pants I saw earlier in the closet.

  That done, I needed my shirt off, which would be difficult. Very difficult. The wet fabric stopped at my hands unable to fall, and my bra was still soaked. There was no way I was getting the bra off since I couldn’t reach around my back.

  Scissors. I needed them, but searching the drawers I found none. Dammit. So close. But even if I cut it off, I wouldn’t be able to pull a new one on. But if I could slice this one off, I could get under the covers and get warm before he got back.

  Problem was I’d be naked from the waist up and that was sure to give Paxton ideas. My mind raced. My body shook as I sifted through the drawers in the bedroom only to stop at the nightstand. Condoms. The entire nightstand drawer was filled with condoms.

  I had to fight back the fear. Paxton wouldn’t rape me, right? The man could have any woman he wanted. Why he set his sights on me, I didn’t understand, but he wouldn’t cross that line, I hoped.

  Swallowing hard, I continued my search. My hand hit metal, and I wanted to scream for joy when I pulled out the pocket knife. Why Pax had it here by his bed, I pushed from my head because it wouldn’t do me any good right now.

  Carefully, I opened the blade and cut the fabric as much as I could. It was tricky and it took some finessing with my mouth as help, but I was able to cut the shirt and bra from my flesh. It only made me colder. You never realize how much you depend on your hands and arms until you lose the ability to use them.

  It reminded me of when my brother and I used to fight. After our mother had enough of listening to us, she would tie our legs and arms together so we could still move, but we had to move with each other. She told us that it built character. Eventually, she was right in that we found a way to get along, but it was hell.

  My brother would miss me and come looking. He had to because he was my best bet of getting out of here. Riley and I were close. If he didn’t hear from me in a few days, he would search for me.

  I dove in the bed and pulled the covers over me up to my chin, my whole body shivering. How cold did he have this place? The bed was comfortable and plush. The sheets were softer than I’d ever felt on my skin.

  The room, even though I hated it, felt cozy, comfortable. There weren’t any glaring things that stuck out to me, except the fact I was cuffed and locked in a room. The exposed beams on the ceiling were a rich brown color, and the lighting fit it perfectly.

  Pax spent a lot of money on this place, and I had to wonder why the hell I was so special for the man to go to this much trouble. Or maybe it wasn’t special rather just an obsession. All those years of Dateline and 20/20 started running through my head.

  The women that had been tortured, maimed, sold, killed. I shook my head trying to get the thoughts out and vowed at that moment there would be no more shows like those. Ever.

  All was not lost here. I refused to give up and roll over quietly letting him have his way. He wanted to be obsessed with me, may as well show him all of me. The good, the bad, and the ugly.

  The sun began to set giving me a perfect view of all the colors surrounding it. It was peaceful and helped the raging thoughts settle. My eyes started to get heavy just as I heard the click of the door.

  I laid there not moving a muscle, considering my nudeness beneath the covers.

  “Ah. Good girl, angel. Just where I wanted you.”

  “Please. Don’t flatter yourself. I was cold, and this was for self-preservation.”

  Pax set down a tray then came to the side of the bed. “Looks like you haven’t soaked through the sheets. However did you manage that?” My grip tightened on the blankets, knowing what was coming but not wanting to face the music.

  He pulled, I held fast. His smirk was sexy as hell, but I also knew it was not in my favor.

  “Let go.”

  “No.”

  Pax gripped the covers hard and sent them flying off of me. Covering up my breasts was pointless with the cuffs. As much as I wanted to cross my arms over me, I couldn’t. It didn’t stop me from trying even
though I looked like a fish out of water.

  “What do we have here?” He bit his lip as his hand came toward me. I moved fast, but as soon as my feet hit the floor, so did my body. I laid there on a groan as Paxton came back into view.

  He clicked his tongue and the bulge in pants pressed hard against the fabric, leaving little to the imagination.

  “Can you please undo the cuffs?” The concession was difficult, but it had to be done. I needed my hands and arms again if I was going to get out of this place.

  He reached down and pulled me up so I was sitting on the bed, his finger tracing my jaw. “I like you like this.”

  “I don’t. I need to be able to use my hands.”

  “No. You don’t.” He stepped back, leaving me there and moving over to the tray. He placed it on the bed and lifted the lid. Sweet smells of chicken teriyaki filled the room, and my stomach growled. Damn traitor.

  “I can’t eat this wonderful food if I don’t have my hands,” I tried.

  Pax handed me a set of chopsticks. “You’ll do just fine. Or maybe I should feed you. Bite by bite. My fingers entering your mouth, caressing your lips, then moving down your throat.” The way his voice softened and rumbled was sexy as the words gave me visions of his fingers roaming my body.

  Wetness pooled below, and desire swam fast and hard like a fish trying to get upstream. Like the fish, I was getting nowhere by letting my libido take over. When my nipples hardened and Pax zeroed in on me, he knew he had me and that pissed me off too.

  One man should not have this much power. Ever.

  Chopsticks and I didn’t get along. We weren’t long lost friends who loved to hang out with one another. We didn’t have any bond whatsoever; therefore, every time I put food on them, said food fell to the tray.

  Trying again, one lonely piece of rice found its way in my mouth. Paxton didn’t say anything, but watched me like a hawk. We were eating off the same plate so I knew it wasn’t drugged or something. Or if it was we’d both have the effects of it, if I could get it in my mouth.

  After the tenth time trying, I tossed the wood to the platter. “I can’t use these things, and I’m not going to use my hands. That’s just rude.”