BLYSS (Blyss Trilogy #1)

by J. C. Cliff

  The loud bass drum of my heart rhythmically pounds inside my chest, sending pulsating spurts of thick blood through my veins, drowning out my ability to breathe. He starts shifting his weight without breaking his brutal kiss, causing our teeth to clash while creating a storm of thunder and lightning inside me.

  I feel the side of the mattress dipping down as he slips a knee onto the bed. Moving his other leg over my hips, he forces my legs down with his body. I feel his thick, muscular thighs straddle my petite frame, pinning me down. I’m trapped. His strength is overbearing; he’s too powerfully-built for me to push him off.

  Slipping his free hand behind my back, he forces me up, slamming my chest into his, fusing and molding our bodies together. My trembling limbs are trapped in his deadly snare. Oh, my God, help me! I repeatedly scream in my head. I can feel his erection digging into my stomach as he moves his hips over mine. All of his unbridled emotions seem to have morphed, turning from infuriation to an unrestrained inferno of burning lust.

  “Open wider, you will kiss me. Now,” he mandates with a growl, nipping hard enough to draw blood from my bottom lip. I wince at the pain. I feel his grasp on my cheeks tighten, willing me to comply with his demands. I let a whimper escape into his mouth. The stifling pain becomes too much to bear as I contemplate giving in. If I pretend to surrender, maybe it will stroke his ego enough that he will end his torture and leave me the hell alone for the night.

  I decide to open my mouth further and give in to the kiss, for now. The unyielding power of his tongue forces mine to dance with his as I deceivingly succumb to a false passion, and as a reward, his grip on my cheeks begin to loosen. I let out a long moan from the blissful release of pain that his cruel hands have caused on my jaw, while he takes what he wants from my mouth.

  “Oh, God, Princess, your submission tastes so fucking sweet on my tongue.” He has mistaken my moan for pleasure, but I let him think what he wants. Nick, even as sick as he is, can no doubt light a fire with his kiss; he’s passionate as hell. The name Handsome Devil suits him well.

  This type of sensual kiss combined with his good looks might have enraptured me, if we had met and were dating under normal circumstances. He doesn’t look like he steals people for a living. He looks rich, well-educated, debonair, and attractive as hell. I would have bet my last dollar he was not a stalker. The man truly looks as if he could have anything he wants, when he wants it, and how he wants it. So why me? Finally, after what seems like forever, he breaks the kiss, panting heavily over my lips. My body slackens in relief.

  “Oh...you are most definitely mine,” he says, pleased with his win. I believe I’m looking at a man who has an obsession, and it’s apparent he genuinely thinks he owns me. The thought makes my heart pound in panic against my ribcage. “You were made for me, and only me, and you will come to feel the same way quickly. I understand your first day here is an adjustment.”

  Yes, you could say that, I think sarcastically. He kisses me again, swiping his tongue across mine, making sure I understand his claim on me. He can’t seem to help himself from starting the tortuous kiss all over again, and I reluctantly comply. His free hand skirts across the top of the comforter by my chest, and he pulls the blanket down. When his hand skims over my breast, he deepens the kiss, breathing heavily through his nose in excitement. My heart is beating to a new tune suddenly, and it has me confused. I feel a twinge of lust and excitement. His powerful hand begins squeezing my breast, and I arch into his touch. A traitorous moan escapes my mouth. I swear this is not a normal response for me; there has got to be something in the air I’m breathing in, making me respond to him this way. Nick’s ministrations grow more frantic, and I feel myself growing wet in response as he plucks and pulls on my hardened nipple. All too soon, he breaks the kiss, his lips hovering over mine.

  “You taste exquisitely perfect. I do believe you’re beginning to understand this arrangement now,” he whispers in a husky voice against my open lips as I pant, catching my breath. “You feel this? You feel what’s between us, don’t you?” he asks, but it wasn’t really a question. We’re both breathing heavily against each other’s mouths as he informs, “You will acquire feelings and desires your mind and body have yet to understand. It will be a beautiful sight to watch you transform, and I’m looking forward to the day you come apart under me, screaming my name.”

  I swallow hard at the thought. I should have just let the egomaniac have the last word for the night, but no—that would have been too easy. Even though I was raised not to talk back, I’ve been an independent thinker for far too long. Anyway, he’s a criminal; he doesn’t deserve my respect. With my anger burning through reason over my weak body’s reaction to extenuating circumstances, I find myself having diarrhea of the mouth.

  I say words I’ve never said before and have never even entered my mind to say. I suppose it’s the stress of being a captive, and this bastard has ripped my life apart, torn it to shreds, and I’ve snapped. “Oh, Nick,” I say seductively but sarcastically, mimicking his previous tone, “you are most definitely a horse’s ass; you even taste like you’ve fucked one. The only type of ass you can probably get, by the way…or are you a goat-fucker? The only arrangement I understand is me ripping your piss-ant balls off when you least expect it!”

  Nick pushes me out of his tight grip, using such a harsh force he hurls the back of my head against the headboard with a resounding crack as my skull makes contact with the wood. I yelp in pain from the collision, the pain splitting my head in two. My head begins a slow, pounding beat, reawakening the headache from this morning. I know without a doubt that my jaw will now join the rainbow of bruises decorating my body.

  He swiftly pivots off me and turns around to face Travis. Standing at his full height now, his hands are balled into tight fists. His next words are seething between clenched teeth, pledging an undiluted promise that has my heart screeching and grinding to a halt. “Travis, you fix her shit and fix it fast, or I will rectify the situation in a way that will make her wish she was never born. After that, if she can’t or won’t come around to my rationale after we’re done with her, I won’t sell her.” He shakes his head emphatically, breathing erratically. “Oh, no…I won’t sell her; I will give her ungrateful, spoiled little ass away to the most vile human trafficker I can find. I will let them rip her apart from stem to stern using a mountain-full of only the cruelest of dicks.”

  Nick doesn’t even look back as he stalks away from my side, billows of dark hostility rolling off his shoulders as he makes his way toward the exit of my room. A peculiar ringing begins in my ears upon hearing the door being slammed after Nick’s retreat. A deafening silence spreads across the room.

  I am stunned speechless. I feel like I’ve just been tasered by a million megawatts of paralyzing power, and aftershocks of terror race through my body. The silence and tension in the room is so thick I could cut it with a knife. I’m so preoccupied in my own thoughts I don’t even realize Travis is still in the room, quietly standing in the same place until he clears his throat.

  Tears begin to well in my eyes, threatening to spill over. I’m caught in a quagmire of quicksand, only worse. I feel like the quicksand is inside my body, sucking in my very soul, collapsing inwardly into a place of nothingness, but at the same time, I feel empty inside. I’m not even sure my heart is pumping blood through my veins right now. I am an empty vessel, lifeless and dead inside. This must be what experiencing pure shock feels like.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  I slowly turn my head to watch Travis through the curtain of hair that has spilled over my blank, hollow eyes. His fall on mine, transforming from expressionless to soft and almost-sorrowful. My shock is the result of the bombshell that had exploded around me, revealing the ugly truth of who these people really are. Human traffickers.

  My God, what are they planning to do with me—my mind, my body, my life? I guess in reality, I am simply drowning in a sea of questions, each one leading me to more questions. I feel trap
ped by the same question circling my brain over and over—Why? I simply can’t believe this is happening to me.

  I tried before not to give anyone of them the satisfaction of seeing my tears, but now they come unhindered. I’m too numb to stop them or brush them away from the slippery trail they make as they run over my cheek. I watch through my blurry eyes as Travis sets the tray of food down on the end of the bed. He quietly saunters his way toward me. I’m unable to focus on a coherent thought. For some reason, Travis doesn’t scare me; he probably should, but after dealing with Nicks harshness, I don’t think anyone can be as cold and callous as he.

  I suddenly find myself distracted by Travis’ looks. He’s dressed in dark jeans, his muscular thighs outlined in dark denim. Broad shoulders sport a dark-blue, button-down dress shirt with rolled sleeves, exposing his corded forearms. He’s lean through the waist but not thin. I believe he could have a job moonlighting as a fitness model. His dark, five o’clock shadow is shading his jaw, an indication he’s been with me for almost 24 hours now, making sure I’ve been properly taken care of. My brows furrow in confusion. Why would he even care? I’m only a pawn in their game, one who was stalked, then stolen to serve every one of Nick’s sadistic fantasies. I tilt my head to the side, studying Travis, and even though he’s Nick’s second-in-command, he looks as if he should be the leader of the pack. I decide he’s definitely all-alpha male, more so than Nick, who’s more of a pretty boy, metrosexual.

  Unable to form words, I remain silent; my brain has checked out, rendering me speechless and unable to form words. His heavy weight rests on the now-dipping mattress as he sits down beside me, touching my hip with his. I should be scrambling off the bed right now, trying to get away, especially after Nick’s alpha display of domination. For some reason, however, I don’t think that’s Travis’ intent. He keeps his soft gaze on mine as he locks me into a trance.

  Holy hell, he is a smooth operator, I think as he leans in close, wiping my stray tears with his thumb. His tender touch and his act of kindness make me want to weep even more. I find myself captivated by his enchanting spell. Those beautiful, familiar green eyes stare into mine, speaking to me with compassion and understanding. I believe he’s trying to speak to me through his eyes, but I can’t interpret the meaning; yet his calm and quiet demeanor seems to soothe me. Have I lost my mind, or is what I’m feeling part of the shock process?

  “Shh now, it’ll be all right. Take a deep breath for me…breathe.”

  Oh. My. God. The way he’s attempting to pick up the broken pieces of me has my heart slowly beating back to life. It’s good to hear his now-familiar voice again, speaking with a smooth, husky, and deep tone. His soft touch and his voice seem to provide a safe haven of solace for the moment, a comfort I desperately need in this time of disparity. I didn’t realize I was barely breathing until I find myself taking a deep, shaky breath at his request.

  If I had met this man in another place and time, garnering me with this type of affection, I would’ve thought I’d won the lottery. He wouldn’t have needed to capture me to make me his. He could have simply been a stranger crossing my path, and if he were to stop me and ask me out, I would have accepted on the spot without hesitation.

  I slap the palm of my hand hard against my forehead with a loud smack, and the sound resonates through my head. Something is seriously messing with my brain. What the hell? What about Adam? I slap myself in the forehead again, needing to clear my hazy thoughts.

  “Hey! Hey, now...stop,” Travis says firmly. He takes my hands in his to prevent me from causing further self-injury, and I let out a wail of frustration.

  “What’s happening to me?” I cry out. Since my hands are trapped, I find myself starting to bang my already-sore head against the headboard, wincing in pain.

  “Stop it!” Travis bellows, and his reverberating voice freezes me in place. He lets go of my hands and wraps me in a strong, warm embrace. His familiar scent of leather envelops me, warming my insides. I can feel the muscles in his chest and biceps as he pulls me in closer to him, pulling me out of both my shock and my tantrum.

  “You’re going to be okay. I’ve got you,” he whispers softly in my ear. For some strange reason, I find myself slipping my arms around his thick body, returning his embrace; I can’t help myself. Being wrapped in his arms gives me the illusion of being out of harm’s way. I feel his muscles flex in his upper back while my nose nestles into the crook of his neck, inhaling pure man.

  He then mirrors my actions, leaning in to nuzzle my neck, his soft breaths cascading over my neck, sending goose bumps down my spine. I allow myself to take comfort in the moment and get lost in his touch. I don’t know what it is about Travis, but he has a magnetic-like pull on my body and mind, and seems to have the ability to erase the bad.

  I’m scared—actually, more than scared, perhaps utterly terrified. What if my father and his men don’t get to me in time, and I’ve been shattered beyond repair by the things Nick has planned for me? What about Adam, and our future plans? Oh, God! Who’s going to be the one to tell him what had happened? I can’t imagine what’s going through his mind right now. I feel myself getting upset all over again, and new tears begin to form.

  By the sound of it, Nick has been planning this for a long while. My body shivers at the thought, and I fist the fabric on the back of Travis’ shirt in a frustrated death grip. He feels my growing anxiety and pulls back to see my eyes mimicking a deer in headlights, as the reality of my new world sinks in.

  “I need you to trust me,” he says with a deep, firm voice. “I’ve got you, okay?” I pull my lower lip between my teeth in worry. I don’t know what he’s trying to say, but I decide to nod my head in agreement anyway, as if I understand. “I’m serious; you will come to learn really quickly that I’m a man of my word, and I mean what I say.”

  I nod again to placate him. He wants me to trust him to do what? Trust he will abuse me, use me? It takes a lot to trust someone, let alone a couple of thugs who have wicked plans, and if I don’t comply, they will give me away to sex traffickers. My stomach twists in a knot at the thought.

  Leaning in only inches from my face, he lets out a sigh. “If you don’t want to be called ‘Princess,’ what would you like me to call you?”

  Well, that question came out of left field. I shake my head, giving him a puzzled look, and croakily answer, “Julianna. My name is Julianna, but my close friends…they call me Jules.” Now, why the hell did I just tell him that? It’s as if I’m saying, ‘Yeah, hot captor babe, you can call me Jules.’

  “Well, how about I start with Julianna then? Would that be all right?” I take a deep breath and nod. “That-a girl. Focus on your breathing.” Travis moves his hands to my tear-streaked face and wipes away the wetness. I sniffle and take in more oxygen. “Keep taking deep breaths for me,” he urges.

  His thumbs are still on my face, but he’s no longer wiping my tears. He’s caressing my cheeks where Nick held me so roughly before. His soft touch is distracting me from my troubled thoughts, and if I didn’t know better, I’d think he’s trying to rub away the memory of Nick’s touch. Thinking of Nick again sends a shiver through my body.

  “Shh, settle down now,” he whispers. The way Travis is staring at me makes my heart race. I’m becoming hyper-aware of him and the effect he’s having on me, and I hate myself a little more. I feel blood rushing to my face, and he gives me a sexy, knowing grin. I shift my gaze downward, studying his forearms to hide my forming blush.

  “All right then, Julianna,” he says, and I love the way he rolls my name off his tongue. He then places his calloused finger under my chin and slowly lifts my gaze to meet his again. He inclines his head, and it feels as if he’s going to move in for a kiss. Whoa—my heart beats double-time, and my stomach flips into a knot. “Julianna,” he whispers my name as if it’s a prayer, “you are safe with me. I promise you can trust what I say. I’m not going to hurt you.”

  I look into his sincere eyes and somehow,
I believe him. His words are as sweet as honey, rich and smooth, soothing my frayed nerves. I find myself wanting to hang on to every word that proceeds out of his mouth. Just when I think he’s going to close the distance for a kiss, he pulls back, leaving me feeling bereft. His eyes searching mine, he asks, “Do you understand me now?”

  “Yes,” I answer in a small voice and nod my head, because I think I do understand he won’t let harm come to me, but Nick is another story. Transfixed on his searing gaze, I repeat, “Yes, thank you.”

  Um, thank you, Jules? Really? Thanking your captor?

  I tell myself it’s not my fault; his close proximity is too distracting, making my brain cells misfire.

  “I know you have plenty of unanswered questions, and I will answer the majority of them tomorrow, when you’re better rested, but if you wish, I can answer a select few for you now. I’ll tell you if I’m not at liberty to answer something for you or not.”

  Before I have the opportunity to speak, he holds up his finger, indicating he’s not done. He gets up, retrieves the tray of food, and carries it back with him. He sets it on the nightstand beside me, and I watch him remove the dome lid, uncovering a steamy, hot meal. “Why don’t you eat a little bit first? You haven’t eaten all day, and you’re going to need your strength.”

  He has a forkful of roast beef with potatoes speared onto the end of the fork when I look over, and I find myself in a trance again, watching him bring it up to blow on through his soft lips, cooling my food. The steam swirls then dissipates into the air, leaving a delicious smell in its wake. My stomach decides at that moment to embarrass me and grumble.