Amy had been so wound up lately. Between taking six classes, finishing up her senior thesis project, and juggling a part-time job shuttling jugs of beer at one of Texas State’s main hangouts, she’d been looking forward to this night for a long time.
Trisha shook her head. “I don’t know, I just don’t think it’s a good idea.” She chewed on her thumbnail as she looked over at the two men.
The leader of the two men, Joe, walked over to both girls. He had beautiful skin, perfect hair, and huge biceps. He wore a white button-down shirt, un-tucked from his khakis- perfect attire for the outdoor cabana. He was just the type of man that Amy had hoped to mess around with on her vacation.
Pink’s “Blow Me One Last Kiss” pulsated in the background as he walked towards the two women. Even to the girls, it was clear that he was coming in for Amy.
“What do you say girls? Are you up for an after party or what?” He looked at Amy, the obvious weak link out of the two of them.
“Give us one minute,” Amy threw Joe a devilish grin. “Uno momento.” She raised her index finger towards the handsome frat guy’s face. She reached for the stranger’s hand and then quickly pulled away to work out a deal with her friend. He smiled back, letting his eyes drift towards her breasts for a brief second.
“Come here Trish, we need to talk,” The alcohol made Amy’s voice sound almost unrecognizable, even to her college roommate. The two girls walked to the back of the club. Both men stood patiently, watching the girls carefully from a distance.
“We’re not going.” Trisha got in Amy’s face. “I don’t have a good feeling about this.”
“Don’t be so uptight. You promised you wouldn’t be such a prude.” Amy paused to sip from her sixth straight margarita. “I wouldn’t have come with you if I knew you were going to act like this.”
“Don’t get all pissy at me. You’re totally wasted and you know it. I can’t help it if I don’t feel safe leaving some random fucking club with two total strangers in the middle of Mexico,” Trisha said.
“And I can’t help it if I want to have some fun for once. I guess I’ll go by myself.” Amy pressed her lips together, refusing to budge.
And she did just that as she turned and walked towards the two men. She stopped for the smallest moment as the bass pumped through her alcohol-drenched body. She wasn’t even sure why she stopped, but she never looked back at her best friend. The two fraternity brothers wrapped their arms around her body and escorted her out of the club.
“What happened to your friend,” Joe said with a wry grin.
“Who knows? She’s being a prude.” Amy shook her head.
But as the music from the club grew more and more distant, the streets of Cancun began to lose their tourist-friendly glare. And Amy began to get a strange feeling in her stomach.
“Just a little longer to the car,” the handsome stranger said as he guided Amy into an alley. By now all signs of people, music, and Trisha had vanished. The alcohol began to take its toll on her as the alley walls spun wildly around her. She vaguely remembered the strangers offering her one margarita after another, and she vaguely remembered Trisha refusing to accept their drinks. But then again Amy was determined to make this night fun from the get go.
Only now the sky above her was spinning faster by the second. She felt like the alley walls were closing in on her as her head grew heavier and heavier. The last thing she remembered before losing total consciousness was the two strangers laughing at her right before she passed out; as out of it as she felt, the image of the two fraternity men’s faces burned a hole in her brain. She felt a wave of terror rip through her poisoned body as she realized what had just happened to her.
I’ve been drugged.
* * *
She awoke to a throbbing head and bright lights blinding her from above.
Where the fuck am I?
As the fog lifted slightly from her brain, terror began to grip her body. Shock set in as the cold chains pressed against her wrists. I’ve been kidnapped, she thought.
She fought with all her might to break loose. But the harder she pulled, the tighter the chains around her wrists had become. And the more she regained consciousness, the more she realized just how much trouble she had gotten herself into.
She tried to scream, but her mouth had been gagged with a cloth.
Where am I? She thought for sure she was going to die- right here, wherever she was. She attempted to make a run for it but instead she fell hard on the wooden floor beneath her- her feet had been bound by chains as well.
As she hit the floor, she could hear laughter coming from just slightly below her.
“Get up, sweetheart,” a familiar voice grabbed her by the waist and sat her back in the chair that she started in. Amy recognized the man’s voice; it was the same cute guy that her friend warned her not to leave the club with. Joe, or whatever his name really is.
The laughter faded out as Amy regained her posture in the chair, bound at all limbs and gagged at the mouth. Her eyes had begun to adjust to the lights and she could make out several male figures seated quietly in the shadows in front of her. Their eyes wandered about to her left and to her right. And directly at her. She looked to her side and saw multiple women seated, just like her, gagged and bound just like her. There she was, up on a stage with six or seven other women.
Amy noticed the two men who had abducted her moving around the room, bouncing from one audience member to another. A bright light shined directly on Amy’s beautiful body. She fought hard with both eyes to cut through the light and try to figure out what the hell was going on.
“Tonight’s special prize is the very lovely Amy. She’s a beautiful, sexy college girl who came all the way here to have a little fun. And gentlemen, I’d say she looks like a lot of fun to me,” Joe said, gesturing to Amy. She could almost make out all of the men by now. Most of them were in business suits, some were American. But all of their heads nodded in approval of the beautiful college senior that was chained up and gagged on the stage.
“We’ll start the bidding at fifty thousand,” said Joe. A hand went up instantly.
I’m being sold. She wanted nothing more than to cry as memories of her family came flooding into her brain. Every woman’s worst nightmare was happening to Amy McCarthy, only there would be no waking up from this. If only she could rewind, just a bit. If only she had listened to her friend Trisha. If only…
“Let’s try seventy-five thousand gentleman.” Joe gestured towards the female specimen on stage. Three hands shot up immediately. Amy’s eyes darted from one man to another.
She hoped and prayed that Trisha notified the local Mexican police. But she knew how corrupt things were in Cancun. For all she knew, Joe worked for the police in some way.
“One hundred thousand,” said the auctioneer with a wide grin. “Can I get one hundred thousand dollars for this lovely piece of ass?” Joe grabbed Amy by the hair, showcasing her for the audience.
“That’s enough.” A deep-voiced man from the audience rose from his chair and looked directly at Joe. The man towered over the supposed fraternity brother. Two men shot out from the sides to assist the businessman who looked like he was ready to crush Joe with his bare hands.
“Easy. We don’t want any problemos.” Joe backed off immediately.
“I’ll take her for one hundred,” said another white-collar man from the audience.
“Two hundred and fifty thousand dollars,” said the man who almost pummeled Joe. Whoever this man was, he was after Amy. She couldn’t get a good look at his face, but judging from the fact that he was willing to pay a quarter of a million dollars for her body, he was clearly a man of infinite stature.
“Sold to man # 5, for two hundred and fifty thousand dollars.” Joe licked his lips, very pleased with the sale.
Who is man # 5? What is he going to do to me? Is he going to kill me?
Amy felt her eyes suddenly go dark as two rough ha
nds came from behind and fastened a blindfold around her eyes. Two more hands joined in and pulled her off the chair and dragged her off the stage. Her entire body shook from the terror of what was happening to her
There she was, dragged behind the stage like an animal. Even with the blindfold on, she closed her eyes and prayed as one of the men covered her nose and mouth with a rag drenched in an awful-smelling chemical. She tried to scream yet again, only to be muted by the thick rag that was stuffed in her once perfect mouth. She had no idea what the smell was, but she knew it wasn’t good. Within seconds, Amy’s world went black.
* * *
When she awoke from her poisonous sleep, she felt like she had been unconscious for weeks. Her body was bound to what felt like a bed; a strangely comfortable bed. Thick, leathery bands locked each hand in place above her head. Each leg was pried wide open; the same leathery straps bound her feet to a solid structure at the foot of the bed.
She felt like she had already lost half of her mind, but she hadn’t given up all hope that either her life would be spared by whoever the mysterious man was that stole her, or that the local authorities would be able to follow her trail from the night club.
Only this time, her mouth was free. No cloth to keep her from screaming at the top of her lungs. But the darkness crippled her vocal chords, and the fear that gripped her rendered every muscle in her body useless.
“If you want to scream, I understand. But I’m not going to hurt you.” A thick, deep voice from just inches away spoke from out of the darkness. She recognized the voice; it was the man who, in a bizarre sort of way, defended her honor in front of Joe.
“What do you want from me?” she said. Her voice was weak. She laid there, so helpless, bound before this man.
“We’ll get to that in time. Just know that you’re safe with me,” he said.
“Please. Please let me go. Please don’t kill me,” she said as she tugged with all that she had left from every limb of her body.
“I’m not going to kill you, Amy. You have my word, you’re safe with me,” he said.
“I can pay you. My parents can pay you. Whatever you want, we can pay you. Please,” she cried out.
“I don’t want your money,” he paused as he brushed the backside of his hand against her soft cheek. “I have more money than God.”
Strangely, she actually felt a small charge of electricity from his gentle caress. My brain must be fried. She had no idea how to play this stranger. As she saw things, he was the only thing that stood between her own life and death. She was determined to remain as calm as she could.
“You’re very beautiful, Amy. I’ve never done anything like this before.” She resisted the urge to turn her cheek away as she lied as perfectly still as she could.
He placed his large, warm hand on her smooth, trembling thigh. He pressed down hard into her thigh, somehow settling her nerves a bit as the trembling came to a stop.
“Please, what do you want from me?” she said. Her voice was desperate, still drenched with fear, but she needed to surrender if she was ever going to come out of this in one piece.
“The first thing I need you to do is let go.” His voice sounded surprisingly normal to her. “I promise, I’m not going to hurt you. And if things go well, you have my word that I’ll let you go.”
She lied still for a moment and tried to center her mind. She began to take slow, rhythmic breaths; just as she had learned from her yoga teacher on campus at Texas State. She visualized her parents, and her sister, and her friends at school; she was determined to create a private world within her mind- a world that she could seek refuge in.
“That’s it. Now you’re getting it.” His fingers trailed down the side of her neck. “You really are beautiful,” he said, his deep voice seemed to be moving in on her.
“Thank you.” Her voice shook as she spoke. And somehow, this stranger’s words felt comforting to her. The same man that held her captive was now her sole source of comfort.
“While you’re with me, your body is all mine. Do you understand that Amy?”
No, not at all, she thought.
“Yes sir, I understand.” Her lips quivered.
“Good girl. You’re getting the hang of this now.” There was a slight pause. She could feel his eyes scanning her vulnerable body. “I chose you for a reason, Amy.”
She tilted her chin slightly upwards; she hated to admit to herself that she wanted to hear more from him.
“Your legs. Your hips. And your breasts. Your beautiful eyes. And the perfect curve of your jaw line. Everything about you drives me wild. I knew you were the one for me from the second I laid my eyes on you.”
“What do you want from me?” she said.
“Everything,” he said. “If you cooperate, and do as I say, then I’ll release you in time.”
“How do I know I can trust you?” She prepared herself to surrender her body completely. I don’t have any other choice, she told herself.
“Trust will take time. But your options are few and far between right now,” he said. “I’m going to work you hard. You can fight it if you choose, but the outcome will be much more favorable for you if you don’t.”
“How long,” she paused as a chill ripped through her body, “will I be your slave?”
“Until I’m satisfied.” She could hear the lust in his voice. Maybe he really wasn’t going to hurt her. Maybe he really was only interested in her body.
She swallowed hard, preparing herself for his taking.
“Amy, let me be clear, this doesn’t have to be so scary. I give you my word.”
She wanted to tell him off. She wanted to spit in his face. But she knew better. “I’m sorry, I’ve never been kidnapped before.”
“You’re thinking about this the wrong way. I’m just borrowing you. Mainly because I can.” He placed one of his large fingers on her dry, lower lip. “You’ve been through a lot. You need to get some food in your system,” he said. “I need your body to be rested.”
She felt his hand reach behind her head. In a flash her blindfold had been undone. As the blurriness in her eyes subsided, all she could see was her captor’s large frame from behind as he left the room that had become her prison.
As she looked around at her room, she was struck by its beauty. Whoever her captor was, he was beyond rich. The idea of having her family entice him with ransom money seemed ridiculous. The walls around her were coated in deep purple velvet wallpaper. Large windows surrounded her on all sides, although she wasn’t yet able to turn her head to look behind her. She couldn’t see much outside, given that she was bound to the bed by the leather straps, but she could tell that her room was situated high above the ground. There was a large, white bureau with an oversized dressing mirror attached to it. A soft, plush white rug covered the entirety of the floor. And above her was a ceiling composed solely of mirrored glass.
She couldn’t get a read on him. Maybe he was telling the truth. Maybe he just wanted to have his way with her body and then she would be freed. Maybe he really wouldn’t kill her after all. And maybe, she thought, this won’t be so bad.
Dear God, I’ve lost my mind.
“I brought you some food,” he said. She looked up and saw him, for the first time. His eyes caught her off guard perhaps more than any other feature of his. His eyes were distant, even cold. And yet somehow there was warmth within them. He was probably more handsome than any man she had ever seen. If he wasn’t her captor, she would even go so far as to say that he was a gorgeous man. But no man who would enslave another woman could ever be called gorgeous, she thought.
She couldn’t wrap her head around why a man like this would need to steal another woman. He could probably have thousands of women if he wanted them.
He placed a tray with an array of fresh food down onto her lap. He released her hands and arms, freeing her to eat from the plate of food. After all that she had been through, her body was ravished as she
devoured every bit of food that he gave her. She ate fast and hard, like an animal that had just stumbled upon its first meal in months.
“You were hungry, weren’t you?” She looked up at her captor, her mouth filled with cheese and bread, and nodded in agreement. His facial expression confused her; for a spilt second he appeared as though he felt bad for her.
“Take your time. I’ll be back in a little while and we’ll go over the ground rules.” He turned to leave as she continued to feed her famished body.
* * *
She awoke from a long sleep feeling more rested than she had felt since she left her hotel to let loose for a night with Trisha.
My feet, they’re free, she noticed. In fact, every part of her was unbound. This is my chance, she thought. She carefully tiptoed towards the door. Her heart pounded through her chest as she reached for the doorknob.
Fuck. It didn’t budge. She wrapped both hands around the knob, determined to open the door. She pulled and twisted; it wasn’t moving. She was trapped, and whether or not her hands and feet were actually bound made no difference whatsoever.
“Help me! Somebody help me!” she screamed. She felt her mind cross the line of sanity as she started to kick the doorknob. Her frustration grew deeper as she began to punch the door with the sides of her fists. “Help me! Please! Help me!” she screamed as her bloodied fists began to pound at the door.
“Ah!” She screamed as the floor beneath her feet opened up. Her body fell through the trap door and landed onto a metal chute. She slid down what seemed like several floor levels through a dark metal tunnel. This is it, she thought.
Her body flew out from the metal shoot and landed onto a soft mattress, right at his feet.
“I thought we had an agreement,” he said. His voice was angrier than before. “Get up,” he said. She rose up from the floor, happy to still be in one piece but scared to death for what was to come.
The Billionaire's Object (An Alpha Billionaire Romance) Page 9