Finding Anna (Hidden Duet Book 1)

by LM Terry

  I grab the soap and caress my hands over him. I mimic his earlier movements over my body. His skin is tan. He is solid muscle. I watch as his muscles tremble beneath my fingers. I notice where he is most sensitive and focus my attention to those areas. His dick twitches against my stomach. My curiosity whispers to peek down at him. I take a deep breath willing my fear down. His cock is long and thick, I see it drip with desire.

  He opens his eyes, staring at me intently. I sense that he is reluctant to make any sudden movements. Afraid to send me running out of the shower screaming. His words echo in my mind, my brave little Anna. I reach out and wrap my hand around his cock hearing his abrupt intake of breath as I do.

  I peer up at him not sure what to do from here. I want to make him feel as good as he made me, but I don’t know how. “Just stroke it baby, you can’t do it wrong,” he says through gritted teeth. I can see he is straining to control himself. It frightens me a little. I can’t imagine what he will be like when he lifts the restraints.

  I close my fist and move it down the length of him and then forward again all the way to the tip brushing my thumb over the end. He seems to approve as he tilts his head back moaning. I watch the water fall over his face.

  I continue to pump my fist a little faster, wrapping it tighter around him with each stroke. He grabs my arms and leans into me placing his forehead to mine and lets out a loud groan. His cock twitches in my hand as his seamen splays across my stomach.

  The satisfaction I get from giving him pleasure grows inside me changing something. I realize that I have never been so in control in my entire life. I pushed past my fear. I took control of the situation. I didn’t hide. I didn’t drift away to Sarah. He lifts his head looking down at my stomach smiling.

  “God that felt good, Anna.” He bends down kissing me hard. I open to him letting him explore my mouth. I run my hands up his torso and wrap them around his neck pulling him close.

  He breaks his hold on me and smiles. “You positive you don’t want to go with me today? I’m not sure if I can leave you after that.”

  I give him a small shy smile. “I’m sure.”

  We rinse off not taking our eyes off each other. When we leave the sanctuary of the shower the cool air on the other side of the glass makes the hair on my arm stand up. He wraps me up tightly in a towel rubbing my arms as he does.

  I stop at the door not wanting to go back out into the real world. He knows what I am thinking. He presses a kiss to the top of my head. “When we leave this room, nothing changes. You are still mine.”

  After Dylan pulled away, I felt it. I assumed I would rejoice at being away from my captor. The prospect of being alone had made me happy…until he drove away.

  His presence is all-consuming. Wherever we are, in the car, the kitchen…the shower. I watched as he pulled away. Slowly dread filled my soul. He says he was just going into town for supplies. He is leaving. Maybe he won’t return. I will be trapped here until I die, or until Oliver finds me. I am alone.

  I hyperventilated running into the house and crawled into bed. Everyone leaves me. Even Oliver left me behind. I know that sounds crazy, but it’s true. Every single person in my life has left me to fend for myself. Dylan will be no different. What was I thinking in the shower? What if he didn’t like it? Did I do something wrong? Did he get what he wanted and now he is gone?

  I sit for hours rocking back and forth on the bed. My mantra enters my head at some point. Eventually I walk downstairs and stare at the furnishings in front of me. I peer up at the wood beams running high into the ceiling. It doesn’t matter. It was all going to end the same.

  Back to cooking for myself I think sullenly. I make my way over to the kitchen and glance up at the clock noticing it is well past lunch. I spot a letter on the counter. Oh god not another surprise letter. This one is accompanied by a single rose. I pick up the rose breathing in the sweet fragrance. The petals tickle my nose. I read the note from Dylan.

  Anna,

  I whipped up my famous chicken salad for your lunch. You will find it in the blue container in the fridge. I know you said you don’t know how to cook, I thought you might like to learn. We start tonight. I will be most happy to teach you all about certain delicacies.

  Forever yours,

  Dylan

  I read the letter repeatedly, smiling at the little winky face he drew by the word delicacies. I sense there is a double meaning there. The somersault in my stomach rolls each time I run over the words. Then the end, forever yours. Is he really mine? He keeps saying I am his, but does it go both ways?

  He is coming back. I should be terrified, but I find that I anxiously await his return. I gobble up the chicken salad. I even take the chance to shower again making sure I am cleanly shaved. I then blow dry my hair and brush it, so it is sleek and shiny.

  I am primping for a man. How did this happen so fast? I barely know him. He kidnapped me two days ago. What the hell am I thinking? I’m not. Dylan has done all the thinking for the both of us and I find that that somehow makes my life easier.

  When I’m with Dylan, I don’t have to think I just have to be. I only have to be Anna, nothing more, that seems to make him happy. He scares me and yet he doesn’t. It makes little sense. I pick up my book to read as my eyes drift to the window. I set the novel down and decide to live in my reality for once. I will go for that walk.

  As I’m about to step outside, I hear my cell ring. I turn towards the sound. It is right there in the living room plugged in and charging. I see that I have an incoming call from an unknown number. I thought Dylan had either hidden or taken my phone. He hadn’t. I’m somewhat confused by this revelation. Kidnappers don’t leave their victim with a way to contact the outside world.

  Should I answer it? It might be Irene or Frank, they were very concerned the day I said goodbye to them. “Hello?”

  My blood turns ice cold as I hear the familiar silky voice slither into my ear. “Kitten, I have been trying to call you. Why haven’t you been picking up? I thought maybe you had gotten a new phone. Which would have been a shame since Brian was so kind to take note of your number when he found you in Texas.”

  I don’t know why I respond but I do. Habit I guess. “I’m sorry Oliver. My phone has been dead.” Is he here? I peek out the window and slowly creep my way over to the door ensuring that it is locked.

  “I expect you to answer when I call. Don’t make that mistake again. I will forgive you this time because how could you have known I would be calling.”

  “Yes, sir.” I pull the phone away from ear and look at it. Could it have a tracker?

  “You have been a very bad girl haven’t you Anna?”

  I say nothing.

  “You have made things very difficult for me but don’t worry Kitten, I am a very resourceful man. I am sure that Brian will come and retrieve you soon. Why don’t you tell me where you are and that should help speed up the process?”

  “I’m…I’m at the ranch.”

  “Tsk, tsk I assumed you would know better than to play these games with me. I will find you and when I do, you will see a side of me you will not like.”

  Dead silence. He is giving me another chance. No way am I telling him where the fuck I am. I hoped I could wait for him to come and then I would fight him. But hearing his voice again has terrified me more than I ever dreamed possible.

  “Have it your way. Take care, Kitten.”

  The line goes dead. I study my phone and drop it onto the floor. I pick my foot up to smash it, but I stop. If there is a tracker in there will smashing it help? I am going to have to ask Dylan about it.

  I peek out the window, should I still leave for my walk? I don’t think Oliver knows where I am…at least not yet. I step outside and take a big whiff of the clean pine air. It is a beautiful clear day. But, I see storm clouds rolling in from the west. The similarity between the sky and my life does not unnoticed.

  Chapter Nineteen

  ∞∞∞

  Dylan
>
  It takes everything in me to leave her. She waves at me from the porch. I am confident she won’t do anything to hurt herself while I am away and I’m sure she won’t run. She isn’t stupid. She is the one who bought the place specifically for the remote location. She knows there is nowhere to go.

  I hadn’t foreseen that she would take charge like that in the shower. Yes, I fully expected to touch every single square inch of her, but I didn’t think she would reciprocate. I need to make this quick and get back to her. I need the equipment to ensure she remains safe. I can’t take any risks.

  I pull my cell out of my pocket to call Liam.

  “Change of plans, I need you and the guys to resume the search for Oliver.”

  “Already started, I never stopped you dumb ass.”

  I laugh, he can’t piss me off today. I’m in far too favorable of a mood. “Anything?”

  “A private plane flew out of a small airport near the compound that night. I have my people scoring over flight patterns. The guys are ready to fly out, so we can get men on the ground.”

  “Excellent, no sign of them here in the states?”

  “Nope.”

  “Good. I’m picking up supplies now. I will get the security system in place at Anna’s cabin.”

  “Anna? Don’t you mean Sarah? Did you forget her name already Dylan? Really?” he says with an incredulous tone.

  “Oh crap, I forgot. Sorry, no. You will not believe this, but you were right. Her eyes are blue.”

  “No shit Sherlock, I told you I wasn’t crazy.”

  “Yah, yah I realize you aren’t the crazy one. You are my voice of reason. Anyhow, her name is Anna. Anna Velasquez. Do you remember her?” I question.

  “Now who is crazy? She is dead Dylan. I don’t know what kinda crap this girl is pulling but…”

  “Stop. It is her. She has a picture of Annette. It’s her. Her friend, the other little girl, Sarah Madrono, she is the one who drowned. Annette talked the Madronos into taking Anna and raising her as their daughter to protect her from Ramirez.”

  “I’m confused here Dylan. Did Annette know that there was a threat from Ramirez and Wright?” he says.

  I detect the anger that lurks behind his words. I need to tread lightly. He is tore up over Sophia. “You remember how Annette became pregnant soon after Manuel rescued her? Well, she must have already been pregnant with Ramirez’s baby. He is Anna’s father or at least he thought he was, I guess that much hasn’t been proven.”

  “So, she is the reason for the attack?” he says flatly.

  “It’s not her fault Liam.”

  “We should use her.”

  “What? Fuck no! Listen, one of us will kill him but we are not using her. What the hell man, you told me she gave you information, you said yourself she was innocent.”

  “How do you know she is telling the truth? She could be setting you up.”

  “Liam, I’m texting you the location, come out and talk to her yourself, you will see she is not lying. I mean it. We. Are. Not. Using. Her.” I stress each word letting him know I am serious. “If anyone hurts her they are dead, do you understand?”

  “Sure. I’ll come, but I don’t like this Dylan. You are losing focus.”

  He seems to have calmed down. “Take the next flight to Denver and I’ll send you the address.”

  “Fine,” he says.

  I hang up. That wasn’t the reaction I was expecting. Liam is always the voice of reason but this time our conversation took a turn. I brush it off, he will come around once he gets here and talks to her for himself. He is just upset about Sophia. We all are.

  The drive is torturous. The farther I am away from the cabin the harder it is to keep driving. I arrive to town over an hour later. First thing I do is go to a dealership and trade this tin can in for something more my size. I opt for a black SUV. As I transfer everything out of her car to the new ride, I wonder how angry she will be when I don’t come back with it. I envision her stomping her little foot down crossing her arms giving me the big bad Anna glare. I smile, good something to get us going when I return.

  I quickly run through my list and pick up everything I need. I make an unplanned stop to grab a few extra fun in the bedroom items. I’m surprised to find a sex shop in the middle of the high mountains but hey you got to do something for entertainment up here.

  As I drive my thoughts swirl with excitement. I am hoping that Oliver doesn’t appear for a while. Getting snowed in with Anna wouldn’t be so bad, it would be plenty of time to introduce her to all sort of forbidden pleasures.

  I pull up to the cabin just as evening is setting in. Dark clouds fill the sky. I hear a rumble in the distance. I will check on her before I unload the SUV. I walk in. It is quiet, too quiet. I call out to her not getting a response. I move through the house checking every room. There is no sign of her, nothing amiss, but my heart races. I shouldn’t have left her.

  I jog outside to look around and see a patch of trampled grass that leads out to the forest. She didn’t. I follow the path she made, as soon as I am deeper into the trees I hear something. It sounds like water, a river perhaps.

  I realize as I get close the sound is a little bubbling stream. There she is, sitting on a rock absently watching the current swirl around the rocks.

  “I didn’t run,” she says not turning to look at me.

  “I didn’t think you had.”

  She turns and smiles, she knows that is exactly what I thought. “Sure, whatever you say.”

  I climb up beside her and brush her hair off her shoulder to press a kiss there. “I didn’t think you would venture away from the house.”

  “I guess I’m feeling brave today.” She smiles again, her cheeks flush with color.

  “Brave enough to race me to the cabin and help me unload?” I joke. I study the dark sky. “It looks like it is going to rain.” I stand and take a few steps thinking she will follow but I hear her speak in a whisper, barely audible over the sound of the stream.

  “Do you really want to know what scared me the most about Oliver and my time there?” Her eyes are fixated on the water.

  I place her hand in mine and scoot in close to her. If she is going to share something with me then I will not waste this opportunity, whether or not we get caught in the rain. “Yes, talking about it might help.”

  Her bottom lip trembles. “When I woke up there they had me tied naked to an exam table. They had drugged me, I had been under for a long time. I was so scared I didn’t know who had me or what they would do.”

  The thought of her in their hands makes me want to lash out and kill. I must maintain calm for her to continue. She is finally opening up, this is what I have wished for more than anything. She stares at me searching my face, searching for reassurance. “Go ahead, nothing you say will change the way I feel about you.”

  She looks back at the water. “After I woke up this asshole named Brian took me to Oliver’s office. He warned me about Oliver, but I didn’t listen. Oliver asked me what my name was and when I told him Sarah, he got upset. He asked a second time, I replied the same. I was so stupid, I knew he already realized who I was I just couldn’t be Anna not there, not with them.”

  Her whole body shakes. I hug her rocking her back and forth. “It’s okay Anna you are here with me now, no one will hurt you.” I continue to hold her as big rain drops cry down upon on us. To hell with the storm, I’m not moving if she is talking. If we go inside, she might shut down.

  “He became so angry he called Brian in and told him to punish me. I’m not sure if Brian was aware of my biggest fear, but that is how he did it.”

  I cradle her face in both of my hands looking into her tear-filled eyes. “It’s the water isn’t it?”

  Her eyes widen with surprise. “How did you know?” she breathes out.

  I draw her into my arms. “I saw how frightened you were by the pool. It makes sense Anna, you watched your friend drown at ten years old. Who wouldn’t be afraid?”


  “I thought he would kill me. He took me to a bathroom making me get into a tub full of water. It happened so fast. He was so big I couldn’t stop him, he kept pushing me down repeatedly letting me up long enough to give me a short breath.” She sits up wiping at her eyes and pulls out of my arms trying to get herself together.

  “Anna, I’m so sorry.”

  She waves her hand to dismiss me. “It’s fine, it’s nothing compared to what the other girls had to endure. I think I passed out, that is when he stopped.”

  “You didn’t deserve that. What happened to you matters just as much as what happened to them. Don’t discount any of it, it was real, it sounds terrifying. Anna, it’s okay to not be okay. You don’t always have to be strong.”

  She laughs, a laugh that sounds on the verge of hysterical. “No? I do Dylan. Oliver is out there looking for me right now. I can never escape him.” She stands up and scrambles off the rock as the rain falls heavier.

  “Stop, Anna.”

  She doesn’t. She runs. I clumsily try to run after her. She caught me off my game, damn her, she maneuvers over the wet slick dirt better than I can. We make it up to the clearing as the rumble of thunder moves in on our heels. It is turning into a muddy mess and I have to focus on each step as my heavy boots bog me down.

  I pause to push the hair out of my face, so I can see what I’m doing. I notice she has stopped to face me. She is about six feet away, out of my reach. She points to the cabin. “What the fuck is that Dylan? Where is my car?”

  I smile. Damn she is so fucking hot standing there in the rain all angry. Her blue eyes seem unworldly, bright sapphires set against a gray gloomy back drop. “I traded it in for something more my size.”

  I really didn’t trade it in, it is in a storage unit. I bought the SUV and hide hers away. I couldn’t have sold it even if I wanted to without a title. We needed a new vehicle if Oliver is looking for her, but I would not tell her all this. She is so cute when she is angry.