Chapter 1 #18
Several minutes pass before Kid is emotionally stable enough to stand tall.
Felipe and Celia have asked him to do this, and for whatever reason, he doesn’t want to let them down.
He nods slowly, and as Celia resumes her ministrations, he speculates on his choices and how they’ve led him here.
After his parents died, he’d made a slew of self-destructive choices.
Hell, even before then, if he were honest. He’d been willful toward his parents and the weight of that guilt rested heavy on his shoulders after they passed.
Unable to please his parents, Kid tried his best to be an obedient son to his uncle, a man who had never wanted children.
The guilt Kid suffered at the time, coupled with his crushing loneliness, had made it easy to drop out of school at fifteen, learn to ride a Harley, and follow Tiny.
Shortly after, Kid discovered soft drugs, something Tiny encouraged, going so far as to push him toward dealing for easy cash.
From there, Kid’s decision to join the Night Devil’s on their monthly runs into Mexico had been a foregone conclusion.
Kid supposes he has always tried to please someone: his parents, his uncle, and now Celia and Felipe.
His parents loved him unconditionally, but it is a love he’s lost. His uncle had felt responsible for him, but Kid had understood his uncle’s love was reserved for his lifestyle.
If Kid had been too young to ride a motorcycle, Tiny would have dumped him with his grandparents—complete strangers who never approved of his father.
With Celia and Felipe, Kid knows he is wanted, if for no other reason than they won’t let him leave.
Somehow, they’ve given him the structure and affection he’s been missing in his life and Kid knows exactly how to please them, because they never leave him to wonder.
His world has become simple: obey or be punished.
Kid decides simplicity offers its own peace.
Pulled abruptly from his thoughts, Kid grunts as Celia rubs oil over his cock and balls.
He is sore from a tryst they had earlier, but he continues to eagerly anticipate release.
Which, of course, has been Celia’s intention all along.
Little bitch. Kid smirks. At least he can still mouth off in his head.
Yes, there are times when Kid feels like a traitor for not holding on to his anger, but he always lets it go.
Felipe can behave like a civilized man and Kid has come to think of him fondly, but he also knows Felipe can turn.
Kid can never overlook the fact he’s been brought to Felipe’s home as a prisoner.
The dungeon is his. Celia is his. The rules are his.
There is no point in being angry, when the only person to suffer is him.
For all the crappy choices Kid has made, letting his anger go feels right.
Celia reaches between Kid’s thighs to playfully pluck the strap to his thong. Kid hates the outfit, but doesn’t protest further. Just as he doesn’t struggle against the clamps adorning his nipples. After all, Celia is wearing something similar.
Celia stands and circles Kid until she looks up at him. She smiles. “So beautiful.” She traces Kid’s bottom lip with her fingertip and he licks it.
“It tastes like honey,” he says.
Celia’s smile broadens. “I want you to taste sweet.”
Kid chuckles and it sounds exactly like he feels—bewitched. “Yes, Celia.”
Celia’s smile falters. “Tonight will be hard.” She runs her hands along Kid’s arms.
“It always is, Celia.” Kid tries his best to be comforting. It’s the least he can do.
She pulls on his arm until he goes down to his knees before she wraps him in a hug.
“No one will hurt you,” Celia says softly.
“I promise.” Celia’s English has improved significantly since Kid arrived.
He feels grateful to Felipe for suggesting Celia and Kid practice English and Spanish together.
Kid is damn near fluent—getting spanked by a ruler is one hell of a motivator.
Kid makes a feeble attempt at smiling. Celia is in no position to make promises, but the gesture is sweet nonetheless. “Gracias, Celia.”
“De nada, Kid.” They kiss for long minutes.
58. Celia
Things do not go exactly to plan, but the evening is a resounding success nonetheless. Rafiq, detained in Pakistan by his military obligations, is unable to attend Felipe’s soiree.
Caleb does allow Kitten to go through with receiving and performing oral sex with Kid in front of their guests, but is so overcome by jealousy that he promptly takes her upstairs afterward and divests her of her virginity.
Felipe, Celia, and Kid watch the video later that evening—Caleb thought he’d destroyed all the cameras, but failed to check the bed’s frame—and they find the footage to be exceedingly titillating.
“I told you he wouldn’t go through with it. Even the hardest hearts can be penetrated by Cupid’s bow.”
Felipe playfully rolls his eyes for Kid’s benefit and the boy laughs. “Very poetic, my dear, but Rafiq is still alive.”
“Yes,” Celia says very seriously, “but I have high hopes for a resolution.”
59. Felipe
For two blissful days and nights, Felipe’s mansion is a pleasure palace. Caleb and Kitten scarcely leave their room, and Felipe, Celia, and Kid cannot get enough of watching them. Their voyeurism invariably leads to wildly erotic lovemaking. Two days and two nights—and then it happens.
It’s the middle of the night when Felipe hears Reynaldo’s sharp knock on the door; he never uses the keypad unless Celia is in danger. He succinctly informs Felipe that Rafiq and his men are waiting in the entryway.
“Tell Rafiq I am in the process of concluding some business and that you’ll escort him to my study after you’ve helped them get settled. I want Rafiq in the guesthouse, not inside. Place his men in different wings. How many are they?”
“Rafiq, two guards, and…” Reynaldo pauses, avoiding Kid’s inquisitive eyes, “a slave.”
Felipe nods, grateful for Reynaldo’s tact.
There is no need for Kid to ever see his former lover or what has become of her.
Celia has no sympathy for women who side with vile men, and Kid has no need to know that either.
“Understood. Go.” The moment the door closes, he addresses Celia, who is already pulling on clothing.
“Lock him in the panic room and warn Caleb his master is here. I’ll keep them occupied in the study. ”
“Felipe!” Kid cries out. He catches hold of the older man’s wrist as he’s attempting to get out of bed.
“I can help! I don’t need to be locked away in some panic room like a fucking child.
” He’s out of bed and toe-to-toe with Felipe in an instant.
He lords his two inches of height advantage over the other man.
On any other night, Felipe might enjoy Kid’s newfound aggressiveness, but not tonight.
One well-placed punch to the younger man’s solar plexus and he’s gasping for oxygen at Felipe’s feet.
“Language, boy! You can’t kill a man with a cap gun.
” He steps over Kid’s hunched body and retrieves his suit from the closet.
“Do as you’re told.” He would prefer Rafiq did not have the satisfaction of having caught him unaware.
60. Celia
“Abra la puerta!” Celia growls outside Caleb’s door. She doesn’t like that Felipe is alone, even if her presence would do little to quell hostilities should they arise. She is many things, but an expert killer is not one of them.
The door opens and Celia bursts into the room and is greeted by Caleb and a knife trained on her throat. Kitten is on the floor crying by the side of the bed. There is a gun in her hand.
“What’s going on?” Caleb snarls in her ear.
“I came to warn you. Rafiq and his men are here. They’re downstairs with Felipe. They want to see you.” Celia is sure to hold on to Caleb’s forearm to keep pressure off of her throat.
“Caleb, let her go,” Kitten sobs. “She came to warn us.”
“We don’t know, Kitten. She could be here to separate us.”
Not for the first time, Celia witnesses Kitten’s fire. The terrified girl raises the gun. “Let her go, Caleb. I’ll keep her here.”
Celia is on the verge of actually being afraid. She doesn’t fear Kitten for a moment, but Caleb reminds her of a cornered animal and he has been known to behave erratically on occasion. His arm only loosens after Kitten pleads with him a second time. He keeps a tight grip on her nape.
“What’s the plan, Caleb?” the girl asks with feigned calm.
“I need to go meet them.”
“You can’t! What if they’re just waiting to kill you?”
“If everything is as Celia says, then there’s no reason I shouldn’t go downstairs.”
“No,” Celia interjects, “Felipe sent me to warn you.”
“Why would he warn me?” Caleb insists on being skeptical.
“Felipe knows what’s been happening between the two of you and hasn’t said a word to Rafiq.
He doesn’t want to deal with the fallout.
You’ve been here for months, instead of the few days Rafiq originally promised.
The last thing he needs is bloodshed in the house,” Celia snaps out in Spanish.
Her eyes are beginning to water and she hates that she can’t stop her voice from cracking.
Soon. It will all be over soon, she reminds herself.
Caleb speaks to Kitten, “Stay here with her until I get back.”
“Caleb, please don’t go. Let’s leave. Right now.”
Celia cannot abide Kitten’s wishes, no matter how much she wants the beauty to find happiness with her beast. Felipe needs Caleb.
“I’ll get her out if there’s trouble,” she says.
Caleb stares at her incredulously. “There are passages in the walls. Felipe had them built in case we needed to escape. I’ll get her out, I promise. ”
“Why would you?” Caleb asks, bewildered.
“Not for you,” she spits. “I don’t want her to suffer.”
Caleb nods. “Thank you, Celia. I’m in your debt.”