Chapter 8
Tatum
Night has fallen and still there is no sign of headlights coming down the long ass driveway. How do I know it's long you ask? Because I gave up walking the fucking thing after a few miles. When he said we are in the middle of nowhere he meant it! The guards he left behind didn’t even try to stop me when I took off after them. By the time I made it back to the house, four of the assholes were standing there grinning at me. I wanted nothing more than to smash them across the head with a fucking rock but I’m a lady, so I flipped the fuckers the middle finger and stomped my ass back to Alex’s cabin.
I refused to sit there and wait, so I stole one of the asshole's duffle bags and stuffed some clothes inside. Since I couldn’t trust he hadn't tampered with my burner phones, I opened the hidden compartment in my suitcase to grab one I knew was safe. I pop the bottom out and snatch the phone out then stuff it into my pocket. Before I left, I decided to be a petty bitch and I took his comforter with me because fuck being cold. I even stole some food for my escape. I may not be able to navigate my way out of this fucking place but that doesn’t mean I won’t try. I hate that he was so cocky and just left me here unguarded. I found this place far enough away I can’t even see the lights from the house. I’m lost and it’s dark as fuck, but if I’m lost then that means he won’t be able to find me, right?
I push that thought away as I pull the burner phone out and hit call on the only contact number I have saved. It rings five times before he finally answers.
“Tate?”
“Yeah, it’s me,” I breathe out.
“You didn’t call yesterday, is everything okay?” A whoosh of air escapes me hearing the concern in his voice. It’s strange, I still marvel at the fact that I can care about someone this much. I’ve grown up never caring for anyone and only watching out for myself, to find out I have a brother who I have grown to care about a lot.
“I have to tell you something,” I mutter.
“He found you?” The anxiety in his tone is clear.
I run a hand through my hair and sigh. “Nexus, don’t panic, okay?—”
“Where are you?” he snaps.
“You can’t help me, brother.”
“The fuck I can’t. I have something in place to take that fucker down?—”
“I’m at his house,” I blurt, the line going silent for so long I have to double check and make sure the call is still connected.
“Why are you there?” The hint of accusation in his tone has me bristling.
“Oh, because he invited me over for a tea party. Why the fuck do you think I’m here?” I snap, unable to hide my anger.
“Fuck. Okay, I can make this work.” I reel back.
“What the hell do you mean you can make this work? I’m his prisoner, Nexus. I can’t exactly make demands.”
“You’re calling me aren’t you? You must have some freedom or something.” His tone is starting to rub me the wrong way. I thought at the very least he would be concerned and ranting about how he’s coming to get me or something but no, I haven’t heard any type of concern from him.
“I’m fighting for my life here, Nexus. I’m trying to find a way out of this place and away from him in order to keep you safe.” Hurt laces my tone and I’m pissed for allowing emotion to slip through my tone but I won’t lie, I’m fucking hurt over his reaction.
“But, the best place might be for you to stay there.” I choke on my spit.
“Say what now?” I rasp out.
“Has he hurt you?” I mull over his words and bite the inside of my cheek when I get where his line of questioning is going.
“No,” I grit out.
“So, he’s treating you okay-ish then?”
“Where are you going with this?” I bite out.
“You’re a beautiful girl, Tate. Men seem to talk more freely when they are relaxed .” Bile rushes up my throat. I swallow a few times and try to control my outrage.
“Are you suggesting that I… seduce The Butcher?” Disgust laces each of my words. Not because I find Alexander repulsive but because my own brother is suggesting I whore myself out for intel.
“Call it what you want but if he?—”
“Do you even know what he looks like?” I ask.
“Of course.”
“How?” I know I sound shallow asking this but for all he knows he could be some fifty-year-old balding, overweight trucker.
“I’ve seen pictures.”
“Where?” I shout. “Where the fuck have you seen him, Nexus?”
“Why are you being such a chick about this?” Tears prick the backs of my eyes.
“You’re just as bad as all those foster fathers I had. I’m nothing but a way for you to pay your debts.”
“Hey, hey, hey, come on now. You and I both know I never hurt that crazy fuck’s sister?—”
“He isn’t crazy!” I snap.
“Wait, are you defending him right now?” I bite back my retort and remain silent. “How long have you been with him?”
“A couple days,” I mutter.
“Wow, all it took was two days for you to turn against your own brother.”
I scrub a hand down my face. “He didn’t turn me against anyone. He also isn’t crazy, Nexus. Someone hurt his little sister and he won’t stop hunting until he finds out the truth.”
“How do you know that?”
“I can see it in his eyes. His sister is his purpose and reason for doing all of this. He loved her, Nexus, you can feel it!” My voice rises as I begin to doubt everything I know. “He really loved her and this won’t end until he—” I hear rustling behind me and tense when the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. “I have to go.” I end the call, power the phone off and slip it in the side of my shoe. My breathing turns ragged as I wait. When a couple of minutes pass and nothing happens I find myself praying that it’s Alex out here with me and no hungry mountain lion.
Oh my God.
Wouldn’t that be a way to go, escape my captor only to be eaten by a lion! A shiver works its way down my spine when the rustling begins again. I wait with bated breath and clench my eyes closed, not wanting to see the animal as it takes my life. I feel it approaching and when I feel a presence beside me I deflate.
“How’d you find me?” I mutter as he takes a seat beside me on his comforter. He stretches his legs out in front of him and rests back on his elbows, getting comfortable.
“Being able to sit out here and look up at the stars is one of the reasons why I keep coming back to this place.” He doesn’t sound angry, he just sounds… tired. I mimic his position and look up, my eyes widen. The stars are everywhere, there’s no buildings to obscure your view of them, they’re so bright and beautiful. We sit here for a long while just looking up at the beauty of the universe. “To answer your earlier question, there isn’t a place you can run to where I won’t find you, Tatum.” On most guys, that answer would sound cocky but when he says it, I just hear the truth.
“How come you can find me but not my brother?” I push.
He sighs and I can’t help turning to look at him only to freeze when I find his gaze already on me. “I thought about that a lot today. The only conclusion I have is that someone with enough knowledge about me and my guys is hiding him.”
I frown, then study him for a second trying to sense if this is a trap. “Why would you think that?”
His green eyes burn with an intense look and I find myself trying not to fidget. “Want to know something I can’t figure out?”
I purse my lips and decide to throw caution to the wind, he hasn’t killed me yet so may as well push my luck. “Sure, why the hell not,” I mumble which has the corner of his mouth lifting into a smirk. It's amazing, there is no light out here yet I can see him perfectly thanks to the moon and stars shining so bright.
“How someone like you could share blood with a piece of shit like him.” I recoil.
“Don’t call my brother that.” I tear my gaze from him and huff as I stare up at the sky, but I can’t find the beauty in it any longer because he ruined it for me. Alex reaches out and grips my chin, then forces me to face him. I scowl at the fucker.
“What would you have me call him?” His question stumps me. He searches my eyes for a second, trying to see something. I have no idea what it is but his features change and anger enters his eyes causing my breath to hitch. “Who hurt you?” I jerk free of his hold.
“No one hurt me, you couldn’t hurt me if you tried. So if you’ve come out here to drag me back by my hair, kicking and screaming, then go for it,” I snap and pluck a handful of grass and toss it at him. His eyes blaze and I match his glare with one of my own.
“What did I tell you about throwing shit at me?” he grits out.
I roll my eyes and pluck another handful of grass. He eyes it and cocks a brow in warning. “You’re not going to kill me, you aren’t even going to beat me. You have no leverage here, Denver,” I taunt, then throw the grass at him with a smile. My smile vanishes in an instant when he strikes out with his body, pinning my own flat against the comforter while he looms above me. I try to lift my arm to hit him but he’s quicker. He captures both my wrists and pins my arms above my head. I open my mouth to yell at him but he beats me to it.
“If you try to spit on me, I’ll say fuck it to my no torturing women rule and flay you the fuck open.” I gape up at him.
“Eww. I’m not a spitter.” The second the words leave my mouth and his eyes widen, I realize what I’ve just said and how he took it. An uncomfortable second of silence passes between us, then I feel it. My eyes widen at the feeling of him growing hard. Unlike me who starts fucking blushing, he just remains stoic, nestled between my legs with his hard cock pressing against my pussy.
Our eyes remain locked and suddenly the air around us thickens and feels charged. My skin grows hot and my nipples start to harden. My breaths turn shallow when suddenly a wave of need pulses between my thighs. My mouth parts on a silent gasp as realization crashes into me.
I’m turned on and I can’t deny it. I’m attracted to The Butcher.
I should feel repulsed and hate him on sight and the principle that he wants to murder my brother but… I don’t.
What’s wrong with me?
Alex slowly bends down while keeping his eyes locked on mine. Suddenly unable to control myself, I lean upward and meet him halfway, pressing my lips to his. We still at the contact. When he doesn’t move or even breathe, I pull back and stare up at him in shame but his hand grips the back of my head holding me in place.
“This goes any further, I won’t stop. You want this to end, then run now and run fast because I’ll hunt you down, Tatum, and take what I want from you.” I suck in a sharp inhale.
“What if I want you to catch me?” I find myself saying. A devilish glint enters his eyes and I start to panic that I’ve pushed too far.
“Then run, Bambi, and pray I don’t catch you.” Excitement fills me at the prospect of me being hunted by him for a different reason. I’ve never behaved this brazenly before with any man. I don’t know what makes him different but I think it’s the fact that at any given time since I met him on the plane he could have taken what he wanted from me but didn’t. He’s always held back and now I want to see what he’s like when his restraint snaps.
He’s a killer.
He’ll fucking slaughter me.
My brother’s words play on repeat in my head but as I stare up into his eyes, I don't see the killer, I just see… him.
Fuck it .
I push him off me and relish in the sound of his dark chuckle as I make a run for it. I have no idea which way to go that will lead me back to his cabin so I just wing it.
“You have three minutes!” he shouts. I shiver but this time it’s from excitement and need that is building low in my belly. The thrill of being chased by him is erotic. I’ve never experienced this kind of thing before but I would be a liar if I said being chased by a serial killer didn’t have me soaking my panties. I break through a line of trees and slam to a stop as I scan the area trying to remember if any of this looks familiar.
“Fuck!” I growl and take off, sprinting through the woods. I dart between trees, trying to gather my bearings but fail as the trees begin to blur and become one and suddenly I realize, I’m utterly fucked and lost. I know my time has run out and he’ll be closing in on me so I quieten my steps and try to navigate my way out of the woods. Hopefully I can find a hill or something so I can get a view of the land and hope that I can spot the house from this distance. Just as I round a tree I nearly weep in joy when I see an opening up ahead. I take another step only to be halted when an arm wraps around my waist. A scream escapes me a second before I’m shoved against a tree and then he’s right in my face, panting.
Fear grips me but there’s also arousal at the fact I know what’s about to happen. I shouldn’t want this but fuck, I do. That sick twisted bitch inside me is feigning for this moment and the prospect of being fucked against a tree by a stranger. I open my mouth to ask him what happens next but before the words can escape me, he smashes his mouth to mine, robbing me of air and rational thought. My arms wrap around his neck as I press up on my tiptoes and deepen the kiss. I pull the elastic from his hair and tangle my fingers in the strands. He breaks away and scrapes his beard along my neck sending a shiver of need through me as he places open mouthed kisses on my shoulder.
“Shit,” I hiss when he sucks my flesh into his mouth. I tilt my head back, offering better access. His hands grip my waist in a bruising hold. He pulls back and I nearly pout thinking he’s putting a stop to this until he grips the front of my crop top in his hands and tears it down the middle. I gasp in surprise but it melts away the moment he grabs the cups of my bra and pulls them down, exposing my tits to the cool night air.
“Fuck, I’ve been dying to taste these.” His words shock me to my core. I had no idea he’s been thinking about me like that! When his hot wet mouth latches onto my nipple, I arch forward and cry out as he swipes his tongue over my hardened peak.
“Oh shit, Alex,” I whimper and tug on his hair, holding him in place. I’m panting like a fucking dog but I can’t find it within myself to care. I’ve shut off all rational thought and allow myself to live in this moment and the feelings he’s drawing out of me without much effort at all. He switches sides and I moan loudly. I need him to dull the ache he’s caused between my legs. I lift my right leg and lock it around his waist, pulling him forward. He bites down on my nipple, drawing a pain-filled cry from me. He soothes the ache by licking away the sting but his message is received.
He calls the shots.
He releases me with a wet pop. I expect him to kiss me, but instead he surprises the hell out of me when he crouches down and begins undoing my pants. I stand here with my legs parted, shocked at the sight of Alexander Denver kneeling before me. Jesus that sounds like a line from a cheesy Rom Com but it's true. He rids me of my shoes and I step out of my pants which he tosses to the side. I start to nibble on my bottom lip, suddenly nervous thanks to the way he’s staring at my lace covered pussy.
He flicks his eyes up to me and smirks. “Looks like they do match after all.”
I scoff. “You’re cracking jokes right now ?” I hiss. His answer is a dark chuckle and I fight the urge not to smack him over the head. All thoughts of violence flee me when he grabs my leg, throws it over his shoulder and presses his nose against my pussy. I suck in a sharp intake of air.
“Fuck, you smell so good, Bambi,” he purrs. His praise sends a bolt of heat through me. I never thought hearing a man tell me that my pussy smells good would be so erotic but God damn it is. He darts his tongue out and licks me through my thong. I throw my head back and cry out. I’m shaking with need and he doesn’t seem like he’s in any rush. He continues to lick me through my thong and it feels fucking amazing but I need more!
“Alex… please,” I beg. I’m not proud of it but honestly, I don’t give a fuck now. I need him to make me come more than I want to live right now.
“You want to feel my tongue inside this wet little cunt, Bambi?” God, his fucking mouth is an aphrodisiac on its own. My pride is telling me to deny him but my mind is screaming at me to give in and hand myself over willingly and let someone else take control for once in my life.
My mind wins.
“Yes, please, please, please—” My plea is cut off when he pushes my panties to the side and a whimper escapes me when he blows his breath along my moist slit.
“Fuck, you’re so wet.” My answer is a small moan. I’m ashamed to admit I even buck my hips, trying to gain some type of friction. I fucking need it. I’ve never been this heightened or aroused in my life and it's both addicting and aggravating. I want him to hurry up and eat me out but the darker side of me wants him to drag this out and make me beg him for my release. “Beg me.”
“What?” I ask and drop my gaze to his.
“Beg me to eat this pussy and I’ll consider it. If not you can get on your knees and choke on my dick.” I loathe to admit I actually contemplated his request, choking on his dick doesn’t seem like such a bad idea, but the need coursing through me makes my mind up.
“Please eat me out and make me come on your tongue, then I swear to fucking God himself I’ll do whatever you want, just let me come,” I beg.
“Jesus, calm down, Bambi. I had planned to make you come, I just didn’t realize how much you wanted it.” I balk at the fucker when he smirks and I itch to smack the look off his face, but then his sinful tongue glides through my slick folds and all rational thought flees me once again.
Holy shit.
He has the skill of a porn star. He grips the globes of my ass and pulls me flush against his mouth. He flattens his tongue against my clit and I cry out, bucking my hips shamelessly as I grind against his face. When he pushes his tongue inside me and groans at the taste I’m fucked. I cry out so loud I have no doubt I scared every fucking animal out of this forest.
“Alex!” I pant. He sucks my clit into his mouth as he pushes a single finger inside me, it stings but the feeling of him assaulting my clit overrides the pain. He pumps his finger in and out of me, stretching me out to prepare me for taking him. I’ve felt how big he is and I know no matter what, taking him is going to sting like a bitch but I’m so ready for it. “Oh shit, please don’t fucking stop,” I plead as I continue to grind against him. He adds a second finger and I fucking erupt, smacking my head against the tree as I throw it back and scream. My orgasm rips me in half—it’s the most intense orgasm I have ever experienced and it’s ruined me for any other man. Waves of pleasure flow through me, causing my body to tremble uncontrollably.
Alex withdraws his fingers and pushes to his feet, grips the back of my head and pulls me forward so he can kiss me. He forces his tongue inside my mouth and I gasp at the taste of myself on his tongue. Jesus, tasting my own release from his tongue is fucking pornographic. I reach out blindly, fumbling with the button on his jeans. He doesn’t try to help me or even growl in impatience. He keeps kissing me, allowing me to take my time. I push his jeans and briefs down his legs but make no move to touch his cock.
I can’t.