Chapter 17
When we arrive,several members of my team are already at the warehouse. I don”t like the thought of Willow around some of these guys. We might have the same overall goal regarding eliminating trafficking in our city, but that doesn”t make them good people. Most of them are criminals with questionable morals.
They wouldn”t hurt Willow—that”s the one thing we all agree on—but she”s gorgeous and fierce. It takes a strong woman to stand beside a man like me. She”s going to appeal to these men because of that fierceness. I trust that she wants me, but I don”t trust the others not to flirt and try to entice her away from me. If they do either, it will be impossible to control myself. The thought of another man even looking at my Beauty makes me murderous.
Willow looks around at the sketchy warehouse warily—not that I blame her. The outside is meant to be unappealing. We don”t want people attracted to the building. It”s locked down with so much security that no one off the street can wander in, but keeping it rundown on the outside means that very few people wander to this part of the neighborhood.
The inside of the warehouse is different. It”s set up with space for my tech guys for when they are needed onsite. There”s an area dedicated as a safe house for emergencies; it”s basically a luxury apartment hiding in plain sight. We have a room for any medical situations that arise, including a sterile room for minor surgeries if required. There have been a lot of bullets removed in that room. Then there”s my favorite space… the basement. It”s a playground for anyone who enjoys inflicting pain. It has several cells and various rooms for… interrogation.
”This place is creepy,” Willow whispers as if some monster is waiting to jump out at her at the slightest sound.
”It keeps people from being nosey. Inside is better. Come on.”
She holds onto me as we enter the warehouse. I love that she clings to me. It”ll let everyone know right from the start that she”s mine. She scrunches up her nose when we walk inside. The front room of the warehouse is as decrepit as the outside. It”s a holdover from the business office of the company that owned the property before it went bankrupt. I pull her through to another door, entering the security code to access the main space.
Willow gasps in surprise when she steps into the large space. Considering everything else she”s seen of the warehouse, I can understand her shock. Her eyes move around the large space, trying to take it all in. The room we”ve entered is more like an open-concept living room, dining room, and kitchen combo.
”See, not so scary,” I murmur, teasing her a little.
She jabs me with her elbow and gives me what”s supposed to be an angry look but is just adorable. I don”t dare tell her that, though. I like my balls right where they are, even if they have been blue since I met her. I wrap my arm around her, pulling her closer to my side. She willingly leans into my hold, making me feel ten feet tall.
We walk through the laidback living area, down a hallway, and into a large conference room with a table capable of seating twenty-five people comfortably. There are eight people already gathered. Some are talking with friendly accord; others are glaring at each other with disdain. It”s a precarious balance between friends and enemies. Outside of this building, most of these people wouldn”t be caught dead associating with each other, but here, we have the same purpose and are willing to overlook grievances to achieve our goal.
The room goes quiet when they notice a new face. Willow straightens her spine and puts on a mask of indifference. She won”t show these people an ounce of weakness. She”s phenomenal. I”m so fucking lucky that she”s mine.
”Well, well, well, who do we have here?” Lester leers, practically eye fucking Willow.
Willow narrows her eyes at him, her lip curling up in disgust. ”I”m Kisten”s, so you can put your dick back in your pants,” she says sharply.
I bite back a smirk at her sass. Lester isn”t dissuaded by her attitude. She”s earned his respect, which is both good and bad. Mauve gives Willow a once-over, her dark eyes filled with intrigue. She stands and closes the distance between us. Willow stands tall, awaiting the other woman”s approach. Mauve holds out her hand, and Willow gives it a confident shake.
”Glad to see another woman join the ranks. Sissy and Chante will be pissed they missed out. Name”s Mauve, don”t let these assholes get to you. They like swinging their dicks around, but their bark is worse than their bite.”
Willow smirks. ”Disappointing.”
Mauve throws her head back and laughs. ”You”re gonna be fun. Let”s get this party started. Chen is alone at the club, and that”s never good.”
I quickly introduce the other men at the table. Willow takes them all in with a calculating eye. She lingers longer on Seamus, but I doubt anyone else would notice. I”m so tuned in to her that I”m aware of every twitch she makes.
”Nice to meet you,” she says.
I lead her to the head of the table and sit. She glances at the empty chair to my right but instead perches on my lap like a queen, and I”m her goddamned throne. I squeeze her hip in silent approval.
”Let”s get this meeting started. I have shit to do,” Davis says. He looks at his expensive gold watch as if it gives his words more meaning. I could give a fuck less what he has to do. He owns several high-end strip clubs and has a real disdain for anyone who takes advantage of women, but he”s a real prick.
”We have a ring running here in the city right under all our noses,” I say with a growl.
Everyone sits up straighter at the bomb I just dropped.
”Impossible. We haven”t had a full operation in the city for years,” Seamus barks.
Willow tenses on my lap. I circle my thumb on her thigh to remind her she”s safe.
”I can assure you there is a trafficking ring in New York City. I”ve been a victim of it for the last four years until Kisten rescued me four days ago,” Willow says defiantly, waiting for anyone to contradict her.
Mauve”s eyes widen in horrified surprise and the others burst into furious chatter. I bang my fist on the table, making everyone shut up. Willow is stiff on my lap as she takes in the various looks on everyone”s faces.
”Tell us everything,” Mauve orders.
I tell them about the tip Hera gave me about Mecca—not mentioning her name because I prefer not to die by her skillful and violent hands. Willow leans against me when I describe how I helped her at the club and shivers when I talk about the woman who took her away.
”Madame,” Willow murmurs. ”She goes by Madame. I don”t know her real name, but she”s in charge of the girls.”
Maude growls. ”A woman is in charge of keeping other women captive and doing despicable things to them?”
”Yes.”
I continue with my story, telling them about my little chat with Todd Mallory. Lester and Davis are livid when I tell them about the mansion and the women being kept there. All eyes are trained on Willow when I tell them about the auction and how I bought her.
Mauve”s eyes narrow at my arm around Willow, then turns that dark glare on me. ”You fucking bought her?”
I scowl. ”I saved her fucking life. I didn”t buy her to keep her, for fuck”s sake.”
Willow”s gentle touch on my chest chases away some of my anger at the accusation.
”Then why the fuck is she here?” Mauve pushes. ”Why isn”t she on her way to Hope House or back home where she belongs?”
Willow levels a glare on Mauve. ”I”m here because I want to be. I have inside information about Mecca and the people that run it. I want to help take down the bastards that stole years of my life from me. They deserve to pay… to bleed… and I want to be the one wielding the knife that cuts them down.”
All eyes are on Willow as she declares her intentions. Mauve drops some of her anger but doesn”t like the answer. Several of the others aren”t sold either. Too bad. It”s not their choice, and I won”t hold her back from getting vengeance. I promised her she could help and I will stick to my word.
”Say the word, and I”ll get you away from him,” Mauve asserts.
Willow laughs. ”You should ask him if he needs help escaping me. He”s in danger of losing his freedom to me, not the other way around.”
I kiss her temple. ”My freedom is yours, beauty,” I whisper for only her to hear.
She smiles at me with such happiness that my heart skips a beat. I hope she always smiles like that at me. She kisses my cheek and turns back to the others.
”Now that we”ve got that out of the way, let”s make a plan,” she says.
It doesn”t take long for us to finish telling them the details of the night of the auction. They are visibly angry when Willow tells them that none of the women sold were meant to survive the night. Mauve is practically vibrating with rage. Not that I blame her. I feel the same way. Especially knowing that my Willow could”ve died that night had I not been there to intervene. I pull her closer, reassuring myself that she”s safe.
”Do you have a timeline for when we will move on this?” Seamus asks.
”I don”t want to wait much longer. I”ve got the tech team pulling schematics for the buildings and looking into some leads.”
I don”t bring up the connection to the Russians. I know Seamus has a truce with them, and they do some business together. I trust Seamus as much as I trust any of them, but I don”t want to risk him tipping our hand to the Russians. Willow obviously picked up on that because when she”s talking about how Mecca”s security is run and describing the typical routine for the women held there, she doesn”t mention that most of the men working there are Russian. She also doesn”t elaborate on the man in the mask, who is obviously in charge. She”s vague with details when they ask probing questions about the men. She plays into the fact that she”s a traumatized sex slave when they get too pushy, so they back off. Even though I know she”s doing it intentionally to redirect, it still angers me. If she were anyone else, those reactions wouldn”t be a farce to manipulate a conversation.
I”m so fucking proud that she”s doing so well and isn”t falling apart in this difficult situation. It doesn”t stop me from wanting to wrap her up in my arms and carry her out of here. She deserves time to heal and figure out who she is outside of being a sex slave instead of being thrust into another violent situation. She says it”s what she wants to do, but I”m unsure if it”s right for her.
She”s had so much taken from her that I won”t be the one to tell her no. I won”t hold her back from doing what she feels she must do. I”ll do everything in my power to protect her and keep her safe while allowing her to get justice for what they did to her. I”ll deal with the fallout afterward. Hopefully, it will help her move forward with her healing and not set her back. Either way, I will be right here by her side.
”We can”t rush this if it”s as big an operation as you say it is,” Shawn comments. He”s a retired SEAL who saw some of the worst of the world during his missions, and now his life”s mission is to help people that the world has turned its back on.
”Rushing isn”t what I want either, but we can”t wait. They could already be planning to move their operation after they lost six women and a few of their guards turned up dead. I set up a different buyer to look like they conspired to betray them, but it was a flimsy cover-up. I have eyes on the mansion, and everything appears to be business as usual.”
”Mecca is closed on Sundays. The building is locked down when the club closes on Saturday, usually around two in the morning. There”s minimal security after that since the club is closed to the public on Sundays. They use Sundays for VIP parties, but those aren”t until late in the evening. There”s a large window of time that”ll be perfect for infiltrating the building. The women are locked in their rooms, so they will be out of the way. Georgie is the only one who is allowed out. She”s in charge of cleaning, among other things,” Willow says.
”That would give us three days to plan. It”s quick but doable. Can you have your people ready by then?” I ask the others.
Everyone nods their agreement.
”I”ll talk to Sissy and Chante. We”ll be ready. Do we know how many women we”ll need transport for?”
”There were twelve women left at Mecca after we were sent to the auction, but they could”ve replaced us since then. Our informant for the mansion said there were twenty-three other women kept there. Not all of them will be happy to be rescued,” Willow informs sadly.
”If they don”t want to take advantage of Hope House, they can come work for me,” Lester says.
I glare at him. I don”t like him, and I hate that he makes his money on the backs of women, but they are all doing what they do by choice. He treats them well, and they are compensated fairly. He”s scum but has morals.
He holds his hands up. ”You know my girls are taken care of. I”ll give them a job if they don”t want out of the life. Better than them standing on a corner unprotected.”
I grunt my agreement because as much as I hate it, he isn”t wrong.
”You said some of them are used as dancers?” Davis asks.
”Yeah, they had several dancers on stage before the auction.”
”I won”t give a blanket invitation to hire them, but they can interview and show me what they”ve got. I always have room for more dancers.”
”Thank you for giving them choices,” Willow says.
We talk a bit longer about things and agree to meet again Friday to go over the plan for the raids. We have to be on the same page so there are no fuck ups. By the time we leave, it”s after dinnertime, and Willow”s stomach is growling. I feel like an ass because she hasn”t eaten since breakfast. I”m already dropping the ball on taking care of her.
I make sure the warehouse is locked up, then help her into the car. She”s been quiet since she thanked Davis and Lester. She meant it when she thanked them, but she doesn”t like the thought of the other women not wanting to be saved. I don”t blame her. I don”t like it either, but it”s not our decision. When the time comes, all we can do is lay out their options and let them choose.
Her stomach growls again, drawing my attention. ”I need to get you fed. What sounds good? We can go out or order in if you want.”
She nibbles on her bottom lip as she thinks. I can tell when she decides what sounds good, but she quickly dismisses it and tries to come up with something else.
”What did you just think of that lit your eyes up like that?” I ask.
Her cheeks heat in a blush. ”It”s silly…”
”Tell me.”
”I really want McDonald”s. Chicken nuggets with barbecue sauce and fries dipped in a vanilla milkshake sounds so good. I used to dream about that when I was starving from a lack of food. Well, in the beginning. It was a treat when I was a kid. Dad didn”t like junk food, so it was a rarity to have something like that…”
”McDonald”s it is,” I say without missing a beat. ”You can eat whatever you want, whenever you want. Just tell me what it is, and I”ll make it happen. I”ll fill the fridge with all your favorites.”
She leans over the console and kisses my cheek. ”Thank you, Kisten. You don”t have to go out of your way for me every time. I”ll happily eat whatever you usually have.”
”I don”t have to do anything. I want to. I”m going to take such good care of you that you won”t ever want to leave my side,” I say, sounding a little desperate.
”You own me, remember?”
She grabs my hand, pulling it to rest in her lap. I thread my fingers through hers, and she puts her free hand on top of mine, holding my hand between hers. She”s got it wrong… I might”ve bought her in that auction, but she owns me. One touch. One soft searching look from her, and I”ll do whatever she asks. It should worry me that I”ve let a woman wrap me around her little finger so completely, but all I feel is happy. Content.
I pull into McDonald”s and order our food. She buries her nose in the bag and takes a deep sniff. Her smile is so big it nearly splits her face. She pops the top off her milkshake and dips one of the hot fries into it. The second it hits her tongue, she groans. Once again, my cock is painfully hard because of this woman.
Jesus.
”That”s so good,” she says before dipping another fry and popping it in her mouth.
”I”ve never tried it that way.”
”Sweet and salty with the hot and cold… it”s the perfect indulgence.”
She dips a new fry and then holds it up to my lips. I let her feed me the fry, gently nipping her fingertips before she can pull away. She gasps, her eyes wide with desire. It”s going to be hell trying to keep myself in check around her, especially with how damn responsive she is. It would be so easy to lose control and fuck her in the way that I crave. I force myself to remember where she came from. The thought kills my erection faster than anything ever has in the past.
”Do you like it?” she asks.
”It”s good.”
She smiles happily and goes back to eating her treat, offering me bites every so often. Even though I shouldn”t, I can”t help but tease her a little with every bite. I nip and lick her fingertips, turning an innocent offering into something that”s working us both up. It doesn”t matter how often I remind myself of her past; the temptation of Willow overrides all my good sense.
By the time we are back at my place, she”s eaten all her fries and half of mine. She sets out the rest of our food on the table, scrunching her nose when she realizes how many of my fries she ate. I pull her onto my lap and open her nuggets and barbecue sauce. She doesn”t start eating until I open my burger and take my first bite. I”m on my second burger when I notice her looking at it longingly. I chuckle because she”s fucking adorable. I hold the burger up to her mouth. She looks at me with guilty eyes. I move the burger closer so it”s brushing her lips. She takes a bite, moaning as she chews.
My wayward cock throbs in my pants. There”s no way she can”t feel how hard I am underneath her ass. She”s done an excellent job of not acknowledging it for the most part. However, this time she wriggles, making me damn near dizzy with arousal.
”Willow,” I warn.
Instead of stopping, she shifts on my lap, straddling me. Even through our clothes, I can feel the heat of her pussy. I drop my burger on the table and grip her hips harshly. My intention is to hold her still, but I find myself helping her rock on top of me until we are both panting.
Her eyes are hazy with lust. Her lips parted as she makes breathless little moans that are driving me to madness. I bury one hand in her hair, gripping the soft strands tight enough to border on painful but not enough to truly hurt her. She moans at the rough handling, urging me on. I crush my lips to hers, kissing her fiercely.
She”s not in the least bit timid as she kisses me back. Her hands grip my shoulders, her short nails digging into my skin through my shirt. I wish my chest was bare because I want to wear her marks proudly on my skin. Her soft tongue matches every stroke of mine, driving my desire higher. Especially when she grinds down on my cock in a maddening way.
I guide her movements with my hand on her hip, letting her use me to chase her release. I can tell she”s close by the sexy sounds she”s making. It”s fucking music to my ears. A symphony of sound that I want to spend a lifetime hearing. She gasps, ripping her lips from mine as her body locks up, losing all rhythm as her orgasm hits. I keep her moving, wringing every ounce of pleasure from her body. She collapses against me, boneless and panting.
I hold her close as she comes down from her high. My cock is painfully hard and desperate for release. I need a little space and a long cold shower, but moving her from my lap isn”t happening while she”s warm and pliant. I love the way she trusts me. I run my fingers through her hair, enjoying how silky it is. She”s so still I think she”s fallen asleep in my arms.
When I go to stand, she raises her head and looks at me searchingly. I can”t tell what she”s thinking. It would kill me if she regretted what just happened. I never want her to shy away from my touch or get freaked out by something I”ve done. Despite telling myself to go slow, I keep getting lost in the moment and doing the wrong thing. I”ve kept my dick in my pants, but it”s a small consolation when I”m pushing past her comfort zone every chance I get.
She yawns, breaking the tense moment. It gives me the perfect excuse to ignore my hard dick and how sexy she looks with flushed cheeks and her wide blue eyes, looking at me like she”s ready to devour me. I stand, keeping her in my arms, and carry her down the hall to her room, where I left her bags.
I want her in my room—in my bed—but she needs her own space. Now that she knows she”s safe and I”m not sending her away, she will want her own bed. I didn”t want to give her the impression that I expect her in my bed right away. Just because I want her there doesn”t mean I”ll force the issue.
I set her on her feet inside the guest room. It”s pretty sparse. A bed, side table, and dresser are the only furniture. The walls are a pale yellow with framed paintings of abstract flowers. There are several pillows on the bed that match the luxurious bedding. Hannah”s work. When I bought this place, she wouldn”t take no for an answer when she saw how little I decorated it. Which wasn”t at all. In fact, the guest rooms were empty until she got her hands on my credit card. Now, I”m grateful I gave her free rein to add the feminine touch she said was missing. Without her influence, Willow wouldn”t have a comfortable room to make her own.
Willow looks around, taking everything in. I can”t tell what she thinks because the moment I set her down, she shuts down her emotions, locking them away behind a perfect mask of indifference. I want to shake her and demand she tell me what she”s thinking. I clench my fists, waiting as she studies the room.
”You can change anything you don”t like…” I finally say, unable to continue the silence.
”It”s nice.”
”Hannah decorated it. No one”s ever used this room. It”s yours for as long as you want. And I mean it when I say you can change it. If you want it painted hot pink with black polka dots, say the word, and I”ll make it happen.”
She smiles at my confession, but it doesn”t meet her eyes. They are still completely blank. Void of emotion in a way that sends a chill down my spine. It”s the same look I”ve seen in dozens of eyes over the years. I hate it. I want my fiery warrior back, not this docile version of her that would do anything she”s told.
”Thank you, Kisten. It”s great as is.”
She says the right words, but they are flat. I spin her around and cup her face in my hands. ”Don”t do that.”
”Do what?” she asks, sounding genuinely confused.
”Shut me out. You were full of life one minute, and the next, you”re a shell of the woman I know you are.”
She breaks eye contact even though she can”t move with my hands holding her. A solitary tear tracks down her cheek. I brush it away with my thumb.
”Tell me what”s wrong, love.”
Her shoulders slump, and she looks defeated. I didn”t think I could hate a look worse than the dead, indifferent one. I was wrong. The look of defeat is worse. So much worse.
”It”s silly. I”m being silly.”
”Nothing you think or feel is silly. I want to know every thought in your head no matter what it is.”
”I hate the idea of being in this amazing room without you. It”s perfect. I could crawl in that bed and live among the soft pillows, but the only thing I can focus on is that you”ll be leaving me here alone.”
Her words hit me like an arrow through the heart. I had myself convinced that the uncertainty of her place was why she didn”t want me to leave her side while at Gladys”s house, but I was wrong. She knows she”s safe in my home, and I”ve assured her she”s mine, so there”s no doubt that I”m keeping her. There”s no reason for her to need to be with me every minute unless she wants to be.
”You want to be in my bed?” I ask roughly.
She nibbles her bottom lip and nods.
”I need to hear you say it, beauty.”
”I want to sleep in your bed.”
”If you”re in my bed, I can”t guarantee I”ll be able to keep my hands off you when everything you do is a giant cock tease, even without you trying,” I warn.
Her breath hitches, and her eyes widen with desire. She”s not pushing me away at my warning. Instead, she”s leaning into it, showing me she doesn”t want me to hold back. I”m going to Hell for this, but I won”t send her away from me. If she wants to be in my bed, so be it. I want her there more than anything, so it takes little to convince me.
I pick her up again and carry her further down the hallway to my bedroom. She takes in my space, wandering around touching my things. Her fingers trail over the items on top of my dresser… my watch, the pocketknife Rose gave me for Christmas last year, and a few other things I”ve dumped out of my pockets over time.
After she looks at everything, she sits on the edge of my bed. Seeing her perched on the gray blanket makes me want to push her over and bury my face in her pussy. I step away from the temptation that she presents.
”I”ll grab you something from your bag to sleep in.” And take a much-needed break from the sexual tension that has me on the verge of snapping.