Chapter Fourteen
T revor opened his eyes, but he couldn't see anything. Something covered his face. His head pounded and felt as if it were stuffed with massive wads of cotton. Some kind of thick tape secured his hands behind his back, so he couldn’t move them.
His bare feet sat on a cold, hard surface—if the grit under his toes told him anything, it was probably concrete.
Someone lashed his ankles to the legs of whatever chair that held him with the same adhesive.
Trevor’s skin pimpled as the damp air settled on exposed skin.
“So you’re finally awake? I’d begun to worry I misjudged the dosage.”
Trevor’s throat felt as though he’d swallowed sandpaper, but he croaked out, “Who are you? What do you want?”
“I’m hurt, Trevor. Do you not recognize the voice of your master? You’ve been a very naughty pet, playing in other people’s backyards.”
Trevor wanted to say something smart, but he realized it was probably best not to antagonize the psycho holding him hostage. Not until he had the use of over three senses helping him.
“I don’t know—”
“Stop talking. I’ll let you know when I want to hear something from you. In fact…”
The distinctive rending of duct tape filled the air, then the pungent smell of chemicals assaulted Trevor’s nose.
He jerked in the chair. Using all the strength in his legs, he tried to push against the floor.
He twisted his hips and found himself at a precarious tilt until a hand tunneled in his hair and yanked with enough force to make Trevor yelp.
The chair righted itself with a smack against the ground, and vibrations reverberated up Trevor’s body with the impact.
“Sit still and shut up.”
The tape covered Trevor’s lips, and tears dampened the blindfold covering his eyes. Trevor tried to twist his head away, but the hand in his hair tightened, and he felt a pair of lips at his ear.
“Now, lover, you and I are going to have a little chat. If you’re a good boy then I might take the tape off so we can do more pleasurable things with those lips of yours.”
Trevor’s gut rolled, and he tried to slow his breathing through his nose so as not to puke. His tongue tingled and went numb. Trevor knew it was from the tape covering his body. He’d always avoided the stuff because he seemed to have this kind of reaction.
“Nice. Now, first off, I think we need to get you more comfortable.”
Fingers began plucking at the buttons of Trevor’s shirt, their touch almost gentle. When the fingers ended up at Trevor’s waistline, he tried to squirm away from the probing digits.
“Shh, it’s okay, baby. I’ll take care of you.”
What the fuck? Is this a seduction or abduction?
Trevor’s chest heaved, and he pulled at the binding around his wrists.
The tape held him immobile, with no give whatsoever.
Fingers now danced around his crotch, and the whisky he’d had earlier once again threatened to make an appearance.
The button on his jeans came undone, and the zipper lowered.
Trevor thanked whatever gods existed in the universe that the psycho’s touch went no further.
“There now, isn’t that better?”
Trevor didn’t move for several heartbeats. A smack on the back of his head rewarded his efforts.
“I asked you a question, boy!”
Trevor tried to nod, but it was getting harder to hold his head up. A hand smoothed down Trevor’s chest, and a thumb brushed over his pebbled nipple.
“You’re looking good, pet. At least those whores you’ve taken up with keep you fed.
I think you’ve even bulked up a little. Not too much.
Not enough to really change this sweet little body of yours, but nice all the same.
I have to admit, a few months ago you had started to look a little skinny, even for you. ”
A terrible screech filled the room. The sound echoed off the walls. He must be in a basement or something. That would explain the cold, damp air. The screech became a bang, and Trevor jolted.
“Now that we’re comfortable, we can get down to business. As I said, you’ve been a very naughty pet, taking up with those two men. I taught you better than that. You’re mine. I set you free, so you’d find your way home. But instead you’ve become a whore.”
Trevor’s head whipped to the side, and pain exploded across his cheek. Seconds passed, then a pair of lips kissed the stinging skin.
“Your punishment hurts me more than you, pet. But it must be done, otherwise you’ll run all over, piddling wherever you want. Now you’re going to sit here and think about what you’ve done.”
Beneath the sound of high-pitched bells reverberating in his head, Trevor thought he might have recognized something in the voice across from him.
Something in the cadence tried to jog a memory loose, but it scampered away before Trevor could catch it.
He supposed he was alone now, with nothing but his thoughts to keep him company.
Trevor tried to center his body, to focus as he’d seen Niall do when his warrior meditated.
Beneath the dank air, he thought there might be a touch of brine.
Was he near the harbor? A loud pop erupted behind him, a car backfiring perhaps?
So he was still somewhere near civilisation.
Trevor’s muscles tightened because of the cold sinking beneath his exposed skin.
He took a deep breath through his nose and tried to relax.
The worst thing he could do was let his mind run amok.
He had to remain focused; he had to wait it out until Matt and Niall found him.
Trevor knew Ryan and Clay would pool their resources to ferret out any clues to the identity of his attacker.
However, if he didn’t know who had him, how could his friends possibly figure it out?
Matt stood at his kitchen sink, knuckles white as he gripped the edge.
It’d been hours, and they were no closer to figuring out who might have taken Trevor than when they’d started.
A pair of small arms came around him from behind and for the briefest of seconds, Matt imagined it was Trevor.
But the scent was wrong. Trevor didn’t smell of lavender and vanilla.
“How are you holding up?”
He turned to find Calleigh with her honey blonde hair twisted up behind her head, her normally sparkling brown eyes muddy with exhaustion and sadness.
“Whatever discomfort I feel can’t compare to what Trevor’s living through, so I’m fine. Niall and I appreciate your support.”
"Of course. Vic, Chase, and Miranda send their thoughts and prayers. I totally forgot that they were on vacation this week."
He glanced over Calleigh’s shoulder to see all their friends filling his small parlor.
He doubted he would have been able to fit three more people into his living room.
The condo's design did not accommodate large groups, but its location was near the pub, and at the time, acting fast was crucial. Now, all they’d managed to do was hurry up and wait.
“It’s getting late. I don’t think we’re going to accomplish anything more tonight. Why don’t you take your men home?”
Calleigh shook her head. “We’re not abandoning you. We’ll think of something. There has to be a clue somewhere. We only have to find the right thread to pull, and the mystery will unravel.”
Conor wrapped his arms around Calleigh’s waist. “Just so. We willna leave ye to cool yer heels alone. We canny let dis galla win.”
Rick joined them and placed a kiss on both Conor and Calleigh’s lips.
“Clay said Fredericks called a little while ago. He said that all the cases Trevor’s worked recently are tied up with a neat little bow.
No suspects unaccounted for, nobody is out on bail.
I’m trying to think what the next avenue should be. ”
Matt’s eyes followed Clay as he headed in their direction, carrying his coffee cup with eyes focused on the pot Niall had kept filled throughout the night.
“The video Trevor received implied that he belonged to whoever was behind this. When we questioned him, he said there’d been no nasty break ups, and he said he never dabbled in BDSM, so there was no Master he’d run out on,” Clay said.
Logan’s hand landed on his fiancée’s shoulder blades and rubbed in circles. “No, he was never into that stuff. In fact, I was so glad when he started seeing the two of you because I knew you were good guys. I was tired of seeing bruises on his body when he came to work.”
Niall charged over from the sofa a few feet away. “What bruises?” he growled.
Logan sighed. “Trevor’s always liked them big.” A blush stained Logan’s cheeks. “Sorry, Matt.”
“No apologies. I am a big guy, but I’d never use my strength to hurt someone.”
“I know, that’s why I thought you and Trevor—and of course you, Niall—were a good thing.”
Niall waved off Logan’s addendum. “I don’t doubt Trevor’s love for me. I may not be as bulky as Matt, but I still tower over Trevor, so he gets what he needs.”
Logan nodded. “Anyway, some of the guys Trevor dated had big egos and attitudes to match their bodies. More than once, Trevor showed up with bruises around his wrists from where they’d grabbed him.
He always played it off as an accident or the fact that the sex had gotten a little rough, but I never bought it. ”
“Did this happen with one guy he was seeing in particular?” Ryan asked. “Was it an abusive relationship, or was Trevor habitually attracted to violent types?”
“I’ve been trying to think about that all night. The problem is that I was never sure exactly who Trevor was seeing and when. He never stuck with anyone for very long. If I had known, you can bet your ass they’d have gotten a visit from a pissed off Army Ranger.”
Ethan joined their powwow. “So do you know any of their names?”