18. An Opportunity
An Opportunity
Onyx
In the light pitter patter of rain, Havoc moved with swift, almost inhuman precision, putting together some form of structure for us to sleep in. He gathered our tattered raft, the old boat, and large scattered branches that had fallen from the surrounding palm trees. His hands worked in a blur, repairing and repurposing those items into our makeshift shelter.
And as much as I wanted to hate him, to dismiss everything about him as monstrous, I couldn’t ignore the way his muscles bulged and flexed with each movement.
He used my knife to hack away at the boat, tearing it into massive pieces.
Sweat glistened on his skin, but he showed no signs of slowing or faltering.
His biceps tightened as he lifted the boat’s pieces and set them into place. The way his body moved, all power and purpose, was a sight I couldn't tear my eyes away from.
Stop looking at him and think of a way out of this rope.
He was my enemy, not some eye candy to ogle.
And yet, there was something undeniably captivating about seeing a man at work, especially one as built and capable as Havoc.
I gritted my teeth.
It was infuriating, how my body responded to the sight of him, how I couldn’t stop myself from admiring the way his back muscles rippled under his skin as he bent down to secure the shelter’s base.
Fucking psychopath pervert.
It was as if his body was honed and perfected for survival in the wild.
Stop it.
As my mind raged, Havoc began to work on the raft, his hands moving swiftly over the frame. He was skillful with knots, twining them tight in a way that seemed effortless.
I watched as he somehow incorporated the fallen branches, creating a solid roof for our shelter.
Moonlight glowed along his body, revealing the contour of every muscle on his torso.
But his potential for deadly violence was never far from my mind, lurking in the set of his jaw and the grim lines on his face.
It made the little hairs on my neck rise.
Still, in the same breath, I caught myself biting my lower lip as I studied him, and quickly released it.
This was not some romantic deserted island novel scenario.
This was real life, and in real life, there were no easy answers, no knights in shining armor—just men like Havoc—dangerous and powerful.
I had to come up with a plan to escape.
I couldn't afford any distractions.
And yet, despite myself, my eyes kept returning to him—to the curve of his back as he hunched over our makeshift shelter, the raw power rippling through his forearms as he worked tirelessly into the night.
Fucking psychopath pervert indeed. . .but also a goddamn sexy one.
What was it about a man’s body that made it so hard to look away, especially when that body was doing something manly, something that spoke to the very essence of strength and capability?
Was it some deep-seated instinct inside women, this unwilling attraction to a man who could protect, provide, and, if necessary, destroy?
I didn’t want to think about it, didn’t want to acknowledge the intense pull of attraction I felt for him.
But there it was, undeniable and maddening.
Havoc caught me staring, and for a split second, our eyes met.
My heart skipped a beat.
A flush of heat rose to my cheeks.
I quickly looked away, cursing myself for the slip. The last thing I needed was for him to think I was interested, or worse, that I was impressed by him.
Thank God, he didn’t say anything, just continued working, but I could feel his gaze on me, as if he was fully aware of the effect he was having on my body.
That’s enough. You’re going to have to kill him when you get out of this rope, so stop it.
I clenched my fists, dug my nails into my palms, and forced myself to focus on anything else—the sound of the waves crashing against the shore, the rustling of the palm leaves in the breeze, anything but the infuriatingly competent, sexy man in front of me.
“There we go.” Havoc finished the shelter. “This will be our home for now, until I figure out how to make a better one.”
Frowning, I looked at it.
The raft and sturdy wooden planks from the boat, formed the base and walls of the structure. He had woven palm fronds together to create a roof that sloped just enough to let the rainwater run-off, instead of pool on top.
It was crude, but it was more than just functional.
It actually looked. . .safe.
Plus, from my view, there looked to be enough space inside for both of us to lie down without feeling cramped.
I tilted forward toward the opening to get a better look inside.
Son of a bitch.
Havoc had even managed to line the floor with softer palm leaves, making it appear a lot more comfortable than I had expected it could.
A spark of gratitude came, but then I remember that this. . .shelter. . .would also be the place where he would keep me tied up like a prisoner and taking his cock whenever he pleased.
I gritted my teeth.
Holding the knife in his right hand, Havoc watched me. “You’ve drunk a lot of water.”
I eyed him. “And?”
A wicked grin spread across his face. “You must need to go to the bathroom.”
I raised my eyebrows. “Why do you look so pleased by that?”
“Do you have to go?”
“Yes.”
“Then, I will take you.”
“No.”
“No?”
“I can go on my own.”
“Why would I do that, and miss the alluring show?” He licked his lips.
I blinked, totally caught off guard. “What?”
“Nothing sounds more entertaining,” He slipped his gaze down my body, “More tantalizing than watching you lower yourself in front of me as your fluids flow. . .”
I widened my eyes.
“Streaming down. . .spilling onto the ground beneath you, mixing with the earth.”
My face flushed. “Something is seriously wrong with you.”
“Oh, I am very aware of that.” His wicked grin didn't falter as he headed over to me with the knife twirling in his hand.
I could only stare at him as he got in front and towered over me. The whole time he kept his dark, predatory gaze on me. “Don’t think about running.”
That’s the only thing I am thinking about.
Before ogling his body while he was building the shelter, I had been running scenarios in my head, trying to figure out a way to use a moment like this to my advantage.
If he untied me from the tree, there might be a window of opportunity—a chance to escape.
But Havoc was also unpredictable, and I couldn’t afford to underestimate him.
He held the knife up, the blade catching the faint light. “Stay still.”
I clenched my teeth, my body frozen in place as he reached forward.
He brought the knife to the ropes binding me to the tree, and with a few swift movements, the tension around my wrists lessened.
Relief flooded through me.
The ropes fully gave way, but it was short-lived.
He didn’t cut the bindings completely, just enough to remove me from the tree.
My wrists were still tied together.
I flexed my fingers, trying to regain some circulation as I eyed the knife in his hand and calculated the distance between us as well as the likelihood of me grabbing the knife and making a run for it.
Alright. Quick head butt, slam to the temples or his throat. With a simultaneous knee to his cock and then I have the knife and I’m off in the woods.
I readied myself.
But before I could act, he had the knife’s cold blade at my throat. “Don’t even think about it.”
Bastard.
I swallowed hard.
The blade’s sharp edge pressed just enough to remind me of the power he held.
I steadied my voice, despite the fear clawing at my insides. “I was just going to get on my toes and give you a nice kiss.”
“Aww.” He gave me a mocking smile. “How sweet, wildcat. However, as much as I would love to indulge in those lush lips, we’ve got important business to attend to.”
He got behind me and moved that knife from my throat to my back.
Then, his voice lowered into a deadly growl. “Move.”
Sighing, I did as he said. Granted, I stumbled a bit, my legs shaking from having been tied against that tree for an extended time. “Where do you want me to go?”
“The choice is yours, wildcat.”
“Stop calling me wildcat.”
“Would you prefer princess?”
“I would prefer to hold the knife.”
“Aww. Knives are too dangerous. I’ll take on this hazardous duty for you. I’m a gentleman after all.”
“You’re a sadistic pervert that apparently likes to watch women pee.”
He chuckled. “But then aren’t we all in some way sadistic perverts that like to watch women pee?”
“No, asshole. It’s just you.”
“Well. . .I do enjoy being unique.”
I walked passed the shelter.
“Let's go wildcat. The world is your toilet.” Chuckling, he nudged me towards the line of trees a short distance away from the shelter.
I stopped. “Seriously. Where are we going?”
He got closer to me and placed the knife back on my throat. “Keep walking.”
“Fine.” I frowned and entered the dense forest.
It was difficult to walk with him so close and with that knife at my throat, but somehow we did it.
Deep in the forest, sounds filled the air—the rustle of leaves from some unseen creature stirring in the bush, the distant call of an exotic bird, the soft murmur of running water somewhere further away.
Hope hit me. “There’s a stream or river ahead.”
“There is. I saw it from the trees.”
“We should follow it tomorrow to see where it leads and—”
“I will follow it tomorrow and you will be tied up in our new home, waiting for my cock.”
I let out an exasperated breath. “Yeah, you really are a one-track mind sort of guy. Aren’t you?”
“I love pussy and you just happen to have one that entices me—”
“One that you will never have.”
This loud, bold laugh left him.
We moved deeper into the woods.
Moonlight filtered through the dense canopy above us.
The air was thick with the scent of earth and rain, and further in here the only sounds became the rustling of leaves and our footsteps on the forest floor.
I glanced around, trying to get a sense of my surroundings, to memorize the layout of the land in case I found an opportunity to escape. “Where are we going again?”
“You’ll see.”
The deeper we went into the woods, the more disoriented I became.
Every tree looked the same.
Every shadow stretched long and menacing in the dim light.
I couldn’t tell if we were circling back or heading in a straight line. All I knew was that I needed to find a way out of this, and fast.
Finally, we came to a small clearing.
Havoc stopped and withdrew the knife from my throat.
I exhaled a shaky breath, my heart still pounding in my chest. But before I could gather my thoughts, I felt the cold steel at my back again.
I sneered. “Can you fucking relax with the knife?”
“I have trust issues.”
“You have more issues than that.”
“Hmmm. Perhaps, you’re right.” Then, with a swift motion, he began cutting through the material on my body suit.
“What the fuck?!” I tried to move away.
He held me there. “You won’t need this outfit anymore.”
The sound of fabric tearing echoed in the stillness of the forest, and a cold chill swept over me as my skin became more and more exposed to the cool night air.
“This is unnecessary.” I tried again to twist away, but Havoc’s grip was firm.
Soon, he tore away the bodysuit piece by piece, leaving only my yellow bra and matching underwear.
When the last remnants of my bodysuit was ripped, all the fabric fell to the ground.
He got in front of me and twirled that knife in his hand. “Aren’t you more comfortable now?”
I glared at him.
“Hmmm.” He took a step back and slipped his gaze over my body. His gaze lingered hungrily over my form, caressing each curve and dip with intensity like he’d never seen a half-naked woman before in his life.
I shivered.
“Quite the view.” He lifted the side of his top lip in a sneer. “In fact, I would say you are picturesque. It’s taking everything in me to have some sense of control.”
I opened my mouth in shock. “This is you in control?”
“Yes.”
“Bloody hell.”
He smirked. “You definitely worked for Paris and spent a lot of time in the UK because bloody hell is a quintessential British expression.”
“Thanks for that breakdown.” I tilted my head to the side. “Now can you get this rope off my wrists and give me some privacy?”
He came over and began to undo the rope on my wrists. Once he did, he tucked the rope into his pocket. “Your hands will be free, but understand this. There will never be a time where your hands are free and my back is to you—”
“Scared of me?”
“Terrified.”
I studied him and saw not one ounce of dishonesty on his face. “I’m not going to pee in front of you, so you will have to turn around.”
“I will not turn around and you will pee in front of me right now.”
I folded my arms over my chest.
Havoc laughed. “Oh, don't be shy, wildcat. You've got nothing I haven't seen before.”
“Then, why look?”
“Because, boy would I love to see it.” He licked those lips and lust vibrated through me.
“You’re sick.”
“I am, and on this island I may end up being even more sick than you can imagine.”
I shivered.
“Because out here, we’re not playing by the rules of society, are we, wildcat?” He gestured to an area two feet away from the pile of fabric. “Go on. Pull your panties down, squat, and give me the show that I so desperately yearn for.”
Is he’s fucking serious? Does he really want to watch me pee?