Chapter 6
Chapter
Six
Emma was so hungry, it was all she could think about.
Not even the fact that she was still naked, or that her backside smarted and she had to stand or lie awkwardly on her side to avoid putting pressure on it, seemed to register anymore.
Her stomach felt like it was trying to claw its way out of her body.
It grumbled and growled, and the two pieces of toast she’d been given at breakfast time couldn’t come close to satisfying it.
Everyone else got lunch and dinner, but since Adrian had offered her the sandwich if she agreed she was no longer Emma Beaumont and was now one three nine, she hadn't been offered anything else. She was almost hungry enough to do whatever they asked of her just to get a more substantial meal. Almost. Because whenever she thought of caving, she also thought that if she did, everything she’d already been through so far would have been for nothing.
No one had even looked twice at her, other than Nathan bringing her breakfast and making her sit on her knees to wait for it while he unlocked her cage. For some reason, it didn't feel as awful getting on her knees for him.
Which made him the most dangerous man there.
His softer approach had more of a chance of breaking her than shocking her dozens of times and spanking her.
That sucked majorly and could possibly in the moment get her to do what they wanted, but it wouldn't last. In the end, all it would do was strengthen her resolve to cling to who she was and not let them steal her identity like they’d stolen her body.
Still, real food would be nice, and Emma wasn't sure what she would or wouldn't do to get some. Especially if they sent Nathan instead of Adrian. She’d seen Adrian several times today, strolling up and down the walkway, pulling various women from cages to do who knew what to them in one of the rooms at the end of the hall. Adrian wasn't the only one, Deacon had been there, too, and she’d learned the names of a few others. There was a guy called Van, one called Mateo, and there was a William, a Hank, a Henry, and a Marvin. She’d also learned that the man who had abducted her on the side of the road was called Josh.
The fact that they seemed fine with her knowing their names had her gut churning, because she knew it meant they knew she’d never be able to use that information to give to the cops.
Something shifted in the air.
A waft of safety seemed to flow through the hall even though she knew it wasn't.
Even before she turned her head, Emma knew he was there.
Nathan.
Walking right toward her. In his hands he held a plate piled high with vegetables, mashed potatoes, and what looked like a perfectly crumbed chicken schnitzel. Her mouth watered at the sight, even as she knew she was going to have to do something she didn't want to do if she wanted a taste.
“Evening, blondie,” Nathan said when he stopped before her cell. “I'm not going to ask if you're hungry, I can hear your stomach grumbling from here.”
“I'm not going to admit my name is one three nine,” she warned. That was a hard no. A limit she wasn't prepared to cross, not even for the chance at a full meal. But there were other things she could possibly be persuaded to do, it depended on what they were and who she would have to do them for.
Chuckling, he balanced the plate in one hand while he unlocked the cage door. “Such a stubborn girl. Come.”
Being called like she was a dog irked her, but it wasn't the worst thing that had been said or done to her, so she pushed awkwardly to her feet, trying to make sure nothing touched her aching backside. While she crossed the cell to him like he’d ordered, she didn't break eye contact as she did so, and neither did he.
There was something in that connection she couldn’t understand.
It was almost like he was trying to infuse strength into her with just a look.
Which made no sense because he’d told her several times that submitting was easier, and she should stop fighting.
Yet he’d also basically praised her fight while warning her he wouldn’t always be able to intervene.
Which he had done, twice now.
He’d stepped in and stopped Deacon from shocking her repeatedly with the cattle prod, and he’d ended the spanking session yesterday.
He’d hit her, but it was nothing more than a light tap, and his hand had caressed her stinging skin, soothing it somehow.
If there weren't the massive imbalance of power, it would almost have been sensual.
“Follow,” he said, turning around and walking off like there wasn't a doubt in his mind that she would trail along behind him.
It grated her because she knew she would.
If she didn't, she’d only be made to anyway, and if she had to pick a tormenter, she’d pick Nathan every single time. He was definitely the best of a bad lot of choices, so she did trail along after him down to one of the rooms.
“I'm not a dog, you know, you can't just order me around.” She huffed when they were inside, and he’d closed the door behind him. Locked it too, but she wasn't sure if that was to keep her in or to keep others out.
“Oh, but I can, can't I, blondie?” he told her, smirking as he walked over to a large armchair sitting in the middle of the room and turned it slightly. When he sat, he arched a brow at her, then smirked again. “Come.”
“I'm not a dog,” she snapped, but her feet moved nonetheless, carrying her across the room and stopping in front of him.
“Kneel.”
Anger sparked through her, pride refusing to let her knees buckle even as fine tremors rocketed through her as she wondered what her punishment for disobedience would be.
“You're hungry, aren't you?” Nathan asked. He set the plate of food down on a small table beside the armchair, then his hands went to his belt buckle, and he undid it, shoving his pants down enough that she could see the bulge contained only by a pair of boxers. “If you're hungry, then feast.”
“You want me to suck you off in exchange for a meal?” she asked in shocked disbelief. Of course, she shouldn’t be shocked. Maybe Nathan didn't give off the same creepy vibes as the others, but he was there after all. That meant he wasn't a good man.
“On your knees, Emma. Now,” he barked, and there was something in his tone that had her complying as a wave of fear washed over her.
“Good girl,” he praised, his fingers drifting over her cheeks before settling on her chin.
“Remember what I told you? Sometimes winning the war is forfeiting the battle.”
“I don’t know what that means,” she whispered.
“I know, blondie, I know.”
There was that weariness in his tone she’d heard several times now, and she wished she knew what it meant. Why did this man feel different from all the others when she knew he wasn't? It was like her body trusted him in some way while her mind knew that was ridiculous.
“Open,” he ordered, applying slight pressure to her chin. But when she glanced down, his bulge was still safely tucked away inside his boxers, and he had a piece of carrot in his fingers.
It was more surprise than anything else that had her lips parting, and he placed the carrot on her tongue. It was perhaps the best thing she’d ever tasted in her entire life, even though it seemed to be nothing more than a boiled and unseasoned piece of vegetable.
“Good girl,” he murmured as she chewed and swallowed, his thumb brushing along her bottom lip.
Nathan picked up a piece of broccoli and repeated the process, feeding her several pieces of vegetables, his thumb caressing her lip after each bite.
When the vegetables were all gone, he picked up a fork and fed her the mashed potato.
There were definitely sexual undertones to this intimate encounter, and as he fed her, she saw the bulge in his boxers grow.
He was attracted to her.
It was both repulsive and elating. Repulsive because he was a sex trafficker holding her prisoner, but elating because maybe there was a way she could use that to her advantage.
Reality was, she was going to be raped sooner or later, that was inevitable, and she was doing her best to accept it.
What if she took the element of surprise out of the equation and made her own first move?
Nathan was a good-looking guy, he was built like a tank, muscles for days, and she was sure there was a six-pack lurking beneath his hoodie.
He had messy dark locks and light brown eyes.
If she was going to have to seduce anyone, at least she could pick a first-class body.
Could she do it, though?
Could she use sex to try to get Nathan on her side and make him want to help her?
Would it even work?
As Emma swallowed a piece of the schnitzel, she decided there was only one way to find out, so she reached out with trembling fingers to cup the growing bulge.
August 2nd
7:02 P.M.
“What are you doing?” Nathan demanded as Emma’s slim fingers cupped his growing erection. As inappropriate as it was, there was no way he could hand-feed her, feel the tip of her tongue brush his fingertips, the plumpness of her lips, and not become aroused.
But he didn't touch the women here. Not like that. It was a line he absolutely would not cross.
Uncertain blue eyes looked up at him. She was making a choice, one she’d obviously come to consciously, but he had no idea of her reasoning or what she was trying to accomplish.
Regardless of her motivations, there was no way he was expecting her to do anything sexual for him.
In fact, he’d deliberately positioned them in this part of the room, with the chair at this angle, so the cameras wouldn't pick up on the fact that she wasn't sucking him off. He could get some much-needed food in her, and everyone else would think that he’d forced her to get him off in exchange for the meal.