Chapter 19
19
As they were herded into the shuttle, Bella gripped Alex's hand. The dress that she'd been given to wear felt odd, the fabric rubbing against her skin. Even her undergarments were uncomfortable, despite the fact that they were made from the softest fibers available. And not just because her pussy and anus were still sore from when Alex and the Wolf had double-teamed her barely an hour before. She'd been without clothing for so long that it felt unnatural to be wearing any.
But that wasn't what was making her anxious.
"I don't understand," she whispered to Alex, unconsciously angling herself so that she was partially tucked against him, seeking comfort as she had so often done.
After the Wolf had finished with them, they'd both been taken from the room to shower. Then they'd been handed the clothing they were currently wearing, blindfolded, and taken out to a hover-car. At first Bella had panicked, thinking that the chips the Wolf had had put in them on their first day would react, but one of the soldiers had reassured her that it had been deactivated. His words had proven true as they'd been driven away from the compound and nothing happened. Bella wondered if the Wolf had lied about the chips. Something had been injected into them that first day, but maybe not what they'd been told. Maybe it had been nothing more than one of the Wolf's mind games. The blindfolds had been removed as soon as they'd reached the shuttle port and they'd been escorted out of the car and onto the shuttle.
What hadn't happened was what both of them had been expecting—the memory drug.
Alex squeezed her hand reassuringly, although she could see the tension in his shoulders and jaw, suggesting that he was just as disturbed by the deviation. Was the Wolf planning on sending them back with their full memories? The shuttle had the Moon's logo on it, so the moment they set foot on it, they should be safe from him.
But how safe? Considering that the Moon's Prime, Second, Prime Commander and Earth Minister all had some kind of deal with the devil going on?
"No matter what happens," Alex whispered in her ear, his voice grave and determined, "I'll take care of you. I promise."
A bubbly blonde stewardess headed toward them from the back of the shuttle, beaming brightly. "Oh, look at you two! Please, come and sit down, everyone's going to be so excited when you arrive!"
Despite the sincerity of her friendliness and excitement, Bella couldn't help but eye the woman with suspicion. She was more confused now than she had ever been at the compound. Could they trust the stewardess?
The woman got them buckled in efficiently enough, babbling the entire time about how excited they must be to go home. Truthfully, Bella wasn't sure if she was excited. In fact, she felt a little sick to her stomach. What was going to happen when they got there? How could they prove that the top officials in the Moon's government had corrupt dealings with the Wolf?
Why did they still have their memories?
Being a captive inside the Wolf's compound had been far simpler than this.
Bella looked around the shuttle as the stewardess finished buckling them in, telling them that they'd be lifting off in just a few minutes, as another question rose in her brain.
Where was Trish?
* * *
"You have a choice." Jordan stood over her, his arms crossed over his chest, his eyes glinting as he looked down at her.
Shifting nervously, Trish folded her hands on her lap, trying not to squirm under that stern gaze. Something about the way he was looking at her made her feel even more nervous than usual. "I'm... retiring, for the lack of a better word. I have all the money I need and a place on an island near the equator. The Wolf is going to promote Zadia in my place and will only call on me if he has need."
Trish stared up at him silently, tensing as she wondered what this meant for her. For the first time, she saw Jordan hesitate, his hand coming up to rub along his jaw in an almost nervous gesture.
"You can come with me."
"Or... stay here?" she asked, her voice a whisper. That didn't appeal at all. She'd much rather go with him.
"Or go home."
"Home?" she echoed, as if she didn't know the meaning of the word. Truthfully, she just didn't quite understand what he was saying. It didn't compute.
"To the Moon." Jordan glanced at the timepiece on his wrist. "Alex and Bella will leave for the shuttle in ten minutes. You can go with them or stay here with me."
Her heart was beating so hard and fast that she was sure she could hear it in her ears. Go home? Escape this... sexual servitude? This man who had taken her against her will and used her as his personal sex toy?
Home to... what? People who looked down on her, a society that was rotten from the inside out, where wealth was valued over common sense and work ethic... home where no one had even cared that she was missing...
"What would I do, if I stayed?" she heard herself asking, her voice sounding far away, and like a stranger's.
Jordan stepped closer, his hand reaching out to cup her chin, fingers stroking her cheek softly. "The same thing we've been doing. Be mine. Decorate my home. Sleep in my bed. Let me take care of you."
It was that last one that sent a shiver down her spine. The gentle way he said it, the way his voice and eyes softened.
"Why me?" she asked, her voice husky. She sucked her lower lip in, wetting it, even though her mouth felt dry. It was the question she'd asked herself from the beginning.
There was a long silence, tension stretching between them, and she thought he might not answer. Then he sighed, his face carefully blank of all emotion. "Because I don't want to let you go."
From a man like Jordan, it was probably the most emotionally revealing statement she was going to get. It might as well be an avowal of love. Maybe it was just possession, but he was always gentle with her, always caring, always cherishing. A man didn't ask his possession if it wanted to stay with him. He didn't give his possession a choice.
Trish wavered for only a moment. Perhaps she had gone insane. Perhaps this was Stockholm Syndrome and she should be going home to throw herself at the mercy of a shrink. Instead, she nodded her head.
"I'll go with you."
Emotion flashed in Jordan's eyes, hot and triumphant, and he suddenly crouched down so that they were on eye level, his fingers firming on her jaw. Holding her immobile. Something warm and tingly pulsed through her core in response.
"Say it again, babygirl," he murmured. Demanded, really. His gaze bore into hers with a neediness that shocked her.
"I'll go with?—"
Just as she started to say 'you,' he was on her, his mouth covering hers, lifting her up and moving her further back on the bed, covering her body with his. Hard muscle pinned her to the bed and she whimpered as hot need swirled. It might be sick, but she didn't care anymore. Here, she was wanted. Needed. Pleasured. Cared for. Cherished.
Her hands were pushed above her head as Jordan groaned with need, his tongue thrusting into her mouth even as his hips ground against her pussy. Holding her wrists in one hand, he used his other to yank her thighs up and open, and then undo the front of his pants. He was like a starving man, hungry for her, needing to lay and confirm his claim now that she'd made her decision.
Trish gasped as he thrust inside of her, hot and hard and completely impatient, filling her with his cock. She was wet enough that it didn't matter, even though her inner muscles strained to take him so quickly. Moaning, she gave in, submitting herself and sinking into the pleasure as he took her. It was so easy to just let go and be free.
And her ecstasy soared.
* * *
"Excuse me," Bella said, as the stewardess was about to turn away. "Where is Trish?"
"Who?" The stewardess looked at her, confused.
Alex frowned. Guilt slid through him as he realized he hadn't even thought about what had happened to Trish. He'd been so focused on Bella and relieved that she was getting to safety. Granted, everything he'd seen of the other young woman had shown that she was being treated differently—better in some ways—than he and Bella had been in the compound, like she'd been accepted there, but it grated on him that he'd let her fate slip his mind. It bothered him even more than the stewardess looked confused.
"The other woman who was taken at the same time as us? The blonde?" Bella persisted, looking even more concerned.
"Oh." Recognition dawned on the stewardess' face. "I think I remember something about her from the news vids. They really didn't say much though. I guess she doesn't have any family or something?" The stewardess shrugged, completely unconcerned. "No one told me, they just said that you two were going home. I'm sure she'll be sent home eventually; the Wolf never keeps anyone for more than a year. You two are much more important, your families never stopped funding the search for you. They said so on the news." She smiled brightly at them.
Rage boiled up inside Alex, and only Bella's sudden taking of his hand kept him from snapping at the stewardess. It was obvious that she didn't think Trish mattered at all. Or that there was anything really wrong with the ordeal they'd just gone through. It was an attitude typical of the Moon—as long as no one important was really affected, then it didn't matter.
Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes and focused his thoughts on Bella.
Bella clothed. Bella beside him. Bella safe.
When they got to the Moon, he'd find a way to find out what happened to Trish and rescue her too.
Completely oblivious, the stewardess told them to have a good flight, and he heard her scuttle away. Bella's fingers stroked his, as though she was drawing comfort from him as well. Letting out a long breath, he felt the tension in his shoulders slowly dissipate. Releasing her hand, he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and she snuggled in as much as the seats would allow.
He wondered what would happen when they got to the Moon. Would they be met by the Prime? Prime Second or Commander? Ken's father? Threats to keep quiet about what had happened to them down there on Earth?
Alex smiled grimly. He might keep quiet for a while, as he planned, but there was no way he was going to let them get away with their corrupt dealings. The Moon needed to actually be independent of the Earth, so that they were no longer beholden to the crime lords for their necessities. They needed to stop allowing young men and women to be captured and abused as part of the exchange. On Earth, Alex had learned too much. Both about what was actually going on, and about himself. He was stronger than the weak-willed bastards who called themselves leaders.
There was no way they could keep him quiet. Not for long.