CHAPTER NINE
Pressing her forehead against the cool glass of the passenger side window, Lexi listened to the sweet symphonic music filling Kade’s Mercedes GLE SUV.
They had been driving for hours and she was completely lost as to where they were.
With every mile marker they passed, her hope faded.
Even if the police determined which tower her cell phone had pinged off, it didn’t matter now. She was long gone.
Wincing slightly as the metal cuffs threatened to cut into her skin, she was grateful to no longer be blindfolded and gagged.
For whatever reason, he had foregone the added restraints after helping her relieve herself on the side of the deserted road.
She was humiliated that she needed his help cleaning up afterwards, but he acted as if it was an everyday occurrence.
He didn’t even bat an eye when the tissue he used to wipe her soaked through, getting urine on his fingers.
Against her better judgement, she found herself feeling thankful for him and his nonchalant attitude. So much so that she had allowed herself to return his hungry kiss as he buckled her back into her seat. Her moment of weakness only made her internal struggle that much worse.
God, I’m so fucking sick. How can I possibly want that murderous lunatic to touch me? Leo is the only one I should be lusting over. I know that he still loves me. He wouldn’t have tried to call me back if he didn’t. That poor man is probably going crazy right now trying to find me.
Well yeah, ok. That may be true, but even if you free yourself and go running back to him, you know he will never accept you for who you truly are. He wouldn’t want to have anything to do with you if he knew the ugly truth. Leo just doesn’t understand your needs. Not the way Kade does.
Sure. Maybe Kade does understand me, but I can’t get attached. I know how this needs to end. He must die. That’s the only way I will be able to get out of this!
Fighting to keep her bickering thoughts under control, she counted the snow-covered trees as they whizzed by her window. She could feel the beginnings of a sharp headache grow from the constant back and forth argument between her and her psyche. She didn’t want to think anymore.
“Are we almost there?” she asked, purposefully breaking her erratic train of thought.
Tightening his grip on the leather encased steering wheel, Kade nodded his head. Despite the weather, they were making excellent time. In another ten minutes or so, they would finally arrive at his secluded safehouse. Away from anyone and anything that could tear them apart.
“We are, Sweetheart. Just up the mountain a little way. We’ll be there before you know it,” he replied, pausing for a beat before continuing. “You’ve been so quiet. What’s going on in that pretty little head of yours?”
Turning in her seat to look at her handsome abductor, she laughed internally. There was no way in hell she was going to tell him what was truly on her mind. She would however, tell him what he wanted to hear.
“I’m just wondering if the place you’re taking me to has a bed,” she said suggestively.
Lifting the corner of his lips into a smirk, he released his right hand from the steering wheel and reached over to caress her face.
Perhaps the silence had been beneficial for her, it seemed as if she had done some soul searching.
This was the Alexandria he knew would emerge once she got over the ridiculous notion that she could ever live without him.
“It does, my love,” he began, letting his fingertips trace along her jawline. “A big, sturdy one.”
Playing her role, she hummed an approval. She knew he would be easily distracted with the thought of sex.“That sounds nice. Maybe you can take me to it, and we can do what we did last night?” she asked.
Clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth, he adjusted his posture in the driver’s seat. His cock grew hard as his memory reminded of the way her perfect little cunt wrapped around him, squeezing him to madness. She didn’t have to ask him twice; he couldn’t wait to fuck her again.
“Oh, my little minx. Of course, we can. I just need you to take another pill for me first, and then I’ll take you straight to bed,” he purred.
Raising a brow, she gently pulled away from her captor’s touch. “Another pill? But, why? I already took the one you gave me,” she said, trying to ignore the hairs standing up on the back of her neck.
Turning his attention back to the icy road, he eased off the gas pedal.
Slowing down his Mercedes, he made a right hand turn onto a gravel road leading to their destination.
He didn’t understand why she sounded so alarmed.
She didn’t have a problem taking the first pill, why was this suddenly an issue?
“Well, yes, you did. But it takes two doses for the medication to be effective, Sweetheart.”
Sitting ramrod straight, she held her breath as they wound up the side of the mountain. She didn’t know what she should be more afraid of, the steep terrain or the current conversation.
“Effective? Just what the fuck did you give me?” she asked, her voice taking on a hint of annoyance.
Placing his foot on the brake, Kade slowed his SUV to a crawl and gently turned left onto the long driveway that led to his cabin. He hadn’t planned on telling her the truth about the pill, but if things were to progress, he knew he needed to be forthright with her.
“I gave you Plan B, Sweetheart. I knew I wouldn’t want to pull out or use protection the first time I was with you. But I’ll use condoms from now on, I promise,” he said, pulling in front of his A-Frame cabin.
Not caring that they had arrived at the end of their journey, Lexi blinked at him in a daze. That’s why the pill looked so familiar . She had taken the morning after pill the first time she and Leo had had unprotected sex.
You really fucked up this time! What if the reason you haven’t fallen pregnant yet is because Leo’s swimmers don’t swim? Did you ever think of that?
“Oh,” she breathed, unable to say anything else to either her abductor or herself.
Putting the Mercedes in park, he turned off the engine and unbuckled his seatbelt.
Opening his car door, he stepped onto the snow dusted gravel driveway and slammed the door behind him.
Walking around to the passenger side, he opened her door and leaned over her slim body to remove her seatbelt.
Daylight was quickly fading, and the temperature was dipping below freezing.
It was best that they settle themselves in for the night as soon as possible.
“Ok, my love,” he muttered, reaching for the black backpack resting at her feet. “Time to see your new home!”
Helping Lexi from her leather seat, he reached back into his SUV and grabbed a gray metal flashlight from the glove box.
Closing the passenger door, he took her by the arm and gently led her towards the modest two-story cabin.
He hadn’t planned on taking her to his safehouse for at least a few more weeks and it annoyed him that things weren’t ready.
He hoped she wouldn’t be turned off by the fact that they would be roughing it for a day or two.
“I’ll head into town tomorrow to get gas for the generator,” he said, pulling his keys from the pocket of his jeans and unlocking the door. “Until then, we have flashlights and I’ll make us a fire. How does that sound?”
Turning her gaze from the rustic cabin to her captor, she gave him a faux smile. Why the hell was he asking her? It wasn’t like she had a choice in the matter.
“Sounds nice,” she replied, her teeth chattering slightly from the frigid air.
Opening the red wooden door, Kade glanced at her with concern painting his face. Even though he had bundled her up in an oversized puffy coat, thick jeans, and Ugg boots, the freezing temperatures were still getting to her. He needed to build the fire quickly, before she became sick.
Turning on the flashlight, he ushered her inside the dark cabin. Taking her shackled hand in his, he led her towards the stone fireplace flanking the far wall.
“It’ll just take me a couple of minutes to get a fire going, Sweetheart. I promise I’ll have you warmed up in no time,” he said softly before pulling logs from the reserve pile next to the fireplace.
Nodding a reply, Lexi watched him as he set to work setting the wood inside the hearth and sparking a fire.
Within a couple of minutes, the fireplace roared to life, filling the immediate area of the dusty cabin with much needed light and warmth.
Moaning happily, she stretched her bound hands towards the heat and closed her tired eyes.
She always did love being next to an open fire.
“Feels good, right?” he asked, shrugging the backpack from his shoulder and dropping it to the floor.
“Very good,” she replied honestly.
Turning to look at her, Kade studied her for a long moment. She looked so sweet and happy, he liked seeing her like this. It washed away all the anger he still harbored from her little stunt earlier in the day.
Unable to stop himself, he stepped in front of her and gave her a chaste kiss on her rosy cheek before digging into his dark denim pocket. Pulling out a pair of tiny silver keys, he reached for her restrained hands. Unlocking the handcuffs from her wrists, he gave her a loving smile.
“Stay right here and warm up. I’m going to unload the truck. While I’m doing that, be a good girl and take your last pill. It’s in the front pocket of the backpack. There’s a bottle of water in there with it so you have no excuse not to, ok?”
Opening her eyes, Lexi nodded as she watched him move towards the front door. Rubbing her raw wrists, she waited until he had crossed the threshold before following his command.