Chapter Twenty
Metal grinding on metal woke me and I jerked up into a stand, looking at the door. Moth blinked his eyes open, quickly rising when Brandon walked into the warehouse and closed our only exit behind him.
My shoulders squared as I planted my boots firmly on the ground. I wasn't going to take his attack lying down. Literally. I had no idea how long we'd slept, but the flash of light from the sun outside had told me that it was now daytime.
“She's awake!” Brandon, who had changed into jeans and a tight Tee, strode towards the cage. “And looking gorgeous as ever.”
“Fuck off,” I snapped, “and let us go.”
He chuckled, leaning his elbows on the gate of the cage as he studied us both. “Do you like my little dungeon? It was meant for a couple of women I'd been seeing, but as soon as you got involved with this idiot, I changed my vision. It wasn't quite ready, but it won't be long until it's finalised.”
I resisted the urge to cuss him out or wind him up, he would only get angry. And in my experience, his anger was the emotion that drove his dominating sadistic desires. If I could turn him off somehow, he wouldn't be able to get his cock hard enough to attack me.
“You're awfully quiet this morning,” Brandon said to Moth, who stood with his arms to the side and stared at our captor. “Brooding as ever.”
Moth stayed silent, his presence pretty intimidating, even to me. Brandon’s jovial nature dropped and he narrowed his gaze on me.
“How are you feeling?” He tilted his head to look at me. “Did your friend tell you what I plan to do to you? My cock is hard just thinking about a bit of voyeurism. He can watch me bend you over, fuck your arsehole, and then cum inside your tight pussy.”
Clenching my hands into fists, I resisted the shudder that wanted to shake me. The bastard was sick and twisted. I knew he would do it. However, he also liked anticipation, which was why, when we were together, he'd tied me up and left me sitting naked for hours, waiting for him to come home and fuck me.
Except, it had only been exciting the once. After that, his time got longer, and my torment got stronger. I wouldn't allow him to do that to me again.
“If you're going to do it,” I muttered, “Do it now so I can find peace.”
The corner of his lip lifted into a smirk. “Peace?”
“Yes, peace. Once I'm dead, I'll be free from you.”
“Who says I'm going to kill you?”
“Come on,” I goaded, “Try and get it up with an audience.”
Oh fuck, I'd just decided not to provoke him, what was wrong with me? It was the smarminess; it pushed me over the edge.
“Alia.” Moth bit my name out sharply. “Shut the fuck up.”
“Listen to your man,” Brandon said, “or I will kill him. The more you fuck me off, the more I'll hurt him.”
I chanced a glance at Moth, instantly regretting it when Brandon laughed, drawing my attention back to him. Moth hadn't moved from his position, not even to blink by the looks of it. Brandon had seen weakness in my fleeting glance. Fuck.
“You really have fallen for him.” Brandon unlocked the gate and came inside, moving closer to me. “How very sweet.”
Taking a deep breath, I gathered my strength, ready to lunge for him as soon as he stood near me, even if I was hampered by the chains. Except, he stepped between Moth and me, right in the centre of the cage.
Moth growled and lurched forward, his whole weight smacking into Brandon's chest. My ex flew back, crashing into the bars behind him. I tried to get closer to get him, but he was up on his feet, spinning towards me. Pausing, I braced myself and relaxed my arm, ready to swing the chain as soon as he got near.
“Think you’re clever?” Brandon smiled at Moth. “You're just provoking the beast who's going to fuck her so hard, she bleeds.”
He swung towards me, shoving me as he came near, so I stumbled backwards. I attempted to lift my arm, but he was on me, trapping my arms against my side and pressing me into the bars.
“My cock is ready for you, but I'm going to enjoy the foreplay.” He stroked a hand down my chest, his little finger dragging between my breasts. “You have no idea how many times I've fantasised about fucking you again.”
I gulped, keeping my gaze away from his face. I wouldn't give him the satisfaction of seeing the fear that no doubt shone in my eyes. As Brandon’s gaze roamed down my figure, I looked at Moth, who stood as close as he could, the chains stretched out behind him. His fierce scowl calmed me, even though I could feel the energy of his rage palpitating in the cage.
Brandon licked his lips, smiled and turned to leave. The cage door shut, followed by the outer warehouse entrance, without him uttering another word. I slumped against the bars, going still when I caught sight of a water bottle, on the floor by the gate. Shit, the bastard had actually brought us a drink.
Rushing to the bottle, I dropped to my knees and reached through to grab it, smacking my dry mouth in anticipation.
“What are you doing?” Moth's voice rumbled.
Turning, I stood and opened the bottle, taking several sips before doing it up and rolling it towards him. “Drink.”
His shoulders relaxed despite the rise and fall of his chest. He must've been cold, but not once had he shown it. He scooped up the bottle and had a mouthful before placing it down next to him.
“Rest again,” he muttered, sitting on the hard ground.
“There's no point!” I paced towards him, frowning when I lifted the chains. “Did you not see how quickly he stopped me from moving?”
Waving a hand in dismissal, he pointed with the other one. “Sit the fuck down. Let's… I dunno… talk, or something.”
“You're distracting me from my failure.”
“Do you want to fuck me off?”
Staring at his dark stringy hair and the ropes of muscle on his stomach, I rubbed my lips together. For a split second, my dirty brain had imagined he’d asked me something different. And the answer to that would've been yes… absolutely. He radiated bad boy protector guy and I was here for it. Except, we couldn't get close enough to kiss, let alone penetrate.
I sighed and went to sit in my corner. “I asked earlier, what made you so dark, but you didn't reply?”
If he wanted to talk, I wanted to know more about him. And the burning question on my mind was where he'd been for the five years after I'd got him caught. I still didn't know the details.
He scratched the stubble on his jaw and closed his eyes briefly, as if he were bothered about the question, but he knew he had no choice but to keep me talking. If he wanted to distract me, he could bare his fucking mysterious soul.
“As you know, our families were part of a cult.” He flicked his gaze up at me from under his eyebrows.
He’d told me about the cult when we’d been in the woods, hiding from Brandon. I hadn’t asked too many questions, and he hadn’t offered much either, but he had mentioned that he’d seen a ton of shit.
“Please don't tell me it was one of those fucked up ones that get you to do crazy stuff?”
He stared at me. “Exactly that.”
My gaze dropped to the ground and I suddenly started to understand more. I'd seen the documentaries and read numerous reports on the abuse that took place in different cults.
“I'm sorry.” I looked him in the eye so that he could see that I meant it.
He shook his head, his eyes glazed over. “Before we ran away, they were heavily into it, but we still lived in our own houses. We became friends at the meetings, but once we learned that our parents were getting ready to move to the cult's commune, we planned this big escape. And it worked…”
His sentence trailed off, but he didn't look at me.
“Until I ruined it for you.” My throat was tight as tears threatened.
I almost didn't want to hear what happened next. Ignorance was bliss when it came to the torture he’d endured due to my actions. But I stayed silent, ready to deal with whatever he told me. I owed him that much.
“Our families were on the compound when we were brought back to them,” he started, his eyes closed, clearly remembering that time. “And they punished us as soon as the police left, tying us up outside their homes, which were wooden cabins, dotted around the land and woods. There was a big main house where the leader lived and five other brick houses for the elders. A warehouse was used for events, meetings and school.”
“Shit, it really was a proper commune.” I rubbed my dry lips, glancing at the water, but quickly dismissing the thought of another drink. We had to make it last. “How long were you tied up for?”
“Five days.” He opened his eyes and looked directly into mine, the pain speaking to me. “We could see one another outside the cabins, too far away to talk, but close enough to see when a parent whipped or beat one of us.”
“What?” I exclaimed. “Why would they do that?”
A small smile crossed his lips. “We humiliated them and went against their deity. If you do that, you get punished. It was meant to strip us of any ideas of running again. It didn't work, it only hardened us to their beliefs.”
“If that was the start of your five years,” I muttered, shuddering, “I hate to think what happened the rest of the time. Did you play along to avoid being hurt?”
I imagined the guys at thirteen years old, being forced to sleep outside, tied up and cold. How could a parent do such a thing? Yes, their sons had probably scared the shit out of them by going missing for two years – I still didn't understand how someone hadn't found them – but they should've been beyond ecstatic to have them back.
“At first, we did… but old habits die hard.” He smirked then, something humorous lifting his mood for a second. “Our transgressions always came with a price, often inventive ones too.”
“So you were abused?”
His gaze snapped to mine and he lifted his hand to chew on the edge of his thumbnail. “Did you notice the scars on our backs?”
Nodding, I swallowed down the anxiety that gripped my chest. I couldn't find the words to express the mix of emotions that bubbled inside me. It was no wonder they hated me, not only had I inadvertently caused Wasp's death, I'd also sent them to hell. And now that I cared for Moth, like really fucking cared, it hurt even more.
“We had to do that to one another.” He lifted his eyebrows when I gasped. “Because we dared to question the leader at a meeting. All four of us stood to ask a question. When he avoided the first one, the second asked the same and so on.”
He chuckled then, his eyes lighting for a second. My heart ached at the simple pleasure they'd had to find in their torment. Clearly, they'd been subjected to hell, but they’d been too stubborn to be broken.
“We were called to the stage and forced to whip one another, in front of the whole family – that's what they called us all – a family.” He snorted. “With the things going on under the guise of spirituality, they were no family. No family hurts one another that way.”
I held my stomach and blinked away the tears that stung my eyes. “That's so cruel.”
“Once we were all bloody, they sent us to the leader’s house, to await him.” He cringed then, his body tensing. “He tied us to chairs and read to us from his own spiritual teachings. For six hours a day. With no food or water.”
“Six hours?” My eyes were wide. “How long did that go on for?”
It was almost as if he were telling me a plot to a book, explaining how the horror unfolded. Except, the four of them had actually gone through it in real life. No wonder they were cold and numb to the world.
Closing his eyes briefly, he inhaled sharply, his bare chest rising. “Two weeks.”
“What?” My bark of surprise echoed around the room but he didn't jump.
The corner of his lip quirked into his cheek. “We all went a little mad. We were forced to endure his voice for six hours before being allowed a drink and a snack. He'd then perform some fucking weird ritual shit in front of us, having sex, getting a blow job, having a bath. He explained that he had all this pleasure because he did as his god told him. He was one sick puppy.”
“I'm surprised you didn't kill him.” My sentence was met with silence. “Oh.” Realisation dawned on me as he grinned manically. “You have?”
His head shook from side to side slowly, that grin staying in place. “Not yet. He's number one. When he's gone…”
Frowning, he dropped his gaze from me and stared at his manacles, which he'd been twisting around his wrists.
My chest went tight and I struggled to breathe. I knew what he'd been about to say… but I didn't want to accept it. We had never planned to be with one another, and if Brandon had his way, we would be dead before that time. However, everything in my being ached. For him, for what he'd been through. Surely, he deserved the chance at happiness.
Choosing to ignore the unspoken end of his sentence, I rubbed my neck, cringing when the chains clunked against my breasts. His gaze flicked to them, and he licked his lips, far too enticingly.
“Don't look at me like that,” I murmured.
“Like what?”
My skin tingled as his gaze roamed over me. “Like you want to eat me.”
Shrugging, he tilted his head to the side. “What can I say? I'm hungry. I could feast on you right now.”
Heat warmed my skin and I bit my lip, trying to look away from him. Except, I couldn't. His haunting eyes delved into my soul, causing havoc with my body and my mind.
“Well,” I said, shifting my legs to open them. “Come and get it.”
Biting my lip, I flicked my eyebrows at him. If we were stuck in one another’s company, why not have some fun?
A growl rumbled his chest and he bared his clenched teeth. “I want to suck you and bite you.”
“Bite me?” Shit, he was fucking hot when he talked dirty.
“Just a nibble, on your pussy lips.” He inhaled deeply and exhaled loudly. “To really taste them. I'd pinch your tits, rolling your nipples between my thumb and finger until you're so fucking wet… I’d pin you against the bars, lift your leg and push my cock inside you as far as it will go. You'll be dripping and I'll slide straight back out, twisting you until you’re on your knees, ass in the air in front of me...”
He paused and I moaned, grinding my hips up and down on the floor. Moth’s eyes were so hooded, they were almost closed. “Lift up your skirt,” he ordered.
Going still, I stared at him, my mouth partially open. Was he leading us down this path? It hadn't even crossed my mind. Shit, the thrill of it shuddered through me.
“Only if you unbutton your jeans,” I replied, sucking my bottom lip into my mouth. “I want to see you.”
The corner of his lip quirked into his cheek and his brown eyes widened for a moment. “As you wish.”
He got to his knees, anticipatingly slowly, and popped his top button before drawing his zip down. I got into the same position and lifted my skirt, showing him my lacy undies.
“Are we really doing this?” I asked, my voice shaky.
His expression stayed the same, dark and erotic as he pushed his jeans and briefs down to his mid-thighs, revealing his hard smooth cock, which stood facing me.
My knees went weak, but I kept my composure, ready to meet him step by sexy step. I tugged my skirt and thong down to my knees, shivering when his gaze traced every movement, his lips opening slightly.
“Sit back,” he requested, flicking his eyebrows. “Push your clothes to your ankles and then spread your legs so I can see you.”
Oh fuckity fuck. When we'd fucked before, it had always been quick and satisfying. Weirdly, this was much more intimate.
The cold concrete smarted my butt as I sat down and tugged my skirt to my ankles. Leaning against the bars, I took several deep breaths.
“Do it, Sunshine, show me that glistening pussy.” His gravelly voice rumbled.
Holding the bar for support, I slowly let my knees fall apart, revealing myself to him. His nostrils flared and his eyes closed briefly. The ecstasy on his face was intoxicating, giving me a boost as he reached for himself.
“Run a hand over your stomach,” he requested, holding his cock firm. “And slip your fingers into your slit, stretching your lips open so I can see you fully.”
My stomach quivered as I followed his lead, caressing my stomach, over the skin and over my pubic bone, slipping straight to my pussy. My breath quickened as I stretched myself, baring everything to him. Why did it feel so vulnerable? I wanted him to adore me, yet, this was almost too much.
“You're beautiful.” He rolled his head, stretching his neck as his hand moved up and down the length of his hardness. “In every way, did you know that?”
Shaking my head, I stared at his hard cock as the tip of it released a wet drop. My pussy clenched and I reached for myself with my free hand, finding my clit and flicking it up and down. I bit my lip as I raised my gaze, almost melting when it met his. The emotions that flooded me were unfamiliar. I wanted him, needed him, in all ways.
“I thought you hated me,” I breathed, closing my eyes to shut out the awkwardness of being so vulnerable. “Did you mean everything you said, before?”
“Look at me.” His voice was strained.
Snapping my eyes open, I looked straight at him, my own fingers swirling and circling as I touched myself, the pleasure starting to tingle.
“I hated you for so long,” he ground out through his teeth, “but I think it’s because I fucking loved you, deep down… for all those years.”
A shudder rocked me and my tongue flicked out to wet my dry lips. “Really?”
My chest grew tight and my pussy soaked as we watched one another, his cock, proud and hard, my pussy, wet and glistening.
“I loved you childishly from the moment I saw you,” he muttered, “and that grew into obsession when you hurt me. Now, all I want to do it fuck you raw.”
My head fell back and a moan escaped me. “I want you so badly.”
“When we’re free,” he muttered, his breath short now, “I’m going to slip inside every one of your holes until you’re screaming for release. I’m going to play with you until you’re numb and I’ve cum over and inside you, a hundred times.”
His words sent me over the edge, the tingles rising and cresting as I stiffened. The pleasure shot over me and I leaned against the bars, forcing my eyes open as his panting grew louder. He bit his bottom lip hard as his hand pumped and went still, his whole body rigid. Shuddering, he reached for his cock with his spare hand, cupping it over the head as he squirted cum.
The waves of my orgasm died down and I watched as his shoulders relaxed. He kept his gaze on his hands, releasing his cock and lifting one cupped hand to hover over his wrist, right near his manacle. The slime of his cum dripped onto his skin and he rubbed it around, pulling the metal up and down several times before turning to his other arm.
He used the remaining cupped hand to grasp the other wrist, again, rubbing the wetness around as much as he could.
“Are you…?” I muttered, sitting up and pulling my clothes back on. “What are you doing?”
The eroticism of the moment had left, but his genius idea had me holding my breath. He went back to the original hand and swivelled the metal, pulling it up towards the base of his palm, where the bone is the biggest. He clenched his teeth hard and tugged. I released my breath, only to suck air back into my lungs again when he wrenched the metal even higher, using the slide of his cum to get it to the knuckle of his thumb.
“Fuck,” I murmured, “that must hurt. Be careful.”
He grinned, his eyes lifting for barely a second when I rose to my feet, just as he shoved the metal ring over the knuckle, freeing himself from the chain that bound him.
“Yes!” I exclaimed, excitement tingling through me at the thought of his freedom.
Not wasting a second, he grasped the ring on his other wrist and tried to do the same. The ring moved towards his palm, but caught on his thumb knuckle, staying there, no matter how much he tried to tug and pull.
“Fuck!” he exclaimed, his cheeks red and his teeth bared. “I thought I fucking had it then!”
He shot to his feet and turned towards the bars, punching out with his free hand. His knuckles rebounded off the metal and I put a hand over my mouth, trying to stop myself from crying out.
“It’s okay!” I said, moving to the centre of the cage. “We can try again soon. You got one hand out, you’ll do the other, no problem.”
Grunting, he came to me, reaching with his free hand. Tucking my hair behind my ear, he looked down into my eyes. Just having that arm out of chains brought him closer to me, although not by much.
“That’s if he doesn’t come before I can get free.” He ran his thumb over my lips, his touch more tender than I’d ever felt from him. “If that happens, we’re fucked.”