Chapter Thirty
Romy
B oisterous laughing fills the air. The massive man, who only moments ago was seconds from exploding into the Hulk, is now cracking up so hard, tears are snaking down his cheeks.
I’m not amused.
The humor fades, and confusion replaces it. Gareth’s eyes begin to dart back and forth, doing mental calculations with my words.
It’s just a theory that Caius is CIA. It would make sense as to why he’s been speaking privately with a prior government employee. I’d also like to believe it’s why he didn’t take part in what Solomon did with the girl. Because, deep down, he’s a good guy.
But he’s not good enough because I’m still his captive, witnessing terrible scenes and awful truths left and right. Caius is emotionless, aside from rare bursts of anger, which means he’s tougher to crack.
Gareth, though, has buttons.
I pushed too hard before, but this time, I pushed just right.
He’d obviously been having issues with his brother long before I came into the picture. With Caius showing actual interest in me, Gareth clearly had a problem with it. It’s been festering and growing for weeks.
Choosing Gareth as my savior in this whole mess makes a lot more sense. Play on his emotions, keep his anger pointed at his brother, and use the bear of a man for my escape.
I can’t believe this is working.
“We have to find LuLu,” I say softly, hoping to guide him back to the rescue part of my plan. “We can get out of here while they do the swap.”
Gareth begins muttering to himself and starts to pace. A twinge of unease rises up inside me. The man is a bomb waiting to explode. If I’m not careful, he’ll take me out with him.
“Hey,” I murmur, reaching to touch his arm. “Are you okay?”
His fiery eyes land on me, pinning me in place. “I knew it. I fucking knew it.”
“Knew what?”
“That he was playing us,” Gareth hisses. “I told Dad once,” he sneers, spittle flying out and hitting my face. “You know what he did?”
I shake my head, shrinking away from him. “N-No. What did he do?”
“He locked me inside the same fucking pool room my girl died in.” His eyes become manic, and his pupils are dilated to nearly full black. “For days, Ro. Fucking days. I nearly lost my damn mind having to stare at those dark waters where we found her body.”
“I’m sorry,” I croak.
Time to reel things back. He’s losing it.
“He’s always been a betrayer, and Dad chooses his side anyway, time and time again.” Gareth tugs at the hair on his head before throwing his hands in the air. “Caius has a terrible secret, doesn’t he? And you know about it.”
“What? I already told you what I know. He’s with the CIA.”
A dark laugh escapes him. “No, there’s more. I can see it in your eyes. You know something.”
The accusation brings a thought to mind.
Calista.
Caius’s deep, dark secret that could get me killed if I mention it.
“I don’t know anything else,” I lie, tearing my eyes from his. “Come on. I’ll get dressed and we can go before it’s too late.”
He snags my bicep, nearly crushing me in his tight grip. I cry out at the sharp pain that shoots through my arm.
“He loves you and you love him. That wasn’t assault earlier. I heard you moan,” Gareth accuses. “You two are playing some kind of head game on me. Is this so you can take Kaitlyn from me? That’s what Caius wants. I fucking know it.”
Okay, now he’s really losing it.
“No,” I rush out as I try to pry his fingers off me, to no avail. “We don’t want your daughter.”
“Liar!” he booms. “Caius wants her out of my house. He fought Dad hard when I said I wanted to adopt again. Dad was almost convinced to deny me what I wanted most. The only reason I succeeded is because I agreed to Caius’s rule. I had to have a live-in nanny. Apparently, I’m not trustworthy since my other kid drowned!”
He’s shaking me with every word like I’m a bad puppy that chewed up his favorite shoes. His grip on me is a vise I have no hope of slipping out of on my own. I have to calm him down.
“Hey,” I say softly. “I’ll talk to him. Tell him he needs to relax. He wants you and Kaitlyn to be happy, though. He told me that.”
For a second, I think he’ll buy it, but then he sneers again. “What’s his secret, Ro? Fucking tell me? I’m going to expose him to Dad and kick him the hell out of our family. Tell me!”
This is getting out of control.
I have to bring the temperature down a thousand degrees here.
“Please,” I beg. “Calm down. Let’s make a plan together. We’re on the same side.”
He shoves me away from him and I land on the floor, my tailbone smarting in pain. I see movement outside—Ava and more girls heading toward the yacht. It’s too late. We’re too late.
By taking my attention off Gareth, I’m caught by surprise when he grabs hold of my hair. I grip his wrist with both hands, hoping to pry him off. It’s impossible to force him to let go.
“Gareth,” I cry out, wriggling in his hold. “You’re hurting me.”
Violence gleams in his eyes. “That’s the point. You will talk. I’ll make you talk.”
I’m tossed again, this time landing on the soft bed. I hold both palms up in surrender, but it’s not enough to stop him. He pounces on me much like a grizzly would on a small fox. Too easily, he subdues me with his massive frame. Trying to reason with him is failing miserably. I have to do something else.
“Get off me,” I grit out, flailing my fists and knocking them against any available part of him.
With a feral grunt, he grabs both my hands, easily binding them with one of his meaty ones. His now free hand clamps down on my throat, squeezing enough to make my eyes water. I squirm under his weight but can’t move an inch.
“Tell me his big secret,” Gareth demands. “Tell me and this will all be over. I won’t hurt you.”
No, but Caius will.
There’s no winning this war.
“No,” I whimper. “There is no secret. I swear.”
He applies pressure to my throat and the edges of my vision turn black. His face dips close to mine until his breath—that I realize stinks of alcohol—cloys what little breathable air I have left.
“Tell me. Now.”
I can’t. I don’t want to die.
But Gareth won’t kill me, right? Caius wouldn’t like that.
He starts muttering more angry demands, but I’m losing consciousness. We’re moving and at first, I think it’s because he’s picked me up. His hand releases my throat, allowing air inside my lungs, and I realize it’s the yacht, not us.
“You can’t kill me,” I rasp out. “Caius will really kick you out of the family then.”
This knocks some sense into him because he scowls at me. Then, as if a wonderful thought comes to him, his lips curl into a maniacal grin.
“Who said kill?” He forces my mouth open with his fingers and then spits on me. “There are far more enjoyable ways to make you talk.”
The demonic gleam in his eyes sends full-bodied shudders through me. I shake my head in vehemence.
“Don’t,” I plead.
“Spill and all this will stop.”
I like Mr. Bunny the best because his fur is silky and cool. When I’m buried under my stuffed animals and baby dolls, hiding from the monster, I can press my nose against Mr. Bunny and breathe cool air. In my head, I tell Mr. Bunny funny stories to pass the time. Sometimes, I make myself giggle but then have to quiet down quickly so I’m not found.
“Isn’t this pretty?” Gareth sneers, tugging at my necklace. He yanks heard, snapping the chain. “Oops. It’s broken now. Your lover will be disappointed.”
I blink away my hazy memories and focus on the beast in front of me. Running away mentally won’t save me from the man trying to harm me.
“Please,” I beg, voice raspy from being choked. “Let me go.”
“I could never get to Caius,” Gareth says, ignoring me. “He never cared about anything. But you? He cares about you.”
Is he insane?
Caius uses me. He doesn’t care about me.
“He confides in you. He loves you.”
“No,” I argue. “You’ve got it all wrong.”
His hand clamps down on my throat again but instead of squeezing, he drags it down over my tank top. I cry out in pain when he squeezes my breast.
“Shh, Mr. Bunny. I hear the tap, tap, tap of shoes coming closer.”
Mr. Bunny is quiet. All the bears and frogs and tigers and American Dolls around me and on me and beneath me are quiet.
The tap, tap, tap of shoes disappears.
That means the monster is gone.
I count to one hundred because that’s a long time and then finally crawl out from under the pile in my closet. I’m sleepy. If I’m not in my bed by morning, my family gets upset. They once called the police because I was missing. Dad found me fast asleep in the cabinet under the bathroom sink.
No taps.
With a yawn, I crawl back into bed and snuggle under my covers. I’m almost asleep when I hear a creak.
Taps? Where are the taps?
Soft thuds make their way to the bed. I hope it’s Bastian. Please be Bastian. His hand, rough from years of lacrosse, isn’t the one that touches my arm.
“There you are, Ro-La.”
I hate being called Ro-La.
Romy Langston.
“Ro-La, the tickle monster is here…”
I let loose a blood-curdling scream as fingers dig into the flesh on my stomach. These fingers are huge, though, with no fingernails. For a second, I breathe easy until I lock eyes with Gareth. I’m dizzied and confused as I try to piece together my present while trying to escape my past.
“Be quiet,” Gareth orders, “or I’ll put something down your throat to keep you quiet.”
I burst into tears as my sleep shorts and underwear are forcibly removed from my body. The hold on my wrists is painful and unyielding. I’m aghast at how efficient and successful Gareth is at undressing me with only one hand while I fight with everything in me.
“All you have to do is tell his secrets, Ro,” Gareth says as he unbuckles his pants. “Talk to me. I have the power to make this stop.”
Caius will kill me.
Is that worse than what Gareth wants to do?
“Go to hell,” I hiss out, spitting at his face.
His eyes flash with wickedness. “Suit yourself.”
He pushes one of my thighs up, exposing me to him. Then I feel his cock at my entrance, where not long ago, Caius had been touching me in ways that made me see stars.
This isn’t happening.
This can’t.
I’m too afraid to let my mind slip into the past. Back then, I didn’t fight. I lay perfectly still and pretended to sleep.
Pain spears inside me.
Terrible, awful, gutting pain.
Before, in the long, horrible past, it was the fingers of a monster, long and slender, and so utterly disgusting. This time it’s a beast with a massive cock, forcing its way inside of me.
I want it to stop.
You can make it stop.
“Calista,” I croak out, voice barely a whisper.
Gareth doesn’t stop bucking into me, but his eyes lock on mine. “What’s that?”
“Calista is his secret. Stop. You promised.”
He doesn’t stop, though. He goes and goes and goes and goes.
I chant her name over and over, hoping it’ll get inside his head and unlock that promise he made to me. I’m telling him the truth now. It’s all I know.
“Oh, fuck,” he says with a groan. “I’m close. I’m gonna fill you up with my cum and when my cock gets hard again, I’m going to flip you over. I bet your ass is just as tight.”
He suddenly pulls out of me instead of coming inside me like he threatened. Heat splatters over my lower stomach. He grabs a handful of my hair, tugging hard, and then he’s gone from my body. I lie on the bed, sprawled out, naked from the waist down, burning inside with fiery pain and shuddering wildly. Strands of my hair flutter over my naked, wet belly.
I have to escape.
He left and now I have to escape.
Why can’t I move?
I’m shaking too hard.
I manage to sit upright, peering over the edge of the bed. Two figures wrestle—one massive with bare ass on display, and then a suited one.
Caius.
He twists and turns until he’s able to pull Gareth into a headlock, squeezing so tight Gareth’s eyeballs bulge out. Both men, from their position on the floor, stare up at me.
He heard.
Caius heard me tell his secret.
Gareth reaches for me like I might save him. I shrink backward, shrieking in fear. Caius’s face is red, not purple like Gareth’s, and his eyes burn hot with molten fury. He’s probably going to kill me and all I can think about is how happy I am he’s here. With a lightning-quick movement, Caius lets go of Gareth’s neck, grabbing his head instead with both hands.
Snap.
The sound is sickening and sudden. Gareth immediately goes limp and his arm drops. His cock is no longer hard and is smeared with blood—my blood. In his fingers, I see golden strands of my hair, his souvenir from his conquest.
Caius pushes his brother off him and then rises to his feet. I can’t take my eyes off Gareth’s unmoving form, worried he’ll jump up and attack me again. He doesn’t.
“Better grab that blanket,” Caius snaps at me. “It’s going to get cold.”
Absently, I tug the blanket over my naked form. Caius pulls the sliding door and icy air rushes in, bringing snowflakes along with it. He hooks his arms with Gareth’s massive ones and begins dragging him onto the deck.
What’s he doing?
Caius struggles a bit since Gareth isn’t moving and probably has a hundred pounds on him. But he finally gets Gareth into a standing position. I get another view of Gareth’s ass as Caius bends him over the railing. Then he grabs his legs and flips him over the edge.
Did he just throw him overboard?
I blink in shock, unable to move. Caius stands in the icy cold, staring over the edge for at least a minute. Then he turns and heads back inside, closing the door behind him.
He rips off his suit jacket and tosses it onto the floor before disappearing into the bathroom. Seconds later, he returns with a wet cloth.
I close my eyes, overcome with exhaustion. My mind is closing up and calling it quits. The last thing I remember is him gently cleaning the battered parts of my body that hurt badly.
“It’s just a bad dream,” Caius whispers. “Go to sleep, love.”
I relax when his strong body wraps around mine from behind, warming me with his body heat. Twisting, I curl against him, needing him to hold me. He does, squeezing me to his chest.
“I told,” I utter, voice quivering. “I’m sorry. I tried not to.”
He kisses my forehead. “I took care of it, little girl.”
In the arms of a killer, I feel safer than ever before.
But for how long?