Chapter Six
Austin
I wake the next day, the smell of bacon filling my nostrils.
“Morning,” a soft voice whispers very close to my face.
Did I get laid last night? My morning erection is ready to go if so.
I roll to my side, ready to reach out to the hopefully soft, naked body lying next to me, but the clink of metal wakes me faster than any alarm clock.
“Have you been sleeping okay? Comfortable enough? I can get you another pillow or different bedding. You’re probably used to something a little fancier than what I’ve given you.”
I rub my hand over my face and blink my heavy eyelids open.
Bright eyes and freckles fill my vision, her warm breath tickling my chin as she inspects my face.
Fuck, why is she standing so close? My eyes dip down as if following a homing beacon.
A sheen of sweat coats her chest as her tits threaten to spill out of her crop top.
Does she realize how dangerous this is? You don’t get within grabbing distance of your hostage.
“Are you feeling okay? You look a little peaky. I can get you medicine. Maybe you’re not getting enough vitamin D...Actually, you’re definitely not. Your skin is sallow and lifeless.”
Fucking rude. There goes my morning wood .
“Maybe I should get you a supplement.”
“Or you could let me go.”
Please don't.
“Are you ready to let my brother go?”
“Not happening, Killer.”
“I can wait you out,” she snips.
“Well, at the moment, we can call this a wild weekend together. Any longer, and people are going to start looking for me.”
She frowns, retreating out of reach, and as I sit up, I try to stretch out the muscles in my back. The chains have been digging under my ribs. Not unbearable, but uncomfortable all the same.
She looks at my bare chest and the indents in my skin. Her brows knit together as she presses her lips into a flat line. Despite knowing better, she appears so innocent like this, but it looks like the guilt is kicking in.
Handing me the plate, she says, “You don’t seem too bothered about me letting you go.”
I start eating the bacon and egg wholemeal sandwich she’s brought me. It’s got chili flakes in again, and spinach. It’s fucking delicious.
“It’ll happen, or it won’t. You’re going to do what you’re going to do,” I say before taking another bite.
“But . . . but I took away your freedom. Aren’t you upset?”
I shrug. “It’s no more than I deserve.”
A flicker of concern reaches her eyes. But she doesn’t seem scared for others. She seems scared for me.
“And your people will be looking for you, won’t they?”
“Yes.”
“This soon?”
“The same day, Killer.”
We’re on day three. She must know that this is inevitable. I’m not going to lie. Not that she would believe it, anyway. Of course my people will be looking for me; she just doesn’t need to know that they know exactly where I am already.
“I could torture you,” she blurts out.
“You don’t have it in you to hurt someone, Olivia. We both know that.”
“You don’t know me.”
I shrug again. Finishing off my sandwich, I place the plate on the side of the bed and lean back, trying to stretch my aching muscles.
I work out every day, so my body is starting to feel the effects of this little vacation.
I’m not getting any younger, and the body forgets itself quicker after thirty.
Regardless, she’s shamelessly checking me out, and fuck, it feels good.
I’m in good shape; I know this. But given her profession and how fucking out of my league she is, the monkey jumping around my rib cage is pounding its chest, screaming, “Mine. Mine. Mine.” She’s feeding my ego as well as my stomach.
“I’ll bring you some vitamin D supplements.”
“Don’t go out of your way, Killer. You’ll let me go soon, and I’ll get my sunshine then.”
“I’ve kidnapped you . . .”
I let you.
“I’ve held you hostage for three days . . .”
I could have gotten out of these chains and out the window in less than twenty minutes, but sure.
“And you still don’t take me seriously. Maybe I really will torture you. Then you’ll know how serious I am.”
“Sounds like foreplay to me,” I wink, and pink singes her cheeks.
She moves to pick up my empty plate, and I reach out to grab her wrist. My grip is light, non-threatening, but she gasps all the same.
“I will smash these plates on your head if you don’t let go of me.”
Pressing my two fingers against her pulse point, I can feel her heartbeat racing. I rub my thumb against the smooth skin of her wrist. She could pull away easily but she doesn’t. She’s waiting to see what I do next. At least she has her weapon of choice ready.
Ignoring her comment, I say, “I’ll make you a deal.”
“You’re not in a position to make a deal.”
“Consider it something interesting to keep my mind occupied. You’ve given me far too much time to think.”
“Perhaps that’s the real torture.”
“The comfortable bed, eight-hour sleep, and delicious food kind of outweigh the negatives of being locked in your basement.”
“Ah, so the fact that you don’t deserve those things doesn’t weigh on you. Interesting.”
“Those things are pretty basic. Surely everyone deserves those, regardless of who they are,” I argue.
“If you thought you deserved them, you wouldn’t keep bringing it up.”
I pause for a moment, I should really mention this to Dr. Alfie. “Perhaps you’re right.”
My self-inflicted four-hour-a-night sleep routine is a form of punishment in itself, but I don’t want to admit that to her. “Is this where I discover the true meaning of Christmas and change my life by moving to a small town and falling in love?”
“Would that be so awful?” she murmurs.
I lean forward, my eyes dropping to my thumb circling her wrist. Her eyes follow mine, and she inches closer, too.
“I couldn’t think of anything fucking worse. And I think you’re the same.”
“You don’t know anything about me.”
“You’ve said that already.”
“And yet again, you’re not listening.”
I smirk, drop her wrist, and notice the tiniest of furrows in her eyebrows. She steps back like I’ve stung her.
She likes me. She fucking hates that she likes me, but she does .
“Perhaps I haven’t met the right woman,” I say, attempting to break the tension and failing miserably.
“Oh, so you are into women then?”
I smirk, how clever she is at gathering information. “I’m open to all things Killer, but yes, I’m interested in women.”
“I thought by the way you’re holding my brother hostage, you were interested in him.”
I grin. “No, you didn’t.”
She turns, hiding the tug of her lips I spot for a brief second.
“No . . . I didn’t. I knew you liked women.”
“And how did you know that?”
“At Squeeze the Day, you were practically drooling one day over a lady who walked in. She really was quite beautiful.”
“That can’t have been me.” I shake my head.
“It was, I remember,” she says, practically pouting. Sweet Olivia is not a good poker player, I see.
“Impossible.”
She rolls her eyes. “And why is that?”
“Because I’ve only ever looked at you at Squeeze the Day.”
Her mouth opens, but nothing comes out. She steps back further before turning on her heel to head toward the stairs.
I smile, stretching out my legs in front as much as I can in these chains.
“Our deal, Olivia?”
“I’ll think about it,” she replies without turning around.
“All I ask is that you bring me a book. It is quiet when you’re not here with me.”
She stops to turn. Her eyes drop for a split second on my bare chest, and I squash the urge to smirk.
“That’s all you want from the deal?”
“Please?”
Not a word I often say. My commands are followed regardless of social etiquette.
But Olivia Daniels is not from my world.
She’s kind and thoughtful, and I have a strong suspicion that deep down, she thinks everyone else is too.
And for the life of me, I can’t bear to be the person to break it to her.
There are bad men out there who would relish taking advantage of her kindness. Fuck, I’m sure some already have.
“I have a few old books I’ll bring down to you.”
She returns with some old paperbacks, and she places them on the floor by the bed.
“Thank you, Olivia.” I bow my head.
I watch her throat bob up and down, the swell of her breasts overflowing the tight sports bra she has on.
Does she realize her presence alone is torture enough?
Being so close, I can smell the faint scent of her perfume; receiving kindness from her when she hates me, it’s too much.
I know I can’t do anything about her brother.
Danny would be in an unbelievable amount of danger if I did.
Or he’d be back working for my father, and that might be just as bad.
I’m sure he’d be punished for moving to my side.
I can’t take that risk. I like the kid. Sure, he’s all bravado like most nineteen-year-olds.
But he’s a good kid and works hard. And even if he wasn’t all those things.
He’s her brother. Nothing can happen to him.
No. There’s one way to leave, and that’s in a body bag.
And as I hear the click and slide of the lock, I’m alone.
I hear shuffling and muffled footsteps at the furthest point of the basement ceiling, which I assume is either the kitchen or the living area. Given that the muffled footsteps quickly quieten, my guess is that it’s the living area.
I pull out the phone from my boot. The charge was about fifty percent, so I have a few more days available. I hesitate for a second, but decide it’s more important to speak to Dr. Alfie today.
The phone rings, and Mia answers in her normal, cheerful, professional voice.
“Mia, it’s Austin. Austin Black.”
“Yes, Austin.” She laughs. “I know who you are. Do you need Dr. Adams? ”
“Right away if he’s available.”
“It’s your lucky day, a patient canceled. I’ll put you through,” she chirps.
“You’re the real angel, Mia. Don’t let him forget.”
“I’ll expect that to be reflected in my Christmas tip.” She laughs before clicking silence.