Elle
There was something about knowing you were going to die that was both utterly terrifying and strangely liberating. Nothing I was going to do would change the outcome of tonight, so why not speak my mind? Why not do all of the things I had always wanted to do? Why not take some risks?
Of course, all of these things made infinitely more sense if I weren’t strapped down to a chair unable to move.
I should have felt relieved when Shane left. After all, he was more or less the means of my destruction. I hoped it would at least be quick, my death, but mostly I just tried not to think about it. I still had hope that maybe Ciaran would come for me. Shane certainly seemed to think so.
My heart wanted to believe it was because of something sweet like love, but the more practical part of my mind reminded me if Ciaran did arrive to save me, it was because of a drive to protect me. After all, I’d professed my love for him and he hadn’t said a thing back to me. Not a single, solitary, darned thing. It was enough to break a girl’s heart—and it had.
Guess I should be relieved for the whole kidnapping thing, I thought wryly. After all, it saved me from having to wallow over the shattered pieces of my heart.
I told myself I was being melodramatic, but I couldn’t shake it. It hurt to know Ciaran had rejected me, and while I tried to remind myself he was the more reasonable one for it, I couldn’t deny how much it stung. We’d only known each other for days, but they had been powerful days. I’d gotten a glimpse inside of a complicated, handsome man who carried with him scars and secrets and a kindness that ran as deep as a mine. How could I not fall for someone like that?
Doesn’t make it less foolish, my mind whispered to me treacherously.
After all, what was the line? Only fools rush in? Well, I was definitely a fool, and I felt the full force of that. I shouldn’t have fallen so hard, so fast, but I just couldn’t seem to help it. Ciaran wasn’t like anyone I had met before. He was dark and powerful, but more than that. He seemed to connect to me. Maybe it was the confidence he exuded or just the way he seemed to be cocky one minute and then comforting the next. Maybe I just had a thing for taking care of guys, I didn’t know.
But I did know I wanted Ciaran. Having him physically had pushed those boundaries until I stumbled over the edge and now I wanted him in my life as a permanent fixture.
It sucked to know he didn’t want the same.
And this is what you’re focusing on while being a kidnapped prisoner in a crazy motorcycle gang leader’s house after a man just tried to stick his hands between your legs all the while knowing you’re not going to make it through the night?
I was messed up. But then, maybe I just didn’t want to think about my situation.
But you have to! You have to get yourself out of here!
That determined little voice in my head was urging me to not give up, and to not wait on any knight in shining armor to come save me, no matter how much I really hoped he would. I looked towards the door in front of me. There was another one behind me that led to the room where I had first met Shane, the one with the fireplace. I wasn’t sure where the one I was staring at led to, but it was where Shane had exited.
Had he been leaving the house? Was that the exit? Maybe Shane had been leaving to…go somewhere?
Doubtful, I thought dejectedly.
If Shane was using me as bait to get to Ciaran, then it was doubtful that he would leave me alone and wander off to do something. He was waiting on Ciaran, after all. He wouldn’t miss his chance to catch him.
And kill him.
That thought shot through me like a quick, hot knife. I swallowed heavily and tried to tell myself that wouldn’t happen. Even if Ciaran came, he would survive. He’d manage to get himself out alive, even if in the end he didn’t save me.
Though saving both of us would be better, I admitted silently to myself.
I really didn’t want to die tonight.
Standing next to the door where Shane had left was Bryce. Every time I’d tried speaking to him, he hadn’t said a word. He just remained standing by that door, silent and staring straight ahead. He didn’t even glance in my direction. Which was a marked improvement from the last asshole, but that didn’t mean I was necessarily comfortable with this guy.
Would he be the one to kill me? One call from Shane and then bam? Dead?
I didn’t want to think about it. Maybe I can appeal to his conscience. It sounded like a kind of harebrained idea at this point—it hadn’t exactly worked out so well with Shane. But I decided it was better than just sitting here waiting for my demise.
Clearing my throat, I tried to get his attention. He didn’t even glance at me. “Hey. Hey, you. Bryce?” Nothing. I cleared my throat again and kept trying. “I, um, I’m Elle. I’m…” I fell short there. What exactly was I supposed to say to him? I hadn’t the foggiest. Introducing myself as the kidnapped victim that was going to die sometime tonight didn’t really seem like a wise decision, so I ended up falling silent for a moment.
When he remained silent, I tried again. “You’re Bryce, right?” Still nothing. “Um, have you been with the Irish Hounds long?”
I figured that at the very least the stupidity of my question might draw his attention, but he didn’t even bat an eye. He might as well have been a statue. I let out a frustrated breath and wondered how in the hell I was going to get anywhere.
“Um, do you think I could use the ladies’ room?” I held my breath. I didn’t need to pee, and I definitely didn’t want to try to do it with him watching, which was probably how he would insist on doing it. I’d had enough with pervy guys for the evening, thank you very much. That being said, if I could get him to take me to the restroom, then I would at least be untied and maybe I could make a break for it. Be a heroine and save myself.
Fat chance, I thought, but I was hopeful just the same. I already knew I was going to die, what did I have to lose?
For a long, drawn out moment, he was silent. I thought he wasn’t going to answer me after a while and that he just didn’t give a damn if I wet myself, when he finally moved. His eyes darted over to me and he pursed his lips together tightly. He made a grunting, unhappy noise in his throat, then said, “Can’t you hold it?”
Score! I thought triumphantly, and had to fight back a smile.
I shook my head and tried to look pathetic. Which wasn’t as difficult as it should have been. I even tried to squirm a little to show that I really needed to go.
Bryce still looked uncertain, but after a moment, he let out another groan. “Seriously? This is just my luck. I hate babysitting jobs!”
I did my best not to take offence at the babysitting crack. It helped when I saw him reluctantly begin to move towards me. Oh my God, this is actually going to work! I thought, both shocked and thrilled. Maybe I would actually save myself!
Bryce took his sweet time getting over to me, as though he were debating each and every step, but eventually he stopped right in front of me. He looked down at me warily, then glanced behind him at the door again. He sighed, then looked back to me. “You’re sure it can’t wait?”
I shook my head emphatically. “Please.”
With another sigh, he crouched down in front of me and began undoing the bindings around my hand. “I don’t want any trouble, you understand?” I nodded silently as he continued to work. He glanced up at me as he finished undoing the knot around my left hand. “I’m serious. Shane wants you alive for now, but if I tell him I had to choose between killing you and letting you escape, I’m sure he’ll see it my way, understand?”
I swallowed hard, but nodded again.
He moved on to the other hand and I felt a surge of adrenaline race through me. This was it. My chance. He’d untie me and then I could—
“What the fuck are you doing, Bryce?”
A cold washed through me at the sound of that voice. I recognized it. It belonged to the man from earlier. John.
Bryce jerked back from me, straightening up. He’d barely even loosened my right hand, but my left was still free. I debated undoing my right arm myself, but didn’t dare move.
Not with that asshole now in the room.
“She needs to use the damn bathroom, man,” Bryce explained, sounding both whiny and a little apologetic. Like maybe he was being caught red handed.
“And you were just going to untie her?” John demanded angrily, his eyes darting to me and back to Bryce. He stalked into the room and I flinched. I really didn’t want him anywhere near me. Bryce opened his mouth to say something, but John cut him off. “You don’t think maybe that’s just a trick? That maybe she was trying to get you to untie the stupid bitch?”
Bryce looked uncomfortable, then groaned. “Damnit, you think so?”
John rolled his eyes. “Jesus, what were you born yesterday? Of course that was what she was doing!”
Sighing, Bryce scratched his head. “Yeah, probably right. Don’t tell Shane about this?”
John hesitated looking like he would just love to tell Shane about this, but then he got a cold gleam in his eye that I definitely didn’t like. He smiled at Bryce. “Oh, sure, buddy. I’ll keep your secret. But you’ve gotta keep one for me, too.”
Bryce frowned. “What secret?”
“That I was here.” His eyes flickered to me and I saw the hunger there. And it wasn’t a hunger I really wanted to think about. I tried not to tremble, but fear grabbed hold of me. “And leave me alone with her for a minute.”
Bryce looked uncomfortable for a moment and I thought maybe he would tell John to back off, but then I remembered I was a hostage, Bryce didn’t know me, and John was his friend. Or coworker. Or whatever. My heart fell when I heard him say, “Yeah, all right. I want out of here for a minute anyway.”
When Bryce left, I felt hope leave with him. I didn’t have any particular attachment to him, but I knew instinctively that he was safer than John. The door shut behind him and I was left alone with this animal.
“Just you and me, honey,” John told me, moving closer.
I gripped the armrests of the chair, wishing there was something I could do. But I was trapped, and no one was going to save me.
“Now, where were we?”
John reached for me. His left hand found my thigh and started to jerk my dress up high so he could reach beneath it. I tried to squirm away from him, but I couldn’t go anywhere. When his face leaned close to mine, his right hand moving to cup my breast, I tried to scream. His mouth covered mine, however, and swallowed the sound. I tasted the tobacco on his tongue and wished I could gag. I realized my left hand was still free and I reached up, slapping and punching at him as best I could. It was enough to get him to break the awful kiss and laugh at me.
“Oh, feeling feisty, are we?” he mocked. He removed his hand from my breast and grabbed my wrist to keep me from hitting him again. He slammed it down painfully on the armrest and leaned in again to kiss me. I felt his hand crawl up my leg, finding bare flesh.
I tried to scream again and this time when he kissed me to cover it up, I bit his tongue. I could taste blood.
Jerking back from me, he roared in pain and anger. “You stupid bitch!” he screamed. He jerked his hands off of me, then spit blood onto the carpet. His eyes flashed with rage. He reached behind him. A second later he pulled out a pistol.
I screamed. I screamed as loud and as hard as I could, tears in my eyes, fear in my heart. I knew that I was going to die. My only hope was that I would do so before he got the chance to have his way with me.
“Shut up!” he yelled, and pulled the gun around, smacking it hard across my cheek.
My vision blurred as pain swelled in my face.
“I’ll teach you a lesson!”
I turned just in time to see John coming towards me again. But before he followed through on his threat, Bryce burst through the door again. “Shit, John, we gotta go!”
John jerked around to face him. “The fuck are you talking about?”
“It’s Shane! He’s fucking dead! And the cops are coming.” Bryce didn’t stay to explain anything further. He just raced off, disappearing out the door once again.
John glanced back at me, looking as though he wanted to stay and finish what he’d started. But then the sirens actually started flashing in the widows and the sounds reached our ears. I saw panic flash in his eyes. He dropped the gun, panicked, and ran as quickly as he could.
I sat there, shaking, hurt, terrified, but oh so relieved. The police were here. I was okay. I would be okay. I let out a sob of relief, but it was short lived. The door slammed open once again, causing me to jerk my gaze up again. I was sure it was John having decided to come back for me, but when I looked to the door, I froze.
It wasn’t John.
It was Ciaran. He’d come to save me.
Cursing, he raced across the room to me. He knelt down in front of me, undoing what remained of my bindings. His eyes swept across me, searching every inch of me, lingering on my face, where I was sure I was quickly forming an ugly looking bruise. “Are you okay?” he asked me, his voice sounding strained. “I heard you scream.”
I tried to answer him, but only a sob came out. He finished undoing my bindings and I threw myself at him. My arms wrapped around his neck, clinging to him. I was safe. He was here. Everything was going to be okay.
For a second, he seemed frozen, but then his arms came around me and he held me back. I didn’t know how long we stayed like that, but eventually he pulled away a little. Just enough to help me stand. I clutched at him before he could pull away any farther, though.
“What…what are you doing here?” I managed to get out.
“Isn’t it obvious?” he asked me, brushing the backs of his fingers against my bruised cheek carefully.
I shook my head. It most definitely was not obvious, but I didn’t say that. Instead, I asked, “What happened?”
“It’s a long story, but the basics of it are that Shane is dead and the Irish Hounds are under arrest for murder.”
My eyebrows shot up in surprise. “But what about the dirty cops?”
He shook his head. “I had some of my guys sniff ’em out. They’re being questioned right now. As for the Hounds, I had my guys show the police what they did, how they murdered my men. They’re going to go away for a long time. And with no Shane, the ones who aren’t put away will have a hell of a time surviving out here on the streets.”
I stared at him. I was incredibly relieved to hear about them being arrested and Shane being dead and the dirty cops found out. But if I were being really honest, in that moment, I didn’t really care. All I cared about was that I was standing here with Ciaran, his arms still lingering around me, and I was alive. I would survive tonight, and so would he.
“Thank you for saving me,” I murmured. “I…I really thought I was going to die tonight.”
His whole body tensed at my words and he pulled me closer. “I wouldn’t have let that happen.”
I smiled at him, tears forming in my eyes. He was such a good guy. Determined to save me, to protect me even though he didn’t feel the way I felt about him. Biting my lip, I debated not saying anything more, but I knew I had to. After almost dying, I had to tell him one more time that I loved him, even if he couldn’t say it back.
“Ciaran, I…” I faltered. It hurt to say this to someone who wouldn’t feel the same.
“What is it? Are you hurt?” He sounded so concerned.
I smiled at him sadly. Yes, I was, but not the way he meant. “No, I just…I just wanted to tell you that you’re a good man. I know you don’t think so sometimes, but I do. I can feel it in my heart. And I want you to know that I don’t care if you’ll never love me back. I will always love you anyway. I just wanted you to know—”
He closed the space between us, his hands cupping my face, then he drew me to him. His lips crashed against mine in a searing kiss that left no room for argument: he wanted me. His tongue found its way into my mouth and his lips pressed tightly to me, wanting and needing more. By the time he pulled away, my breath was gone and my heart was going a mile a minute.
Breathing heavily himself, he said to me, “I love you, too, Elle. I should have told you the first day I saw you. I knew you were an angel and you’re way too good for me, but damn it all if I don’t want to be selfish and have you anyway.”
“You…you love me?” I couldn’t believe it. Was I hearing him right?
He nodded his head. “Yes, I do. And I’m not letting you go again.”
He kissed me once more and I melted against him. For the first time in a while, I thought maybe everything was going to be all right.