TWO
The crackle from a radio fills the silence in the room. It’s met by the harsh breaths leaving Noah and me. A small symphony of distorted sounds that make the uncomfortable silence eerie.
For hours we’ve been here with no reasoning behind our abduction. No instructions. Just words—phrases etched onto the walls as beacons of what is to come.
Who are we here to serve? Them. Or each other.
There are speakers set up at each corner of this room. Four walls with no escape; no windows, and the door is hidden somehow. Not visible to the naked eye.
The sound of someone breathing follows the crackle and it overwhelms me. It’s harsh and loud.
My heart beat pounds in my ears. I can’t stop grinding my teeth and the anxiety of our situation sends my physiological responses into overdrive.
Oh my God. What if they gave us a drug that can eventually kill us? I can’t tell if my reactions or normal or not. Everything feels out of whack.
More sounds follow, rougher. I can hear something that has the faint sound of wetness. For all I know it could be water, but I’m too scared to think much on the fact.
“Noah . . .” I trail off; my skin prickles and the fear settles into the pit of my stomach. Scenarios play behind my now closed lids and each one is worse than the last. What if they—
“Stop that,” Noah commands as if sensing just the kind of rabbit hole my mind is wandering off to. “I’ll protect you. Trust me.”
A low moan, and then a rough exhale comes over the sound system and my eyes snap open. I look over at Noah with wide eyes, a feeling of dread running through me. His eyes are on mine, the concern clear as day, but he remains silent. Mute. Still as a statue, except for his hand.
Slim fingers reach out, silently telling me to come closer.
Demand that I come to him. To listen and trust.
I hesitate, hyperaware of my body’s still-pounding reaction to his. My nipples tighten again. They press against the material of my bra, the rose pink flesh slightly visible over the low cup.
Embarrassment colors my cheeks and I feel flush. “Maybe its best if I—”
“Ivy, please.” Noah wiggles his fingers. His words are soft, and yet his tone leaves no room for argument. “Come here.”
Before I take a single step closer, the crackle ceases and a distorted, female voice on the other end coos. “My little pets are awake.”
“Who are you? Why are we here?” Noah fires off while I remain frozen. He notices this and walks over, hugging me tightly. “Answer me!”
“You’re in no position to demand a thing.” The clinking of ice in a glass carries through the speaker. The greedy sip taken sounds obnoxious—dirty—and I pull myself closer to Noah.
Chest to chest.
His hard cock rests on my lower abdomen, his piercing shifting against my skin.
“You are here for my enjoyment and mine alone. Learn it. Live it. Accept it.”
“Please, just let us go.” Turning my head from his chest, I look out across the room and in the direction of the biggest speaker. “We won’t—”
“Nothing, sweetheart. You are here to fulfill my needs.”
“Which are?” Noah asks.
We both know that the next words said will determine our future.
“Simple. You do as you’re told.” Another loud sip and a groan follows. “Whatever that is.”
“That tells me nothing,” Noah hisses out from between clenched teeth. His posture is defiant, tone pissed. “What the fuck do you want with us?”
“Get on the bed.”
This is a command.
No other words.
“Why the hell would we do as you say?” He’s getting angrier and angrier by the second. Normally, he’s one of the calmest people I know, but just like me, whatever is pumping through his veins is messing with his emotions.
Unlike him, I’m not angry. No. I’m beyond fucking scared, and when he snaps that question at our captor, all I can do is hug him tighter and whimper.
“Interesting question. I thought it would take longer before I had to threaten you.”
His arms tighten around me. “So you’re planning to kill us?”
I squeeze my eyes shut, my heart beating so hard that my chest starts to hurt.
“Tell me, do the lives of the people you love mean nothing to you?”
My eyes fly open.
The stillness that falls over Noah is eerie. “Excuse me?”
“I’m wondering if I should pay a visit to Lucy and Margaret. Treat them to my hospitality.”
Tears fill my eyes. My mom and his mom. This bitch is threatening them both.
“Shall I show you a taste of what my hospitality is like? Yes. I think I should. Both of you, look to the left wall.”
I don’t want to. God help me, I don’t. But when Noah slowly spins, his body moving away from mine, there’s nothing blocking my sight—
Is that . . . is that blood?
Leaking out from beneath the wall is a slow growing puddle of viscous, red liquid.
Noah leaves me, approaching it slowly.
I whisper his name.
He ignores me, stopping right before the puddle and bending down to dip his index finger into it.
When he lifts it to the light, any doubts I have are erased.
Then he sniffs the red liquid and turns to stare at one of the speakers, his eyes dilated more than before. “How do I know this isn’t animal blood?”
“Are you willing to take the chance that it’s not?” our captor smoothly replies.
Noah’s eyes meet mine and I see my thoughts reflected perfectly in them.
No. No we’re not.
He stands, wiping his finger clean on one of the chaise lounges by the wall.
And then all the lights in the room go out. All, but a small sconce near the bed. It illuminates just enough for me to make out his features.
Our room feels colder; I can feel the air blowing just above my head.
Noah motions for me to come toward the bed, his wary eyes bouncing all over the place. No doubt still trying to find a way out for the both of us.
I slowly walk closer, throat tight. I want to be brave. Keep it together. Yet, I feel the tears rising, the emotional tidal wave threatening to take me under.
“I’ll take the left side, love.” Stepping back, Noah takes my hand and pulls me toward the massive bed. He waits for me, his expression controlled.
But I know him. Most of all, I know those eyes. Can read them when no one else can. He’s worried. Analyzing. Calculating our next move.
Teeth grinding just like mine are.
My mind tries to run through all the substances I know about to see if I can pinpoint which one we’re on.
“I’m losing my patience.”
Noah jerks his head toward the bed, a silent demand that I follow. Legs shaking, I climb up on top, then move to slide under the covers—
“Ah, ah. On top of the covers. I want to see it all.”
In the back of my head I’d known, but those words make it sink in. My eyes fly to Noah’s and I can’t help the tears building inside them. My breathing becomes choppy and his facial expression begs me to relax. To trust him.
And I do, but fear is a motherfucking bitch and I’m close to panicking. One touch from him and I’ll unravel. Break down. Will never recover. Never move on.
Whoever this woman is, she’s going to force us to have sex.
The truth behind that thought registers with horror—desire. My heart beats harder, the pulse pounding between my legs. Unbidden, my eyes fall back to his crotch.
That big, pierced dick is still hard, still throbbing.
Calling me.
Noah steps towards the bed, slowly, eyes on me. Gauging my reaction, I think.
I pull my eyes back up to his.
Black. His pupils are so large those eyes are almost black.
Sliding back against the headboard, I struggle to breathe as he places one knee on the bed. The move pulls those small briefs impossibly tight across that erection.
My hard nipples ache.
He crawls onto the bed next to me.
“Lie down. Both of you.”
I lock eyes with him and can’t help the small whimper that leaves me.
We’re being forced into this.
But I want him.
Fuck. I don’t think I’ve ever wanted anything more.
Him. A man I never allowed myself to look at that way. Was it all a lie? Our friendship? Our sibling-like bond?
Was this dark, pounding, insane lust always there, beneath the surface, waiting to break free?
Or is this all because of the drugs?
My mind is shutting down, fear confusing me. Survival instinct roars through my veins, drenching me in adrenaline.
His brow furrows with concern as he studies my expression. Slowly, as if not to scare me, he raises his hand to cup my cheek.
I arch against the headboard, a soft gasp leaving me at his touch.
His eyes flare, that stare almost maniacal. Sliding his hand down to cup my neck, he urges me down onto the bed next to him.
I can’t break our stare. Every part of me is shaking. A single tear leaks out of my eye and he hisses in a breath at the sight of it.
“I know everything about the two of you. Have been watching and studying for months.”
My eyes jerk away from Noah’s at that comment. He makes a small sound and pulls my face back in his direction, his expression conveying his thoughts.
Look at me. Focus on me. I have you.
“I know things about the both of you that you probably don’t even know about yourself.”
I start crying in earnest as the meaning of what I’m hearing sinks in. We were stalked for God knows how long. Our private lives invaded.
At this point, there’s no way I can control the whirlwind of emotions any longer.
“Noah, lean down and kiss her neck.”
He swallows heavily, caressing my cheek, catching my tears on the tips of our fingers. He’s waiting for something.
“I will not ask again.”
He still doesn’t move and I realize what he’s waiting for. My permission.
Shaking harder, I manage a small nod.
Exhaling sharply, he leans down, a single millimeter at a time. “I got you.”
The entire world around us suddenly disappears. My eyes are open. My ears still function. Yet I see nothing, hear nothing.
Only feel his breaths against the skin of my neck as he draws closer—
Lips parted, he rubs his mouth up the column of my neck, a ghost of a touch.
An involuntary cry is ripped from my open mouth. “Oh God.”
His answering groan destroys something in me. He drags those lips up to my ear and I mewl at the sensation.
“Doll,” he whispers, so low I know I’m the only one that hears him. “Follow my lead. We have to do what she says to get out.”
I almost nod then catch myself beforehand. We’re being watched. Anything I do could give us away.
His lips open against my lobe. His hand comes up, his thumb laying gently on my lips. “Suck my thumb if you understand what I’m saying.” The command is rough, his British accent more pronounced, his words a hot caress along my ear.
Thighs shifting restlessly, I open my mouth, letting the digit slip inside.
Noah melts against me with a deep, almost violent groan. “Fuck.”