“Look, I’ve had a really long fucking day. We had a nice time at our picnic today, then it all went to hell. I’ve been kidnapped, drugged, cuffed to a tub, forced to listen to these two go at it for anhourand now I’m justdone.You’re may be good at the whole kidnapping-slash-killing thing, but let me handle this, okay?”
Crow looked stunned, and Osprey looked amused, but I didn’t really care what their reactions were. I was ending this sooner rather than later. I snickered to myself, thinking they could shoot me later if they didn’t like it.
“You’re going to let these two guys go on their merry way. They can go back to Diego and tell him they did the job and they’ll be free and clear.” I looked Paulie and the still gagged Jimmy in the eyes. “You ever say anything about anything, and I’ll sic these two on you so fast you won’t get the chance to catch a last breath before you’re dead. You get me?”
“Yeah, absolutely, man. I’m done with all of this shit, if you let me go. I promise you. I leave here, and you’ll never see me no more. Just like that Lynard Skynard song, man.”
Turning around to head back into the bathroom, I threw out my last orders over my shoulder.
“Crow, give the guys three steps and let ‘em go. Don’t hurt them, but get all their information and make it perfectly clear what’ll happen if they disappoint me.” Fluttering my hand over the other shoulder, I finished, “Whatever. You know what I mean. I’m taking a shower. Just deal with it, honey.”
I could hear Osprey snickering at my audacity. I was beyond caring what was going to happen to me around these guys. Getting the shower scalding hot, I got in and emptied the rest of the body wash and shampoo bottles to get clean. I would have to put the same clothes on, but at least I wouldn’t still smell like sweat and chloroform.
As I scrubbed the night off my skin and out of my hair, I turned my mind to my favorite subject lately. Crow. I was pretty sure since he made an effort to rescue me, Crow didn’t want me dead. With that knowledge, I had felt safe to speak my mind. I would keep doing it, too. I had a feeling he’d appreciate my opinions. He might make me pay for it later, but I would love any punishment he wanted to give me. It was a win/win as far as I was concerned.
When I was clean, the thought of getting back into those clothes was just too much, so I wrapped the towel around my waist and went back into the other room. There was no sign of Jimmy or Paulie. I didn’t ask. I had made my thoughts known, and that was as far as I would push it. At least tonight.
“Worthy, we need to talk.”
I was way ahead of Crow. I had considered every course of action while scalding my skin off in the shower. I had a good idea of what he was going to say.
“Yeah, I know. We have to head to San Diego now, right?”
Crow didn’t seem surprised I had made the leap to the inevitable. Osprey raised one eyebrow but didn’t comment. His eyes looked sleepy, and his posture was even more relaxed in the chair he’d kicked back in earlier. He was probably one of those guys who could sleep anywhere. Lucky bastard. Although, I had fallen asleep tonight cuffed in a bathtub, but I’d blame that on the drugs. I knew I was right, that we needed to keep going south for many reasons. What I didn’t know was the plan.
Crow eventually said, “Yeah, I hate to tell you that, but we do need to go. It’s the only way we can end this once and for all.”
“I know we do, and I get it. But what’s your plan? I know I have to go back with you, but I need to know that you have a plan before I go. I don’t want to walk in there again and not have a way out. I was able to break away once. I don’t know if he’d give me that opportunity again.”
Crow stalked over to me, embraced me in his strong arms, holding me until I wrapped my arms around him in return. We stood in the middle of that complete disaster of a motel room, but I didn’t notice anything but him. Hugging me tightly, Crow reassured me as only he could.
“Worthy, who did I say you belong to?”
My answer was immediate. “I belong to you.”
That instant response got me a squeeze.
“That’s right. You belong to me, and only me. That asshole has no hold over you anymore. You’re mine, and I’m not letting you go. You trust me, right?”
“Absolutely.”
In a whisper, Crow lulled me with his praise.
“You’re such a good boy, Worthy. My good boy. Don’t doubt that I’ll take care of you from this day forward.”
I giggled and whispered back, “That sounds like a marriage vow, to have and to hold from this day forward.”
“That’s exactly what it is, Worthy. It’s my vow. I already told you I’m keeping you. I’m holding you in my grasp from now on. We just have to get through these next few days and take care of all the loose ends, and we’ll be done. Then I’m marking you as mine.”
The idea that Crow was talking this way should have at the very least given me pause. It did not. I took his vow serious as death. The thought of being his and going back to what we’d had yesterday morning, gave me the biggest thrill. His obsessive need to possess me fed my need to be owned, cherished, and used. Twisted as both our needs were, they twined together like DNA strands to make something perfect in its simplicity.
We would get through this next challenge, deal with Terrence once and for all, then we could, at last, explore all the corners of our wants and needs. And we’d do it together.
