Helia paused then tentatively handed it over knowing, I suspected, that she wouldn't get out of this without a fight that she no longer seemed to want.
But I did.
Beside me, Kash shifted on his feet, a sure sign that he’d join me in a moment. “Dress,” he murmured.
“What?” Helia backed up a step, forgetting I held her leash. “No.No.”
I snapped the leash, pulling her into me. “Dress, Helia. Why don’t you fight us more?”
She stared up at me, frowning. “Is that what you want? A girl who runs and screams?”
I stared down at her. “Better than a girl who agrees with everything that I say because someone told you to do it.” I wasn’t sure until a second before but now I am. Damnit, she was so perfect. So motherfucking perfect. I was sure we found her on our own. Right up until a moment ago, I was sure of it. And now…”
“What?” Helia backed off a step, shaking her head as she glanced between Kash and me. “No. No, I’m here because–” Confusion brushed across her face. It was almost comical to watch as she came to the same conclusion as I had.
“I think someone swindled us both, Helia. Come on. It’s time for some punishment,” I said kindly, holding out my hand.
She placed her hand in mine, and my cold fingers folded over her warm ones. Her skin was soft in my grip as she registered my words, and then she pulled back. But it was too late.
“What? Hell, no,” she shrieked. “You fucker?—”
I unclipped the leather leash and handed it off to Kash. He doubled it over, and slipped it between her lips, effectively silencing her as he stood behind her.
I smiled down at her as she cried and shook for me. And it was the prettiest sight. A sigh left me. “You see, Little Lost Alice,my obsession isn’t done yet. I think it’s just getting started. So while I know this isn’t good for either of us, I can’t let you go. But I can make it so you want to run and run and run…. even when you can’t.” I paused as Kash cut her dress off her with one hand. “Did you tell that girl in the frat house that you were safe? Waverly, was it?”
“Wheeeeee.” Her muffled protest were the cutest sound I’d ever heard.
“Wrenlee,” Kash interpreted for me.
“Ah, I got it wrong before. Thank you for correcting me.” I leaned in and licked her lips around the leather as she began to cry then slid my hand between her legs. She was fucking soaked. I fingered her lightly as she writhed for me. Kash laughed licking and sucking at her shoulders as he ground into her from behind.
“We both want you so bad, Helia,” he murmured. “If you survive tonight, maybe we’ll take you home and fill all your holes, then leave you out for the drink frat boy to play with.”
She shook her head, wild eyes meeting mine laced with fear.
I stroked her face. “I don’t know how to forgive, Helia. And I don't know why you’ve been set in our path. But tonight I'll find out.” I kissed her again, mouthing her lips and the leather. “I promise.”
“Maaadddyyy.”
Kash looked at me over her shoulder and shrugged. “Who fucking knows.”
“Did you print lipstick, Alice?” I pawed through her bag and tossed the contents on the grass. Helia sobbed softly. I found a red tube and wrote across her belly as Kash used her collar to wrap her wrists together. I had a spare and backed her up toward a light post. A moment's work and it was done.
“Last touch.” I pressed a kiss to her forehead and cut a strip of lace from her dress with my blade. That was tied around her neck as a makeshift collar, the blade dangling low at herbelly. “Now, if you don’t move, then you don’t get cut. If no one touches you,...”
I laughed softly.
“Good night, Helia.”
CHAPTER ELEVEN
HELIA
They didn’t trust me, and I knew why.
But before I could explain any of that to the two men I was fast falling in love with, in our own strange way, I had to endure the bright lights and drunken murmurings of frat boys and sorority girls who took their pictures and couldn’t help me because of what Key wrote across my body in my own lipstick.
A shade I’d never be able to wear ever again.
