Sasha Ramirez
You Can’t Leave Us
Raoul’s rough fingers were delving beneath the waistband of my panties when shouts rang out from outside the door. I felt him freeze against me.
“Quiet!” he said into my ear, and then his hand was over my mouth. He’d dropped the blade minutes before, but I’d remained as still as a corpse even without it. A flood of memories had washed through my mind; old survival instincts kicking in that kept me silent, kept me still.Be a good girl…
His hand continued its uninvited exploration as voices called out in the hallway beyond.
“Be very, very still,” he said hoarsely. Somehow the fear of being caught seemed to arouse him perversely because I could feel him growing ever harder where his hips pressed up against my thigh. His breath was hot and fetid against my face, and I screwed my eyes shut. If I concentrated really hard, I could be someplace else. Anywhere but here. I had to take myself away, even if it was just my mind that was escaping.
His hand was between my thighs, poking and prodding between my dry folds. I flinched but remained motionless. I knew this feeling; knew what would come next…and it turned me to stone. Raoul raised his hand and spat on his fingers, then rubbed the stickiness into me, thick, calloused digits thrusting deep. I wanted to vomit, could feel it rising up my throat.
“Come on, baby,” he whispered urgently into the shell of my ear. “You can get wet for me. You know you want my cock inside you. Don’t fight it.” As he spoke, he reached for the fly of his pants, and I felt him release himself, rubbing his hardness against my leg. The unwashed stink of his filthy flesh reached my nostrils, and I gagged at the thought of him pushing that thing into me. He was breathless with excitement, undeterred by the fact that my body wasn’t responding to him or that I was cringing away. If anything, it inflamed him. Men like him got off on terror. I wouldn’t give that to him…couldn’t.
The commotion outside grew louder. Cracks that may have been gunfire. Curses being yelled out; instructions, perhaps. I couldn’t make it out, couldn’t concentrate. My brain was foggy with the fear of what was happening to me, paralyzing survival instincts still blocking out the sensations and clouding rational thought. Raoul panted and humped my leg like an animal. He licked my throat as he continued to finger me, then adjusted his position. I felt him shoving my knees apart and angling his body between my thighs.
Oh God. He’s going to do it…
I dragged myself more firmly away from this moment. I thought of bright sunshine and rolling fields. Of Prince and his beautiful eyes. Of the moment he’d asked me to marry him.
It’s not me. I’m not here.
I could be anywhere. In Alec’s arms. It warmed my heart to think of him.
And then there was an explosion and a blinding light, and Raoul was sitting up abruptly. I heard him curse and then give a sharp shout. And then more explosions and suddenly he was slumping against me. And my face and neck were sticky. I pressed my lips together, kept my eyes screwed shut.
Raoul made a strangled, gurgling sound, jerking against me in a way that was unnatural. I didn’t move. Couldn’t move now. He was lying on top of me, too heavy to lift. Not that I had enough wits about to me to try to move him.
What the hell was going on?
Footsteps thundered into the room, and the weight of him was off me. But my face was wet, and the stench of iron made me want to gag. Blood. I was covered in blood.
“Oh, my God!” I gasped out.
“Sasha…”
I opened my eyes and into a glittering green gaze.
“Alec…” I sobbed out. He was gathering me to his chest. “Alec…” I couldn’t find other words to say. I burrowed my face into his neck.
“It’s okay…you’re okay,” he said into my hair. There were more shouts coming from outside. The light from the hall streamed into the room. “I’ve got you,” he said. I tried to ignore what was going on outside, focusing purely on him. The safety of his arms. He pulled back a little. I wanted to cling to him, but he was looking over his shoulder.
“We have to get out of here,” he said, and I knew he was right. My mind couldn’t grasp what he was doing here or how he’d arrived, but I knew we were in danger. “There are others behind me,” he said. I didn’t understand. “They’ll see to the guards.” I nodded. He had a plan. He had to have a plan. He stood and took my hand, and I swung my legs from the bed and found my feet, though I was unsteady.
Raoul’s lifeless body lay crumpled on the floor, the back of his head blown clean off, his face a shattered mess. I looked away. Prince didn’t spare him a glance, tightening his grasp on my hand and leading me quickly to the door. He took a quick look into the hallway, then glanced back at me and gave a sharp nod.
“We have to make it fast,” he said. “There’s a door at the end of the hall. It leads out back.” I pressed my lips together. I’d seen it, but hadn’t been through. They’d kept me locked inside since I’d arrived. His hands had moved to the vest he was wearing, and I realized it was the type I’d seen in movies. The sort of thing worn by soldiers in combat. He was taking it off.
“Get this on,” he said. I stared at him soundlessly, still in shock. As if dressing a child, he slid it onto my shoulders, pulled my arms through the armholes, began buckling thick straps. It was surprisingly heavy. And now, he had no protection.
“Alec, no…” I began.
He shook his head. “When I tell you, I want you to run,” he said. I was shaking my head. “When we get through that door, there’ll be a vehicle waiting. Get into it. Don’t look back.”
“No!” I said more firmly. “I’m not going anywhere without you.”
He cupped my cheek with his palm. I could smell gunpowder and blood.
