Page 6 of Burn Me Down

Stepping out of the bathroom, I wandered down the hall and let the large fluffy towel drop to the floor as I reached my bed and the night clothes I’d left out this morning. They were soft, and I sighed as I pulled them on, but as I pulled back my blankets, the hair stood on the back of my neck.

My body registered that I wasn’t alone, but I didn’t get a yell out before an arm wrapped around my body and a cloth covered my face. Fear stabbed me, and I went rigid as panic gripped my throat and my mind. No, this couldn’t be happening. It wasn’t real.

My brain caught up to reality as I was picked up, and I thrashed, trying to break free of the vise-like arm. Struggling was like wrestling with a bear. I dangled helplessly and tried screaming, but I knew the smell of chloroform, and the more I breathed it in, the faster I was going to succumb to the effects.

I kicked wildly backward with my feet and tried using elbows that could hardly move. My nails clawed at the arm holding me, but he wore black leather gloves and thick sleeves that wouldn’t let me get at his skin. The light-headedness was starting. It took longer than people realized to be knocked out by the chemical, but it didn’t seem to matter with my attacker. Could I really be assaulted twice in one night? Would this one end with a trip to the hospital as a patient?

Tears burned my eyes, and I tried to scream as a last-ditch effort, but the sound came out muffled.

Adrenaline pumped through my body, giving me a fighting boost, but it also made breathing difficult. My chest hurt with how fast my heart was pounding. I was going to die. Why did Vi always have to be right?

The room swam, my struggling lessened, as the arms still held me tight. My body twitched, and my eyes fluttered closed as all went dark.

Derek

“Fuck, fuck, fuck,” I growled as I laid Beck down on her new bed. I couldn’t get rid of the image of the towel pooling on the floor at her feet or the feel of her body pressed hard up against mine.

Body shaking, I stepped back and rubbed my eyes, trying to rid the sensation flooding my brain. I’d forgotten how sensual it was to touch a female body, to feel the carnal hunger that coursed through your veins. This seemed far more intense than I’d ever experienced before and all I could picture was laying down beside her. Like that wouldn’t freak her the fuck out.

Pulling my knife I grabbed her hands and cut off the zip tie holding them together. I hated the red mark left behind and rubbed her wrists, hoping they’d feel better.

“No! That’s enough,” I ordered, and stepped back again.

My knuckles cracked as I squeezed them into fists. This was not why she was here. I brought her here as punishment. I took her to make Vi and Asher pay. Fucking fantasizing what it would be like to spread her legs was not the reason.

“No,” Beck mumbled in her sleep, her voice soft and anxious. I had to back away before I did something stupid like comfort her. I was the reason she was here in the first place. What good would comforting her do? I was going to kill her. That was all there was to it.

“Focus, dammit.” I glanced at the nightstand and confirmed that I’d left some pain killers and a bottle of water for her inevitable headache. I’d already brought the duffel bag of clothes from her apartment.

Keeping my eyes on the sleeping woman sprawled invitingly on the small bed, I backed out the door and locked it tight. It had taken some time to get Dora’s old garage converted to work as a soundproof cage, but it was finally complete. Technically, it was done weeks ago, but I wanted to make it feel comfortable. I wasn’t going to look too closely at the fact that I’d added a small bar fridge with all of her favorite snacks and drinks or that I’d taken the extra time to renovate the old two-piece bathroom that hadn’t worked since I arrived. The entire office portion was now my holding cell until it was time for Beck to put on a show.

Leaving the garage, I locked that door and marched for the house. Grabbing a root beer, I sat down in front of the television and flicked it on with all good intentions of watching a movie, but instead, I turned to the one channel that was calling my name. Beck was still in the same position, her head rolling from side to side as the drug in her system slowly worked its way out.

Her hair fanned out around her in dark waves that looked amazing with the powder blue pajamas. Fucking hell. My cock wouldn’t stand down. Her ass had been wiggling against my crotch, and that was all it took. It was never this hard unless I was watching one of my fires.

Touching it seemed like a terrible idea. If I did it once, it became a habit. My thumb hovered as I held the remote up, but I couldn’t seem to press the power button.

Sipping my soda wasn’t hitting the spot, but I refused to drink with Beck on the property. I couldn’t afford to lose control of my inhibitions. It also terrified me that I might get drunk and hurt her. Wasn’t that fucking ironic. Closing my eyes, I hit the button and took a deep breath. It shouldn’t matter if I hurt her. She was going to die.

No, she’s not.

I fucking hated the stupid voice in my head. It had been silent after the barn fire until today. I’d almost forgotten all about it.

“Yes, she is,” I growled at the empty room.

I smell bullshit, and it stinks. You’re a crappy liar, even to yourself. I would know.

“Would you fuck off already! Like I don’t have enough shit going on without you being a cunt in my head.”

Dude, I am your head. If I’m talking, it’s because you want me to talk. So as I said, you’re not going to kill her unless it’s with your massive cock splitting her in two.

I burst to my feet. “Shut the fuck up. I’m not going to have sex with her.”

No, of course, you’re not. First, you’d have to convince her, and good luck doing that. I mean, who would want you? Second, you’re still a virgin. What woman wants a twenty-seven-year-old virgin? Face it, you were brought into this world alone, and you’re going to die alone.

I smacked the side of my head and stomped my way down the hall to the bathroom. “Shut up, shut up, shut up.”

Make me.