Page 43 of Captive

“I think the man that I knew for an entire semester could do the same thing. Maybe you shouldn’t forsake him,” I offered. While his words sounded heartfelt, my stomach continued to churn. I closed my eyes, loathing the fact exhaustion was keeping my mind fuzzy. “I don’t completely understand why these men would want to kill me.”

“For the simple reason that you belong to me. That’s all the reason they need. And they’re very good at what they do.”

“If you don’t kill me first.”

“I’m not going to kill you, Chloe. That has never been my intent. While I think it’s important that you remember I am a monster, I will protect you with my life. That is my solemn oath.”

Brutal.

Violent.

Soulless.

A monster…

That’s who he was, or who he’d pretended being for a good portion of his life, but I could tell he wanted nothing to do with that man any longer.

And because of that, he would end up dead.

CHAPTER 9

Nikolai

The thought of death had never bothered me before. That it weighed heavily on my mind wasn’t just an irritant. It was a weakness and one I couldn’t afford.

Much like the beautiful redhead with the large emerald green eyes reflecting both her sadness as well as the powerful tiger I knew lived inside. She was a woman that I couldn’t erase from my mind any more than I could the primal male desire that remained in my loins. My pulse quickened from the thought of her radiant smile, the lilting sound of her laughter. I’d watched her over the months, her actions demure and structured at first. She’d been terrified to ask questions, slinking away when I’d attempted to pull her into one of the discussions.

Then she’d come alive, allowing her true personality to shine through. That’s the moment I’d started down a dark path of need, my hunger growing exponentially every day she was in my class. Chloe had no idea that I was a savage man, my thoughts bordering on heinous. While I’d managed to control my desiresthen, being with her here in this secluded cabin had stripped away all sense of decency.

There was such an incredible magnetic pull that I found it difficult to maintain any concept of humanity. I took another gulp of the whiskey, hoping it would calm my nerves as well as my libido. While the smooth liquor had appeased the rage, it had done little to soothe my sadistic needs.

The earlier conversation had obviously troubled her, much like the entire twenty-four hours had done. At least she remained calm, no longer attempting to break free of her chains. She’d returned to the house after I’d promised to keep her alive. I had no business in doing so as I knew exactly what to expect. My instinct refused to back down. It was simply a matter of time.

I took a deep breath, enjoying the scent of fresh pine and the clean night air. There was a distinct chill, the crisp sensations invigorating. I had to plan for an attack, finding an entirely different method of leaving the area. That I would do in the morning. If I hadn’t heard from Ivan, I’d assume that he had no intentions of risking any additional help. Fine. I would deal with the situation entirely alone.

My thoughts drifted once again to Chloe. My inability to get her out of my mind should be enough of an impetus to take her somewhere far removed from this location and from me. It was nothing but selfish to keep her locked down or to pretend on any level that this was anything other than what it was.

Biding time.

Yet my body continued to shake, my fingers twitching to be able to take her without reservation. I wanted nothing more than to explore every inch of her body, taking time to trail my fingersalong her finely molded jaw, sliding them between the softness of her breasts. And I wanted to taste every inch of her, dragging my tongue over every bit of porcelain skin.

My cock hadn’t stopped aching, the burn in my balls making it even more difficult to think clearly. Damn it. I had to get her out of my system. Maybe fucking her once again would do the trick.

I closed my eyes, moving the glass from hand to hand. The tear I’d seen trickling down her beautiful face had only reminded me of her vulnerability, even though she repeatedly displayed defiance. It was an act and one she’d perfected because of whatever had occurred with her parents. She was a delicate flower, so perfect in every way that even the need to have her surrender to my will seemed blasphemous, a horrible deed required by a monstrous human being. However, the little flower was hiding secrets of her own, a pain that had given her more strength than she understood. That would be tested on every level.

Hearing her sobbing in the bathroom had unleashed my fury at having to rip away her life. That alone had almost destroyed me, pushing me over an edge I hadn’t gone over in so long. The woman had unceremoniously found a way through my layers of darkness. However, there was no sense in falling into a self-deprecating moment. That would do no good for either of us.

After taking a deep breath, I walked back inside, determined to manage at least a couple of hours of sleep. While crude, I’d provided enough deterrents in order to buy at least a few minutes in order to get out of the house quickly if necessary.

The warm glow of the fire was enough to highlight the woman standing at the bottom of the stairs. She seemed surprised to see me, her mouth twisting as she fisted her hands. The effort hadallowed them to disappear under the oversized man’s flannel shirt. She stood in her bare feet, only a few buttons fastened. And dear fucking God, no woman had ever looked so beautiful.

“I’m sorry. I hope your friend doesn’t mind I borrowed this. I didn’t really think about buying anything to sleep in,” Chloe half whispered, twisting her body from side to side.

The simple move was enough to push my cock against my zipper. Even my damn pulse had quickened, the fire burning in my belly more pronounced than before. “Of course. He won’t mind.”

She nodded, obviously nervous in my presence. “Okay, good. I was just getting some… water. If that’s okay, I mean.”

“You have free rein of the house, Chloe. Please, get what you need.” I locked the door then moved toward the fireplace, forcing myself to study the fire. I didn’t need to hear her moving into the kitchen or the way the refrigerator door was opened to feel her presence all around me. She was the firestorm building in my system, her scent lingering long after it should have gone away. I pulled the Heckler & Koch from the small of my back, engaging the safety then placing it on the hearth.