Page 10 of Claimed (The Captain’s Captive #2)

Since they had the drug now, John and Cora agreed to send some of their top people to work with Dr. Margolis on synthesizing the antidote. They were already using the previous antidote to try to stave off the effects.

Whether or not any of it would work, time would tell.

In the meantime, the Wolf would continue to hold Alex and Bella—at least, Jordan assumed.

The Wolf didn’t seem to have had his fill of the pair yet.

The man hadn’t shown any signs of losing interest, despite his penchant for doing so.

Normally, it took quite a bit to keep the Wolf’s focus for more than a matter of weeks, although it often didn’t take more than that for the Wolf’s captives to become devoted slaves to his sexual prowess.

If Jordan could figure out how the man did that, he might use it on Trish.

Except she might not be her if he did. So, he wouldn’t. Even when she fought him, resisted him, Jordan wanted her.

He tightened his grip around Trish, ignoring the way Cora and Trace looked at him and Trish as the meeting wound up. They had both hinted at their interest in playing with Trish, but Jordan had shut them down.

Trish was his.

Back in the main room following the meeting, Trish knelt on a cushion at Jordan’s feet, relieved he didn’t have her on his lap anymore.

He must have gotten tired of feeling her squirming against his erection—or maybe he was trying to indulge her sense of modesty.

Maybe this was more reward for her: not being on display in front of everyone.

His hand never left the top of her head, and he occasionally stroked his fingers through her hair, keeping a connection between them that made her feel entirely too comfortable.

Trish didn’t try to move away, though. After all, why fight such a little thing?

Because she’d become used to it? Because some part of her liked it?

She would save her energy for the larger fights. That made sense, didn’t it?

The doors at the end of the hall opened, and Alex and Bella were led in.

Trish couldn’t help but feel some guilt about keeping away from them by choice.

They were all prisoners; shouldn’t they be in this together?

But Trish could remember what they couldn’t.

She knew why Bella had been punished. Trish was the one who had caused everything to go wrong last time.

And now, she also knew the tunnels weren’t the escape she’d hoped. Especially not when Bella had behaved so recklessly once she’d been told about them. Telling her again would probably be another mistake, but it didn’t stop Trish from feeling both conflicted and guilty.

More than that, would telling them be the correct thing to do?

While she didn’t understand the Wolf’s plan, he seemed to think Alex, Bella, and the drug would be integral to it—and maybe his plan wasn’t all bad.

Was he a kidnapping, raping, mind-fucking, sadist?

Yes. On the other hand, he was also a good leader, he cared about saving innocents, and his plan would probably help save others.

Everything wasn’t as black and white as she’d always thought.

It would be so much easier to just call the Wolf and Jordan ‘the bad guys,’ but they weren’t all bad.

There were redeeming qualities to both of them.

Heck, his own people regarded the Wolf as a hero and Jordan as someone to respect and emulate.

Not that it was any comfort when Jordan was spanking her or the Wolf was torturing Alex and Bella but …

Trish didn’t know what to think, anymore.

The people on the Moon weren’t all bad, either, although those in charge might be worse than the Wolf—but did that excuse his depravities?

She couldn’t bring herself to answer that question affirmatively, but Trish couldn’t wish him defeated either.

It was a scary thing to face, especially when she was looking directly into the eyes of his two current victims.

The soldiers escorting Alex and Bella led them over to the side of the dais, and Alex pushed Bella behind him on the cushions.

He and Bella were on the far side of the dais from Trish, but she could see them cuddle and comfort each other.

Alex even stroked Bella’s hair in the same way Jordan was stroking Trish’s.

The comparison made her stomach churn with conflict, so Trish moved her gaze away.

That left her looking at Cora and Trace, whose attention kept turning to Bella and Alex.

The room slowly filled with the Wolf’s soldiers, and Jordan picked Trish up to settle her on his lap. He continued to play with her hair, one hand massaging her leg as he often did. She tensed, waiting for his hand to wander, but it didn’t. His touch almost felt distracted.

Lifting her head slightly to see where he looked, Trish caught sight of Marek and Laura.

Laura sat next to Marek pouting, and Marek looked at Jordan.

The two men seemed to be having some kind of silent communication, and then Jordan nodded, which made Trish tense up. What had just passed between them?

“Don’t worry, babygirl,” Jordan murmured in her ear, his hand stroking her thigh soothingly. “We’re going to spend some time with Marek and Laura once we’re dismissed, that’s all. You’ll enjoy it.”

A slow fizz of arousal spread through her, making Trish blush. Yes, she’d enjoyed watching and being watched by Marek and Laura. She didn’t want to admit it, though, and she wasn’t happy her body had become aroused at the thought of doing something similar again.

It was fortunate she didn’t have to answer because the noise in the room died down as if there had been an invisible signal, and the Wolf stood.

He informed the gathered soldiers the raid had been successful and the drug acquired, which meant they were one step closer to victory.

Did everyone know what the plan was except her, Bella, and Alex, or did everyone else in the room just trust the Wolf enough that, if he said they were one step closer to victory, they automatically cheered?

The Wolf thanked Cora, Trace, and her soldiers for their hard work and help and promised they’d be well-rewarded.

Then he turned to Cora and asked what she’d like for a reward.

Cora’s eyes skipped over to Trish, but only for a moment as Jordan’s arms tightened around her and she could practically feel his glare, before Cora looked down at Alex and Bella where they sat on the other side of the dais.

“Did you have a particular choice in mind?” asked the Wolf as Alex shifted slightly in front of Bella, trying to protect her. “I do believe Toy wants to play.”

“Toy was quite a bit of fun,” Cora started to say, but Alex picked up a cushion and hurled it at her and the Wolf to provoke them into reacting and to remove Cora’s attention from Bella.

Trish felt the rumble of Jordan’s chuckle. “He’s going to regret that.”

Jordan’s tone of voice invited her to join in his amusement, and Trish almost smiled.

Alex had set himself up. Not that he’d deserve whatever Cora did to him as punishment, but …

he had to have known what he was getting himself into, and the action had been so very ‘Alex.’ But Trish shouldn’t smile about erotic torture.

As Cora and the Wolf left with Alex, Trace headed down into the mass of celebrating men and women, and two women converged on him.

Picking Trish up off his lap, Jordan stood and turned toward the soldiers who flanked Bella. The other woman knelt on the cushions, watching Alex leave with haunted eyes.

“Take her back to her room,” Jordan directed the soldiers as he took Trish’s hand. “Give her some of the healing cream; she probably needs it.”

Trish only ached more at the thought of what might have been done to Bella, what punishment she’d endured. Bella looked relieved, but also ashamed and guilty, her head turned to the door as if trying to catch one final glimpse of Alex.

Then Jordan was pulling Trish away, already dismissing Bella. “Come, little one. We have a date with Marek and Laura.”

As Trish followed along behind him, the folds of her pussy began to slick in anticipation, rubbing together between her legs as she walked.