Page 21 of Ever After

My eyes are glued to the items. “If I promise not to scream or try to run, can we not use those?”

He gives me a surprised smile. “Maybe I’m breaking you faster than I thought.” He pauses and thinks about what to say next. “Crawl to me.” He points to the ground in front of him.

Play along. If he thinks I’m breaking, he’ll go easier on me.

I push the musty blanket off me and crawl like an animal to him. Staying on my hands and knees, I look out past his legs into the open area. I’m trying to categorize what I see. I’m in a hallway with several doors that look the same as mine. The hallway floor is hardwood, and the walls are a dark red color. It reminds me of an ornate hotel.

“Unzip my pants and suck my cock like you’re starved.” I snap my eyes up to his. His arms are crossed over his chest, waiting.

I shake my head. “Please don’t make me, Chris. I can help you if you’d let me.”

“Tick tock, sweetheart. Either do it or get the gag and the chains.”

I haven’t had any part of his body except his fingers inside of me, and I have no desire to experience it now. I recoil and he laughs.

“That’s what I thought. You aren’t broken yet, but I’ll get you there. A few more days and you’ll be begging for my cock. He wraps his hands around my hair and pulls my head back. “Let me get this on without a fight, and I’ll even make the water warm.”

The thought of a warm shower, when I haven’t felt warm in days, is too enticing to risk testing his threat. I sit still as he puts the gag in my mouth and the cuffs around my wrists, securing them in front of me. He grabs the chain in the center and pulls me to my feet, the metal rubbing against my raw skin. I’m naked, and I turn my head so I don’t have to watch his eyes roam over me. He slides his hand over my stomach, and I recoil, trying to pull back.

“Imagine how pretty you’d look, belly swollen, carrying my child. Who knows, if I don’t like any of the prices, I may just keep you for myself. I’ve been told I’m a good lover. By the end of these two weeks, I’ll know your body better than anyone—even you. I’ll get you to orgasm in under five minutes, and you’ll be begging for more.”

He pulls me forward.Two weeks.That’s how long Grayson has to get me out of here. I try to focus on where we are going—how many steps, how many doors we pass—but I can’t concentrate. I’m fatigued, cold, and hungry. I stop walking, and he turns to look at me.

“You know no one’s coming, right? We’re too well hidden. There are no traces ofEver After. The name isn’t anywhere.”

I try to talk, but the gag doesn’t allow it. I stomp my foot and narrow my eyes at him in an attempt to be menacing.

He matches my stare and barks, “Keep stalling, and the shower will be cold.”

I hang my head and start walking with him again.Grayson’s going to find me, I just know it.

Grayson

“Hey, Gray, it’s been a while. What’s going on?” the cheery voice on the other end asks.

“Hi, Winston, good to hear your voice, man. I have a huge favor to ask. You would be pulling a hell of a lot of strings to pull it off. Think you’re up for the challenge?”

Winston and I go back to our days in the Marines. He does a lot of undercover type of work and is full of contacts. If you need to disappear, he’s the man for the job. He’s paid very well for the work he does and has even helped on a few cases in the past.

“Doubt it will be a challenge, but try me.” I hear him smiling on the other end, and I can picture the light in his eyes as he speaks.

“I need a new identity. One that even the best of the best won’t be able to trace it back to me.”

“What did you do?”

I can’t help but smile.Asshole, assuming I did something.“The girl I told you about, the one from high school that I’ve been watching. Remember?”

“Yeah, what about her?”

I rake my fingers through my hair and tug on the strands. “She’s been kidnapped. Someone’s managed to keep it under wraps. The reporters haven’t started snooping yet, but I think it’s human traffickers. She’s on the chopping block if I can’t get her out of there.”

“Why not go undercover? Why go rogue?”

“Chief told me to stay out of it. It’s not my case, and he made it very clear that I won’t have a job if I do anything stupid. I think this has to do with Sarah, and when I mentioned that, he made a point to restrict my access to the case. I’m not going to give up without trying everything I can.”

“Fuck.” He sighs. “How long do I have?”

“How fast can you work? I have a number to get in touch with the person selling her, but I want to make sure this is in place before I call.”