Page 7 of How to Fail at Escaping an Alpha Orc (How to Fail #3)

Chapter Seven

Daria

“ H e really does have a nice penis,” Angie announced for what felt like the hundredth time.

She leaned back on a pillow beside me, staring gleefully at the TV. We were watching the trashiest of dating shows, and for a moment, I could pretend I was back at my apartment and everything was normal. Then she had to mention Marcus’ dick, and I was kicked back into my frightening reality.

It had been three days—seventy-two hours since my kidnapping. I’d tried to weaken the ward every moment I could, but there was no way to tell if it was doing any good. I would only know when I could push my hands through. And it took a lot of my limited, ward-breaking magical energy. Right now, I was on rest.

I had no idea if people were looking for me. I didn’t have access to the internet, and the TV only had some streaming services, so I couldn’t even watch the news. I had no idea if my employees were wondering what was happening. My poor parents were probably beside themselves. We all knew the first forty-eight hours of a disappearance were crucial, and here it was, twenty-four hours past that.

I rolled over and glared at my ghost friend. “Must I continue to hear about orc penis?”

She nodded eagerly. “Yes. It’s weird; he doesn’t ward the bathroom, so I can easily spy on him taking a shower. He seems not to mind me watching him in the bathroom. He might be an exhibitionist. Then again, if I was built like him, I might be as well.” She wiggled her eyebrows with a devious smirk. “I don’t know; you might want to try seduction again.”

I closed my eyes, the humiliation from that night still burning in my memory. I had no idea what I was doing, and it was very clear. Still, it did seem to affect him. Angie thought it was why he was now saying he would protect me. If he thought I would give up my goods in exchange for some protection, he had another thing coming.

“I am not seducing him again. I’m going to stay silent and let him pretend to be nice, and then, if we pass a cemetery on the way to meet the gang, I can raise an army of zombies to help me.”

Angie blew out a raspberry. “That plan has a thin margin of success. And I’m not saying you should use your body to get freedom, but maybe enjoying yourself while you’re in this predicament might not be bad. He seems to like or at least respect you. And he gave you all those extra pillows and blankets so you could set up a nest in the closet.”

I pouted, crossing my arms. “They smell like him.”

“Like deliciousness.”

She was right.

I’d already taken a few naps in the closet, wrapping myself in the sweet aroma of his coffee and chocolate. It felt delightfully cozy. I wondered if he had scented the pillows and blankets before giving them to me. That would be devious, but I wouldn’t put it past him.

Angie interrupted my thoughts. “Also, he’s conversing with you daily, talking about his life, even the bad stuff. It’s sweet.”

“I wish he wouldn’t talk so much.”

Angie wiggled beside me, her face fixed in mischievous glee. Did she take nothing seriously? I suppose the stakes weren’t as high for her now. “Why? Is it because you’re growing to like him? It makes sense. He’s the nicest kidnapper I’ve ever seen.”

I side-eyed her. “How many kidnappers have you seen?”

She waved a dismissive hand at me. “That’s not important. The point is, he’s trying really hard. He didn’t have to do any of this. He could keep you locked in this room, feeding you greasy food with no change of clothes. Instead, he did all he could to make you comfortable. Even hiring a plant sitter, which is insane.”

“Because he feels guilty.”

“And that’s important. And even when he broke into your place, he learned things about you.”

I crossed my arms over my chest, practicing my best patience with my bestie. “Because he’s a professional criminal, and he wanted to mitigate surprises. Any action movie would tell you that.”

Angie clasped her hands together, giving me a dreamy look. “Can you imagine, as he’s rifling through your things, learning about your life, he’s slowly falling in love? Just like in a romance book. He’s probably so torn up inside. We know the guy has a heart because he quit the criminal business, even after it meant losing his family. He’s a good man, Daria.”

I snorted. “Don’t you need to recharge in ghost purgatory or something?”

She pointed at me. “Rude.”

“Wasn’t it only a few days ago that you were accusing me of early Stockholm Syndrome?”

“Yeah, but that was before I knew he was a big, friendly giant.” She moved to face me fully and grabbed the remote to put the program on pause. “I know this is not a good situation. And I even get that his going to the police as a former criminal may not have been a realistic option for him. He worked hard to leave his old life, and now here he is, back in it to save a loved one. I’m not saying give in. But maybe learn more about him and his plan and see if there is a way to work with him to get you out. Our biggest enemy isn’t him. It’s Death Mask.”

I nodded thoughtfully; she was right about that. I had plenty of time in my thoughts to think about what my next steps would be. Getting away from Marcus was only the first stage. I had hopes that my cop friends would protect me from Death Mask, but police resources were low, and I fully believed there were crooked cops on the force who would rat me out. I trusted Devin and Carl, but they were just two against a whole gang. I could run to the witch’s coven. They could put me into hiding, but would they put in the resources to take out Death Mask? They’d never done so before. And would they do it for me? A non-member? Or would I have to be on the run for the rest of my days?

“I’ll try everything I can,” I began. “I won’t give up. But I’m not going to trust the man who kidnapped me. He made it very clear it’s his brother over me, and?”

My statement was interrupted by a knock at the door. It was another politeness that Marcus was showing me that made it hard to despise him. My door had no lock, so he could barge in. Even to the bathroom.

“Come in,” I called.

The door opened, and Marcus appeared with a bottle of Sangria. “I got your favorite brand of Sangria, and I made a pizza from scratch. I was hoping you would eat with me, and we could watch a movie. Any one you want.”

I glanced at Angie, who gave me an expectant look before looking back at him suspiciously. “Why do you want my company?”

He tilted his head, considering me with an expressionless face. This was his armor. A coldness that he used to give him the upper hand or hide any weakness. It made me uneasy, which I guessed meant it was working. “Because I like being around you,” he finally replied.

My stomach tightened at his words. Despite his neutral face, he sounded sincere. I’d never had anyone say that to me before. It was so freaking sweet. I quickly shook my head. No, I couldn’t believe his words. “You’re just lonely.”

He straightened up and took a step inside my room. “I’m used to being alone, Daria. I said I like being around you, which is what I meant. You don’t have to like me, but I do like you. I’ve done many wrongs in my day, but I will not do wrong by you. Well, I will not do anything more wrong. You’ll see. So, will you join me?”

I turned back to Angie, but she was gone. Of course, she’d disappear right now. I was pretty sure I knew her thoughts about this request. I suppose I had to make this decision for myself, and I had been wondering what I would eat for dinner earlier. “Well, I guess I might be hungry.”

And then he smiled, his blue eyes seemingly lighting up.

I could have melted at that sight. There was something almost endearing about seeing a giant, muscular orc full of tattoos have such a sweet smile. Had this man really been a killer?

I stood up and followed him downstairs.

And so, we ate and drank while he was talking, and I was listening, as usual. I surely wasn’t in a space that I wanted to share too much. Therefore, he spoke as if I were a priest; this was his confession. As if I were a therapist and he was seeking counseling. I hated to admit that I enjoyed it. The sound of his voice, the multifaceted tales. I pictured him as the strong, silent type, but he appeared to have been bursting with the need to share his thoughts with someone. I wanted to be honored that he chose me to open up to, but the nagging thought in my head wondered if he was sharing because I wouldn’t be around long enough to matter.

He picked up his glass, looking at the TV. “I just finished reading Golden Eyes and Icy Hearts . It was pretty good.”

I blinked several times at him. Wait, had he just said he’d read a spicy romantasy book? No. I heard wrong. “Excuse me? Did you just say you read a fantasy romance?”

He nodded casually. “Yes, I thought it would be all sappy romance, but it actually had a good plot and a fair amount of action. The spice was good, too.”

Yes, it was all that, but I didn’t understand him. “I’m sorry. Was it a coincidence that you picked that book?”

“No, I looked through your e-reader and saw that was the most recent book you’d finished.”

I frowned, even more confused. “So many questions. Why did you need to know what I’m reading? Why did you need to read anything I read?”

He cleared his throat and sat up straight. “Well, I first wanted to get in your head. I wanted to know my prey. Like if you were reading books on magical defense or ward breaking, that might make a difference in how I planned out your… kidnapping.”

I leaned forward, slightly amused by his response. “And when you saw my e-reader was filled with nothing but romance books, why’d you read the Golden Eyes book?”

He ran a large hand over his hair, which was currently up in a ponytail, a few errant locs framing his face. His cheeks slightly deepened a darker green. Had I made a tatted, former killer orc blush? Damn it, why was he so freaking cute? I gulped my Sangria, overwhelmed by whatever was happening in my head.

“You gave it a high rating, and I got curious. What else is there for me to do here? In a way, I’m just as trapped as you.” He raised a hand when he heard me snort. “Poor choice of words. Most of the books I read are historical fiction or murder mysteries. It was a nice change of pace.”

This shouldn’t be sweet. I should be irritated, but something twisted in my stomach. Was I flattered? Did I like that he cared? Maybe it was the liquor. This is not a dark romance, Daria. The ending will not be like those books. The morally gray guy will not change and become your knight in shining armor, no matter what he promises. “Why? You claim you aren’t lonely, why are you talking so much? Why are you reading what I read?”

He gave a dry laugh before taking a sip of his Sangria. Not the reaction I was expecting. “I’ve never been accused of talking too much.”

“And yet here you are, giving me your life’s story and claiming you read a romance novel for a change of pace. Why?”

He set his glass down, his brows slightly furrowed as if he couldn’t find the answer himself. “I’ve never been lonely, Daria. Until now. I can’t explain it, but studying and meeting you makes me want something more. Something I know I’m not meant to have. With you.”

He looked at me with those intense, deep blue eyes, as if he wanted to pierce my soul. I sucked in a breath, confused by his confession. Why was he being so open? Was it because he thought I was going to die anyway so it didn’t matter? No, that was too easy. He was more complex than that. If he really wanted me alive, then opening up like this would serve him well. Even with the negative things he told me, I was still finding myself captivated by him. Perhaps he was connected to me because I was an omega. “I’m an omega.”

He nodded. “I liked what I learned about you even before I knew. And even though I’m an alpha, I’m not hung up on finding an omega. Never was. I wasn’t hung up on finding anyone. I didn’t think my life would let me, and I knew the odds of finding an omega all my own was low. I don’t share.”

He said that last part with a low growl in his voice, and my core buzzed to life. I wasn’t a pack type of girl, either. Felt like too much work. And… wait a minute, why did I care? “If you’re trying to seduce me so I won’t try to escape or plot your demise, it’s not going to work.”

An amused glint appeared in his eyes. “Plot my demise? Interesting. No, I’m not trying to seduce you; I’m trying to be charming. Not so you won’t escape but because I like you. And I’ll uphold my promise to help you out of this, but I’d kick myself if I didn’t give myself a shot to try for you. Even if it’s a long shot.”

I harrumphed and looked away so those magnetic eyes wouldn’t pull me in. “It’s an impossibly long shot.”

“Hmm, I’ve always been one to try the impossible,” he rumbled.

Crap, I could already feel myself dampen as the bass of his voice fluttered over my clit. Damn, that alpha.

“Recommend another book to me, Daria?”

Why did he keep saying my name? It sounded too good on his lips. Fine, if he wanted to play this game, then I would play along. What else did I have to do? Also, maybe I could get him off his guard and live after all. If I didn’t, I would have to haunt him until the end of his days, which could be a long time for orcs.

“Fine, well, I’m reading a dark romance about a vampire mafia boss who,” I rolled my eyes at myself at the irony of it all, “kidnaps a teacher whose brother offered her up as collateral while he collects the money he owes him.”

Marcus cocked a brow, seemingly intrigued. “What’s the spice level? Is it fast burn?”

I leaned back, impressed by his romance book lingo. “High spice, mid burn.”

“Name?”

“ Alaric’s Passion .”

He picked up his glass again, looking way too gleeful. “Great, I’ll begin reading it tonight.”

I shrugged. “Awesome, we’ll have our very own book club,” I said dryly.

The rest of dinner was filled with more conversation about books and questions about my favorite things. If I allowed myself to be in the present, I might like getting his attention. When I went back to my room that night, I caught myself smiling. This was not good. I’d clearly been single too long if I was even remotely falling for my kidnapper. It had to be because he was an alpha. It was in my nature to be attracted to him because he was an alpha. It couldn’t be helped. Yeah, that was it. None of this was my fault. I didn’t have Stockholm Syndrome. I was falling prey to the alpha and omega connection. It felt good to know that was it and nothing more, and I went back to weakening the ward, rejuvenated a bit by dinner.

Only it was a short boost because not too long after, I felt weak again. I really wasn’t built for ward breaking. I quickly got ready for bed and then went downstairs to grab a glass of water.

When I entered the hallway, Marcus’ door was closed, but I could see a crack of light beneath, so he was still awake. As I made my way past his door, a sound caused me to stop. I leaned forward and lightly pressed the side of my face against the door. It sounded like groaning or grunting. And then maybe a slight repetitive squeak of the bed.

Was he doing what I thought he was doing? I pressed a hand over my mouth, my heart racing. I shouldn’t be listening to this. And yet my feet would not move. Why did he sound so hot? I could feel my panties dampen more and more with each squeak of the bed, envisioning what he looked like gripping himself, hips rapidly pumping the air to meet his large hand. I should be ashamed. I was getting turned on by eavesdropping on a man masturbating.

I lied to myself earlier; it wasn’t just about nature. It was about me being locked in a house with a fine-as-hell orc, and I’d been practically celibate for the last two years. Dating had been straight boo-boo water. I was close to giving up the fight and filling my house with animals until I retired and established a Golden Girl’s type living situation with other single senior citizens. Until that time, I guess I would stand out here and listen to Marcus like some perv.

I bit my lip and squeezed my thighs together as if to hold in any more of my slick that was threatening to seep down my legs. My body readied itself for an alpha, but my head told it to get it together. When my nipples hardened at the unintended friction from my thighs, I quickly realized my body was winning.

And then, horror upon horror, the door swung open.

Marcus appeared with a wild-eyed look on his face.

I screamed and stumbled back, almost tripping over myself, but Marcus caught me, quickly wrapping an arm around my back. He looked me over slowly, and I suddenly felt very exposed in my short pajama set, hoping no slick was showing between my legs. Not that I didn’t expect him to scent me.

His pupils seemed to dilate, nostrils flaring, and I was certain he could smell my arousal. “Tell me, did you like what you heard?” he rumbled.

I slowly pushed a hand against his shirtless chest. Whoa, he was built like a brick wall. A smooth, heated, delectable brick wall. I was slightly giddy at getting another chance to see him shirtless again. I willed my body not to produce any more slick for him, but damn, this man was fine. “I… I don’t know what you mean,” I whispered, my voice too dry from arousal to speak properly.

He smirked and then lifted me up in the air. “Wrap those beautiful legs around me, little flower.”

I obeyed, not sure if I had lost my mind or had too much to drink. Also, him holding me up in the air by the waist like I weighed nothing was both scary and impressive, and I wanted to see it through.

“I was going to get water, and I thought I heard you cry out like you’d hurt yourself.”

“Sure,” he replied, eyes lighting up with something I couldn’t place.

I was actually a little scared now. He didn’t seem angry, but he didn’t seem exactly unbothered either. “What are you going to do?”

He didn’t answer. Instead, he walked us back to my room and sat me down on the edge of the bed. He dropped to his knees, still holding on to my hips.

I gave a nervous giggle. “Still not talking? I’m getting nervous.”

He tapped his forehead on my bare knee. “Three nights, I’ve had you in the room next to me, and I dreamed of you. Do you know how difficult that’s been for me?”

He’d been dreaming of me? Something inside of me cracked. I was so conflicted because had this been any other situation, with all that he’d shown me of himself, I’d be open to possibilities. I would like him. I would date him. I would do… many things with him. Still, he was my captor. He had the power. “It doesn’t have to be difficult. You could let me go.”

He growled and that shouldn’t have excited me like it did, a jolt racing through my core. “I would if I could.”

He moved his hands slowly down my hips and over my outer thighs, pausing when he touched my skin. I stiffened at the feel of his rough hands on me. I didn’t exactly hate the feel of him. His heat warmed up the slight chill over my legs.

He began to slowly rub my thighs in an up and down motion, and everything inside of me hummed. Why did his touch have to feel this good? “I wish it didn’t have to be this way. I wish I could protect you better than this, and I wish you could believe me that I won’t let them hurt you. What else can I do for you?”

My legs parted slightly without me thinking. Marcus raised his head, staring down at my inner thighs. He gripped me tighter, his face almost strained. “You should close your legs.”

I raised my brows, my cheeks warming. Could he smell me? I had to be perfuming out of control. I slowly began to move my legs together, but Marcus’ grip paused me. “Well, you aren’t making it easy.”

“Just because I said you should doesn’t mean I want you to.”

The way he said that left no doubt in my mind that he was talking about something far from innocent. My throat was getting dry because I could barely speak. Maybe I did need that water. “What do you want me to do?”

He took a deep breath. “I want you to let me lick you until you come, so I can find out if you truly taste like that sugar cookie scent of yours.”

My vision blurred for a moment. How he looked at me in that moment could only be described as hunger, and I shivered. I wanted him more than I realized. He wasn’t my friend. He was keeping me against my will. But my body was practically on fire for him. Was it wrong to give in and let him? Would he think this situation was, okay? No. It didn’t matter what he thought. I was in control, at least here. I could do this for a bit and stay firm in my resolve to escape this situation.

I nodded tentatively, and he wasted no time reaching up to the top of my pajama shorts. “Lie back and lift up.”

I bit my lip and looked down at his own lips. I wasn’t afraid of his tusks, if that was the right term, but I was curious about having them so close to my lady bits. Not that any kind of worry stopped my clit from practically throbbing through my panties.

He kissed the inside of my right knee. “I won’t hurt you, little flower.”

His lips felt so soft against my skin. And like the flower he called me, I opened up for him and did as he said. “Good girl,” he whispered before pulling my bottoms down along with my underwear.

I could have floated away like dust on the wind at those words. My body was so fragile for him. And then I felt his tongue. At first, it was a quick lick across my lower lips, as if a taste test. I sucked in a breath. However, that was nothing.

“Hmm,” he moaned before sliding his tongue between my folds in an upward motion and then circling over my clit.

My eyes rolled back in my head, and I clutched the sheets underneath me. His tongue was like heated magic, tickling every nerve in my body. He wiped over my clit using the tip of his tongue with expert precision, mixing slow and fast, light and heavy pressure. Then I felt the pressure of one of his large fingers inside of me. While it was nowhere near the size of what it would feel like to have him in me, it was substantial and felt too good as he slid his finger in and out of me. Perhaps it was because I’d been celibate for so long, but it didn’t take much. However, when his long finger tapped against my sensitive inner spot in a come-hither motion, I practically lifted off the bed. It felt almost magical, with just his mouth and finger on me. Each touch set me ablaze.

And then I came so hard my body trembled from head to toe. I cried, maybe shouted, his name so loud I wondered if the ward would even block out the sound. I felt my thighs dripping with something wet, and I looked down to see him continuing to lick me, his lips and chin glistening with my slick.

I cringed, embarrassed by the mess I’d made, but my body shook again as a milder orgasm passed through me. Brainy Daria cared about the mess. Omega Daria cared about the climax. I tried to scoot back, but Marcus grabbed onto my thighs tightly, preventing me from moving. “I’m sorry. I made such a mess. I didn’t think it would be this much.”

Marcus sat back, wiping a hand over the lower half of his face. He looked far from bothered. “Nothing to be sorry about. It’s only natural as an omega. And you do taste as good as I hoped. Like the essence of your cafe.”

I giggled, slightly less embarrassed but still not sure how to accept his words. “Is that a good thing?”

He kissed my left knee and reached for my bottoms. “It’s a fucking delicious thing. I’m not sure I wanted to stop. When is your heat?”

I frowned, it would be coming in a little over a week if my schedule was right, which was a bigger issue because I did not want to be in heat around criminals who would take advantage of me in my weakest state. I would be a primitive hormonal mess, unable to focus on anything but sex and not caring who it was with. I shuddered at the thought. “It’s not that far off. So, you have to get my suppressants. I didn’t see them in the bag of stuff you got me.”

He raised a brow, a disturbed look on his face as he tapped my thigh for me to lift my feet to slip my legs through my underwear and pajama shorts. “No. I missed that somehow. You suppress your heats? You don’t have someone take care of you or go to a clinic while in your heat?”

I shook my head, slipping my other foot in my bottoms. He was such a gentleman. “No. It’s not abnormal. Some single omegas go to a clinic and get a service, and others, like me, try to skip it altogether. I’m not too fond of the idea of hooking up with some random guy. I typically like to connect with a man in some meaningful way mentally. I made an exception now, although this isn’t exactly sex, so maybe that doesn’t count.”

“Sure,” he said, dryly.

He smirked again, and my stomach twinged. Dammit, why couldn’t I get past this attraction to him? He was supposed to be the bad guy. I needed him not to be so likeable. I needed him not to be so good at oral.

“You said sure like you don’t agree.”

He shrugged, standing up, and I had to tilt back to take in his massive size. “I said one word, there was nothing else to it.”

“So, you agree?”

“That this didn’t count as sex or that you haven’t made a connection to me in some meaningful way?”

I jutted my chin out, feeling less sure than I hoped I looked. “Both.”

He chuckled before heading to the door. “Sure.”

I slapped the bed. “You’re saying it like that on purpose. You don’t agree, do you?”

He paused, turning back to me. “Little flower, how you opened up for me lets me know we have a connection. And the way you just came from me, certainly felt sexual. I want to do it again soon if you let me.”

He then licked his lips slowly, eyes wandering slowly over my body. I parted my legs wider, feeling my clit tingle again under his stare. I had to get out of here.

I was falling for my captor.