Page 5 of Wanted

At some point, my quiet driver pulled into an underground parking facility. He parked his car, turning off the engine. I wasn’t the type to let men open my doors because it rubbed me the wrong way, but when the bleached blond man opened mine after I hesitated to exit the car, my heart fluttered.

Before I could speak another word, he turned away. He led the way to a close-by elevator, which he accessed with a code I memorized.

“It changes every hour.”

“What?” I asked startled.

“The code. There’s a new one every hour. Don’t bother memorizing it.” His voice was deep. There was a hum to it that reached deep inside of me.

I swallowed, avoiding to look at his neck. Even the front of his neck was scarred.

When we reached the needed floor, the doors opened. I didn’t step out, frightened by what this all meant. It was surreal.

He placed his hand on my lower back, encouraging me to step into his home. I felt enthralled by his warm touch. It was the first time he addressed me.

“This is a bad idea. I think I should leave now,” I said, preparing to step away. Once I did take a step, I slipped. I had lost my balance, and he caught me.

Fylox caught me. “You won’t be leaving this place until Jordan gives me the green light.”

My fingers turned jittery. “Why are you guys doing this? I should’ve left yesterday. I don’t want to owe Travis anything. He destroyed my family. He doesn’t get to be the good guy.”

The man literally grabbed me, hoisting me up, and he dragged me out of the elevator. His touch was gentle as if I didn’t weigh more than a light feather. The elevator doors behind us closed. He smelled so lovely. Closing my eyes, I could smell his neck for ages. His scent was complemented by spicy wood but also citrus. “I won’t let Jordan down. He wants you safe.”

“Am I safe, though? Who the fuck are you? And put the fuck me down. Now!” I kicked at him, but I felt more hurt at my attempts than he probably did. He was sculpted, rigid, and unbending.

“Language.” His voice was almost a hiss.

“Excuse me?” I attempted to remove myself from his hold, but I failed. Any punch I threw was a miss. “I’m not some average bitch you get to discipline.”

Fylox took his time with me over his shoulder. While I was frantic and panicking, he led us into one of the rooms at the end of the empty white corridor. After kicking the door open with wrath that shook me, Fylox threw me off his shoulder. I landed on the bed.

Familiar territory, I said to myself. However, after a deep breath and a moment of silence, I looked at the edge of the bed. Fylox stood there with handcuffs dangling from his hands.

“Get up,” he ordered. His tone was calm like he hadn’t just dragged me around his place.

“No,” I refused, finding comfort in my power. I’d cement myself on this bed if necessary.

Fylox dared to grab my ankle and pull it off from the bed. I almost hit my head when I landed on the floor next to the bed. Without any emotion on his face, he explained, “I give you an order, and you follow it. That’s how this is played.”

“Look, I don’t know who you think you are, but you don’t talk to me like that. I don’t respond to orders from the likes of you.” His cognac eyes bored into me, turning dark. That fierce look in his eyes almost made me shiver, but he had to try harder than that to intimidate me. Aram Wraith had groomed me to withstand any weak bullies. I’d been manhandled before. He could push me. I’d resist his bullshit. “If you don’t want me in your fucking home, kick me out. I survived Katantia. Chicago is a piece of cake in comparison.”

Fylox stretched his neck to the one side, then to the other.

He handcuffed me to the bed without bothering to let me on the actual bed. On the floor, I sat panting and sweating my life away in the dirt of my journey here.

He walked away without another word.

♥♠♥

I had my own room with an attached bathroom. Jordan had been right. The surfaces I could spot from down here were spotless without me going over them again.

There were no Katantia emblems anywhere. That soothed me. Aram wasn’t around the corner, looming and waiting for his opportunity to fuck whatever was left of my body. I didn’t feel like I lived in the past with classic Katantian ancient Greek columns everywhere and neoclassical furniture radiating a snob vibe.

Here, the walls were white, and the decoration was scarce. There was no sign of a woman’s touch, the bed and cupboards not matching. It was a bachelor’s pad through and through, reminding me of my youngest brother’s room in his house. Everything was kept minimal as if he was ready to pack up and leave on the spot if need be. But it was clean, which made me feel at ease even if I was bound to the bed.

“I don’t know about you,” I said to no one in particular, sniffling. I was shaking, and the pressure on my bladder was growing. “But I have to pee. And if you don’t let me pee, I will pee, here, in the middle of this room. I’ll drag the sheets of the bed through my dirt. If you don’t come here…”

It worked. A couple of moments later, the door to the room flew open, revealing a tantalized Fylox. I knew a pal when I saw one. Jordan had done a great job at warning me.