8. WYNTER

8

WYNTER

E very night I close my eyes, it's the same thing as I’m forced back into my nightmares. I’d rather not sleep, but exhaustion always wins.

Tonight’s one is different. Usually, it’s the same faceless men touching my body, forcing themselves on me and hurting me. But tonight it’s only one man. I can’t see him, but I can feel him between my legs.

I try to get away, but it’s like the devil himself has come to claim me. He’s fast and vicious with his serpent-like tongue. Licking and biting me until I’m about to burst into flames.

I know I should force myself to wake up and fight back, but that sleep-addled part of my brain is telling me to succumb to it. To let this pleasure override my pain.

But I don’t want to enjoy this. It’s all wrong.

I manage to pry my eyes open and the bedroom is dark. Once again I’ve been moved to the bed from where I chose to fall asleep in the closet. I’m still wearing the shirt I put on before I fell asleep, but my bottom half is very much bare.

My nightmare doesn’t fade like it usually does. This time the man is still there between my legs.

My whole body shakes as he laps at my clit. He sounds like a starved beast as he groans against my pussy.

A small moan escapes me as he pushes his fingers inside me. I can feel how wet I am from how easily they slide in and when he curls them—my god, I’ve never felt such intense pleasure before, but I don’t want it.

Panic grips me and flashes of my tormentors assault my mind. Each one of them telling me exactly what they want to take. “Please, stop.” I push at the head between my legs and feel long silky hair between my fingers. My fear subsides only slightly as my mind catches up to the reality of who’s really there. Bones . Not one of the others back for more.

He lifts his head and I reach for the lamp. A soft glow hits his face and my heart warms unexpectedly. Seeing him gives me a sense of ease that I know it shouldn’t, but I’m glad for it anyway.

I’ve been here for over a week now. It’s been days of waiting around while he’s off doing whatever it is he does. Killing, I guess? I’m left here to collect the thoughts I’ve left scattered throughout his empty house.

There’s a boyish grin on his face as he licks his shining lips, relishing in the taste of me on his tongue. My pussy clenches as he moves up the bed until I can smell myself on him. I wish he had gotten me off already so I don’t have to keep feeling this needy ache inside myself.

“Please don’t do that again,” I say breathlessly.

Bones tilts his head as he studies my features. A silver earring dangles from his ear where he’s still fully dressed in the middle of the night. It’s like he came home and decided to go straight to eating me out.

“Why not? You enjoyed it last time.”

I end up nervously chewing on my bottom lip as I try to gather the confidence to bare a part of myself to him. “I knew it was you last time.”

His smile drops and his eyes turn to that deadly dark shade of green. “They won’t ever hurt you again. If there’s one thing you ever choose to believe from me, please make it that.”

As I look into Bones’ eyes I realize that he’s serious. He would kill for me and I’m not sure why. He doesn’t know me. Yet for some reason, this deadly man seems to have claimed me as his.

If that’s what he wants to believe, then I’ll let him live with that illusion, but I know that he’ll never be mine.

When I don’t give him anything more, Bones goes to undress and I quickly turn away. My obvious discomfort doesn’t deter him as the bed dips behind me. His cool body presses against me, making me shiver. The hard swell of his cock lines up against my back and I shift away, but the thing’s so damn long that I end up on the edge of the bed. With a chuckle, he pulls me right back to him. “Ignore it. I’d tell you it’ll go away, but that would be a lie. You do something to me, little viper.”

“I’ll do something to you alright. It’ll involve a pair of scissors or maybe a hammer.”

He chuckles lightly and whispers in my ear, “This is exactly why I couldn’t leave you alone for another night. I missed how much you hate me.”

“I was quite comfortable in the closet. Maybe wake me up next time rather than touch me when I’m asleep,” I snap harshly.

“Why do you sleep in there?”

How do I explain it exactly?

“It feels safe. When…” I hesitate as I contemplate continuing. He doesn’t need to know anything about me, but maybe he’ll think twice before invading my space next time if I tell him some of my story. “When I was locked in my cell I knew that no one was touching me. I was left alone and I had time to prepare for them, even if it was only for the few seconds it took for them to unlock the door.”

I’m glad that I can’t see Bones’ face as I spill my dark truth to him.

He’s silent for a moment and I wonder if he’s pitying me or looking at me with disgust. “I can have an actual bed made for you in the closet if that’s what you really want. It’s cramped, but I can make it work. I’d rather you feel comfortable in my bed though. You're safer with me out here than you are alone in there.”

His statement takes me by surprise and I roll back over to look at him. “I want to believe you.” My statement surprises both of us.

Is it really so wrong to want to give in to him already? It doesn’t mean I have to like him. I can just settle with what I’ve got now.

I’ve scoured this house for a way out. All the doors are locked and too thick to break through. The windows must be reinforced glass as nothing I’ve thrown at them scratches the surface. I’m trapped like a bird in his pretty little cage.

“You can always trust me. I stopped when you asked, didn't I?”

“You want a prize for doing the decent thing?” I scoff.

“I mean if you’re offering one,” he lifts his shoulder and gives me a half grin.

“Why tonight? I’ve been here for days now. You could have taken what you wanted at any point.”

“I told you, I’ve been trying to restrain myself for you.”

He thinks he’s so fucking gallant.

I laugh at the absurdity of his thinking. An actual real laugh and Bones’ eyes light up. Realizing what I’ve done, I clamp my mouth shut and pull the blanket over myself. “I’m clearly delirious from exhaustion so I’m going back to sleep.”

He doesn’t move and I’m sure he’s planning on spending the night with me whether I like it or not.

“If you plan on staying you better get used to sleeping with a light on,” I murmur into my pillow.

There’s a long quiet pause, then he quietly says, “I can do that.”

In a way, I’m glad I don’t have to spend the rest of the night alone with my nightmares. This real-life one may not be as bad as I think. He's not even touching me anymore.

When I hear Bones’ breathing even out, I sneak a look at him. One of his hands is splayed out between us like he’s been reaching for me in his sleep. I don’t understand anything I’m feeling with this man. I should be terrified of him and in a way I am, but he also makes me feel safer than I have in a long time.

Apart from keeping me here and being a jerk, he’s not been all that bad. I’ve not been drugged or forced to do anything.

I touch the marks on my neck, the tiny raised bumps from the constant injections. I’m not sure if they’ll ever disappear. If they don’t, they’ll be a constant reminder I don’t want or need.

All I want to do is forget.

When I’m close to him I do just that.

I move my hand closer to his until the tips of our fingers touch. He doesn’t stir and I take the time to really look at him.

His body is covered in tattoos and there are a few scars on his skin. He’s both deadly and beautiful at the same time. That turns me on in a sick way.

The fact that he’s lying naked next to me with an erection tenting the sheets should make my skin crawl, should make me want to hide away from him, but all I am is curious.

I want to let him in, but what if it’s a trap? What if after he gets what he wants I’ll be passed on to the next man?

Still, I can’t stop whatever this feeling is drawing me closer to him. I move my hand until our fingers thread together. He’s just as pale as I am. I’m sure his complexion isn’t from being forcefully deprived of sunlight though.

How much time has even passed since I was taken? Weeks? Months?

I’m scared to find out.

I pull my hand away, but his fingers latch around mine, making me gasp. “That was nice,” his voice is raspy from sleep, but his eyes are wide open now, looking straight at me.

“I thought you were asleep. Let go of me.”

His grip tightens painfully around my fingers before suddenly loosening and I pull back away from him.

“Can’t sleep?”

“Clearly not,” I mumble.

He shifts closer and I move my gaze lower so I don’t have to see the fake concern on his face.

“How did that happen?” I ask, pointing to a scar on his shoulder with a tattoo of a moon curving around it.

“Gunshot,” his neutral expression doesn’t waver as he says the word.

“Is that normal for you? To get hurt like that?”

“I’d hardly call it normal, but yeah if a job goes sideways there’s a chance of it.”

That explains his odd relationship with that doctor. He must patch him up all the time.

Curiosity gets the better of me and I ask, “Why the moon—”

“I heard from the doc,” he quickly cuts me off like he only just remembered that information. “I suppose now is as good a time as ever to tell you there’s nothing to worry about. You’ve got a clean bill of health.”

“Yay for me,” I sneer, but really I’m filled with relief that there’s no lingering damage inside me.

Lifting my arm I look at some of the bruises on my skin. It will take time for these to fade, then all I’ll be left with are the nightmares that haunt me.

“It’s crazy the things you can find out from a drop of blood.” I freeze as he continues speaking. “Wynter, with a y , Nightingale. A December baby. Hence the name I’m assuming. Aged twenty-six, blood type A positive, spent a week in hospital aged nine with meningitis, parents deceased, excelled at school enough to get into college to study languages, but dropped out when—”

“Just stop! You know my name! You know who I am now, so you don’t need to rub it in my face how pathetic my life is.”

Needing space from him, I get up and pace to the window to pull open the curtains. The night sky is beautiful tonight and for a moment it serves as a distraction from the rest of the world around me.

“You made up that stupid game of choice when you knew you’d find out my name anyway, didn’t you?” I ask, without turning around.

“Yes. You enjoyed it though. I know you did. You don’t come that hard unless you fucking love it. I have another idea for a game if you want to play?”

I watch Bones’ reflection as he gets up and slowly stalks towards me.

“Not interested.”

He ignores me and carries on. “I know why you want to leave so badly. You’re not some whore. You were innocent and so is your sister.”

With fury in my veins, I face him. “Don’t you dare bring her into this!”

“I’d never do that. I fucking despise people who hurt children. No, I’m not threatening you. I’m offering you a chance to be free.”

Free?

No, I can't fall for it so easily.

“One chance. We’ll fuck—”

“Keep dreaming,” I huff. At the mention of the idea of fucking him, my eyes feel magnetized to his naked body, but I stand my ground and only look at his face.

He holds up his hands. “Let me finish. We’ll fuck and it’ll all be on your terms. You choose the pace, the position. Everything .”

“I’m not participating in my own torture.”

“ Torture ? Ouch, you know how to bruise a man’s ego.” He closes the distance between us as he speaks. “No, little viper, you’ll say yes once you’ve heard the full deal.” My insides squirm with both hate and lust. A dangerous combination that will be my ruin.

He stops just an inch from me, forcing his presence over me again. The tension in the air between us and his hard length pressing against my stomach, making it hard to breathe.

“I’m going to fuck you and if you don’t come I’ll let you go.”

This is a cruel joke. It has to be.

“You’re going to have to say that again,” I breathe out.

“We’re going to fuck, Wynter , and you’re going to fucking love it, but if you don’t then you can leave. No tricks. I’ll take you wherever you want to go and you’ll never see me again.” There’s nothing in his gaze to tell me he’s lying, but surely it’s not possible that after everything this man has made me believe so far, that he’d really let me go.

“You’re cruel and twisted.”

His brows knit together as if he doesn’t understand how hurtful he’s being.

“You were going down on me while I was sleeping! You have an advantage. You will always have the advantage.”

“I made you need to come already,” Bones muses to himself, his face serious like he’s strategizing a battle plan. “That’s not a problem. I’ll just get you off before we start.”

He’s so sure of himself like he knows I’ll say yes.

Do I really have a choice?

It’ll be the easiest way out of here.

I’m desperate for a release after his unwanted nighttime stimulations, but once I’ve had that it will be easy enough to lie back and let him use me. I can be on my way to Summer before the sun's up.

Holding my head high I say, “Fine. I’ll do it.”