Chapter 7 - Lorelei

I ate my cereal as I watched television. As far as prisons went, Mark’s basement was far more luxurious than Inara’s cell. And watching TV was a lot more entertaining than throwing rocks against a wall. But I was still bored as hell.

Over the past few days, Mark had checked in regularly. I had seen him often enough now that seeing him didn’t send the same jolts of dislike and anger as before. But that didn’t change my boredom or frustration with him. Whenever I asked him to let me go, he simply tuned me out.

I got up and walked over to pour myself a second bowl. As I did, I stared at the cardboard flap of the cereal box, tilting my head with interest as an idea crossed my mind.

I knew how to unlock doors with a credit card. I had never done it with a piece of cardboard. It might be too flimsy, but the thickness looked about right. If I could use it, though…

Before getting my hopes up, I walked over to the door and examined the handle. There was no deadbolt. Tripping the latch on this sort of lock shouldn’t be too difficult. I wasn’t sure if cardboard would be too flimsy, but it was worth a shot.

Walking to the cereal box, I ripped the flap off, tapping it against my palm to test its durability. Not quite as firm as I would like, but it might do.

I returned to the door, slipping the cardboard in the jam and sliding it down toward the bolt. Taking a deep breath and crossing my fingers, I wedged the cardboard further in, trying to shove the bolt back into the door. At first, I worried it wouldn’t work, that the flap was too bendy. Those fears proved unfounded a second later when a soft click echoed, and the door popped open.

Giving a shaky, relieved breath, I paused, tilting my head to hear if Mark was really gone. When I didn’t hear the creak of floorboards, I crept upstairs.

The door at the top of the stairs was also locked, but the same trick worked. I opened the door a crack, waiting for signs that Mark was around. But I couldn’t hear anything. He hadn’t been lying when he said he was going out, then.

Pushing the door open, I looked around at Mark’s house properly for the first time. I hadn’t gotten the chance to yet, considering how quickly he’d dragged me to the basement. I was in a large living room with high ceilings and an open kitchen on one side. Large windows looked out over the mountains. It was large but cozy, the type of place I might have liked if I didn’t have my cottage. I wouldn’t have expected this type of place for someone like Mark, but at the same time, it made sense.

Trying the front door, I was unsurprised when I found it locked. If it weren’t for the iron still neutralizing my magic—it was really starting to annoy me at this point—I could have magically opened it. As it were, I would have to find a different way out.

I wandered the house, looking for any windows that didn’t have a twenty-foot drop. It seemed like his house was on the edge of the mountain, hence the incredible view. It wasn’t until I came to the other side of the house that I found a window I could use. I pushed at it, and my heart leapt when it budged.

I pushed the window open, inhaling the forest air and relishing the sounds of the wind in the trees and the gentle scurrying of animals. Clambering out, I looked around as my feet hit the ground, half-convinced that Mark would come from around the corner and catch me before I had the chance to even run. When nothing happened, I hurried away, running into the woods.

As I ran, I kept my ears pricked, waiting to hear the sound of crashing brush behind me that would tell me Mark had found out I had run away. I knew he could track me with ease if he wanted, so the best chance I had was to get as much distance between me and his house as possible.

It wasn’t long, however, until my legs began to protest and a stitch formed in my side. I grimaced, trying to fight through it. On top of that, I was still weak from Inara’s captivity. I’d gotten back some of my strength, but I knew it would be a long road to recovery. A long road that I could take when I was back at my cottage.

Before long, the stitch in my side was becoming unbearable. I came to a halt, doubling over as I panted, squeezing my eyes shut as I tried to get my breath back under control.

A hand grasped my bicep and spun me around. I screamed as my back slammed against a tree, the bark scraping between my shoulder blades. One hand slammed over my mouth, the other pinning both my wrists above my head, immobilizing me before I could even try to put up a fight. I still writhed and squirmed, screaming into the rough and calloused hand clamped around my mouth.

My mind immediately flew to Inara, my stomach clenching in fear. I had no idea how she had found me, but she had.

Then I looked up and saw not Inara but Mark’s furious face. For a brief second, I wondered if Inara would have been the better option.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” he snarled. He released his hand from my mouth.

“I think you can figure that out for yourself,” I hissed. “But in case it wasn’t obvious, I’m getting the hell out of here and away from you. I’m sick of being your captive.”

He growled, eyes burning, but he didn’t release his grip on me. “So you think you’re going to just run off into the woods and do what exactly?”

“Find Declan?” I said. “Run back to my cottage? I don’t know, and it’s none of your business.”

“It is when I’m trying to protect you,” he growled.

“I never asked for your protection,” I spat back.

He leaned forward. My heart leapt into my throat as his mouth came within inches of mine. His breath brushed the hair away from my forehead. From here, I could see each individual eyelash.

“Too bad,” he said. “You’ve got it. Now, are you going to come back with me, or will I have to carry you back?”

“I’m not going anywhere with you,” I hissed. “Let me go and leave me alone from now on.”

“Sorry.” His face moved away from mine as he stood to his full height. “That isn’t happening.”

Before I could react, he grabbed me by the waist and slung me over his shoulder, his strong arm holding me in place. I screamed and thrashed, legs kicking and my fists pounding into his back, but to no avail. Nothing I did made any difference as he trudged back through the woods, carrying me with him. That didn’t stop me from continuing to struggle futilely the entire way back to his house.

He ignored me the entire time, not saying a single word until we had reached his house.

When we got back inside, he closed the door and locked it behind us before finally turning toward me. His body was inches from mine. For the briefest moment, I wondered what would happen if I took a step forward and closed that gap. How he would react.

“Are you going to stay put this time?” he asked, still not letting go of me.

I forced the traitorous fantasy out of my mind and glowered at him. “Fuck you.”

His eyes darkened. Even in the moment, a rush of heat washed over me at that look. He looked dangerous, but there was something else lurking beneath the surface at the same time. Something that might have been want or lust.

“I’ll take that as a no,” he said.

Pulling me with him, he marched over to a drawer, opening it and extracting a long cotton rope. He spun me around, pinning me against the wall as he lashed my hands behind my back, tying the rope right above the metal bands and cinching it tight. He spun me around, pushing his body against mine as he pinned me to the wall.

My breath caught in my throat. I should have been angry. I was angry. But something about being completely at his mercy kindled a fire inside me, warming me all over. My heart started going double time, and I was suddenly aware of his grip on my arms, the way he held me, and how he stoked a fire in me wherever he touched.

And I realized for the first time—or admitted to myself, at least—that I desperately wanted him.

As if sensing the change, his eyes sparked with a hunger that made my stomach lurch. His thumb stroked my bare skin, his legs pressing against me, moving slowly as if he was testing the waters. When I didn’t protest, he grew bolder.

“Now, are you going to be good?” he growled. His hands trailed down my arms, holding me tight even as they settled on my hips. “Or am I going to have to hogtie you?”

His touch electrified me, sending shivers of need and longing through me. I had tried to resist for so long, to fight these urges, but I couldn’t fight how badly I wanted him anymore.

He held me in place, the silence lingering between us as the air continued to crackle. I was certain he could hear my heart pounding. What was it about him that did this to me? I was furious, but I wanted him so badly. We both knew that if he wanted to take me right now, I couldn’t do anything to stop him.

“What is it you want, Lorelei?” he asked, his voice rugged. “Do you want me to untie you?”

I couldn’t speak. I shook my head.

He leaned forward, his lips brushing against my ear as he whispered, “Do you want me to kiss you?”

Still unable to utter a word, I nodded.

With a snarl, he pressed his lips on mine, his hand going to the back of my head and locking me in place. I couldn’t have moved away even if I wanted to.

He held me against him, our bodies flush. Heat electrified every inch of me, pleasure and need building between my legs. He pinned me against the wall, claiming me with his mouth as his fingers brushed the skin of my stomach.

I wanted to touch him, to run my fingers through his hair. I struggled against the bonds, but couldn’t loosen them at all. Noticing my movements, he gave a wicked grin.

“You want out?” he asked.

When I nodded, he gave an amused tut, the back of his hand running down my arm. “I don’t know. I kind of like you like this. And besides, you should see the way your breasts stick out.”

His hand cupped my breast, squeezing with just enough force to make me gasp. He gave a wicked grin.

“And besides, I don’t want you getting away,” he muttered. He pulled me flush against him, nipping at my neck as his mouth moved upward, each gentle tug of his teeth sending shivers through my body. When his lips reached my ear, he said, “In fact, I think I want to make you more secure.”

He pulled me to his bedroom, lips kissing every inch of me he could reach as we moved in there.

The instant we reached his room, he threw me face-first onto the bed, clambering on top of me before I could do anything. I felt the rope around my wrists loosen, falling off. A moment later, he had yanked off my blouse, throwing it to the side before going to work on the bra.

The instant my shirt and bra were off, he flipped me back around. Before I could pull him toward me and tangle my fingers in his hair, he pinned my wrists above my head, binding them together again before lashing the rope to the bed frame. Once I was secure, his eyes scanned me up and down, his heated gaze lingering on my breasts.

“You know, I’ve been wondering what your tits looked like for days now,” he mused, one hand moving to pinch one nipple. He grinned as my back arched instinctively. “They’re even better than I imagined.”

He took his shirt off, and I sucked in a breath. Washboard abs and rippling muscles. He somehow looked larger shirtless. Once again, I wanted to touch him, to pull him toward me. But he was in control, and we both knew it.

Grinning, he ran his fingers along my stomach, caressing every inch of me as I lay beneath him. I squirmed at every touch, that fire burning hotter with each passing second. His hand went to cup my sex. That wicked smirk grew wider as he saw the need in my eyes, and I writhed helplessly.

His thumb stroked my clit, flicking back and forth. I groaned as my hips bucked. I wasn’t satisfied with him toying with me any longer. I needed him filling me, needed him inside me.

Before I was fully prepared, his fingers slipped inside me, beginning to pump slowly as his thumb continued its assault on my clit. He leaned forward, not missing a beat, and his mouth claimed mine, passion and need and want blending as the kiss deepened. I moaned against his lips, sensing that I was nearing the edge. The pleasure swelled, waiting to shatter me.

Just as I was about to tip over the edge, he stopped, his fingers slipping out of me. He grinned, chuckling when he saw me glare at him. He stood, and I half-expected him to walk out and leave me tied to the bed—a thought that appealed to me more than I wanted to admit—but instead, I watched as he took off his pants. His cock sprung out. My heart thundered as I eyed it hungrily.

He crawled back on the bed, hovering over me with an arm on either side of my head. “Do you want this?”

I nodded.

He pressed the tip of his cock against the outside of my vagina, teasing me, pushing gently without going in. I thrashed beneath him, hips bucking. I wanted him inside me.

“I want you to say it,” he growled.

“Yes,” I cried. “Yes, I want you.”

He plunged inside me. I cried out in ecstasy as he filled me, thrusting in and out. My hips bucked in time, needing more of him, wanting him even deeper inside me. His head lowered, his lips leaning forward to kiss mine even as he didn’t miss a single stroke. The hunger and need in that kiss fueled my own. The man before me made me so angry, and yet I couldn’t deny the lust and pleasure in the moment. I needed him. I wanted him. I couldn’t help it, no matter how hard I tried.

The pleasure continued to build, growing and swelling with a delectable intensity. His mouth moved away, and his teeth nibbled at my neck, sending new electricity coursing through me. His fingers slipped between my thighs, his thumb teasing my clit.

The sensation of him plunging inside me, combined with the way his fingers toyed with me was too much. I screamed as I shattered beneath him, waves of pleasure and release pulsing through me as my back arched.

His relentless thrusting didn’t stop. He continued gliding in and out as I rode the waves of ecstasy and relief. My hips bucked, not wanting him to stop even as the orgasm began to subside. I never wanted him to stop at all. Moments later, I felt his cock spasm inside me as he finished.

His movements slowed to a stop. His eyes met mine as I panted, still trying to catch my breath. Giving a half-grin, he leaned forward, his lips gently brushing mine.

Even as he untied me, my mind reeled, trying to get a grip on exactly what had happened. But all I could think was, What did I just do?