Chapter 9

Nine

ECHO

I take off again, knowing that Niki is so close I can almost feel his breaths on the back of my neck. I pull the knife out, knowing I’m going to need it if I’m to escape again.

I can still taste Niki on my tongue, still feel his dick at the back of my throat and that knife he used in my ass… I clench at the wickedness of it. I feel empty and I know it’s only a matter of time before Niki reaches me, but I’m not going down without a fight.

I cast a glance over my shoulder and run slap bang into something solid. Hands grab my shoulders, holding me steady.

“Hello, pet.”

Maxim looks down at me with triumph in his eyes. A twig snaps behind him, and I see Angel step out of the shadows and rest his chin on Maxim’s shoulder.

Well, fuck.

“Hello Echo,” Angel says with a salacious grin, and I suddenly miss the warm one he’d been using before. The guy looks a little unhinged.

Footsteps halt behind me and I know without even turning around that I’m surrounded.

“Hello boys,” I say with a slow smile. “Fancy meeting you all the way out here.”

“You’ve lasted longer than I thought you would,” Maxim says as he takes a step closer.

I tighten my grip on my knife and slide one foot backwards, adjusting my balance so I’m ready. “I’m not finished yet.”

Maxim laughs as he comes to a stop inches from me. He stills and just stares at me and my heart beats frantically in my chest. Just knowing he can feel it, that he’s enjoying my fear, has my core clenching with pure fucking need.

His hand shoots out and grabs my throat. I react instantly, slicing the edge of the blade across his forearm.

He hisses as he pulls his hand back and I can’t help the grin that spreads across my face.

“Careful,” I sing while readjusting my stance, expecting him to attack again.

“Oh, pet. You’ll pay for that.” His dark eyes narrow and I know I need to move. Staying here will definitely end with me screaming. I’m just not sure if it will be in pain, or pleasure.

I hear Niki step closer and I move. I dart to the left, picking up the pace as I sprint through the trees.

I hear swear words and grumbles behind me and I smile as I run towards the sound of the river. I’m so close I can almost taste the freedom.

I burst through the woods into a wide open clearing and there, right in front of me is the river. The early morning light breaks beyond the horizon and soft hues of red and orange light up the sky.

“Echo!”

The sound of my name is closer than I want it to be and it spurs me to move again. The grass is soft under my feet and I’m almost there. My lungs burn with every breath, my feet sting from all the cuts and I finally make it to the edge of the riverbank when a fist grabs my hair and yanks me backwards.

I fall to the ground on my ass and find Maxim staring down at me, his dark eyes wild and his chest heaving.

“Got you, pet.” His voice is rough and husky, and I know this is it. This is the end.

I scramble backwards, turning over and trying to get to my feet but he grabs my ankle and drags me back.

I swing the knife blindly, snagging on something and hear his sharp hiss. He growls as he captures my wrist, slamming my hand into the ground.

“Fuck,” I yell, the knife falling from my fingers. I reach for it, but Maxim is quicker. He throws it out of reach and then flips me onto my back.

There’s another slice in his expensive silk shirt on his right pec and I inwardly congratulate myself. It’s short lived because he slams his hand over my mouth and nose. I can’t breathe. My screams are muffled when he kicks my legs apart and settles between my thighs.

I hear the sound of his belt unbuckling, followed by his zipper and I know it’s coming. I slap at his hands, drag my nails down his skin but it does nothing to stop him.

He sinks deep into me on a single thrust and painful moan rises up my throat.

Maxim removes his hand from my face, and I swallow a lungful of air. It turns into a cry as he hammers into me, hard enough that stars burst to life at the edges of my vision.

His hand settles on my throat and a deep, guttural moan spills from his lips. “Your heart is racing, pet.”

I settle my own hand over his heart and feel the quick beats of his heart fluttering beneath my fingers. There’s something delicious about knowing his heart is beating that wildly for me. That it’s frantically pumping blood around his body because he’s so worked up. Over me.

“Yours is too,” I say before wrapping my hand around the back of his neck and pulling his lips to mine. It’s a kiss of fire. It scorches me, branding him on my lips as he sinks his cock into me over and over again. His tongue tangles with mine, his teeth nip at my lips and the sharp sting sends jolts of electricity to my core.

His hand squeezes my neck and Maxim hovers his mouth just above mine, as if swallowing every little gasp I make.

“Look at you, pet,” Maxim growls into my mouth. “Taking me so well. I want you to cum for me. Can you do that?”

Abso-fucking-lutely.

My entire body tenses and explodes beneath him. My eyes roll into the back of my head as my ability to breathe vanishes. Maxim’s grip tightens on my throat and his hips piston into me with a ferocious speed. He buries his head in the crook of my neck and sinks his teeth into the soft flesh at my shoulder.

I fade into the blackness that rises up to claim me and I sink into the embrace of unconsciousness.