Chapter 3

3

RUNRUNRUN BY DUTCH MELROSE

Y ou know those moments when you’re floating in the soft void between a deep sleep and waking up, when you exist somewhere on the periphery of your own mind? I’m in one of those moments right now. I know I’m not asleep anymore, but I’m not quite awake yet, either. Or maybe it’s that I’m not conscious yet, because I don’t remember falling asleep…

My eyes shoot open as it all comes flooding back to me. The snow, Kit, the two masked men… all that blood, and the feeling of him inside my mouth. I’ve never done that before. I’ve fooled around a little with some boys here and there, but nothing like that . That man, that monster, he used me. But the most fucked up thing of it all is… I think I liked it.

The way he tasted in my mouth wasn’t exactly pleasant, but the tingle between my thighs as he used me was something I’ve never felt before. Even as I recount the memory in my mind, my core starts to tighten again.

God, get it together Charlotte . These men clearly have nefarious intentions. They killed Kit, then the dark-haired one- Derek, I think- forced himself on me before his blonde buddy choked me out. These men are evil. I need to get out of here.

Pushing up from the bed, I blink as I sweep my gaze over the room, assessing my surroundings. Exposed logs make up the walls, which tells me I’m definitely in some sort of cabin. It’s small and rustic, but surprisingly cozy. The bedding is certainly not a suitable thread count, and as I pad across the rough, wooden floor, it’s apparent that there’s no in-floor heating here. It’s… basic . But it’s not unpleasant, I suppose. Bright light streams through the gaps of the faded curtains, casting a soft stream of warmth through the space. It’d almost feel peaceful in another context; if I wasn’t being held captive here by two psychopaths. Wherever the hell here is.

I swallow roughly, my throat aching from the action. Then I look down, finding my snowsuit and jacket are gone and I’m left in just my tight and stretchy undershirt and pants. As I run my hands over my body, checking for any sign of injury, it occurs to me that my captors might have touched me while I was passed out. Part of me is terrified at that thought, while another, darker part is inexplicably thrilled at the possibility.

What the fuck is wrong with me?

I shake my head, taking another step forward. A floorboard creaks beneath my feet as I move, and I immediately freeze.

Waiting.

Listening.

Did they hear me?

Will they come for me?

My lungs start to hurt as I continue to hold my breath, panic coursing through my veins.

After what feels like forever, I realize no one is coming. I let out the breath I’ve been holding, my lungs burning with each greedy gasp of air I take. It’s eerily silent in here. I can’t hear anything. Not a car, not a person, not a single sound… it’s just quiet .

I quickly scurry across the room, reaching out for the knob before swiftly retracting my hand back. What if the men are out there waiting for me? I get the feeling that they’re the type of monsters who would get off on my struggle. I bet they like my fear.

A sinister thought slithers across my mind, and I whip my head around, checking the corners of the room for cameras. They seem like the type who’d enjoy watching me, and something about that thought makes my insides churn in a way I haven’t felt before. Then again, with the way this place lacks basic accommodations, WiFi is probably a hard reach.

There’s no cameras. They’re not watching. And instead of that conclusion bringing me relief, I feel strangely… disappointed . But that’s crazy, right?

Shit, I’ve been awake for less than five minutes and I’m already going crazy. I need to get out of here, now .

Yanking the door open, I dart into the hallway, moving quickly along the darkened corridor. I have no idea where I’m even headed, but I sprint past a few more doors before it opens up into what appears to be a living room. It’s bright and airy, but I don’t slow down long enough to take it in; not with the front door in sight. Heading out into the frozen tundra without a jacket or boots sounds like a terrible idea, but I’m not exactly thinking straight as I rush for the door, each step I take bringing me closer to my freedom.

The doorknob is just within reach when a large pair of arms suddenly circles my center, pulling me back against a hard chest and thwarting my half-cocked escape.

“Where do you think you’re running off to, bunny?” Derek growls, his warm breath skating across the shell of my ear. Chills race down my spine as he anchors me tightly against him, hooking his chin over my shoulder.

I struggle in his grip, uselessly flailing and kicking in an effort to fight him off. He’s too strong. The more I fight, the tighter his muscular arms constrict around me like a snake claiming its prey.

“Please,” I whimper, but all he does is laugh.

“Please, what , bunny?” He pulses his hips, grinding against my backside. and letting me feel his growing excitement at my struggle through his pants. “Does my pet need to be played with?”

“Please,” I beg again, sniffling. “Let me go. I won’t tell anyone.”

He begins to move backwards across the main room, pulling me with him. All I can do is watch helplessly I’m dragged further and further away from the door to my freedom. Tears well up in my eyes, one sliding down the length of my cheek. Its warmth turns to ice against my skin as my monster drags me further into his lair.

“Where would you go, lovely? If I let you run?” he muses, his grip slackening enough for him to glide a palm across my stomach. “It’s just us here. There’s no one around for miles and miles and miles.” His hand snakes further up, fingers finding my neck and wrapping around it possessively. His large, tattooed hand easily encompasses my entire throat. Panic rockets through my veins as he starts to squeeze, a throbbing ache building between my thighs as he murmurs, “No one’s around to hear you scream, bunny…no one but me.”

My nipples tighten in response to his threat, the hardened peaks rubbing against the fabric of my shirt. The friction does nothing to alleviate the need that’s building inside me. I want him to touch me there so badly. Fuck, what is wrong with me? I want to be touched by my captives . I want them to ruin me completely.

“Did you kill Kit?” I ask, my voice coming out as a pained whisper since his hand is still firmly locked around my windpipe.

“Yes,” he scoffs as he starts slowly walking us backwards, toward the room I woke up in. “And he fucking deserved it. Your fiance was a real piece of work, snow bunny.” His tone is cold and harsh- violent, even- and his grip around my neck tightens until black spots begin dancing across my vision from the restriction of my air.

“I know,” I manage on a shaky exhale.

Derek pauses right outside the open doorway to the bedroom. He doesn’t loosen his hold on my throat, but his other hand cruises down my body, his thick fingers sliding underneath the tight band of my lycra bottoms and making their way slowly downward. I squirm and flail, choked gasps sawing from my chest until I’m hyperventilating so much that it finally gives him pause.

“Shh,” he purrs into my ear as his grip around my neck loosens just enough to keep me from passing out. The fingers of his other hand lightly caress the outside of my underwear, right against the lips of my pussy. “Shh, it’s okay, bunny, don’t fight it.”

Hooking a thick digit around the fabric, he yanks my underwear to the side, exposing me to his exploration. “You knew Kit was a bad man, and yet you were with him anyway?” he questions as his finger runs the length of my pussy lips. “Tell me, pet, do you like bad men?”

He knows I can’t respond; not with his hand so tight around my throat. But I don’t need to, not when his fingers trace the length of my most sensitive area and find the truth. As much as I hate to admit it, my body seems to be enjoying this- enjoying him. Heat erupts in my core as he finds my clit, strumming it with just the right amount of pressure to fuel my pleasure. Each slow stroke of his fingers has warmth spreading across my body, driving me closer to complete and utter desperation.

“So wet,” he moans, his breath hot against the shell of my ear. “Do you want me to fuck you, bunny?”

Despite how good this feels, hearing those words is like being doused with a bucket of ice water, snapping me back to reality. I’ve been saving my virginity for too long to give it up to some murdering psychopath who has kidnapped me. Not a fucking chance, asshole. With all the strength I can muster, I jerk my arm back sharply, my elbow meeting the hard surface of his abs. The action takes him by surprise, causing him to stumble, and when his hands jut to the sides of the doorframe to steady himself, I take the opportunity to make a run for it.

Ducking around him, my feet carry me quickly to the front of the house, where I fling open the wooden door and burst out into the cold snow. The frigid temperature hits me like a Mack truck, but I don’t stop- I can’t . My lungs seize in response to the frozen air, but I still run. I run as fast as I fucking can.

Everything around me is open expanses of wild wilderness; there’s nothing but snow and trees as far as the eye can see. In the bright light of day, it’s less creepy, no less imposing. Just like Derek said, there’s no one I can turn to for help; no trace of civilization. Panic rises in my chest as I realize just how alone I am out here. He’s right - no one would hear me scream.

Still, I can’t just accept defeat. Surely there’s a road or a park ranger on this godforsaken mountain. I run as fast as I can, for as long as I can, until my calves burn with exhaustion and the bitter air threatens to freeze my extremities. It’s so very cold out here, and as the adrenaline begins to ebb away, I have no choice but to slow down. When I finally come to a stop, I realize just how eerily silent it is here. There’s no noise besides my own labored breathing and the sinister whistle of the icy wind through the pines.

I’m all alone…

Until I’m not.

From behind a massive evergreen in front of me, both men emerge—both wearing masks.

One is a simple black balaclava. His head cocks to the side as his forest green eyes assess me. He looks wild, like he belongs out here amongst the beasts. He knows I’m trapped.

To the left is the taller man, his face covered by a skeletal ski mask. I can’t see anything but his eyes, and yet I can tell he’s smirking at me. There’s undeniable heat in his gaze that stirs something inside me. My heart beats at such a violent rhythm, I fear it may rip right out of my chest.

I’m trapped. And they know it.

I dodge to the left, but the one in the skeleton mask jumps towards me, anticipating my attempt to flee. Pivoting on a heel, I start to make a quick dash out to the dense cluster of trees on my right, but before I can even make it three steps, large, tattooed arms wrap around my middle and I’m being hauled off my feet.

“Caught you, again, bunny.”