Chapter 4

CHAPTER 4

VICTOR

Tim is right, we are in a heap of trouble. At least I wasn't the one who knocked him out. I wasn't even the one who bound him. But I was complicit, and I did pick him up and lock him in the boot. I feel bad. I can't imagine what he must be feeling back there, scared and in the dark.

I need to go check on him, let him out so I can end his ordeal. Tim has put in a call to the trainers and they've aborted the training exercise. Facing the ton of shit we're in with them is not something I'm looking forward to. That's the end of my training course. I hope Lawrence doesn't take it too badly... That's if I still have a job, of course. He might not want someone so stupid on his team. Certainly not heading it up anymore. I sigh and put all of that out of my mind for now. My biggest concern is seeing if this guy is alright and getting him out of the boot.

I pull the car over and get out, telling the others to stay put. He doesn't need a crowd of us looking down on him in a vulnerable position.

I crack open the lid, expecting to find a guy who is angry or frightened—or both—struggling to get out. As light floods into the boot, the guy raises his head, and a pair of very pretty but unfocussed eyes look up at me. It only takes a few seconds for my brain to register what I'm looking at.

I might not be a Dom, or take part in any of the activities at the club, but I've seen enough to know when a guy is completely blissed out.

He looks vaguely familiar, though I can't think where I've seen him before. I don't know anyone in this part of the country. My brain kicks into gear. First, I can't let the others see him like this. Glynn wouldn't understand and he's in enough trouble as it is. Second, I don't want to do anything that will bring him out of this state too quickly. I've learned a lot from Lawrence, even if I'm not working the scene directly.

My protective instincts take over and I lean a little closer.

"Hey, it's alright," I croon softly, not wanting to alarm him. His gaze, which had drifted away, comes back towards me, and his eyes flutter. Damn, he is a cutie. His blue eyes seem a little more focussed, and I think he's understood me.

"Do you want me to leave you a bit longer?" I still speak softly. Cute guy blinks slowly at me and then gives a quick nod. That gag looks uncomfortable. I should take it off. I reach out a finger. "Do you want me to take this off?" I indicate to the gag, and he tries to recoil from me, but the confines of the car bring his head closer and I end up stroking his cheek. He shakes his head and tries to push himself further into the corner away from me, his eyes wary.

"Shit," I curse under my breath. Now I've just frightened him like a blundering jerk, which is the last thing I wanted to do. "I'm sorry," I whisper and lean away from him. Slowly, keeping his eyes on me, he loses the wariness and relaxes slightly.

"I'm going to drive again for a bit now, but then I'll help you. Will you let me do that?" He stares at me for a long time. He has no reason to trust me and I've just frightened him, so it surprises me when he gives a faint nod. Warmth blooms in my chest alongside the surprise.

I give him a little smile. "Thank you." And close the lid of the boot back down on him.

"He's still out cold," I say when I get back into the car.

"You were gone a long time to find that out," Glynn sneers.

"Well, I had to make sure he was still breathing," I shoot back at him, which shuts him up for a while.

As I drive back to the training headquarters, I come up with a story about why we can't let him out yet. The others don't buy it, so I get desperate.

"He's had an, um, accident," I say quickly, shooting a silent prayer to whomever is listening to forgive me for the lie.

"He's pissed himself?" Trust Glynn to get straight in there.

"Um, yes."

"Eww, disgusting." Glynn turns away, no longer interested. He still doesn't sound too bothered that he's in trouble.

Tim regards me with a shrewdness I don't like. I hope he doesn't detect that I'm lying. I'll cave straight in if he questions me.

"I'll take him back to where I'm staying and clean him up. I'll bring him back later so Roger and Dave can talk to him." The CEOs of the training company are scary guys, having worked in personal security for over twenty years. I'm definitely not looking forward to that interview. Tim looks towards the car like he's about to say something, then his nose turns up slightly in disgust, as if he realises that if protests he might end up having to clean the guy up himself.

"Okay, but don't take too long about it."

I don't wait around for him to change his mind.

When I pull up at the small lodge where I'm staying, I pull out my phone and do some research. I'm not overly familiar with claustrophilia and I want to know more. What information is available is sketchy at best. Oh well, I'll have to do the best I can. I try to remember everything I've learned from Lawrence.

First, I open up the lodge, as I don't want to be fumbling with the door. Then I take a good look around to make sure there's no one to see me, before opening the boot lid.

This time, when I look in, my stomach hollows and my chest constricts as I see those pretty eyes are silently weeping.