Chapter 5

You can usually tell when someone loves you, even if it's buried somewhere inside them. It might be anchored in their darkest depths, but it's there. That wasn't Aaron. The only things inside him were anger and pain. And a deep-rooted love for himself. Even knowing that, I still pulled on a pair of panties for his friends to rip off. I still laid myself out for Aaron afterward, because somewhere deep inside me, I needed to make him happy.

A bruise blanketed half my face. Others marred my breasts and wrists. I looked like a battered wife. I was a battered wife. Yes, I married him. The monster was my goddamn husband.

I leaned over our dresser and snorted another line, cleaning it from my sinuses with a hard sniff. I rubbed the bridge of my nose. I wasn't sure what was in store that night.

I went into the living room. He looked me over, his intoxicating eyes relaxed and rounded. When he gestured to his lap, I happily obliged. I curled up on him, burying my face in his neck.

"What's wrong, sweet girl?"

"I'm just sore...everywhere." I buried myself deeper into him.

"I know. After tonight, I'll give you a little break. I got something special in mind."

I sighed. "I can't do anything special tonight."

He grabbed my chin with a firm hand and pulled my face away from him. "You can, and you will. Don't be defiant."

Defiant?I never said no to him, but I was in too much pain to do anything more than what we usually did. That was all.

"I can't."

Aaron slapped me hard across the discolored bruises. The stinging throb made tears well up in an instant.

"Go get your little ass higher, and be ready in an hour."

* * *

I laydown on the couch, the skirt of my dress riding up my thighs and exposing a bruise between them. I was high as fuck. I inhaled until I stopped feeling hurt. Physically or emotionally. I was numb, which was exactly what I needed to feel to get through that night.

The doorbell rang, but I didn't panic like I used to. Instead, I rolled my eyes. Aaron no longer gave a shit about who he brought over to the house. Overall, he got more reckless. He took more risks with my body. The same group of men had fucked and used me for so many years that the doorbell didn't faze me any longer.

Aaron answered the door in a pale green polo and jeans. He looked like a father instead of the sadistic husband he was. He welcomed whomever it was inside. Was it the guy who liked to beat me? The one who liked to rape me? Was it the one who fucked me until it felt like his dick was in my throat? I groaned as quietly as possible. I hated it all. I hated them. I hated him.

Aaron stepped aside, and immediate recognition washed over my face. The well-combed blond hair...the suit...goddamn it. The abduction fetish guy.

Guess they ended up business partners after all. Fuck that guy.

Aaron knew I wanted nothing to do with that man. He recorded what he did to me and gave it to Aaron, who came on my face as he watched it. There weren't enough drugs in the world to deal with him again.

He turned toward me, and I finally saw his maskless face. He looked like someone who got into Harvard just from writing his name on the top of the application. If he even had to apply. Probably a generational acceptance.

Gag.

His eyes widened with a hint of excitement, and I focused on controlling my facial expressions.

"Don't be rude, Scarlett," Aaron said, gesturing toward our company.

I stood and walked over to them, extending my hand to the man. He took it with a creepy smile.

"Glad I didn't leave a mark," he said as he touched the area of my forehead he'd slammed into his car.

I recoiled from his fingers.

"Samuel, come have a drink," Aaron said before Samuel could notice my disgust.

They went to the kitchen, and I sat down on the couch, dropping my face into my hands. Glasses clinked and laughter rose from behind the barn door. It was all a big ol' party for them. For me, it was hell. Or was there somewhere worse than hell? Somewhere buried even deeper than the fiery gates? That's where I was.

The doorbell rang again. This time, my heart raced. I couldn't handle two men and Aaron.

"Answer the door, princess!" Aaron yelled.

I let my face draw all the annoyed expressions I could before I tugged open the door. My breath hitched when I saw what stood on the front step. The stranger's eyes widened, but not from excitement. He was horrified.

That can't be one of Aaron's friends.

"Does Aaron live here?" he asked.

I nodded and stepped aside. He came in and slipped off his jacket, offering me a sympathetic glance. A tattoo of an American flag with dog tags painted his strong bicep. When he noticed me staring, he tugged down his sleeve.

"I'm Ryan. I work for Aaron." He put his hand out to me.

I took it with a shaky grasp. "I'm his wife, Scarlett."

"Ryan?" Aaron came through the barn door with a glass of golden liquid. He shoved it into Ryan's hand.

"Hey, man. What's going on?" Ryan asked as Samuel appeared behind Aaron.

"Nothing's going on. Relax. Come have a seat." Aaron walked to the couch, raised the crotch of his pants, and sat down.

My head swam with confusion. What the hell was happening?

Samuel sat beside Aaron, and Ryan gave in to the glaring stares coming from both men. He sat on one of the recliners and took a sip of his drink.

I went and pinned myself against the wall in the living room, trying to stay small and invisible within the suffocating silence. In the many years I dealt with Aaron's fetish, all the visitors knew why they were there. They also never looked like Ryan. Instead of the usual piece of shit businessman, he was more rugged. If he worked with Aaron, it wasn't in the boardroom.

"Why'd you ask me here?" Ryan finally said, drumming his fingers on his jeans.

"I have a bit of a favor to ask." Aaron smiled. "Well, not so much a favor as a request."

"Hardly a request either, Aaron," Samuel quipped.

They both laughed.

Fuck.

"I'm not following." Ryan's eyebrows furrowed.

"You're going to fuck my wife."

My stomach clenched at Aaron's casual words.

Ryan's eyes shot to me, his lips drawn tight. "What?" He couldn't process the question, let alone a response.

Samuel leaned forward and put his glass on the table. "You and I are going to fuck Scarlett." His cold, dead eyes met mine. "Aren't we, sweets?"

I fought the urge to curl my lip. His gaze drifted back to Ryan, whose mouth was slack with confusion.

"I'm not..." His dark eyes turned to me. "No offense at all, but I'm not doing that." He put his glass on the table and stood.

"Sit the fuck back down!" Aaron commanded. I hadn't heard him raise his voice like that since the night with his brother.

Ryan swallowed hard, but refused to sit. His eyes narrowed at Aaron.

Samuel egged Aaron on. "Do it."

Aaron dropped his head back and took a deep breath. "Ryan, you're the big computer whiz. The guy. Right?"

Ryan's cheeks pulsed at his question, but he nodded.

"See, that's the thing. There's about one hundred and fifty thousand dollars unaccounted for. Which is crazy, because my accountant here...well, his numbers all match."

Samuel nodded and threw a grotesque smile toward Ryan and me.

Ryan shifted in his seat. "I had nothing to do with any missing money. I"m only the technology behind your numbers. I don't do shit with the input or output of anything."

Aaron leaned back, reached into his pocket, and unfolded a piece of paper. He slid it across the glass coffee table and crossed his legs again.

Ryan took a deep breath and picked up the paper. His eyes closed, and the pulse in his cheeks intensified. "Fuck," he whispered. "I skimmed some money over the last couple years for my wife's cancer treatments. Not that it fucking mattered in the end." His shoulders fell in defeat, and his voice trembled as he tossed the paper onto the table. "So, now what?"

"If you play our little game with my wife whenever I ask, we can overlook this minor transgression." Aaron uncrossed his legs. "Sorry about your wife."

Ryan looked over at me. "So all I have to do is have sex with her?"

"Not quite. She has to be fucked a certain kind of way." A sadistic grin crossed Aaron's face.

I swallowed. Ryan looked so strong. He was more muscular than the other men Aaron forced on me. I shivered at the thought of the damage he could do with arms like his.

Does he live at the goddamn gym?Fuck.

"What do you mean?" Ryan asked.

"She likes to be roughed up, don't you, Scarlett?"

I didn't respond.

"You two will fuck her like the whore she is. Fill her up and leave her for me to finish off. Samuel, show him what we mean." Aaron stood and motioned for Ryan to sit on the couch. He then took his place in the recliner and crossed his legs.

Ryan drew a quick breath but went to the couch as he was told. With stiff shoulders and tensed muscles, he sat down.

Samuel wasted no time grabbing me and pulling me into him. I gnawed on my cheeks as his hands raced over my hips. He gripped the back of my dress and dragged me to the couch, pushing me to my knees and forcing me against the buttery leather. Ryan looked like he wanted to speak, so I shook my head at him.

Don't bother.

Samuel raised the skirt of my dress and ripped down my panties. I fought back the teasing tears. He spit in his hand and rubbed between my legs. I flinched at the touch because I was still so damn sore. He surged inside me, and I dropped my head in embarrassment. I was ashamed because Ryan wasn't one of them. He wouldn't understand why I allowed them to do that to me. He didn't know it started with an infatuation when Aaron reminded me of someone who made me feel special. The drugs and money kept me trapped there for too long, and now it was too hard to get out from beneath it all. I became so dependent on him. Where would I even go?

Samuel's hips pressed against me, driving me into the couch. I whimpered against the pain.

"When you're ready to come, do it in her ass," Aaron said.

I finally let the tears escape from behind my eyelids. I refused to look at Ryan. I could hear his hitched breaths, and they sounded angry.

"Why wait till I'm about to bust to do that?" Samuel said with a groan as he pulled out and pushed himself into my ass.

I cried out. I tried not to, but the pain overtook any control I had. The cushion shifted beside me, and I craned my head to look at Ryan. His dark, intense eyes stared at the scene playing out in front of him. Anger coursed through his muscles until they trembled. He readied himself to stand, and I shook my head again.

Play along,I mouthed.

Ryan sat back with a trembling lip, and I dropped my gaze again. I tried to ignore the pain behind me as Samuel fucked me.

He grabbed my hair and tugged me up to him. "You remember what I like you to say to me?"

I closed my eyes and fought back more tears. "I want you to come inside me...Daddy."

Samuel slowed his thrusts, bottoming out inside me. "Good girl," he whispered as he came.

He pulled out of me. I tugged down the hem of my dress and sat on the couch, drawing my legs to my chest. My hands wove through my hair, and I tugged, trying to ignore the pain that continued to sear through me.

Samuel turned to Ryan with a smile. "Your turn," he said as he zipped up his fly.

Aaron pointed to his watch, tapping the face of it impatiently.

Ryan stood and unzipped his jeans. The denim spread open to expose his boxers, and he rubbed himself through the fabric. "I can't do it with an audience," he said.

"Scarlett?" Aaron gestured toward me and then at Ryan.

I leaned over and rubbed the front of his boxers, trying to get him hard. I needed to get him hard. We all knew what would happen if he couldn't perform. I looked up at him, telling him it was okay without words. He shook his head.

"I really want to fuck her, but I'm gun shy. Can I take her for the first time in private?" Ryan fisted my hair and pulled. His words were harsh, but I couldn't stop watching how his lips moved as he talked about me. "And can she suck my cock? She has such a perfect mouth."

I whimpered against his hand. He was as strong as I thought he'd be.

Samuel shook his head, but Aaron leaned his elbows onto his knees.

"You aren't from this world of ours," Aaron said, "so I'll allow it. This time. But we're listening. You better fuck her. And I don't care what hole you take as long as you finish in her pussy."

"I will," Ryan said with a growl. He didn't release the hair balled up in his fist as he lifted me to my feet and dragged me toward the hallway. "What room can I fuck her in?"

Aaron smirked. "Last room on the left."

Ryan nodded, dragging me further down the hall. He opened the dark mahogany door and pulled me inside. "I can't wait to fuck that mouth," he said as he closed the door behind us.

As soon as he released my hair, I dropped to my knees. I wiped at my eyes before reaching my hand out to draw his boxers down. He was hard, but he stopped me, grabbing my wrist in his firm hands.

"We're not doing that," he whispered.

I looked up at him and shook my head. "We have to."

"You don't have to do anything you don't want to." He grabbed my arm and helped me to my feet.

"You don't understand. I have to do whatever Aaron demands."

Ryan touched my cheek. "Well, I don't."

He did have to. It wasn't a choice for either of us.

"You like how my dick feels in your throat?" He raised his voice when he spoke, ensuring Aaron could hear. "I love when you choke on me."

He sat on the bed and pulled me beside him. He wrapped his hand around the back of my head and pulled me into his broad chest. I buried my face into his black t-shirt.

"I can't do it," he whispered.

There was a quick knock on the door, and Aaron's sickeningly calm voice came from the other side. "I know she has a great mouth, and you might be tempted to come in it, but you need to come in her pussy. That's what she's for." There was so much thick silence that I thought he'd say something more. Instead, his steps receded, and I released a harsh breath.

Ryan shook his head.

I sat up taller, my eyes pleading with him. "You have to. He'll know if you don't come inside me. It's part of his thing."

"Are you kidding me?" Ryan said with a brush of his hand through his short, dark hair.

"Not kidding."

Ryan sat silent for a few moments while he weighed his options. I knew what he needed to do. I reached out and rubbed the front of his boxers, waiting to feel him swell beneath my touch. When I felt no movement, I let out a sigh.

"We're both fucked if you can't get hard," I whispered.

I pulled the front of my dress down and released my breasts from the fabric. His eyes widened, and he bit his lip.

"Have you had sex with anyone since your wife..."

Ryan shook his head. "I haven't wanted to."

I grabbed his hand and put it on my chest. His fingers moved along my skin, focusing on my nipples. He traced the bruises with tightening lips.

"What have they done to you?" he asked.

"Everything." I dropped my gaze. "I need you to fuck me."

He took a deep breath and leaned in to kiss me. His lips spread on mine. One of his hands snaked around the back of my neck as the other groped my breast, rubbing his thumb along my nipple. I rubbed my hand against the front of his boxers until I felt him harden beneath my touch. I flashed my eyes up at him and smiled.

"I'm not going to fuck you like that." He gestured toward what waited outside the door.

He stood up and pulled his cock from his boxers. Breath caught in my throat. Everything on him was big. He climbed over me, and his hands raised the fabric of my dress. He saw the bruises on my thighs and looked away so he wouldn't lose his erection.

He rubbed my thighs. "I would fuck the hell out of you, but it's hard to see a woman as beautiful as you getting beat on."

He sighed and rubbed his cock against me. He spit in his hand and ran it over his dick. Ryan pushed himself inside me with such reservation, as if he were trying not to hurt me. Everything hurt me, but he didn't need to worry about that. I drew him into me with my legs, and he leaned over to kiss me. I pulled away from him and turned my head.

"Stop! You're hurting me!" I was playing the game Aaron masterminded, but Ryan looked at me with such concern. I shook my head. "He's probably listening."

Ryan thrust, slow and shallow. He kissed me, pulling my face to his chest as he curled his hips forward and deeper into me. His strength hovered over me, and it made me feel oddly safe. I fought back a moan. I hadn't felt an urge to scream out from pleasure in so long. I grabbed his hand and used it to cover my mouth as the urge to moan grew too strong. He put pressure against my lips, trying to silence the growing sounds from beneath his hand.

"You feel so good. Such a good whore," he said with a roll of his eyes.

His attempts to keep me from getting into trouble made me tremble beneath him. I grabbed his hips and pulled him deeper into me. He didn't want to, but I forced him to. I didn't care about the pain. I wanted to feel him fully inside me.

"Are you gonna take my come?" he asked, much too loud.

My eyes rolled from the seductive sarcasm leaving his lips. I nodded beneath his hand, and he drove his hips into me. The tension between my legs reached an apex, and I came beneath him. I hadn't come in far too long. He had to grab my mouth harder to keep the sounds at bay as I shuddered beneath him.

"I'm going to come, okay?" he whispered.

I nodded. He brought his hand away and dropped it beside my head. I looked up at him. His strong arms were to either side of my head. I swallowed hard. He gave me another few powerful but gentle thrusts and moaned as he came inside me.

Ryan rubbed his hand down my bare thigh and back up toward the notch of my hip. "You're way too good for this guy."

"Will you fuck me again?" I asked. I hoped he'd say yes, because I wanted that again. I wanted his touch. For a moment, I forgot about what would follow it. How Aaron would claim me once they left.

Ryan rubbed my makeup down my cheeks with his thumbs. "I don't think I'll have much of a choice." He gave me a final kiss.

Ryan stood and pulled his boxers up. I made myself cry—which was easy enough to do—and the red flush of my cheeks from pleasure easily mimicked the flush from fear.

He opened the door and met Aaron just outside of it. He zipped up his jeans and nodded toward him. "She's yours," he said.