Page 7 of Deadmen's Captive

UNKNOWN

Most girls your age have a flurry of social media accounts for droning on about their shallow, frivolous lives, but you don’t, do you Paige? I searched for them, on every platform I could find, but the only one that came up was your Instagram. I was so excited to see that you’d set it to public, even though you really should keep things like this private.

I scrolled back through the pictures of you at university, even back far enough to see the last two years of you at secondary school. Countless images showcasing your beauty, Paige. That golden hair, those clear blue eyes, and that smooth perfect skin. That delicious body.

I loved that you don’t wear tons of makeup. The friends that stand next to you in your pictures are weighed down with it, but then they don’t have the same natural glow as you do. They look like plastic dolls, with their plastic nails and their fake lashes, but not you. No, your beauty is real, and you don’t even realise it. Your poses are natural, simple, almost shy, next to your girlfriends shameless posturing.

You’re heaven Paige. Pure heaven.

My heartrate quickened as I scrolled through image after image, unable to believe that someone as perfect as you exists. I screenshotted each one, cropping out the other faces. A rose surrounded by thorns.

Every night before bed, I scrolled back through. I loved that your face was the last thing I saw before I went to sleep. I laid there imagining the sound of your voice, your smile. What you smelled like. What your touch would feel like. How I’d make you scream.

Chapter Three

PAIGE

The air inside the nightclub was thick with the scent of sweat and spilled alcohol. Bodies writhed on the dance floor, their movements a hypnotic blend of grace and primal instinct. For a moment, I hesitated at the edge of the chaos, my pulse quickening with both excitement and fear.

I’d never been allowed to go to nightclubs. My mother was dead set on me keeping myself pure for my future husband, and although I didn’t exactly agree, I’d never been in a position to even pursue a relationship. Even at college my mother had kept me on a tight leash, picking me up and dropping me off for classes, insisting on knowing where I was at all times, so there had been no chance for a boyfriend then, or even just a fun night out with some girlfriends unless it was friends she'd picked.

I'd taken some snaps of me and girls near the bar to send her, being careful to keep my bare back away from the camera and a coke in my hand. The club was quite upmarket, so it would hopefully please her. She liked it when I socialised “properly.” I felt a sinking feeling as I realised I'd probably have to edit out Kate. She was way too alternative for my mother to approve of. By sheer coincidence, Amy and Venessa had been on the list of socially acceptable friends she’d given me at the start of the year, so this would make her happy. Well, as happy as my mother could be. I had no idea how she’d managed to get a list of postgraduate students before the term even started, but I now had it tucked away in my drawer with names highlighted as potential and approved friends.

I tucked my phone away, determined not to think about her for the rest of the night. Whether it was the freedom from her or the four tequila shots we’d done in the bar before getting here, the fear quickly faded into anticipation and I smiled at Kate as she grabbed my hand and dragged me towards the dance floor.

"Come on," she urged, her words barely audible over the roar of the music. Amy and Vanessa followed us through the throng of bodies as we pushed through to a space we could all dance in. I wasn't exactly a confident dancer, but the large amount of alcohol helped and I copied Kate and the others, soon losing myself in the beat and the intoxicating freedom of movement. My body swayed in time with the music, my previous fears dissolving into the shadows as I lost myself in the exhilarating sea of sound and sensation.

"Having fun yet?" Kate shouted into my ear.

A genuine smile spread across my face, and I nodded, feeling more alive than I had in years.

"That's my girl!" She grinned and then pulled back as a few men sidled in closer to us, their eyes dropping down from our faces to our bodies, noticing every detail. I felt uncomfortable, but Kate preened under their eyes, her dancing growing slightly more suggestive as they checked us out.

"Hey there," one of them purred, his voice smooth as silk. He was tall with chiselled features and a confident swagger that made it clear he was no stranger to the dance floor—or to the art of seduction.

"Mind if we join you?" another asked. He wasn't as tall as his companion, but his muscular frame and crooked smile were pretty easy on the eyes.

"Of course not," Kate smiled. "The more, the merrier!"

The tall one grinned, and slipped his hands around her waist pulling her against him. As I watched them dance together, I couldn't help feeling a twinge of envy. Kate seemed so at ease amidst the chaos of the club, her body moving with a grace and confidence that I could only dream of possessing. But before I could dwell on my inadequacy any longer, the shorter man sidled up to me, his eyes locked on mine with magnetic intensity.

"Hey there, gorgeous," he said, leaning in so close I could feel the warmth of his breath against my cheek. "How about we show these two how it's really done?"

"Um... sure," I stammered, feeling my heart leap into my throat as he took my hand and guided me deeper into the throng.

Finding a space, he took my hands, wrapping them around his waist and pulling me in close. His own hands slid down to my hips, and he began to grind into me. I wasn't hugely comfortable about dancing this close with someone I didn't know, but I was supposed to be taking risks tonight. I smiled up at him and wrapped my hands around his neck.

"Oh that's good, baby," he crooned, grinding harder against me. He leaned in, sliding his hands down over my ass. A flutter of panic flared inside me. I really didn't want this right now. My head felt hazy from the alcohol and I suddenly felt unsure of myself and rather unsteady. Damn sambuca.

I pulled back away from him. "I need the bathroom," I told him.

"Aw, not yet, baby, we're just getting started," he said, his fingers digging into my flesh as he ground his hard dick into my belly. His hands slipped lower, under the curve of my ass, dipping between my legs. I brought my hands down against his chest and tried to push him away.

"No, let me go now."

The guy pulled back a little, but didn't let go of me completely.

"Don't make a scene baby, we're just dancing." I could feel my heart pick up as he pulled me closer again, our bodies now pressed against one another. My breath hitched in my throat, my heart pounding. I tried to steal a glance at Kate, hoping she'd notice my discomfort and come to my rescue. But just as I spotted her dancing with the taller man, another body stepped between us, effectively cutting off my lifeline.

---