Page 21 of Savage Desires

Kisten walks towards me and sets several items on the bed. My stomach turns when I see an assortment of knives, a scalpel, three different kinds of rope, duct tape, and two ball gags. Seeing the things those cabinets hid makes me want to puke. Imagining what could have been done to me if Kisten hadn't bought me has my entire body trembling.

I must make a noise because his attention turns to me. His jaw clenches, and he looks pissed. I take a step back, and he lets out a low growl. His hand strikes out, and I wince, waiting for an impact that never comes. Instead, he grabs my arm firmly but gently and pulls me into him.

"It's okay, beauty. You're safe now. I swear to you. I would cut my own hand off before I ever hurt you," he murmurs, running his strong hands down my back in a soothing motion.

It's been so long since a man has touched me with any kindness that my brain is short-circuiting. I enjoyed his warmth and the safety of his hold that night at Mecca, but I was also terrified of the repercussions of him intervening. I was worried he would get into trouble and what my punishment would be.

His arms around me are so much better than the fantasies my brain came up with during my time in the dark. I let myself relax into his hold, allowing myself to trust someone for the first time in years. Georgie is the only person I felt safe to be vulnerable around, but I also knew she would do anything she was told, including betraying me. It wouldn't have been personal. In our position, you do what you must to survive. I feel like a jerk for thinking it, but Georgie is weak, and it wouldn't take much for her to spill any and all secrets.

I take a deep breath and steel my spine. I can't fall apart now. I need to be strong for a while longer, as Kisten said. I can break down later when we're all safely out of this hellhole. I step away from him and pull up my proverbial big girl panties.

He picks up one of the knives and hands it to me, hilt first. My hand shakes as I reach out to take it. When I wrap my fingers around the hilt, I relax. I have a weapon. A real means to fight back and do some damage. Kisten picks up another knife and hands it to Lexis, who looks a little green. She seems uncomfortable holding the knife, and I worry that she might be a hindrance in our escape if she can't get over her squeamishness.

I've never actually hurt anyone with a blade, but I have practiced some close combat stuff with training knives with one of my dad's friends, who is ex-military. I only had a few training sessions before I was taken, but I'm confident I can hold my own as long as my strength holds out. Exhaustion is my biggest worry right now. I exerted a lot of energy fighting Kisten. I need sleep and food. I force those needs to the back of my mind. Right now, I need to focus on survival and getting the fuck out of here.

"You two go into the bathroom. Don't come out. I'll come get you when it's safe," Kisten says firmly.

We both go into the bathroom without arguing. We're quiet as we listen to Kisten's footsteps then him knocking loudly on the door. It's silent for what feels like hours before there is a beeping sound followed by the snick of a lock disengaging. A deep male voice sounds but is quickly cut off. There is a bit of a scuffle before a low grunt, then silence.

My heart beats almost painfully in my chest. What if Kisten is hurt? What will happen to us if he's injured? Could we escape on our own? One look at Lexis makes me think not. Kisten is the only hope we have of getting out of here. We need him.

The dangerous thought that I need him flits through my mind. As dangerous as it is, it's undeniable. He saved me from Todd, and the memory of him built into fantasies that kept me sane during my time in the cage. I know my thoughts aren't based on reality as much as hopes and dreams I have no right to have.

A minute later, the bathroom door opens, and Kisten is revealed as wearing a mask. It's not the same one he was wearing before. This one is a typical mask you'd see in a BDSM club like Mecca. It's not scary like his other mask. That one is completely terrifying.

It was unsettling to not be able to see his eyes beyond the mask when he first entered the room earlier. The mask itself would scare most. Kisten's imposing size added to the fear factor. He looked like a demon straight from Hell. A little thrill goes through my veins now that I know who was behind that mask. If he's a demon, he's my demon right now, and if we weren't in a life-or-death situation, I would take a minute to analyze why that makes my heart pound and my core tighten. Both are wholly new feelings for me, and I don't totally hate them.

"Let's go," he commands.

CHAPTER SEVEN

KISTEN

Taking out the security guard was laughably easy. He looked annoyed when he opened the door, which turned to surprise when I grabbed him by the throat and pulled him into the room. One punch knocked him out. I considered killing him, but I'll save that for another day. Getting the girls out of here takes precedence. I quickly hog-tie him and shove one of the bigger ball gags in his mouth to keep him quiet.

I search him for anything useful. I take his gun, the key fob, and his driver's license. Scott James will be getting a house call from me soon. Once I have him sorted, I open the bathroom door. I let out a breath when my eyes land on my Beauty. She looks gaunt. She's lost weight since I last saw her, and now that her makeup is smudged, I can see the dark circles under her eyes. Despite looking exhausted, she has a fierceness to her gaze that lets me know she's ready to fight her way out of here.

I was surprised when she attacked me. She took me off-guard and landed several good hits, and if I had been one of the other fuckers buying women tonight, she would have done a good bit of damage. I've never been prouder of someone in my life. I've lost count of how many women I've seen in her position, and none of them have had the same fire she does. Sadly, most of the women I save are too broken to fight. Not my Beauty. She's obviously weakened and scared, but she fought like a damn warrior.

Hopefully, she can hold on to that fierceness a little longer so we can get the fuck out of here. I'll give her a safe place to break once she's free of this life. When I get her home, nothing will touch her again. I'll take care of her. Protect her with my life.

Fuck. Not home. She'll go to Hope House and be taken care of there. I can't keep her. She needs someone gentle to help her heal, and that is not me. She doesn't need a man at all. She'd probably balk at the very suggestion to stay with me. She's not mine, no matter what I stupidly want.

The truth is that I felt an instant connection to her last week. I wanted to claim her that night. I haven't been able to get her off my mind since. That fucked up part of me that wants to claim her keeps whispering that I own her now. I bought her. She's mine. Keeping her would make me just as wrong as all the men I've dedicated my life to taking down. Even if my only desire is to keep her safe, spoil her, and show her how a real man takes care of a woman.

I can't be selfish in that way. She deserves a soft, loving man. I would treat her like a goddamn princess for the rest of her life, but my desires are… dark. I need total control in the bedroom. There's no way I could subject her to that after what she's been through. It would be cruel. I won't do that to her.

She needs to go back to her family or build a new life. A life that she wants. The dark voice in my mind that demands control tries to break through my resolve. It whispers that she's mine. That I own her and can do whatever I want with her. I could make her love submission… crave it even. She'd never want for anything ever again. It whispers to be selfish for once in my life. To take what I want for a change. I block those thoughts out because they will lead me down a dark path.

"Let's go," I tell the girls.

They follow me quietly. Lexis is holding her knife like it's a snake she's terrified of, but my Beauty holds hers like she knows what to do with it. Between how well she fought and her hold on that knife, I'm starting to think she's had some kind of formal training. It's surprising because she looks like she's barely twenty years old, yet she moved like a trained fighter, countering my moves in a way no novice would have. It makes me even more curious about her, which isn't good. I need to push her out of my mind, not become even more infatuated with her.

I hand Lexis the ropes and gags and give Beauty the small pile of clothes. I can't assume the men have unlocked their cabinets, so I need to be prepared. I do a quick check of the hallway before leading the girls to the next room.

"Stay here until I call for you."

Both girls nod in agreement, watching with wide eyes as I unlock the door and disappear inside. Anger hits me the moment I get inside and take in the scene. The man didn't waste any time. He's balls deep inside the woman while his hands are wrapped around her throat. She's tied down and completely at his mercy. She's crying silent tears, and her face is purple from lack of oxygen.

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