Page 26 of Arran's Obsession

My very soul cringed in on me. The past few days had been filled with shitty situations. A threat of homelessness, the hit bya car, Cherry’s murder. Now I was moments away from a pack savaging me.

There wasn’t a single thing I could do to stop them. It was more than apparent that none would listen to me even if I begged. From what the American had said and the redhead’s reaction, the women were willing prey. Theywantedthis.

I absolutely did not, but my body was betraying me. My skin so sensitive and my flesh dying to be touched. I was excited, thrilled in a way I hadn’t been ever. Not that I desired being hurt, but the animalistic sex had done the unthinkable and turned me on. I didn’t want it in the same way the other women did with their eyes shining bright, but I did wantsomething.

My imagination had made it Arran. His gorgeous face behind a skeleton mask. Him bruising and breaking bones then forcing me down and fucking me in front of the other contestants.

Claiming me. Obsessing over me.

I could cry for how messed up that idea was, but keeping him in my head was helping me get through the terror.

Another crack of the metal gantry below. Someone was nearby. Above me, a red light blinked on a camera. I shot my gaze to it, unable to move for fear of being seen but focusing on the glass like the watchers would help.

Then I clocked the reflection.

I could see him. The approaching male. Not Arran as my errant heart hoped, but still familiar. One of his gang members, I was almost certain. I’d leaned across the desk and got a good look at the three of them, focusing on the other identifying details since their faces were hidden. The one to his right had had a snake tattooed around his arm, and he held his head at an angle, as if finding everything funny. Just like the approaching man did now, though warpaint had been daubed over his tattoos.

“It’s no good,” the incomer called out. “We’re everywhere. You can’t escape us. Run, little rabbit. I want to fucking bring you down.”

From further away, someone jeered.

I shuddered. There had been yells from his fellow contestants but nothing of this taunting. The other men were far gone on bloodlust.

A scream tore through the air to my left, furious shouts following.

The man nearer me gave a dark laugh. “Girl three has been found and is about to get fucked by her owner. You want that, too. Isn’t that why you’re here? Come out, come out.”

The very last thing I wanted was to be found. In my heart, I knew that desire was futile. One of them would get me if it wasn’t this one. It could be better to submit and just let him take me. Bring it to an end.

I wished I could go down fighting. Hurt him like he would hurt me. But I was scared in a way I’d never been afraid in my life. It felt like everything was falling apart again, like it had when Mum died, but I wasn’t fifteen now. I was grown and I’d brought this on myself.

Tap, tap, tap.

More footsteps, closer still.

A wave of terror built inside me.

Abruptly, a howl of triumph came from closer by.

“Got you,” a man yelled, his accent thick where the others were a mix of nationalities.

The fourth woman had been caught. She mumbled something that let me pick up her accent—it was the American who’d given me my hiding place. Who’d helped me survive this long.

She moaned and choked out a protest, or perhaps encouragement, a struggle playing out that I could only imagine.Her high ponytail being used to control her. Her tight dress ripped and shredded, no concern in her attacker of the pain it might cause her.

Another man howled like a damn dog, the smack of flesh a fight. Something wet splatted. Blood.

Then the unmistakable punch and grunt of sex.

I brought to mind her face and twisted it from distress to rapture. She’d signed up for this. As terrifying as it was for me, I couldn’t get over the fact that she and the other three women welcomed the savage attack.

The sound of her having sex with her winner grew louder, her moans and his pleasure echoing in the space. Slaps of skin hitting. Muttered encouragement from whoever was watching but no longer touching. It built into a crescendo, their orgasms loud and giving me a burst of unwanted need so strong my breathing stuttered and my core clenched.

“Four taken now,” my tormentor called. “Sixteen men left with one objective.”

The gantry creaked.

“Number five, where the fuck are you?” he shouted abruptly.

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