Page 24 of His Black Onyx

Chapter 12

Nate

As soon as we step outside, I notice her eyes flitting everywhere around us at once. She needs to be able to move freely, so I refrained from binding her in any way, but she had best not abuse the freedom I have granted her. She wouldn't be able to escape anywhere if she tries to run off, but it would be an inconvenience to me. Same thing if she decides to scream for help; her cries would fall on deaf ears, but it would annoy the fucking hell out of me.

We're out in the middle of nowhere, the old shack we're using as a safe house is the only house for miles and miles. It was abandoned more than a decade ago, and even the Covey have hardly used it since because it's not easily accessible and too far away from anything.

And that's exactly why I chose it for this particular endeavor. After all, when we first set up camp here, it was not to fulfill an order for the Covey, but to plan and prepare our escape.

I lead her to the backyard. It‘s a small grassy area surrounded by dark pine trees that block us from the view of anyone in the valley around us. If it wasn't for the shabby-looking hut, the area would seem like a meadow planted in the middle of a deep, dark, and ominous forest, safe and eerily idyllic.

She's walking hesitantly next to me, her eyes steadily flicking back and forth, her head barely moving. She doesn't want me to suspect that she's examining the surroundings for an opportunity to flee.

"Don't even think about it," I say in an even tone without looking at her.

"About what?"

I let out a deep sigh. Playing the naive, innocent damsel has never worked with me.

"About running off," I respond. "Or screaming. It's not only futile, but it will be met with harsh punishments, too."

She huffs. "I figured as much, since we are coming out here to practice shooting. Gunshots are far louder than screaming, so you're obviously not worried about being heard by anyone."

I cast her a quick look from the side, but she doesn't reciprocate. Her gaze is directed forward, lost in the distance.

"And you're much faster and stronger than me," she adds. "I know that without testing you. Why waste my energy on trying to run?"

She turns to me now, and her facial expression is hard to read. There's something lurking in those raven black eyes that unsettles me. It's not defiance, not hate, nothing that leads me to assume that she’s seeking a fight.

And that's exactly what worries me. I don't trust that look. There's no way she could have transformed from a frightened kidnapping victim to completely compliant and agreeable within the course of just a few hours.

I shake off my concerns and force myself to concentrate on the task at hand: training her how to shoot a gun.

We've tested our weaponry out here before, and our set-up remains untouched. A row of soup cans and empty bottles are lined up across a dried-out tree trunk at the far end of the yard.

I grab her by the upper arm, my fingers closing around the soft flesh a little tighter than necessary as I drag her away from the trunk. She protests and squirms, trying to pull her arm out of my grip.

"I told you I'm not going anywhere," she complains. "No need to be such an asshole."

She doesn‘t know any better, but being ignorant of the rules won't save her ass this time. I stop on the spot, my grip tightening so much that she grimaces in pain as I pull her closer.

"I don't react well to insults," I seethe. "Call me an asshole one more time and I'll give you a spanking you won't forget, and then I will lock you up in that bedroom you hate so much."

Her eyebrows first arch in surprise, and then her expression turns to one of amusement. "A spanking? What good would that do? I'm not a child!"

She gasps for air when I yank her so close that her body is pressed against mine, my fingers digging into her flesh through the fabric of the sweater. She whines in pain, but my grasp only tightens when she tries to fight her way out of it.

"Fine, I'll be quiet!"

Her words come hurried and without the conviction I'd like to hear. I know they're just a result of the pain I'm inducing, but it'll do for now. Almost.

"And?" I urge. She still owes me an apology.

The furrow between her dark brows tells me that she's unsure what I want her to say.

"You're not going to insult me again, are you?"

She nods violently. "No, no, I won't. I promise."

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