Page 45 of Taken By the Convicts
Before she put the shirt on, he eased her long hair over her left shoulder, exposing her neck. Between her shoulder blades rested a tattoo, a bar code, two fingers wide. He traced the pattern, and she shivered. The bar code itself was deep indigo, with each bar turning into an intricate pattern of swirls. He’d have to ask her the meaning later. For now, he needed to make her understand what she’d begun to mean to him.
Ivan kissed the base of her neck as his right hand moved over her smooth belly.
“I only intended to show you my back,” she said, her breathing hastening. “So you’d know me better. So you’d understand why I can’t stay trapped down here, even if it’s for my safety.”
He hated that he couldn’t change his mind, that she’d think him callous and maybe no better than the man who’d hurt her. “It’s a lovely back,” he said, delaying the inevitable as he kissed behind her ear. “Curvy in all the right places, with strong muscles meant for arching into a man.”
“Ivan,” she said, losing her words as he nibbled on her ear and his right hand caressed the underside of her breast.
“I’m just getting to know you better.” He drew the rough pad of his thumb over her nipple and she inhaled sharply, but she didn’t pull away. She leaned into him, her hand curling behind his neck, her fingers sifting through his hair as he squeezed her nipple.
“We can’t do this here,” she said, her words drawn out as he continued teasing her nipple.
She’d fucked Crusher in the stairwell. Maybe Zev too; Ivan still didn’t know for sure about him, and he didn’t care to. If she felt safer fucking them to ensure they’d protect her, then he’d put up with it, for now. In time, he’d convince her that she only needed him, and no other. “We’re alone.”
“Jayce is down the hall.”
Not Crusher, but Jayce. She’d sleep with Ivan, without worrying what Crusher thought, but Jayce scared her. Ivan eased the shirt from her hand and placed it over her head. As she wiggled into it, he lifted her hair out, loving how soft her hair felt, how softshefelt.
“Your room or mine?” he asked as he let his hand glide down her arm to her wrist where he brushed over the prison tattoo. He hated that The Company had marked her, that she was in danger here, even in the bunker. He had to get Jayce in line and fast. She deserved to feel safe down here.
“I don’t think either is a good idea.”
“I still need to show you my scars.” As he began pushing his pants down, she placed her hand on his, stopping him. “Lower, Melina. You’re almost there.”
“I swear you did that on purpose.”
“It doesn’t matter how I get your hand on my dick, as long as I do.”
To his surprise, her hand glided over his zipper and stroked his dick. “And I thought you’d rather have my mouth there.”
He couldn’t get any harder if she lowered his fly and pulled him into her hot little mouth. “Whatever you’d like. Though, I’m just as happy to give as to receive.”
“I’d like my freedom, Ivan. Give me that, and I’ll do anything you want.”
His heart sank. He was wrong earlier. He did care that she was only offering sex as a means to manipulate him. He wanted so much more from her,withher. He wanted. . . Fuck, he wanted to be her Crusher.
Ivan cupped her cheek and stole one last kiss because he knew it would be just that, his last. “I can’t, little bird. This is your life now. Down here, like the rest of us. I’ll make it as comfortable for you as possible, but I can’t let you go.”
Her hand disappeared from his cock and the sadness returned to her eyes. “Not like the rest of you. The four of you can leave whenever you want. Maybe you don’t see me as your prisoner anymore, but that’s just a word. This bunker is my cage. I’ve been caged before, Ivan. I swore I’d never let myself be caged again. Being sent to Veenith wasn’t the worst thing that’s ever happened to me. This here. . .” She motioned to the walls as she shook her head and stepped back. “Nothing’s changed. Different planet, different owner, different cage.”
“Melina,” he called as she walked out of the kitchen.
She stopped in the doorway.
“You’re not alone anymore. If I could let you go above without risking you, I would.”
She lifted on her toes and kissed his cheek. “You’re a good leader, Ivan.”
“But?” he said. She hadn’t said everything she wanted, that much was clear.
“But I can’t stay here. I’ll die if you keep me locked down here.”
“You’re stronger than that.”
“No, I’m not.”
“I can’t let you go, Melina.”
