This time he didn’t stand by the door where he usually did. He stormed toward me in three large steps. I cringed and pushed myself into the wall, covering my head with my arms, anticipating the blow that was about to come, but instead, “Give me your arms. Now,” he ordered.
I flicked my eyes to his through the gap in my elbows and saw the no nonsense look he gave, and slowly I released my arms from around my head. He grabbed them with one of his and held them as he reached behind him, pulling a pair of handcuffs. The sound the cuffs made as he flicked them out gave me a shudder at the thought of having to wear those things again.
“I don’t want to have to keep you tied up, but I have to in order to keep you in line. This time there will be no problems. Right?”
I nodded, not finding my voice as fear pulsed through my veins. For the second time, he walked behind me as he escorted me from the dungeon into the light. That time, though, I had nothing to protect myself with, and after the failure of my first attempt to escape, my head hung low in defeat.
He stopped us in front of a door and reached around me to open it. His hand grazed my hip, sending a jitter of electricity through my body. The door in front of me pushed open, and he nudged me forward. The room was dark at first, and as my sight was adjusting, a bright overhead light lit the space. There in front of me was a large canopy bed, windows on either side of it, a cushy chair, and a bookcase lining the whole wall adjacent to the bed filled with books. If there had been any other reason for being in this room, I’d love to cuddle up in the cozy looking chair and read after skimming all the shelves. I tore my gaze away from the books to the bed, and I wanted nothing more than to curl up in it and sleep peacefully, but then my mind went somewhere else, imaging what Duke had in mind for bringing me there. Is he planning to have his way with me here? Or is this where I’d take my last breath?
Dread seized my heart when Duke pointed to a door along the other wall. “Over there, please,” his tone was softer than normal.
My feet took me toward the open door, having a mind of their own. My pulse quickened at the thought of what would be behind door number two.
With relief as the door flung open, I saw it was a big bathroom. The shower called me to it, and for the first time since that ordeal began, a small smile spread across my lips until a whisper brushed against my ear. “Does this make you happy? I could make you happy.” My smile vanished just as fast as it had appeared at the words.
Duke moved so he was standing in front of me while he undid the cuffs. “There is a towel and a change of clothing on the counter. Everything else you’ll need is in the shower. Don’t try anything stupid, Nat.”
I nodded and waited for him to leave, but he didn’t. “In front of you?”
The quick nod of his head sent a chill down my spine. He wanted me to shower in front of him. The pull to let the warm water wash away the filth was strong, but the need to have some dignity maintained beckoned to me too. As I was about to protest, he stated, “I’ve touched and licked everything you have under those clothes.” He flicked his tongue and a wave of nausea hit, making my stomach roll. “You’re wasting time. If you don’t want to shower, I’ll take you back to the basement,” he growled.
“No. Please. I’ll shower,” I begged, knowing that this might be my only chance to wash away the disgust and dirt. Slowly, I undressed. I could feel his look glaring into my back. I resisted the urge to look back at him.
With the water heating the room, I climbed into the large shower and let the warm water cleanse my soul, and for a moment I felt at peace and could forget the awful situation I was in.
A quick glance to my left through the translucent shower curtain showed me that Duke leaned against the door frame typing away on his phone, and I couldn’t stop my heart from doing a flip flop. The connection between us was strong, and I wanted to refute it, but I couldn't do it. It hung thick between us like the steam that was filling up the room.
A tremble of revolting disgust rippled through my body. I was looking at Duke like he hadn’t kept me locked and terrified in his basement for some unknown reason, but instead I saw him with a yearning that I couldn’t explain. I shook the thoughts from my head.
He was my imprisoner.
My enemy.
The messages he sent were confusing. One minute he was harsh and cruel and the next gentle and kind. I never knew which Duke would show up, and it made maneuvering the situation that much harder.
Chapter Fourteen
Duke
Seeing Natalie’s shadow as her hands massaged her scalp, her breasts heaving with each breath, left my cock thickening, and when she washed her body with the washcloth, a soft groan escaped, and while she wasn’t looking, I quickly adjusted myself so that my pulsing erection wouldn’t be glaring at her when she exited the shower. The need to take her was powerful, but I resisted, knowing that I couldn’t cross that line.
The water shutting off pulled me from my thoughts. “Can you hand me the towel?” Natalie asked with her hand stretching around the curtain waiting for the dry towel.
I did what she commanded and handed her the towel. I stood back, watching though the steam and curtain as she dried herself. Her motions were sensual, and again my mind went to my hard dick, and a rush of desire flooded my bloodstream.
When her hand came out again, I handed her the clothing without a word. She dressed quickly and looked refreshed and relaxed, running her fingers through her hair when the shower curtain whipped open.
Maybe I should let her go and take my chances, I thought. She knew what I was capable of. Maybe that was enough to keep her quiet, but the images of those woman—beaten, raped, murdered covered, in insulting and degrading words written in red lipstick—that even strongest of hearts wouldn’t be able to look at long, or hold onto the contents of their stomachs, flashed before me, and I knew the risk was too great.
On the way out of the bathroom, I didn’t bother to cuff her, hoping that the nice long shower she’d been allowed to take would be enough to calm her and keep her from trying anything. She’d stuck her wrists out waiting to be cuffed, but I gripped her shoulder tightly instead and guided her toward the open door.
“May I take a book?” she asked as I escorted her back through the bedroom.
“No,” I said bluntly, and her flinch made me soften my hold on her.
After she was secure in her room and I had returned upstairs, I thought about how maybe giving her a book to distract herself with wasn’t the worst idea. At least maybe that small gesture would put her at ease, and she’d stop seeing me as a monster, but first I needed to take care of the raging erection I still had.
With visions of Nat through the shower curtain running through my mind, I unzipped my jeans and let my hand wander to my still hard cock. I needed to get rid of that churning demand before I did something I couldn’t take back. My breath caught as I gripped myself tightly and jerked my hand up and down the shaft in a rough and fast motion. My body shivered with desire, and I imagined it was Nat’s hand, or better yet, her mouth, wrapped tightly around my cock. My eyes shut as the pulse became strong, and I hardened even further against my hand. I was close then.
I moaned, letting myself feel the pleasure coursing through my veins getting closer to an orgasm. I was on the edge, pumping faster, harder, and taking longer strokes. Then with one loud grunt and thrust, I exploded, the squeeze of my grip taking every last bit from me.