textured if you looked quickly you’d almost think they were actually feathers. It was beautiful and intimidating all in one.
Opening the cabinet, Lance pulled out a pair of grey jogging pants and pulled them on before turning back to me. He frowned, eyeing me closely. “What’s wrong?”
I could have laughed at the question, but didn’t. If he had a few hours I could have made a list of everything that was upsetting me. “Aside from being held captive and going up for sale?”
“Yeah, aside from that.”
“Your tattoo.”
He let out a little chuckle. “ Ahhh.”
“Why the wings?”
He shrugged as if to dismiss the question, but I couldn’t imagine someone getting something that impressive without a meaning behind it. Walking over to the bed, he sat on the edge, leaving close to a foot between us.
“So does everyone live here?”
“Yes and no. We’re quite a ways from civilization so it takes a while to get into town, so it’s usually easier to stay here.” With hesitation he reached out and brushed a strand of hair from my face, tucking it behind my ear. I didn’t flinch at his touch and it seemed to please him that I didn’t. “Everyone has their own quarters in the main section of the compound.”
Tucking my hands under my head, I snuggled into the bed. In a bed that was halfway cozy and speaking casually with Lance, I was almost able to block out everything else and relax. “What about your mom?”
His eyes seemed to grow dark, his body tensing.
Shit, shit, shit . As soon as the question came out I immediately regretted it.
There was silence for a couple of minutes. I’d decided he wasn’t going to answer, but to my surprise he eventually did. “She’s dead.” By the tone in his voice, I knew that wasn’t a topic open for discussion.
“How old are you?”
“Twenty-six .”
“So do you have a girlfriend or anything?”
The question was greeted by a roar of laughter. “No. I don’t think there’s a woman in the world who deserves someone like me.”
A frown spread across my face. “What do you mean?”
His laughter trailed off to a chuckle. “I mean, when you do what I do for a living, you give up the privilege of having someone in your life. Can you imagine the first date conversation? What do you do? Ahhh, well, I kidnap and rape women then sell them off to people even worse than me.” He cocked a brow at me. “Please don’t tell me there would be a second date after that.”
“But you’ve never actually raped anyone before, have you? I’m your first, right?”
“Semantics, Gwen. I’m guilty by association. Every time one of the women here is raped or murdered that’s also on me. And I have other duties within the organization that have nothing to do with the sex trade. This place is just a central point of the U.S. operation.”
“I don’t understand. Then why are you here?”
“You ask a lot of questions. Many more than you’re privileged to.” Despite his teasing tone, I could see my bombarding him with questions was making him uneasy. That’s the last thing I wanted. If he decided I was too much to handle, he could pass me off to Tanner, or Jazz or god forbid Connor. The idea of being passed off to someone made me shiver in fear.
“Are you cold?”
Not wanting him to know the real reason, I nodded.
“This whole floor is centrally heated so I have no control of it right now.” He rubbed his chin and was about to get up, but on impulse I grabbed his arm. His head turned and he looked down at me.
Pulling the blanket aside, I patted the mattress beside me. I shouldn’t be doing this, I thought, but I needed the contact even if there was the danger of sparking something within him I’d later regret awakening.
He rubbed the back of his neck with his free hand. “I don’t think –”
“Just for a minute. Might as well get used to each other considering what we’ll be doing tomorrow, right?” I held my breath.
His eyes lowered to take in
Opening the cabinet, Lance pulled out a pair of grey jogging pants and pulled them on before turning back to me. He frowned, eyeing me closely. “What’s wrong?”
I could have laughed at the question, but didn’t. If he had a few hours I could have made a list of everything that was upsetting me. “Aside from being held captive and going up for sale?”
“Yeah, aside from that.”
“Your tattoo.”
He let out a little chuckle. “ Ahhh.”
“Why the wings?”
He shrugged as if to dismiss the question, but I couldn’t imagine someone getting something that impressive without a meaning behind it. Walking over to the bed, he sat on the edge, leaving close to a foot between us.
“So does everyone live here?”
“Yes and no. We’re quite a ways from civilization so it takes a while to get into town, so it’s usually easier to stay here.” With hesitation he reached out and brushed a strand of hair from my face, tucking it behind my ear. I didn’t flinch at his touch and it seemed to please him that I didn’t. “Everyone has their own quarters in the main section of the compound.”
Tucking my hands under my head, I snuggled into the bed. In a bed that was halfway cozy and speaking casually with Lance, I was almost able to block out everything else and relax. “What about your mom?”
His eyes seemed to grow dark, his body tensing.
Shit, shit, shit . As soon as the question came out I immediately regretted it.
There was silence for a couple of minutes. I’d decided he wasn’t going to answer, but to my surprise he eventually did. “She’s dead.” By the tone in his voice, I knew that wasn’t a topic open for discussion.
“How old are you?”
“Twenty-six .”
“So do you have a girlfriend or anything?”
The question was greeted by a roar of laughter. “No. I don’t think there’s a woman in the world who deserves someone like me.”
A frown spread across my face. “What do you mean?”
His laughter trailed off to a chuckle. “I mean, when you do what I do for a living, you give up the privilege of having someone in your life. Can you imagine the first date conversation? What do you do? Ahhh, well, I kidnap and rape women then sell them off to people even worse than me.” He cocked a brow at me. “Please don’t tell me there would be a second date after that.”
“But you’ve never actually raped anyone before, have you? I’m your first, right?”
“Semantics, Gwen. I’m guilty by association. Every time one of the women here is raped or murdered that’s also on me. And I have other duties within the organization that have nothing to do with the sex trade. This place is just a central point of the U.S. operation.”
“I don’t understand. Then why are you here?”
“You ask a lot of questions. Many more than you’re privileged to.” Despite his teasing tone, I could see my bombarding him with questions was making him uneasy. That’s the last thing I wanted. If he decided I was too much to handle, he could pass me off to Tanner, or Jazz or god forbid Connor. The idea of being passed off to someone made me shiver in fear.
“Are you cold?”
Not wanting him to know the real reason, I nodded.
“This whole floor is centrally heated so I have no control of it right now.” He rubbed his chin and was about to get up, but on impulse I grabbed his arm. His head turned and he looked down at me.
Pulling the blanket aside, I patted the mattress beside me. I shouldn’t be doing this, I thought, but I needed the contact even if there was the danger of sparking something within him I’d later regret awakening.
He rubbed the back of his neck with his free hand. “I don’t think –”
“Just for a minute. Might as well get used to each other considering what we’ll be doing tomorrow, right?” I held my breath.
His eyes lowered to take in
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