Looking over at her, I have to admire the way she has been able to contain her fear and keep up with me. We are going to hide behind here. Do you see that building 20 yards north?”
“Yea.”
“My brother is going to be on the other side of there in less than five minutes. When I say run, run like hell, baby.” What is with the damn nicknames, Axe? I am approaching dangerous territory, and I don’t mean the guys with the guns. Giving her pet names and shit insinuates ownership, a claiming if you will, and nothing about this girl says she can handle my kind of love or lifestyle. I need to tread carefully and keep my primal instincts under control.
I look at my watch and note we have less than two minutes, which is how long it will take us to reach the pickup point. “Alright, Saffron, it’s time. Are you ready?”
“Yes. I am ready to go home.” I don’t respond to that because, unbeknownst to her, she is not going to be able to go home right away. The enemy knows enough about the girls to know when and where to take them, so we have to assume they know everything. Until we snuff these fucks, each girl is going to have to stay with us.
“Run. Now.” We take off in a sprint, and as I suspected, a rainfall of bullets ascends on us. Luckily my brother is hovering and begins to spray them from the sky, providing enough cover for us to reach him and him to drop. We hop in, and he takes off. I wish I could tell her this is the end, but unfortunately, I think this is just the beginning.
In more ways than one.
Chapter Two
AXEL
Finally home, we walk into my loft, and I watch as she looks around, wondering what she thinks of the place. I live a minimalist life, never really here enough to need all the trappings. I have no woman, no children, and never really wanted them. My work is dangerous. I never know if I am going to make it home from one mission to the next, and I knew that going in.
See, when I was in high school, I had a best friend named Seth McManis. He and I had been attached at the hip since preschool at four years old. He was more than my best friend; he was my brother. Granted, I have an older brother, but he was always into his friends even though we were not that far apart. Seth was my partner in crime. Then, one day he disappeared when we were in fifth grade. I watched as his parents searched, passing out fliers, pleading on television for his safe return, offering money, falling apart. I, too, prayed every day for my best friend to come home. When he never did, I vowed not to let anyone else lose their loved one. So, when I got older, I joined this elite group of special force guys and haven’t looked back. My brother joined a short time later.
Shaking my memory from the forefront, I look at her scrunched-up face and smirk. So the princess is unhappy with her accommodations. Too bad. “So this is where you live?” she asks slowly as if she is hoping I’ll deny it.
“Yep. Home sweet home.”
“How long do I have to stay in this...in this...cave?” she asks, looking at my concrete walls.
“As long as it takes to make sure you are safe. Now, if you are done with your fucking whining, there are some ground rules.”
“Ground rules? What, did I just leave one prison for another one?” Is she serious? See, this is why I don’t need to get involved with her. Right now, I want nothing more than to turn her over, spank her bratty ass and fuck the shit out of her. Yeah. I need to get this girl out of my place as soon as possible.
“No, princess, this is not a prison. This is a safehouse. The kidnappers knew when you and your friend were going on vacation. Did it ever occur to you they know everything about you, including where you live and your family?” I see the moment the light bulb goes off and she begins to understand she is still in danger.
“So I am still in danger, is what you are saying?”
“So smart you are,” I say sarcastically. “Now, here are the rules. You DO NOT, under any circumstances, leave this house without me. Don’t use the phone and call anyone. Not even your parents. No using credit cards. I am assuming you have the numbers memorized.” She blushes and puts her head down. Damn, that red on her cheeks makes me hard. I can picture that red spreading over the rest of her body as I worship her before destroying her. My cock signals his intentions and I have to halt him. I need to tell him to stand down. Remind him she is not for us. She could never handle us. “Tell me you understand Princess.”