BLAKE: Captive to the Dark (16 page)

“For a girl, yes. Not for me.”

The smiles we held as our laughing died down were genuine. I loved this side of him. The happy go lucky, making jokes, sort of guy. It made me even hotter to know that, behind that mask, there was an animal waiting to devour me. But this one was always great to rely on.

“I like you, Blake. A lot. And not just because I feel you’ll protect me, as a person. You’re a great guy. Funny. Caring. I’m lucky you found me.”

My hand was brought to his mouth and he placed a kiss on my palm. “Let’s give it some time and see if you still think that in a few weeks.” The smile melted off and I wasn’t sure what to think of his response. What would happen in the near future that would make me not like him? More of our room? More of being the slave…
his
slave? What did he have planned concerning that? Although I was curious, I was almost too scared to know.

Chapter 11

Blake

Although the laughter was in abundance around the Sinclair’s large oak dinner table, I wasn’t fooled with the façade every single person was putting on. The moment Kaitlyn and I were met at the door, we were embraced like part of the family. Betty Sinclair had wrapped her arms around my slave like she was her own daughter. The color all but drained from Kaitlyn’s face as each person came up to hug us. When Marie and Kaitlyn came face to face, the emotion and tension was so powerful, I almost couldn’t breathe. The ten seconds of them staring at one another was broken when Kaitlyn outstretched her arms. Marie had launched into them so hard, it almost sent both of them to the ground.

Tears had been plentiful, but no words spoken except for Kaitlyn’s soft soothing assurances that everything was going to be all right. There wasn’t a dry eye in the room
aside from mine. Although I wasn’t even close to tears, I did feel a strange fluttering in my stomach that I couldn’t begin to describe. It’d happened before, but this time it was so much stronger, I was sure I was physically going to be sick. That’s how unnerving it was.

The reunion lasted for almost an hour before we were ushered to the table for a feast of roast.
The potatoes and carrots tasted great, and the meat was so tender, it fell apart with the brush of the fork. I helped myself, but both Kaitlyn and Marie barely touched their food. It was no secret that they were dying to leave the room to be alone.

As the meal wrapped up and Bob ended his last joke, I gestured for Kaitlyn to go ahead. I knew she’d understand. Those big blue eyes looked at Marie nervously and the fear faded, followed by a strength that made me prouder than I could have imagined.

“Marie, would you like to go talk?” Kaitlyn stood at the nod of the blonde’s head. As they disappeared down the hall, I followed their movements with my eyes. The need to hear, to make sure my girl was okay, was overpowering. Had I been worried about
her
being attached? Maybe I should have been more focused on myself.

Bob leaned in and cleared his throat. “There hasn’t been one night
where she’s slept for more than a few hours without the nightmares. We’re all exhausted and at a loss of what to do. I pray Kaitlyn’s presence here helps her. Truthfully, she already looks a little better.”

“I think it’ll do both of them good. Kaitlyn has nightmares
, too. Not as bad as Marie, I’m guessing, but her issues are more…when she’s awake.” Had I said that right? I couldn’t think without my slave by my side.
My slave
. Yes. I liked that. A lot.

“Jeffrey. Donnie.” Bob shooed them with his hand and the boys stood and left the room. “
When she’s awake? What do you mean by that?”

My eyes glanced toward the hallway. I wasn’t sure how comfortable I felt talking about Kaitlyn’s condition, but if it could help them with their own daughter, it was worth it. “Kaitlyn is afraid to go home
to California. Afraid to be by herself. I haven’t taken her into town yet, but I fear when I do she’s not going to react well to all the people around her. It’s going to take some time, but she’ll have to be eased into it. I won’t let her close herself in like she wants. She has to face her fears. It’s hard for her, but it has to be done or else she may never come back from this.”

Bob nodded. “I agree. We’ve been making Marie go everywhere with us. She doesn’t want to, but I feel like you do. She needs to readjust to society. Not everyone is out to hurt her, and I make sure she knows I’m right there when she gets scared.

“A protector. Yes, she needs that.”

A silence went through the room and Bob leaned closer and lowered his voice. “How was she when you found her? What was it like there? How were the conditions she was in? We never got to talk about that.”

Flashes of me heading up the stairs and hearing who I now knew was Marie getting hit by the captor, had me shaking my head. “It wasn’t good. The house was rather old and…dirty. There were three men. One for each girl.”

Bob closed his eyes, but I continued.

“Marie got lucky. She was taken care of better than the other two. Nadine was only twelve. She was a French girl who was staying across the hall from Marie.”

“Jesus Christ,” Bob whispered. “Twelve
?”

“Yes.”

He glanced toward the hallway where the girls were. “Kaitlyn’s face…”

My chest locked up. “Yes. The man who had her was the worst. She has scars on her back
, too, from the whip he beat her with. And on the back of her thighs. I’m not sure how aware she is of them, but they’re there. The one on her face is what hurts her the most. She can’t bear to look in the mirror. I’m trying to change that.”

“And
, you will. I see the way she stares at you. You’ll help her Blake, just like you helped our family. We were blessed that you came into our lives. Had you not, I don’t think we would have ever gotten our daughter back. What you do…” The man turned away and stood. The pressure he used to grip my shoulder said everything. I gave his hand a squeeze.

“It was an honor to help. It makes me happy to be able to be of assistance where I can.”

Bob waved me out to the porch and I followed. The large wraparound was fitted with a line of old fashioned rocking chairs evenly placed out. I felt like I was at the Crackle Barrel restaurant, but there was a laid back feeling associated with it that calmed me.

Smoke billowed out from his cigarette and I took a seat in one of the chairs out of the direct path. Talking had me narrowing my eyes and tuning into the sound. It was as though the girls were right behind me, their voices just slightly muffled.

“How do you do it?” Marie asked, softly. “I can’t get his face out of my head. It’s all I see when I close my eyes.”

“I didn’t see my captor’s face. But
, his voice…” Kaitlyn paused. “I hear it, too. Zvezda moya, he would say. It’s all I hear.”

Someone sniffled and I couldn’t tell which one it was. “I used to hear him say that all the time when he was speaking to…” Marie got quiet. “I can’t say his name.”

“Shh. You don’t have to,” Kaitlyn said, comfortingly.

“Star. That’s what they all called you. Is
it because you’re famous?”

Silence. “I was famous. I’m not anymore. I’ll never be again, I’m afraid. An
don…he ruined that for me. I have no money. No job. Nothing. He destroyed my life.”

“You have Blake. He seems like a great guy.”

I smiled and Kaitlyn laughed. “Only temporarily, Marie. Blake has his own life. Besides, it’s time I look toward my future. I have a degree. Maybe it’s time I used it, venture off on my own and see what I can do. Sky’s the limit, right?”

“You’re so brave,” Marie said, her voice almost sounding in awe.

My stomach dropped and I pushed from the chair. Kaitlyn wasn’t going anywhere. Didn’t she believe me when I told her she was mine? Apparently not.

“Let’s talk payment,” Bob said, staring out toward the road. “I don’t have much, but I do have a few grand in savings. I know it’s not a lot.”

“That’s not why I’m here.” I walked forward, resting my hands against the railing of the porch. “You owe me nothing. What you gave me upfront is all I’m taking. Your girl is helping out mine more than you know. Let’s call it even and shake on it.”

Bob’s eyes got big. “Are you sure? I feel like I owe you so much for what you did.”

“You owe me nothing more.” I held out my hand and it was pulled forward while Bob threw his arms around me.

“Thank you. I’ll never forget this.”

I patted his shoulder and stepped back. “We’re good. Just take good care of your girl. She’s going to be alright.”

“I think so
, too.”

The door opened and Kaitlyn stepped out. “I put Marie down for bed. She was feeling pretty tired.”

“Thank you,” Bob said, glancing toward his daughter’s window. “Hopefully she’ll sleep better now that she got to talk to you.”

Kaitlyn came to my side and
, on instinct, I grabbed her hand.

“I’m sure she will, Mr. Sinclair. Marie said she feels better now. I just pray I helped.”

“You did.” He grabbed her free hand squeezed it. “It’s getting pretty late, I guess you two should be going.”

“Yes. We have a good drive ahead of us. Thank you for inviting us over.” I shook his hand, not missing a second to start leading my girl back to the car. The moment we were in
, I took a deep breath. Damn, it was hard being around people. The engine turned over and it took me a few seconds to get accustomed to the absence of the loud purr.

The neighborhood was relatively private
. I pulled out and started driving back toward the heart of the town. Most were ranch style homes with landscaping, sporting the random high school yard ornament displaying the sport the kids played. What was it like to live these peoples’ lives? To have kids? I wasn’t sure, but I knew one thing, I’d never experience it. Not that I didn’t like kids, they just weren’t for me. No one needed a father who killed people for a living. Kaitlyn could handle it, which is why I’d latched to her. She was capable of accepting what I was and that’s made her perfect for me. I didn’t have to hide.

“When are you due for another shot?” I looked over, noticing she was staring out of the window once again.

“Shot?” The confusion was so profound that it made me wonder where she was in her head.

“Birth control.”

“Oh. What’s today?”

Jesus. She didn’t even know what day it was? I’d kept her too sheltered. It was time
I bring society back into her life. Tomorrow, of course. “It’s December twelfth, Kaitlyn.”

Her lips parted. “I had one before I got taken, so I still have another two months before I need another. December
? It’s hot as hell here! Jeez, why didn’t the date dawn on me?”

I couldn’t help but laugh. “Welcome to
Texas. We’re in between cold fronts. It won’t be warm for long. Wait until the summer. You think it’s hot now…”

“Blake…about that.”

Anger rolled through. “That’s one, kitten. No, make that two.”

“Sir,” she bit out. “Listen, about the staying thing—

“Nonnegotiable.”

Kaitlyn slammed her fist into the dash. “Bullshit. You can’t just keep me because you want to. I have to have a say.”

“Three. Your say was voided the moment you gave yourself to me. You did that, Kaitlyn, even after I gave you fair warning. You chose and now you can’t take that back.”

“I’m not right in the head,” she exclaimed. “You can’t overlook that.”

I smiled. “Oh, I haven’t. Nonnegotiable.”

Her arms hugged her stomach and she went back to looking out the window. Yes, she was getting stronger. Good. This claiming would jumpstart the real Kaitlyn and she’d be back to normal in no time. Whatever that was. Did I really want to find out? I wasn’t so sure.

****

The whimpering awoke me from a light sleep. The movement associated with Kaitlyn’s head thrashing shook the mattress and I opened my eyes immediately
, turning on my side and reaching for her. It wasn’t a nightly thing. The nightmares came every other night. If we were lucky, three days would go by before she had another. I had figured after her meeting with Marie that this might happen, although I prayed I was wrong.

A small cry escaped her lips and I hugged around her small body tighter. “It’s just a dream, kitten
,” I whispered the words into her ear, feeling her body ease more into me. “I have you, Kaitlyn. No one will ever hurt you again.” And, they wouldn’t. That included that piece of shit blackmailer I was still trying to get information on.

Kaitlyn turned into me and snuggled her face into my chest.
Her breathing deepened once again and I knew the nightmare had subsided. Unfortunately, her leg wedged between mine and I could feel her hip against my cock. The contact had me hardening. I knew I shouldn’t wake her, but the more she kept snuggling to get closer, the more my control slipped away.

Stinging flared in my chest as her cheek
rubbed against the wounds she’d inflicted earlier. Surprisingly, my beast didn’t flare. Just my need to have her did.

I took a deep breath and moved my hand to her
side, rubbing my fingertips against the smooth skin.  Immediately, her hips arched, magically drawing my hand down to travel over the crevice of her lower back. Kaitlyn’s fingers twitched against my thigh and I moved further down until I was caressing the roundness of her ass.

No lights were needed for me to know exactly what I was touching. I had every curve my slave possessed memorized. There wasn’t a mark, dip, or scar that’d bypassed my inspections. And I’d done plenty. Kaitlyn belonged to me. I owned her
. And like everything that was mine, I knew her inside and out.

I used my weight to push her onto her back. My mouth was dying to get a taste of my girl. Of her juices. Of her skin. There wasn’t a single place I wanted to leave untouched by my tongue.

As I kissed over her collarbone and worked my way to her breast, Kaitlyn sucked in a deep breath, only to release a moan. The response of pleasure to what I was doing drove me on. I craved her sounds, her essence. Every single thing that made Kaitlyn the person she was. My mind was so constantly consumed by her that I had a hard time thinking about anything else.