Something Fierce [The Underground 1] (Siren Publishing Classic) (18 page)

“Come on. I’ll get us out of here.” Tristan gripped the girl’s hand and started pushing her way through the throng of shouting people. “Move. Get out of the way.” She tried to show aggressiveness, but it was no use. These people were too juiced up. The harder she tried get away, the farther they pushed her back. Tristan glanced around, saw they were closer than she had realized to the exit that would lead them up to the club. She pushed forward. The crowd of people bowed like a taut arrow about to be released. Tristan’s hands got separated from the girl’s, but thankfully she could still see her. Her eyes were frantic as she glanced at Tristan and then everyone around them.

“Go, get out of here.” Tristan yelled and pointed to the door that would lead upstairs. The woman hesitated for a second and then turned and rushed toward the door. Tristan glanced behind her shoulder and saw that the fight was now broken up. There was no sign of Adrian or Kash and she felt her heart palpitate. She had been here before alone so she didn’t know why the thought of not having Kash by her side in this madhouse was so frightening. She turned back around and saw the woman was nowhere to be seen. Good, she was glad she had gotten out of this craziness.

“I knew I’d see you again.”

The voice by her ear had her eyes growing wide and her body freezing. Everything around her stopped for that one moment and she fully realized who was so close to her. She would never forget that smooth drawl that had whispered things against her neck as he tried to force himself on her. A hand gripped her upper arm with brutal force and spun her around. Max’s horribly handsome face came into her view and her breath stopped.

“I’m surprised to see you here.” He smirked and leaned forward until his lips brushed the shell of her ear. “You can’t imagine how hard I got when I saw you through the crowd, looking so innocent and frightened.” He ran his tongue along her ear, slowly. “I’ve been waiting all these months for you. I would have just come by sooner, but it seems you’ve had your watchdog staying with you.” When Max pulled back she could see the sneer on his face. “He can’t help you tonight, though. Tonight I’ll finally get what I’m after. You can’t possibly know how much I’ve been thinking about you, knowing you were the one that got away.” When he grinned and his straight white teeth flashed, Tristan knew she had never seen anything more horrifying.

He kept his hand firmly around her arm and all but dragged her toward the door. It was like her body had shut down, like she couldn’t fight for herself, couldn’t stand up. She wanted to scream for Kash, but the chances that he could see her, let alone hear her, were almost nonexistent. It wouldn’t have made a difference anyway. Everything inside of her was stunned, shocked by what was happening. As he pulled her up the stairs, the darkness along with the adrenaline rushing through her bloodstream made her feel discombobulated. She tried to break free from his grasp a few times and Max cursed, pulling her more roughly forward.

When they stopped at the top of the stairs he turned around and grinned. “You have no idea the kind of things I have planned for you.” He sneered at her and she could hear the twisted excitement in his voice.

Cold dread settled like cement in Tristan’s stomach. She opened her mouth to scream, her instincts finally snapping into gear. Before any sound could come out he slapped her across the cheek. Her head whipped to the side and pain bloomed on her flesh. Tears stung her eyes and she lifted her free hand to cradle her cheek.

“If you even think about it I’ll make sure to cause as much pain as possible.” He leaned in until their lips were inches apart. Tristan reared her head back, but when his hand gripped the back of her neck painfully and he sneered once again, she stopped all movement. “Oh, there will be pain, believe me, but if you be a good little girl I’ll make sure you get off.” He pressed his mouth on hers, hard. “The knowledge that you came in my hand will make things so much sweeter.”

Tristan’s anger mounted to swirl with her fear and she leaned forward and bit him. Max pulled back from her and made a sound of pain in the back of his throat. She could taste the bitterness of his blood in her mouth and spit it to the ground. He brought his finger to his lips, and when he brought it down to examine it and saw what she had tasted seconds ago his face contorted into rage.

“You stupid fucking bitch. I’m going to make you pay for that in kind.” He grabbed her around the arm tightly and pushed open the heavy steel door. The bouncer from the time before stood guard and Tristan knew she had to act fast.

“Pl—” Max slapped a hand over her mouth before she could get the word out. Just as she saw the bouncer turn her way, Max was leading her in the opposite direction, toward a back exit. She struggled against him, but Max was bigger and stronger. His arms were locked around hers, keeping her somewhat immobile. He ushered them out the exit so quickly her heart sank at the knowledge that the bouncer most likely hadn’t seen a thing.

When he pushed the door open and the night air washed across Tristan, she knew if she accepted what was about to happen it would be far too late. The back door had led them to the side of the club, a dark alley that held ominous shadows. Once the door was shut behind them he kept a firm, almost painful grip around her and started walking toward the front of the club with long, purposeful strides. Would he rape her right here? He made no motion to stop and stay concealed in the shadows, and it was then, as he was walking toward the streetlights that he planned on taking her someplace else, someplace where she would surely be at his mercy. Tristan needed to think of something fast. She could pretend to go along with it, but would he suspect something? Would going along with him make matters worse? Maybe he wanted her unwilling. She had to do something fast.

“Max.” His name was a whisper from her lips, but she knew he heard her nonetheless because he stopped and looked over his shoulder. “I won’t fight you.” He stared at her for a long moment and she knew he was contemplating whether or not she was telling the truth. At least now she knew her being unwilling wasn’t his driving force.

“Please, I promise I won’t make a scene. I’ll go with you willingly, do whatever you want.” She saw his brow raise at that last part and felt her skin tighten in unease.

“Oh, I know you’ll do whatever I want because you have no choice.” He turned fully around and pressed his body to hers. “When I’ve had enough of you then I’ll let you go. Until then”—he shrugged—“you’ll be my little slut.” He pressed his erection into her belly and she held down her gag reflex.

“You won’t get away with this.”

He tossed his head back and laughed. “You think you’re the first whore I’ve had at my disposal? I would have taken you that night if your fucking henchman hadn’t shown up.” He sneered and came in close, so close she could smell the putrid stench of whiskey on his breath. “It took a long fucking time for my body to heal after what he did. You can’t imagine my surprise when I knew who he was.” He grinned, and even in the darkness she could practically see all the malicious things he had planned for her. “You must not know Kash Alexander that well. His reputation far surpasses my own. You are the last thing he gives a shit about. He uses women like they are nothing but a passing thought. He gets off on throwing them away and beating people’s faces in.” He pressed his lips to hers and Tristan stood still, just closing her eyes and imagining herself far away.

When she didn’t respond, he tore his mouth from hers and gripped her chin roughly. “If you think he will come for you, you’re going to be highly disappointed. You are nothing but a warm hole to him.”

Lies, all lies
. Tristan knew Kash and knew that he would find her. She loved him and even though he hadn’t spoke those three words back, he cared for her. She knew what Max was trying to do, but breaking her spirit down was going to take a lot more than that. He ground his shaft into her again and she recoiled. The groan of pleasure that came from him was her undoing. Not thinking, just acting on pure survival, Tristan brought her knee up and connected with his nuts as hard as she could. Everything was quiet for so long that she wondered if she had just imagined doing it, but then his howl of pain coursed through the air. He let go of her and cupped himself. Max doubled over, small grunts coming from him. She took off running toward the streetlights, knowing she would be far safer in the light than the shadows with that psychopath.

The heels had been a poor mistake, but then again she hadn’t thought this would happen when she slipped them on. The closer she got to the opening and the light, the more she became optimistic. So close. She was so close to freedom. There was no looking back, no glancing over her shoulder to see if he was still withering in pain. Those actions got a person killed. She screamed as loud as she could, screamed until her throat felt raw and there was no more air in her lungs. Her feet moved as fast as they could and her arms pumped beside her, hoping to get her to her destination quicker. It was like a dream, one of those dreams where she was running and running, trying to get away but making absolutely no fucking progress. Just as she would have broken into the light, she was yanked back, hard. Her skull throbbed from the force of his hand tangled in her hair. When she met the ground, the wind was knocked out of her. Pain exploded in the side of her face as his fist connected with it. She blinked several times, trying to see straight. Blood covered her tongue and she choked on it as it slid down her throat.

“You must be a glutton for pain, a masochist.” He brought his face toward her and ran his tongue up the side of her cheek. He chuckled lightly. “But that’s okay because I’m a fucking sadist.” His hands smoothed over her hair, an act she might have found comforting if the devil hadn’t been doing it. “Do you know I’ve been watching you, waiting until I could have you all to myself?” His groan was like a hot poker against her flesh. “I’ve seen you through your window, seen you do naughty little things only a whore would do.”

Tears tracked down her face and a whimper escaped. “Shh, don’t cry. I haven’t given you anything to cry about, yet.” His fingers pinched her chin until she was staring up at him. “I couldn’t believe my luck to see you here tonight. I knew it was meant to be, that I was meant to have you.” He pressed his erection against her again. “I now know you’re the one.” He kissed her again and she moved her head to the side. “I want you to know I have no intentions of letting you go.” She looked up, so frightened at the certainty in his words. He pressed his mouth to her ear and whispered, “Believe me, I have ways to make sure no one finds you until I want them to. Now be a good girl and tell me how much you want me.”

Tears tracked down her eyes. She had hoped someone had seen him taking her away, but with each passing moment she knew no one was coming. Kash wasn’t coming. She was at the mercy of a psychopath, a man that planned on keeping her as his sex toy and doing unspeakable things to her. The horrors of that image played through her mind, and she turned her head and vomited violently.

When she expelled all that was in her stomach she turned back to face him. He stared down at her and grinned. He might have her, but he would never
have
her. “Fuck. You.” She spit in his face. A wave of pleasure coursed through her as she watched his cheek become covered in blood, vomit, and saliva. He would not break her. He could do whatever he wanted to her body, but he would never have her mind.

He raised his body so he was several inches from her, and she knew his fist was coming again. She closed her eyes, wishing she could stop it, wishing she could see Kash again. How beaten and broken would she be after all of this? Would he even let her live? She waited and waited for the inevitable pain to come, but when it didn’t for several long seconds, she opened her eyes. He was staring at something over her head, squinting into the darkness to see whatever was cloaked there.

She heard the footsteps coming closer and her heart pounded. Tristan didn’t dare move for fear his attention would be brought back to her. She prayed it was Kash, prayed it was someone who would help her.

“Please, please help me,” she whispered, hoping against all odds they would hear her, but when Max didn’t even give any indication that
he
heard her she knew it had fallen on deaf ears.

“Who’s there?” Max spoke into the darkness. He sounded more annoyed than anything else. It was clear whoever it was Max didn’t see them as a threat.

They didn’t respond, but in the next instant something hard and big slammed into Max. He flew off of her and she didn’t waste any time scrambling away. Several large shapes disappeared into the darkness. Male grunts sounded in the darkness and Tristan had a fleeting moment where she contemplated leaving. Could she leave someone else to take Max’s wrath? What if that person couldn’t defend himself?

She took a step back and tripped over her heels. Her palms broke her fall and she felt the skin peel away as concrete scraped against them. Another grunt, then another sounded from the shadows and her heart raced.
Oh God, what do I do?
Before she could stand up, a large figure emerged from the darkness. Tristan’s heart beat a rapid staccato in her chest and everything inside of her screamed that she needed to run. She scrambled backward, not knowing if the person coming closer to her was friend or foe. A whimper escaped her and then she heard his voice.

“Tristan, shh, Tristan, it’s me.”

That voice, deep, low, calming.
Kash
. The light that spilled from the parking lot slashed across his face. She could see fresh and dried blood covering him. He knelt in front of her, not moving to touch her right away, but a look of concern was evident on his face. They stayed like that for several moments, just staring at each other. He was bloody and swollen, but it was him. She threw herself into his arms and buried her face in his chest, crying hard, wracking sobs.