Chained (3 page)

The remaining three hours went by so slowly, I was starting to feel like I had worked a double. For two of those hours, creepy guy stayed and stared at me, which didn’t help, but Freddy simply disappeared after that. I guess he wasn’t that desperate for another Guinness after all.

Once I cleaned up some glasses and wiped down the bar, I made my way to the back to get my coat.

“Do you want me to walk you home? It’s quite late.”

I turned around and saw Charlie standing in the doorway. “No, it’s fine. It’s only a ten minute walk.”

“Are you sure? I don’t like you walking around by yourself this late.”

I walked over to Charlie and placed a hand on his arm. “I’ll be fine.” I patted my bag. “I have pepper spray.”

Charlie’s eyes widened. “Really? You little minx.”

I shrugged. “It’s just a good thing I haven’t needed to use it…yet.”

Charlie shuddered a little. “May it stay that way.” He sighed again. “Are you sure I can’t walk you home?”

I shook my head and walked past him. “I’ll be fine. Besides, I don’t want to use any of my pepper spray on you once we reach my house. I’ll probably end up using the whole can.”

Charlie shook his head. “Ha, ha, very funny.” He suddenly looked as though he remembered something. “Oh, can you come in tomorrow night?”

I sighed. I really didn’t want to. This was probably the worst time to ask.

“It will only be a couple hours. Sue’s got to collect her mum from the airport and asked if she could take a couple hours off. It will only be from six to eight.”

That made me feel a little better. “Okay. I can do that.”

Charlie smiled. “Great! I’ll see you tomorrow night then, Olivia.” He made a move to go back out to the bar, then stopped. “Dream about me tonight, poppet.” He blew me a kiss and ran off before I had the chance to retort.

Smiling, I shook my head, gathered the rest of my things, and left. It was cold, so I pulled my gloves out of my coat pockets and pulled them on my hands. It was a crisp night, full of drunks and party-goers lining the streets. Me? I was going home. I just wanted a hot cup of tea, a warm bath, and my cosy bed.

I walked down the end of the busy street and turned into a quieter lane. I hated going down there as it was sometimes too quiet. The hairs on the back of my neck were standing on end, and I couldn’t wait until I turned the next corner onto the busier road.

I felt my adrenaline kick up a notch as the sound of footsteps behind me made my heart leap into my mouth. I felt my pace quicken, but so did the footsteps. I wanted to look around, but I daren’t, so I just kept going. I was virtually sprinting now, but I didn’t care. I just wanted to get away.

My worst fears came to light as a hand appeared around my mouth and a hard body pressed against me. I tried to scream, but it was no use. I heard his heavy breathing as he dragged me away from the quiet street and into an even quieter alley. I gripped my eyes shut
. No, no, no, no
, I repeated over and over in my head.
Please, God, no
.

I desperately tried to reach into my bag for the pepper spray, but it was no use. As if sensing my movements, he grabbed my arm, twisting it behind my back. I tried screaming again, but it was no use. I was completely trapped by an unknown person who smelled of beer and cigarettes.

It was then that it hit me. Creepy guy. Could it really be him holding me? Could it really be him dragging me into the alley, about to do God knows what? Gripping my eyes shut again, I really didn’t want to think about it. I didn’t want to think about what may or may not come next. My fight or flight kicked in and I struggled with everything I had left in me.

“Don’t move, bitch.”

I felt something cold and sharp at the base of my neck. Without moving my head, I looked down and saw he had a knife to my throat. My eyes pooled with tears as I wondered if my life would suddenly end in this alley. I thought about ending it all myself so many times, but I was now faced with the possibility that I may not have a choice. That changed something within me. I desperately wanted to live and, in that millisecond, I felt euphoria. I felt so happy knowing that after all this time of wondering if my life was worth living, I honestly
did
want to live. I wanted to live so much, my chest hurt with the knowledge.

“Please,” I mumbled. “Please, don’t hurt me.”

I felt his hot breath at the base of my neck. “You do as you’re told and I won’t need to. Now, I’m going to take my hand away from your mouth. If you scream, I
will
kill you. Got it?”

I nodded as a single tear fell down my cheek. His hand slowly moved away from my mouth and my breath came out in a rush. He moved his hand down to my chest and I felt a sob escape me.

“Shh... Not a sound, remember?”

I nodded again, but I was desperate. “Please.”

He licked up my neck and hummed. “Just how I thought you would taste.”

He pulled the knife from my neck and was about to spin me around when I felt him suddenly being yanked from me.

I screamed, almost falling backwards. Once I regained my footing, I spun around to see who my attacker was. I gasped, unable to hide my shock. Freddy! But what was even more shocking was finding out who my rescuer was. Standing in front of me, fists clenched and staring at Freddy, was none other than mystery man.

I was shocked as hell, but barely had to time to process it before Freddy, knife in hand, lunged. Mystery man spun around and, with one hand, grabbed Freddy’s arm and snapped it, the knife slipping to the ground. Mystery man lifted his fist up and punched him, elbowed him in the stomach, then spun around and punched him in the face. Freddy crumpled to the ground, out cold, and I was left standing there with my mouth wide open.

Mystery man looked up and came walking over. He grabbed my shoulders and made me look at him. “Did he hurt you?”

I shook my head, almost violently. Suddenly, every nerve in my body started shaking, the reality of the situation kicking in.

“Olivia, look at me.” I did and saw the concern in his eyes. “Are you okay?”

Another shock ran through me. He knew my name? I mean, I knew the others did, but I never thought he paid attention. I always thought he didn’t care. However, his eyes were telling me something else.

I nodded. “I’m... I’m fine.” A moment of clarity passed through me. I pointed at Freddy. “How did you..? I mean, where did you learn to...?”

“That doesn’t matter. What matters is that you’re safe. Do you want to call the police? I can stay until they arrive, but I won’t be able to stick around to talk to them.”

I looked at him for a moment and was shocked to find fear in those eyes. What could he be so frightened of?

I wanted justice for what Freddy did to me but, at the same time, I didn’t want to go to the police because it sure as hell seemed mystery man was fearful at the thought. I couldn’t risk how far I had come already.

I shook my head. “No. I just want to go home.”

He shut his eyes and sighed, then looked back at Freddy still lying on the ground. “Are you sure? I don’t think he should get away—”

I placed my hand on his arm. “Please. I just want to go home.”

He didn’t look too happy, but he nodded anyway. “I’ll walk with you.”

I didn’t argue with him because I actually wanted him to be with me. I needed to know more about him.

As we walked past Freddy and out to the street, I looked over at him. “What’s your name? I’ve been calling you mystery man.”

He gave me an unimpressed look before replying, “Kit.”

I felt so elated at that moment. For three months, I was desperate to know more, and now I had a name.

Without another thought, I held my slightly trembling hand out to him. “It’s nice to finally meet you, Kit.”

He looked down at my hand. “You’re shaking.”

I pulled my hand back and felt the tears threatening. “I... It’s just with everything that’s happened, I...” I couldn’t seem to get my words out all of a sudden.

Kit remained silent, then sighed. We continued walking, but I felt like he was uncomfortable about something. He would sometimes move in a way that made me think he was about to comfort me, but then would snap himself away, that cold, hard look reappearing. I really wished I could read minds.

Deciding to break the silence, I turned my head towards him. “You rescued me and I’m truly grateful.” He shook his head, but didn’t say anything. “What?”

He never replied, which frustrated me. He suddenly walked a few paces, placed his hand on the gate to my house, and pushed it open.

“Thank you.” I walked past him, then turned. “Do you want to come inside? I can make you a hot drink or something to eat.”

He shook his head and I couldn’t help but show my disappointment. Instead of saying anything further, I walked up to my door, placed the key in the lock, and pushed it open.

Then I realised something. “Hold on a minute. How did you know where I...?” I turned around to see he was gone. “Lived.” I sighed, feeling the disappointment rise even more.

My shoulders sagged, but I walked in and closed the door behind me. I made good on my promise to myself for a warm bath and an even warmer drink, but I acted on autopilot the whole time. I just couldn’t get tonight out of my head. I still shook every time I closed my eyes and thought about Freddy’s hands on me.

Once I dried off and got ready, I was just about to climb into bed when I heard a knock on my door. Sighing, I pulled my covers back and walked down the stairs. I peeked out my window and frowned when I saw Uncle standing there with another man, which wasn’t unusual.

I ran to the door and opened it. The minute I did, I felt that pull. I knew it was crazy, but he always seemed to have that effect on me whenever I was near him.

Uncle smiled as he crossed the threshold. He didn’t bother waiting for my permission, but he didn’t really need to when this was his house. “Livy.”

The other men remained outside, so I took that as my cue to shut the door. Uncle roamed his eyes across my negligee, a look of approval crossing his face. It made all my senses come alive. I had never before felt attraction to this man, but in the last six months or so, every part of me wanted him to touch me whenever I was with him…but
only
when I was with him. He was an attractive man with short black hair and blue eyes. Eyes that were soft when he smiled, but you’d better run if he wasn’t.

He was tall, athletic, and had a body I couldn’t help but admire whenever he was with me. Despite being seventeen years older than me, he looked every bit a Hollywood actor women would go crazy over. Even though I never saw him with any, I never doubted he had a string of women. He was so private that, even after all these years, I
still
didn’t know his actual name.

When Uncle walked up to me, my body was on alert as he trailed a finger down my arm.

“Livy,” he whispered, making me shudder. He never failed to get that reaction from me and I always noticed how much he smiled every time I gave him that reaction. He loved it. “You look beautiful. I can’t wait to get you in my bed where you belong.” When he closed his mouth over mine, I was lost. How he had this hold over me, I had no idea. At that moment, all thoughts of anything else faded. It was just him and me, and my body celebrated the thought.

He pulled away, breathless, holding my head in his hands. “I can protect you from the shadowman, Livy. You don’t need to be doing this anymore. Why don’t you come home where you belong?”

I shuddered again at that word. The word he knew would bring me to my knees. I had it engrained in my head ever since I was ten.

Uncle smiled at my reaction and placed his finger on my lip. I felt something wet against it and I wanted to lick.

“Lick your lips, Livy.” I did as instructed, tasting the familiar sweet strawberry mixture I had come to love.

Like usual, I felt my whole body come alive as he brushed his mouth against mine again. “You don’t realise how much I want you, Livy. Tell me how much you want me.”

I closed my eyes, letting the heat of him take over. “I want you, Uncle. I want to please you.”

He cupped my face in his hands and licked his lips. “You know what to do.”

I slid down in front of him and undid his trouser belt and buttons. Yanking them down, I saw his cock spring free and licked my lips in anticipation. Uncle groaned as I grabbed his cock in my hand and licked the tip.

“Fuck, Livy. I’ve been dying for this.”

It had been two weeks since I had done this for him. It all started after he had pulled me out of my black hole and made me better again. I did it because I was grateful. I did it because he wanted it. I did it to make my lord and master happy.

And I loved it. I loved taking him down my throat and sucking him dry, and the reason? He
made
me love it. He made me yearn for it the minute he commanded me. Not once had he tried to have sex with me. He knew I wanted to wait until all this was over. I had no doubt things would progress the minute I came home, but for now, I was happy to do this for him.