Fleeting Moments (18 page)

“Harder,” I gasp.

He slows down.

“Fuck, Heath, harder!” I cry, squirming.

“That would make it too easy for you,” he pants.

“Ass.”

He slows down, dragging his cock in and out at an agonizing pace. I push up on my elbows and try to take hold of something, anything, to get him to move faster, but he’s standing and I can’t reach him. I glance down at his dick sliding in and out of me, glistening with my arousal. God dammit, that’s hot. I gasp and drop back down. Even at this slow pace my orgasm is building.

Just before it reaches me, he pulls out.

“Heath,” I rasp, my body burning as my high slips away.

“Roll over.”

“But . . .”

“I’ll decide when you come. Now roll over,” he orders, his cock jutting up against his belly.

I meet his eyes. “No.”

He grins and reaches down, taking me and flipping me over, pressing a hand to the middle of my back to hold me in place. “I think you like defying me,” he growls, as he slides his cock into me again. “Because I think you like how it feels when I take charge.”

He’s right. I do.

I curl my fingers into the bedspread and arch as he fucks me, hard and deep. I try not to let him know I’m nearly ready to come, but he knows—he knows even before my body starts winding up tight. He pulls out, panting.

“God dammit,” I gasp. “Stop it.”

“Tell me you’re sorry.”

“Fuck you, Heath.”

“Do it, baby.”

Damn him. “I’m sorry, now keep going.”

“Mean it.” He leans down, swiping my hair from my neck and breathing against my ear.

“I’m sorry,” I say, turning my face so I can meet his eyes. “I’m sorry.”

His eyes flash. He smacks a quick kiss to my lips.

Then he fucks me until I come.

~*~*~*~

I
t’s been a quiet week.

Heath has been busy investigating, and I’ve been busy working, as well as dealing with lawyers. I’ve been attending my book club meetings and have met some lovely people, which has helped to pass the time. Gerard is still insisting on having someone look into our marriage to make sure I wasn’t having an affair, but knowing Heath has that covered is good. I haven’t spoken to Gerard and have refused all contact outside our lawyers.

“You’re all done for the day.” My boss, Amy, smiles as my shift finishes on Saturday night.

“Thank you.” I sigh. “I’m exhausted; it was a busy day.”

“It was. Go home; enjoy your weekend. Are you on again Monday?”

I nod. “I sure am. I’ll see you then.”

Once I finish up the remainder of my work, I get changed and head out. I’m going past the warehouse tonight because I want to see Heath. I’ve had no more than a few minutes with him since last week, and I’m desperate for more. I tie my hair in a ponytail as I walk towards my car. I’m happy, airy, and feeling good about everything in my life right now.

And because of that, life decides to throw me a moment.

Because life is an asshole.

Four men step out from an alley, and I recognize the blond man from last time first. He smiles at me, but it’s terrifying. “Hello Lucy.”

I turn to run, but one of his minions lunges forward and grabs me, throwing a hand over my mouth so I can’t scream. I try to kick backwards but he’s strong. The three other men shadow him as he drags me into the alley and down it. Oh God, are they going to rape me? I squirm harder, fighting and biting, doing whatever I can to free myself from his grips. Nothing works. He’s like a stone.

Panic rises in my chest as I consider all possible scenarios. None of them are good.

We reach a white van, and the door opens before we come to a stop. There are two more men inside. I’m tossed in without hesitation, and I crash to the floor. I push up, scurrying towards the open space, but run straight into the barrel of a gun. I scream and throw myself backwards as the men pile in. I’m surrounded, with nowhere to go. I couldn’t get past them if I tried.

“Let me go,” I scream as the door is slammed shut.

“Sit still and stop screaming,” the man holding the gun growls, “or I’ll kill you.”

“What do you want from me?” I cry angrily to the blond man.

“I want my brother.”

“I beg your pardon?”

He grins. “Oh, he didn’t tell you?”

“Who told me what?”

His grin turns into a full-blown smile, and it hits me like a damned sledgehammer. I stumble backwards and look up at him, really taking in his face. The shape of his eyes, the curve of his jaw, the dimples, but mostly . . . the smile. I’m not familiar with him, as I first thought, but now it’s more than clear why I thought I knew him.

This man looks like Johnny.

And Tank.

And Heath.

“Nice to meet you, Lucy. I’m Josh.”

Oh God—he’s the fourth brother.

No.

No
.

I
don’t say another word. I peer out a small slit in the covered windows to see we have arrived at the space they occupy in the woods. I think I’m in shock. It all starts making a great deal more sense now. For whatever reason, Josh thinks Heath is dead, and now he obviously knows that isn’t the case. What I want to know is why he’s taken me and what exactly happened between the four brothers.

The van comes to a stop and three of the men stand guard by the door as the other two haul me up, holding me so tightly I’ve got no chance of moving, my body is a numb mess. My mind is spinning. I don’t know which way is left or right. I’m so damned confused.

The door opens, and I’m hustled out. We’re already inside the fence, and I get a better chance to look around. There are a few poorly lit huts surrounding a campfire right in the middle. Off to the left is a rather large shed-like building and it would seem that’s where I’m being led.

There are people everywhere. Young, old—all races. They’re all wearing white gowns, their hair flowing freely, and they all stop and watch me with scornful expressions as I’m dragged behind Josh into the shed.

The second we step inside, I gasp. It’s huge and elegant and not what I expected. Polished wooden floors, modern furniture—it’s set for a king.

We move to a room where I’m finally released. The windows are barred. I can tell by the panel by the door it is code-locked. I’m being held prisoner. Surrounded by a small but strong group of men, my heart pounds as I stare at the one man who so obviously runs this place. The man who is related to the man I love. How can they be so different? What happened to this man for him to become so . . . terrifying? Was it the same thing that happened to Tank? Is that why he’s so angry?

“I can’t believe you’re his brother,” I say softly, finally speaking the words that torment my thoughts.

His eyes find mine, and he grins. “He didn’t tell you much at all, did he?”

I don’t answer.

“I had a suspicion he was alive but couldn’t find the proof. Then he let his guard down the other evening when he stormed from your house in a rage.”

Oh god. The night I kissed Gerard.

“You’ve been watching me.” It’s not a question.

“Of course I have. I had a suspicion something was up, and I’ve seen you with Sheldon. It didn’t take much to figure it all out.”

I let him down. I let Heath down.

“What do you want from me?” I whisper.

“I don’t want anything from you, but I saw the look on my dear brother’s face. He’s in love with you. He’ll come for you.”

“And what?” I snap. “What do you think you’re going to gain from that?”

“This time,” he says, his eyes growing cold, “I’ll make sure he’s really dead.”

My blood runs cold.

No.

“What kind of monster are you?”

“I’m not a monster; I’m just carrying out God’s will. My brother is the monster here. He chose to take the wrong path and for that, he’ll be punished.”

“Why Heath?”

“Heath is the reason they’re all corrupt. Without him around, I have all faith my brothers will come to see the light.”

“My god, do you hear yourself?”

He laughs. “Why yes, I do.”

Sick. He’s sick. “Heath will end this. He’ll end you.”

He throws his head back and laughs. “He can try. I have all faith that I’ll be protected when needed.”

“You’re insane.”

“No, my dear. He is.”

I close my mouth. He’s just enjoying every second of this. He’s enjoying the taunts. The fighting.

“I’m going to let you settle in. Feel free to read my works beside your bed. Perhaps you’ll learn something. You might be able to be saved yet.”

“I’d rather burn in hell than join you.”

He flinches.

Ah, so he does have a weak spot.

“As you wish.”

He walks out before all the other men, and a second later, the door beeps as he locks it from the outside.

I’m effectively their prisoner.

~*~*~*~

I
don’t see or hear from them again for the remainder of the night. I go through every corner of the room, but there isn’t a single way out, nor is there anything that could be used as a weapon. The lamp beside the bed is glued down, for Christ’s sake. There’s a bed that’s so solid I couldn’t move it if I tried, a few beside tables chained to the ground, and an old sofa. That’s it.

Well, there is his written dribble beside the bed, but Josh can go to hell if he thinks I’m reading that crap.

So I sit on the end of the mattress until morning washes through the barred windows. I take the chance to peer out, but see nothing except trees and a huge fence in the distance. Sighing, I go back to my spot on the bed and wonder how the hell this man can think killing his own brother is God’s will. Who and what creates someone to be like this? Who in his life taught him to be such a monster?

The door opens just as the sun disappears into the sky, and Josh walks in, followed by three of his men. He carries a tray of fruit and water. He puts it down, and I scowl at it. “You will eat, then you will bathe. We don’t tolerate uncleanliness here. Nor do we tolerate wastage.”

“I’m not showering in front of you crack pots,” I snap.

“Then you’ll be held down and forced to.”

My skin prickles, and my heart pounds. “You even try to touch me, I’ll make you wish you hadn’t.”

He smiles. “Empty threats.”

“Let me speak to him,” I demand.

“Not going to happen.”

I cross my arms and glare at him. He smiles and walks towards me, sitting on the edge of the bed. I stand. He’s repulsive, and I don’t want him anywhere near me.

“Did I ever tell you the story of why my brother was turned into the arms of Satan?”

“Get out.”

“He’s younger than me, but he was always the troubled one. He never obeyed our parents and was always leading Johnny and Tank astray. We went to church every Sunday, but he refused to co-operate. I met Mathew there.” He looks to the man at the door and I glance at him, recognizing him as the one from the mall. “He taught me the way. He knew right away I was the one to lead us all into Heaven’s gates.”

“Jesus, you really need to get some help,” I mutter, crossing my arms.

“My parents passed away, and he took us all in to save us from going into the foster system. I was leading my brothers down the holy path when Heath stepped in. He was so angry. So violent. I knew it was already too late for him. I tried to lead him, tried to help him, but he simply wouldn’t allow it. I had to punish him.”

The scars on Heath’s back flitter into my mind, and vomit rises in my throat.

“You . . . you whipped him.” I gasp.

“I did what I had to, with the help of Mathew, to banish the devil from his soul. Tank stepped in and interfered; Johnny turned against me. Heath had gotten into their minds. I was too late. They disappeared, and I didn’t see them again until Heath was nearly thirty years old and they moved back to town. I had a dream after I saw him in the street; it just so happened we ended up in the same city. God told me that I needed to save my brothers, that it was time to eliminate Heath from the world.”

I think I’m going to vomit.

“So I hired a professional to end him. It turns out, my poor corrupted brothers went in to protect him and had the professional tell me the job was done. It never felt right. I always felt as though something was amiss, like I wasn’t totally satisfied and my brothers never came back to me like I had been told they would. I was being investigated, people were asking unusual questions, and I knew, I just
knew
that he was still alive.”

What kind of sick monster is he?

“At the time, I was busy claiming my land for the return of our holy one, until he interfered and stopped my mission. Now I must end him before it’s too late. I have my orders; I will carry them out.”

“You’re sick!” I spit. “You killed innocent people.”

“I sacrificed their souls. They’ll all be saved when my mission is complete.”

“You need help, seriously!” I yell, backing up. “Get out of here.”

He throws his head back and laughs. “I do like a challenge.”

“I’m not a challenge. I want nothing to do with you, creep. Your brothers, they’re stronger and they’re more determined. They’ll bring you down; you can guarantee that.”

He steps forward, and I put my hands out in front of me, as if that’s going to stop anything.

“I do not fear death, sweetheart. But they should.”

With that he turns and exits the room, his men following behind him. He slams and locks the door, and I lower to my knees, trembling.

This is so much worse than I’d first imagined.

I
don’t eat. I don’t trust a single thing on that plate.

They’re likely to drug me to get me to do what they want. I’d bet money that they drug half these people to keep their minds in a state that’s easy to be manipulated. That thought is terrifying. I wonder what these people would really think if they got away from this place and cleared their heads? Would they still believe in this nonsense, or would they actually see what’s right in front of them?

The door unlocks later that afternoon, and I don’t expect the person who enters.

It’s Hayley.