Missing Link (The Finders Book 1) (8 page)

I tried to make the right noises and moans when I needed to satisfy him. I was a seasoned pro at it by now. I knew what he needed to hear and when. It made me feel dirty. I don't remember a time when I'd felt actual pleasure. With the way he's manipulated my body, I'm not even sure I would recognise it if I ever did.

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I waved to Charlie from the front door, smiling. As soon as the car was gone from sight I made a run for the stairs. My feet couldn't move as fast as I needed them to. I dug under my mattress and found the phone Teddy had given me one day and told me it was to be hidden and used only in a life or death emergency.

I think this counted.

I dialled the number on the card Link had passed me and tapped my foot nervously as it rang.

"Link here." Tears seeped through my tough defences and a sob broke from my throat. "Hello???"

"Save me Link." I croaked out between sobs.

"Sam?! Where are you?!" He asked urgently. Doors slammed and voices whispered quickly in the background.

"At home. He's gonna send me away, and if I go, I don’t think I’ll be coming back... He's been trying to train me to be submissive. That's why the beatings and...” I sobbed again.

"Can you get to the gym?"

"I..I'm not sure, I can try." I sniffle.

"If you're not there in half an hour I'm coming to get you."

"I'll try."

I clean myself up and throw some clothes and things I'll need into my gym bag and go in search of Teddy. He was nowhere to be found but I saw Jet standing guard at the front door

"I want to go to the gym." I stated loudly. He didn't even look at me, but simply thrust his head towards the car parked out front and moved to the driver’s seat swiftly. I stood a little shocked at how easily he'd offered to drive me there but climbed in the back anyway.

"I'm a little tense. Need to get in the ring and hit something." I told him as we drove. "I feel like I haven't been there for weeks, I'm getting a little tubby."

I joked nervously as we rode across town, trying not to make him suspicious. He just nodded as though he understood. My hands shook as we pulled into the car park and I stopped myself from throwing my body out the door and making a run for it. Jet opened my door but as I climbed out he took hold of my wrist. My stomach hit the floor. This was it. I'd been caught. He pulled his glasses up to sit on his head and for the first time saw the deep green eyes that sparkled underneath. They were beautiful and a total contradiction of his personality. While he said very little and seemed very dark, his eyes said a thousand words and beamed down at me.

"Why do you hide yourself away?" I asked without thinking. Confusion flashed for a minute, before a smirk created the tiniest little dimple in his right cheek.

"Was always taught emotions were weak." He answered, shrugging.

"We'll I guess I win." He cocked an eyebrow and I smiled smugly. "Told you one day I'd break you. I got a smile and words. Jackpot!"

I high fived myself as I ran across the parking lot, looking over my shoulder quickly to catch what I thought was laughter but he'd already climbed back in the car.

I knew Charlie had people on his payroll everywhere so I had to be careful. KC saw me and came walking up with a smile.

"Hey beautiful, wasn't expecting you." I hugged him and smiled.

"Yeah, been feeling a bit tense" I stepped back and rolled my shoulders. He laughed.

"While you're here, I need you to sign some papers, just typical stuff to renew your membership." My eyes flicked around the gym, I couldn't see Link anywhere.

"Um, yeah sure." I smiled and followed him through the sweaty bodies and sounds of flesh hitting bags, out the back past the changing rooms. "I didn't realise that was due already," I said as he opened the door and I stepped in behind him.

Two large men stood on either side of TKs desk with serious expressions on their faces.

The door closed behind me and I heard the lock flick but I couldn't take my eyes off the men. I started backing up only to hit a hard body. A scream bubbled up in my throat but didn’t make it to the surface before a hand covered my mouth.

"Shh, Sam." My eyes shot wide and I turned and leaped into Links strong arms. I let him pat my hair and make soothing noises as I drenched his shirt with tears. I don't know how long it took for me to be able to breathe normally but by the time I stepped back, my breath was catching in my throat, causing me to hiccup with every other mouthful of air.

Link tucked my hair behind my ear and smiled. A sincere smile that warmed my body. Once I had composed myself I eyed the other two large males suspiciously.

"Roman James and Dominic Callahan." Lincoln gestured briefly to each man. "They work for me. Don't worry, they aren't as scary as they look" he explained. Dominic stood serious and stoic. Arms folded tightly across his chest causing his biceps to protrude extensively. His blonde hair was cut very short, something like I would imagine seeing on an army recruit which matched his serious expression and stance perfectly. Roman's face had now turned into a rather amused grin. He was a little shorter and not as solid as the other man but still held himself with confidence and, dare I say, swagger. He also looked as though he found the whole situation rather funny.

"So you're the kid’s sister." He mused, "That old picture he gave us didn't do you justice." My face quickly shifted from confusion to urgency.

"I need to see Devon," I ran to Roman and started pulling at his arm, trying to drag him towards the door but failing miserably. "Please, please, I need to see him." I could feel the tears attacking my eyes, threatening to pour from the brims.

"Link, she's gonna cry, I'm not good with girls who cry." He leaned away from me like a small boy would do in the playground scared to catch cooties. "Link man..." Link's laugh boomed loudly in the small office as he dragged me away from Roman, who promptly shuddered and continued to stare at me like I was carrying some infectious disease.

"You'd think he'd be more used to girls crying. I can imagine when he drops his pants..." Dominic trailed off and Lincoln rolled his eyes.

"Dom..." He warned before turning to me and thrusting a hoodie into my arms. "Put it on, pull the hood up."

I did as he said, hastily. I needed to see Devon, he was all I cared about right now. KC led us to the back door, Dominic and Roman walked in front of me, while Lincoln walked directly behind me, a hand touching lightly on my back. Even through the material of my shirt my skinned buzzed with the contact. We moved swiftly down the hall and KC pushed at two large metal doors which creaked loudly as he pried them open, causing me to tense and look around frantically, sure that someone was going to hear and try to put an end to my escape.

"It's okay." Link said softly from behind me, just the reminder that he was there had my heartbeat slowing again. I squinted against the bright daylight, trying to bring things back into focus. There was a dark blue hummer parked at the back of the building, Dominic climbed into the driver’s seat and Link ushered me forward as Roman pulled the back door open and gestured for me to climb in. I stopped beside KC who was still holding the doors open and wrapped my arms around his neck.

"Thank you. You don't know how much this means to me." I stepped back and he smiled.

"When things calm down you'll come back, yeah?" I nodded quickly but Link was pulling me towards the hummer. I threw my gym bag in and then climbed in, shuffling over as he followed. Roman slammed the door and I watched him walk back to where KC stood by the exit. They exchanged a few words I couldn't hear but when Roman pulled back his fist and slammed it into KC's face I screamed, trying to climb over Link's body and grasping for the door.

"No! What are you doing!? He helped us!" I yelled, pawing at the door unsuccessfully as Link tried to restrain me.

"Sam! Calm down! Someone will hear you!" He said sternly as he gripped my wrists and held me tightly against the seat. "We had to make sure it didn't look like he helped us. If he looks like he fought us trying to take you it means Charlie won't suspect him and he won't be killed!"

My breathing was erratic and uneven but Link's reasoning made sense. He slowly released me, rubbing up and down my arms in an effort to calm my crazy outburst. Roman climbed into the passenger’s seat in front of me, wiping the blood from his knuckles with a dirty rag.

"Tough old bastard. Barely moved when I hit him the first time." He grumbled. I reached forward and slapped him around the back of the head. "Ow! Woman! What was that for?!"

He turned in his seat to face me as Dominic drove slowly through the back alley.

"He was my friend." I huffed, sitting back, arms crossed and glaring at him. A loud laugh burst sharply from his mouth.

"Yeah and I'm here trying to save his and your lives." He pointed his index finger at me, "You’re just lucky you're a girl, or I'd be laying you out for that." I smirked confidently,

"You ever grow a pair and change your mind about that and I’ll meet you in the ring." Link chuckled quietly beside me.

"I don't hit girls." He said turning in his seat and buckling his seat belt.

"Who said you'd be able to hit me?" I questioned, he just scoffed in reply. We manoeuvred our way through the city until we reached a highway and started heading south. I leaned my head against the cool glass of the window and watched the buildings grow smaller and smaller. The tension in my body slowly dissipated the further from Charlie we travelled.

Chapter Nine

We stand outside a large two storied house in a beautiful suburban street. There are white shutters on the windows and the roof is painted a delicate blue, almost blending in with the sky. It's strangely quiet, no cars drive past, no kids playing in their front yards even though all up the street they are littered with children's toys, swings and bikes.

I look beside me to find Lincoln staring at me, an unreadable expression on his face, but his eyes tell me everything I need to know. His gaze bores through me with such intensity I can feel it in every inch of my body. I feel my cheeks flush and a grin forms on his perfect lips.

"He can't get you now. You're safe." I can't form words in my mouth to thank him so I simply nod. A slight breeze sweeps by, blowing a piece of my hair across my face. He reaches his hand up and takes it with a gentleness I was not expecting and weaves it back behind my ear. He doesn't take his hand away but instead wraps into around to grip the base of my neck and draws my face closer to his. My body follows like it has a mind of its own and within seconds my back is pushed against the hummer that we had climbed into after leaving KC. My breathing becomes shaky as he slowly pushes himself against me, lowering his mouth inch by inch closer to mine, but never breaking his contact with my eyes.

A light brush of his lips against my own has my breath hitching and suddenly we crash together. His tongue brushes my lips, no longer gentle as he squeezes the back of my neck tightly but not painfully. I grant him access within a second, wanting to feel him everywhere, the burning from the touch of our skin before was nothing compared to the agonising heat I felt as his tongue explores my mouth.

His free hand ran the length of my body then back down to find the elastic waistband at the front of my work out shorts. I grip handfuls of his tshirt at his waist for fear that I may collapse, and spread my legs just slightly encouraging him to continue is exploration of my willing body. As his hand slips through and into my underwear I gasp. His fingers are cold against my hot, wet flesh which only increases the sensations as he pushes a finger inside me and brings the wetness back to swirl around my throbbing clit.

His mouth blazes a hot trail down my neck and I grind against his fingers as he flicks them back and forth. Moans escape my mouth becoming louder the higher he takes me into ecstasy. I had never in my life felt pleasure this strong, my body feeling like at any moment I could burst into flames as my climax started in the base of my stomach.

"Link..." His name fell from my lips. "Mmm.. Link!" I heard him chuckle against my throat as hecontinued to lap and suck at my sensitive skin. My breathing was coming so quick and fast now that I wondered for a moment if I was going to make myself hyperventilate and pass out before I could achieve the release I was reaching for.

I heard him growl and suddenly I was seeing stars. My orgasm crashed over me like a freight train, my legs buckled but he caught me quickly. I leaned into him and tucked my face in the crook of his neck as my body shuddered and his fingers began to slow.

I held onto him tightly, wrapping my arms securely around his waist. His bristled face rubbed against my hot skin. It felt good.

"Sam." I heard his voice but I was so exhausted I didn't even have the energy to answer.

"Sam..."

I nuzzled closer into him, enjoying the light feeling I had. Almost like I was floating.

"Sam, wake up..."

A tickle on my check wakes me from the most peaceful slumber I'd had in years. Fingers drifting delicately across my skin. I pry my eyes open, blinking through the piercing sunlight. It takes me a moment to catch my bearings and realise that I am laying stretched out along the backseat of a vehicle and my cheek is rubbing against a pair of jean clad thighs. I jump and quickly squash myself against the door on the opposite side of the vehicle but relax almost automatically when I find Link's gorgeous smile staring back at me. I reach over and swat him,

"I almost had a heart attack!” his smile transforms slowly into his signature smirk.

"You sounded pretty happy a few minutes ago." I knotted my brow, confused.

"I was asleep a few..." I stopped suddenly, I'd been dreaming. And oh what a dream. Oh crap. "Was I uh... Talking in my sleep?"

"Talking not so much as other noises.” he crossed his arms over his chest and lifted his chin slightly, like he was so proud of himself.

"Oh fuck my life." I muttered and tried to hide my face. I heard him chuckle but refused to look at him knowing my cheeks were burning red.