Snare (Delirious book 1) (20 page)

“Whatever. I’m done with this. If you’d just given me the tape, I’d be gone by now, like you wanted.”

“I don’t want you gone anymore.”

“Oh and why’s that?”

He turns a corner. “Because you’re too much trouble.”

I gasp. “Me? Trouble? Look who’s talking. You … you’ve got some balls.”

“Hmm …” He grins. “If you promise you’ll stop trying to wreck my car, I might show them to you later.”

“You wish!” I scream, turning my legs toward him and trying to stomp him.

“That’s it.” He jams the brakes and stops the car, getting out immediately. His sudden burst of anger has me frozen as he slams the trunk and opens my door. His grip on my legs is strong as he grabs them and drags me out of the car. I squeal as he presses a cloth to my mouth. This is no ordinary cloth, though … when I inhale, my lungs burn, and I feel my strength fading. It seeps from me like an open wound, causing me to stop flailing. My muscles relax and so does my mind. He throws me over his shoulder again. Soon, I drift away into an infinite darkness.

When I awaken, I’m no longer hunched over Sebastian’s shoulder. Instead, my head rests on the armrest of a white sofa. My body is limp, and everything is sore. Throbbing in my head makes me groan. Where am I? I try to look around, but my vision is blurry. It is then that I see a dark figure right before me, sitting in a chair.

“Relax, Miss Carrigan.”

“Where am I?”

“In my home.”

“Why? What are you planning on doing with me?”

“Shh … so many questions. Try to rest a little.”

I groan when he gets up and leaves me. I feel terrible, like I’m about to throw up. Dizzy, too. Jesus, whatever was in that cloth sure was strong. Is it the same stuff they used to drug me in the car back at the motel? I’m not sure … However, the fact alone that Sebastian has access to this substance, and knows how to use it, scares the living shit out of me.

After the pain subsides a little, I raise my head and gaze around. My hands are still bound to my body, this time on my belly. I must’ve been completely unconscious for him to be able to do this without me even noticing. For my own safety, he said. Does he think I’m a danger to myself? I wonder why.

I look around and try to focus on where I am. I’m sure it’s an expensive penthouse. Windows overlooking the city line the walls, black and white furniture in the midst of it all. It all looks very sterile.

As he steps back into the room, I can see Sebastian much clearer now. In his hands is a tray with a cup, and he sets it down beside me on a small wooden table with an intricate design engraved into it. Squinting, I focus on the cup and the smell that fills my nostrils. Tea. What I wouldn’t give for a sip right now.

“Thirsty?” he asks.

My eyes skim up his shirt, noticing the peculiar pin button that’s pinned on his shirt. A circle with a triangle on top and the letter G in it. Fazed, I stare at it, thinking I’ve seen it before. And then I remember where; in the institution.

“Yes,” I say, still focused on the pin button. I can’t believe my eyes. If this isn’t the Sebastian from the hospital, then how is it possible they have the same pin button? How could I have imagined this item so vividly if it’s real and within my grasp right now? It doesn’t make any sense.

Sebastian picks up the cup and holds it close to my mouth, nodding to me to raise my head so I can sip. The warm liquid gliding down my throat is nice and soothing. It helps make the drowsiness go away faster. It doesn’t help shake the anxiety I feel, though.

As he puts the cup down again, he says, “Now, let’s talk.” He sits down on the sofa, scooting up my legs as he grabs them. His hands feel familiar and yet his touch makes me flinch. This is all too bizarre, too terrifying to put into thought.

“You may have noticed I’m not the man you imagined me to be.”

“Really?” I scoff. I try to sit up straight, which is impossible as I’m tied up.

“Please, no games, Miss Carrigan. I will not tolerate them in my home.” He clears his throat. “Now, I want to explain to you that I am not opposed to having hot, dirty sex with anyone, especially you.” He lifts an eyebrow. “But under these circumstances, it was not a wise decision of you to pursue me.”

“And why’s that?”

“Because you put us both in danger just by being near me.”

I swallow when he says that. I’ve found out how dangerous he can get, and I’m not looking forward to finding out more. In fact, I can’t wait to get out of here and run far away from him. If only I could find that tape. I don’t want people seeing it, because someone at the institution might find out, and all would trace back to me. No, I need to remain invisible in this world to be truly free.

“Why are you so adamant on being with me?” he asks.

“I’m not. And whether I was or not, is not important anymore.”

He smiles, but it’s such a fake smile, I can tell he can see through the lie I just told. Half of it is true. It is important, at least … it was. I wanted his love to fix me, but instead, it broke me even more.

“I don’t believe you, but that’s okay. I know you are still shaken up from what happened the other day. Trust me when I say I wish it could’ve been different, but there was no other way. You came after me. I told you not to do so. The reason I did it was to keep you safe, but you refused to listen. Now you know the consequences of defiance.”

I snort. “You’ve got one hell of a way to talk your way out of things.”

“Hmmm … it’s okay if you see things that way. To me, treating you like scum means you will hate me. It means you will want to run and never look back. It means I succeeded in my goal.” His finger slides up my leg, tickling me, alerting all my senses. I wish I could move, but he’s tied me up too well. I feel powerless, and yet I feel my heart calming down by the minute. His touch still has this effect on me, as if I’m allowing it to happen. I feel dirty, disgusting, for even letting myself be calmed by him—the man who betrayed my trust, which in reality, is also a lie. My trust in him never existed, after all. The man I had envisioned him to be never existed.

Still, it hurts to hear him say all those things.

“And why is it that you want me gone so much, huh?” I ask.

He just smiles and looks down at my legs, petting them like I’m his personal property. “It doesn’t matter anymore. Since this isn’t working according to my plan, I think I’ll just keep you here instead.”

“Why? What do you mean?” Panic raises my voice.

“If I can’t keep you far away from me, keeping you hidden close to me is the next best option.”

“So you’re going to make me your prisoner?”

His fingers stop in their tracks right below my thighs. “If you consider my home a prison, then yes.”

Oh, no. Oh, no …

I never thought he’d actually say yes.

God, I used to dream about being in his house, living there like I was his wife, and having him take me over and over again, like a loving husband. Like he could magically fix me with his fucking and make me forget about all the bad things in my life. It was all a lie I told myself to cope with the world, and now that I see reality, it’s all painfully obvious how insane I truly was.

I turn my head, not wanting to look at him. I don’t know why I feel ashamed of my own thoughts, but I do. Why did I let myself get carried away so much?

He creeps closer, leaning over my body, one hand draped over the sofa while the other slides up my leg, pushing my dress upward.

“This dress … it entices me, Miss Carrigan.”

In my defense, I lash out. “Tell me more about how much you want me. I might start believing it,” I sneer.

He cocks his head, frowning. “Do you honestly believe I’m not interested in you? That I don’t find you the slightest bit attractive?” He hovers above me, his hand pushing my legs apart, making me aware of the fact that I can’t do anything and that he has all the power. “I have thought about you in my sleep, Miss Carrigan.”

His hand reaches for my face. I freeze, as I fear he will slap me, but instead his index finger traces a line down my cheek. “I’ve dreamed of tying you up and giving you a good hard spanking, just for defying me. My cock had been rock hard each time I awoke, aching to know what it feels like to claim your soft flesh. You have no clue how many times I’ve thought of making you lick my cum off the bed after I was done jerking
off
to the image of your naked body strapped to a table with a vibrator against your pussy. Yes, Miss Carrigan, I have thought of you, and yes, I am yearning for a woman who can give me what I need. Submission. It flows in your veins.” His hot words have me gasping for air. With his finger on my neck, sliding down to my sternum, my treacherous body rises to meet his touch. It’s almost as if, for a moment, I forget he is the man who broke me.

“And now … I’ll have all the opportunities to make not only my dreams but yours come true as well.” He leans in as I lean back, but there’s no way I can stop him from planting a kiss on my neck. His lips drag all the way down, following the same path as his finger did. His tongue dips out, dampening my skin, and unwanted heat flares through my body. “You taste so good, Miss Carrigan,” he murmurs. “If only I had thought of this sooner.” He comes up to his knees, towering above me with his legs between mine. “To keep you away was plan number one … it failed, so I’ll try plan number two now. You will stay here to please me in whatever way I desire. I will give you what you want; I will need you to take me over and over again, and I want you to obey my every command.”

“What makes you think I will do that?” I say, frowning. “After everything you did to prove me wrong … now you suddenly want me? Like some sort of pet you own?”

“Exactly. I am giving you what you want, Miss Carrigan, but in return you will have to remain here forever, quiet, ready for me, always.”

I muffle a laugh and shake my head. “Too late. I used to want that until you showed me your true colors.”

His hand drifts down my body again, lingering on the side of my breasts before moving down to grip my hips. “You still want this. Don’t try to fool me; it won’t work. I can tell when a woman wants my mouth on hers, and my cock deep inside her pussy. Did you think I wouldn’t notice the way you arched toward me when I let my tongue roam free across your neck?”

I gulp, a flush spreading across my cheeks.

His wicked smile is impossible to ignore. “And you think I have showed you all I can do? Think again. There are a million ways to claim a woman, and there are a million ways to break them. Which one do you prefer?”

I slam my lips shut, because no matter the outcome, I refuse to answer that question. No good can come of it.

“There is more to me than just an asshole, Miss Carrigan. I can be a vicious man, but I am also the best lover you will ever have. I will take care of you like no other man can, and I don’t just mean your body, but your mind as well. It’s such a shame I couldn’t show it to you yet, but I will, now that I have you here. We have plenty of time. In fact, we have all the time in the world.”

He moves off the sofa, grabs the tea, and holds it to my lips again. I drink until it’s completely empty. I’m still thirsty when I’m finished, although I’m not sure what for.

As he puts the cup back down, he grabs my chin and forces me to look at him. “Tell me, do you want to be tied up here for the rest of your days, or do you wish to roam freely through my house?”

“Whatever,” I say, not wanting to give him any ammunition against me.

“Do not play tricks on me, because it won’t work. You can’t get out. There is neither a lock on my door nor a key to get out. Only I can access or leave this apartment. It is too high for you to jump, unless you want to die, of course. I’m assuming you want to live, though. Anyway, you cannot get out, so there is no point in fighting me. Will you behave, Miss Carrigan?”

He caresses my cheek with his thumb, the delicateness of it throwing me off. I nod. I know I’ll regret doing so later, when I’ll be going after his tape again and he finds out. But I won’t give up.

Sebastian takes out a knife from the front pocket of his shirt. It immediately draws my attention as he brings it close to my abdomen. There is a gleam in his eyes, so devilish, it makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.

“Now stay still … unless you want this to hurt.”