Survival Games (11 page)

Ty added some
variation to the salads he brought her including chicken Caesar or cob salad,
giving in to her request for protein. He watched and waited as Jessica tore
through the remaining stack of books he brought her. Each time she finished
one, she would hand it to him with a small smile and a ‘Thank You Ty’, as he
put down her tray and he would nod, take the book and leave the room.

Neither Ty nor
Jessica spoke about what happened in the hallway.

Jessica handed him
the last book and looked up at him. “Do you have a deck of cards?”

“Yes,” he said and
left the room. He came back a few minutes later with a deck of cards, handed them
to her and went to leave.

“Do you know how
to play rummy 500?” she asked as he reached for the doorknob. He slowly turned
back toward her.

“Why?”

“Want to play?” she
asked innocently. She had no idea what that question did to him inside.

Ty hesitated. He
wasn’t sure he could be in the room with her for any length of time without doing
something he would regret.

“Come on,” Jessica
said and shuffled the cards from her position on the mattress.

“Give me a
minute,” he said. There was no way he was going to sit on the mattress with
her, that would be way too tempting. He slipped out of the room and a few
minutes later came in with a card table and two chairs. Jessica’s eyebrows rose
in surprise.

He set up the card
table and took a seat in the chair closest to the door, pulling a pad and pencil
out of his back pocket. He waved at the opposite chair with a small smile.

Jessica stood and
walked to the table and continued to shuffle, looking at him thoughtfully. She
dealt the cards and they began to play in silence.

“Why do you do
this?” she asked, picking up a card from the deck.

Ty glanced at her
and shook his head. The rationale of his participation in Frank’s venture
wasn’t something he was going to discuss with her, especially when he
constantly questioned it himself. He looked back down at his cards without saying
a word. She discarded and he smiled a little, the card she dumped was the one
he needed. He picked it up and laid his entire hand down, placing a discard
face down on the pile.

“You don’t talk
much, do you?”

“Not a whole lot
to say,” he said dealing the cards.

“What’s your
favorite color?” she asked, picking up her cards.

Ty laughed and
raised his eyes to her. “Now why do you want to know that?” He organized the
cards in his hand.

“Work with me,”
she said furrowing her brow at the cards in her hand. “What’s your favorite
color?”

Ty smiled and
Jessica’s cheeks flushed. “All right,” he said, picking a card from the deck
and discarded it. “Blue.”

“What color blue?”
She picked up most of the cards he had discarded and laid an ace, king, queen
and jack of hearts down as well as three 4s.

“Blue,” he repeated
looking at her curiously.

“There are a lot
of shades of blue, which one.” She bit her lower lip studying her cards.

Ty took a deep
breath and tried to concentrate on his cards, he glanced back up at her as he
discarded. “Late afternoon sky when you have sunglasses on,” he finally said.

Jessica slowly
looked up at him, the color draining from her face.

“What?” he asked,
observing the slow bleed of color from her cheeks.

“That’s word for
word the way I described my favorite color,” she whispered.

Ty smiled and
shrugged, seeing the irony in the fact they described it the same way. “It is
what it is,” he said and laid his cards out again with the familiar discard
face down.

“Damn it,” she said.
“I hate losing.”

“I never lose,” Ty
said, making her look up sharply at him. He rubbed the back of his neck.

“That so?” she
retorted.

Ty didn’t respond,
he just leaned back and grinned, trying to loosen the knot in the back of his
neck with his fingers.

“Sore neck?” She changed
the subject and shuffled the cards.

“A little,” he
said.

“What happened?”

He blushed. “I
fell asleep in a chair watching you.”

“Ah,” Jessica
replied and shuffled the cards. “Am I that boring?”

He laughed and
tilted his head. “No, you are anything but boring.” He rolled his head back still
working at his stiff neck.

She continued to
shuffle. “I’ll tell you what. Since you never lose, why don’t we play a hand of
poker? If you win, I’ll fix your neck; if I win, you let me go,” she said
astonishing him.

He raised his
eyebrows and laughed. “That’s hardly a fair bet.”

“For someone who
is so sure he always wins, that sounds a little like waffling to me.”

“Make it sweeter,”
he said, “and I’ll consider it.” Ty leaned back in the chair and crossed his
arms.
Check
, he thought.

“I’ll give you a
massage,” she said. “
If
you win.”
Checkmate
.

He smiled. The
thought of her hands on his body sent a shiver down his spine. “Still, a
massage versus your freedom?” He held his hands out like a balance, moving them
slightly up and down as he tilted his head. “Mmm, I don’t know. Still seems a
little unbalanced to me.”

“I give a killer
massage.” Jessica slowly smiled. “Someone once said I had magic hands.”

That intrigued him
and he took a deep breath, nodding. “Deal the cards.”

“Five card stud,”
Jessica said and dealt five cards to both of them. She picked up her cards.

Ty looked at his cards,
pulled two out, putting them on the table face down, and held up two fingers. He
kept his expression neutral, unreadable.

Jessica dropped two
cards as well and her lips spread in a grin. Ty glanced at her cards as she
spread them on the table. She had two pair, ace high.

The smile that
spread over Ty’s face as he fanned his cards on the table made her positively
shiver and her smile faltered.

“Full house,” he
said. He stood and turned the chair around, taking a seat with his arms folded
over the back of the chair. “I told you, I never lose.” He peeled his shirt
off. “Pay up, babe.”

She sat back in
her chair, silent at first and then an incredulous laugh escaped. She slowly
stood and dragged her chair, setting it down behind him. She put her hands
gently on his shoulders and began to work the knots out of his neck. “If I had
won, would you have let me go?”

Ty sat with his
eyes closed, her hands working their magic. “I don’t know,” he said truthfully
after a few moments. He put his head down on his folded arms and she continued
rubbing his back, neck and shoulders.

He turned his head
to the side and glanced back at her. “You do have magic hands.” He closed them
again, allowing himself to relax and drift off as she continued her slow deep
massage.

* *
* *

His eyes were the
same color blue that she loved and Jessica broke out in a light sweat, the
temperature rising with every stroke of her hands on his skin. She traced the
scars on his back, kneading the muscles as she studied the traversing pattern. Despite
the disruptions to the perfect skin, it was smooth, and warm and the muscles
underneath well defined. Finding the kinks in his neck, she gently massaged
them out and a small rumble of pleasure formed in his throat.

Jessica watched
him sleep on the table with a sweet smile on his face. She sat down in the
chair, reluctantly pulling her hands away from him. His eyes fluttered open and
he straightened, turning toward her, his eyes that deep penetrating blue.

“I really should
be going,” he said and put his shirt back on.

She nodded and
stood, pushing her chair back and stepping aside. “Thank you.”

He paused and
looked down at the table, a hint of regret traced his features. With a slight
shake of his head, he reached for the deck of cards and he handed them to her
along with the notepad and folded up the table. He folded the chairs next,
picking them all up in one hand and opening the door with the other.

The game was just
beginning for her and as the door latched, Jessica smiled. If he had seen the
grin on her face, he would have taken her on the floor just to spite her. Jessica
was hell bent on winning the game she played with him and regardless of how
much he melted her core, she wanted her freedom more. She wiped the grin off
her face and turned back toward the cameras.

Chapter
28

The next morning
when Ty came in with breakfast, Jessica held up the cards. “Rematch?”

Ty smiled and
nodded. “Strip poker?”

Jessica laughed. “No.
Rummy.”

“Sure,” he said
and returned with the table and chairs.

Jessica shuffled
and dealt the cards, her brow furrowed, debating what to ask him next.

“What’s going on
in that head of yours?”

“Why have you left
me alone?”

Ty bit his lower
lip and met her gaze. “Would you prefer that I don’t leave you alone?”

“No. I was just
wondering what you are up to.”

He smiled, tilted
his head and picked up a card. He laid down three of his cards and put a fourth
on the deck. “And here I’ve been wondering the same.” He reached out grabbing
her hand and yanking her toward him, his eyes blazing with anger. “I recognize
a game when I see one.”

Jessica pulled her
hand away and sat back in her chair out of his reach.

“Do you really
think I’m that stupid?”

“One could only
hope.”

Her answer caught
him completely off guard and he actually burst out laughing. “Touché,” he said.
“Let’s finish the card game.” He straightened his back, staring at her
expectantly.

Jessica shook her
head and chuckled as well, reaching for a card. This time she went out, happily
placing the discard face down on the pile.

“You ever play
chess?”

“No.”

“Really?”

“Nope, never
played it.”

“It’s a game of
strategy. It would be very interesting to see how you do.” He smiled and shuffled
the cards.

“You’re much more
talkative today.” She had no desire to discuss strategy points with him.

He put the cards
down. “I’ve got a game for you. Come here,” he said and turned his chair,
pointing to the spot in front of him. “Bring your chair over here.”

Jessica hesitated
and then did as he asked, sitting facing him.

“Put your hands
out like this.” He put both hands out palms to the floor. Jessica did as she
was told. “Ever play flinch.” He put his hands palms up under hers.

Jessica shook her
head a little.

“You have to
anticipate your opponent’s next move,” he said and like lightning slapped the
back of her hand lightly. “You need to move the hand away the instant that your
opponent makes his move. If you flinch and move it away before he actually
moves his hand, then you lose.”

“Kinda like
chicken.”

“Precisely.”

“Bring it on,”
Jessica said and watched his eyes instead of his hands. The first time he made
a move, she pulled her hand away and he slapped nothing but air. She grinned. “This
is easy.”

“Oh really,” he
laughed and the next move, he caught her. His eyes sparkled.

“Ouch,” she said
and shook her hand. She put them back out a little more hesitantly this time.

He flexed his arm
without moving his hand and Jessica yanked her hand away in anticipation of the
slap. “You just lost.”

“That’s not fair,
you cheated.” Jessica pulled her hands away.

“No I didn’t, you
flinched.”

“My turn,” she
said and put her palms up. He obliged, putting his above hers with a silly grin
on his face.

The first time she
slapped his hand his eyebrows rose and she swore he sucked air through his
teeth and when he shook the sting out of his hand like she had, she smiled. But
he put his hands back with no hesitation and returned her smile. Jessica moved
her arm but not her hand next time, like he had.

He didn’t budge
and she saw the humor in his eyes. The third time, she caught nothing but air,
the frustration building. She caught his hand the next three times watching as
his smile faded. Jessica laughed after she tagged him a dozen times, but to his
credit, he never flinched when she tried to fake him out.

Ty put his hands
over hers again and as she tagged him, he grabbed both of her hands and the
laughter in his eyes changed. He held her hands and they stared at each other. “I
want you,” he said finally voicing what was on his mind.

“I know,” Jessica
answered, slowly pulling her hands away from him.

“No, Jessie, you
don’t know,” he said and backed away from her. He stood and left the room.

He brought her
lunch a few hours later and she stood as he entered the room.

“I’m sorry if I
upset you,” Jessica said while he folded the table and chairs.

“I don’t want to
play games with you,” Ty said and went to leave. He took a second to glance
over his shoulder as he opened the door.

“Then let me go.”

He paused, meeting
her gaze but said nothing.

* *
* *

Ty closed the door
behind him and walked into the hallway, heading straight for the control room
and the bathroom beyond. Looking at his reflection, the truth hit him like a
brick in the face.

“I love her,” he
whispered and closed his eyes.

He leaned on the
sink with his head hanging over and took a deep breath. He had no clue of what
to do now.

“Goddamnit,” he
whispered in frustration and headed back to the control room.

Ty sat in the
control room rolling a pencil through his fingers staring at the monitors with
his feet resting on the console. His mind replayed every encounter with her,
every glance, every spoken word, every nuance of her body language and he shook
his head. Why the woman wouldn’t admit to the feelings he saw in her eyes frustrated
the shit out of him.

He focused on her
monitor where she sat, idly playing solitaire. She had no clue. No clue that he
hadn’t touched anyone since the day he first put her with Chris and Frank. No
clue that he had no inclination to find another release for the pent up sexual
energy boiling in his blood. No clue that he constantly turned escape scenarios
over in his head trying to find a way to get her out of this place without losing
her. And she had no clue how dangerous the game he was playing would become if
Frank ever doubted his actions.

“Humph,” he
grunted. If Frank found out what he was trying to pull, he would bury him
alive.

On more than one
occasion, Frank tried to coerce him into joining the festivities, but each
time, he declined with a lame excuse. He caught the sideways glares Frank sent
his way, but up until now, he’d gotten away with it because he edited some
first rate footage of Angela and Lisa and Mike. He wondered just how long that
would last before Frank insisted on his participation or worse, insisted on
Jessica’s participation.

While he wasn’t
interested in the sideshow sex with the girls, tormenting Mike still held a
certain thrill. He’d occasionally play the video for him as a reminder, smiling
when Mike freaked out, screaming at the camera.

He glanced at the
pile of
Metropolis
discs and sighed. If he could get that acquisition in
the door, it might be enough to distract Frank and get her the hell out of
here.

The phone rang and
he snatched it off the hook before the second ring. “What?”

“I’m bored with
Angela and Lisa,” Frank said.

Ty took a deep
breath.
Oh shit!
“What do you want to do?”

“I want you to
take care of them.”

Ty raised his
eyebrows. “Me?” He was used to watching the killing, not carrying it out, at
least not personally. He was the planner, the idea man, rigging explosions that
killed from a distance, not a hands-on kind of guy. While he didn’t have issues
cleaning up after the fact, he had only taken a life with his own hands once
and that was years ago.

“Yes, you.”

Ty hesitated and
looked at the monitors. “You don’t want to help?”

“I’ve got a board
meeting and I want one of them gone today. Think you can handle it?”

“I can handle it.”
He hung up the phone and stood, glancing at the monitors trying to formulate
how he was going to do what Frank asked. His gaze landed on Jessica’s monitor
and he shook his head. This was Frank’s way to gain more leverage, and the next
thing he’d be asked to do would involve her.

Shit, shit,
shit!

“Which one?” He
put his hands on his hips, still looking between the monitors, frozen in
indecision. “Fuck it.”

He turned and
collected both Angela and Lisa, bringing them into one of the performing rooms,
a bed sat in the center of the floor, with nothing else in the room. Both of
them scanned him hungrily, licking their lips, thinking their next sexual
encounter would include him.

When he returned
with a butcher knife, both women’s eyebrows creased in confusion.

“Choose,” he said
and put a knife on the bed between them.

He stepped back,
far enough that if one of them turned the knife on him, he could react.

The girls looked
at each other and back at him. “Choose what?” Lisa asked, her voice shaking. She
looked at the knife and back at Ty.

“Who lives and who
dies,” he said and leaned against the door waiting.

Angela looked at
him. “What if we don’t?”

He sighed, his
gaze bouncing between the two of them. “Then you both die.”

Lisa grabbed the
knife off the bed and stood holding it with both hands in front of her. The
blade wavered in her hands as tremors overtook her lithe form. “I don’t want to
die.”

“Then kill her.”
Ty nodded toward Angela.

Lisa looked at the
knife, at him then at Angela. “I’m sorry,” she said to Angela and she advanced.
As she rounded the end of the bed, Angela backed up against the far wall.

Lisa hesitated and
turned toward Ty.

He saw the flash
of realization in her eyes as they traversed from the weapon she held to his
empty hands. When her eyes met his, he knew he made a mistake.

She lunged at him
and he parried, blocking the knife with his forearm. The blade raked through
his flesh, sending burning hot pain up his arm and into his shoulder. He
grabbed the back of her neck and smashed her into the door, knocking her
unconscious. The knife dropped from her hands and he slammed her face against
the door again, smashing her nose and cheekbones, sending bits of bone into her
brain, killing her instantly.

Adrenalin still
rushed in his veins and he tossed Lisa’s body across the room toward Angela. “Stupid
bitch!” The roar filled the room and his angry glare landed on Angela.

He swiped the
knife off the floor and stormed across the room, pointing it in Angela’s
direction. Angela pressed herself against the wall, trying to dissolve into the
concrete away from him. He stopped when he towered over her, the knife
centimeters away from her throat. The tip of the blade vibrated from the fury
encompassing him.

“P-p-please d-don’t
k-kill me,” Angela cowered.

He ground his
teeth and spun around, tossing the knife on the bed and storming out followed
by Angela’s wail.