Her breathing was still even when I returned and I smiled. I wouldn’t deny my male ego was through the roof. My smile dropped, however, when I moved closer and saw the bruising of her skin on her hips where I had gripped her. Shit. Did I go too far? Was she seriously hurt?

When I fucked her, I didn’t care if I hurt her or how much I pushed her—my only concern was to make her feel me the only way I needed her to feel me. But after, it never failed to make me feel like shit, and so I would immediately leave her so she wouldn’t see the turmoil within me.

With light touches so not to disturb her, I quickly checked her over and determined I hadn’t caused any damage, though I wouldn’t know for sure until she woke. Gently spreading her legs, I took the warm cloth and cleaned her up. It didn’t escape me that this was the first time I ever took the time to care for her after. With her being asleep, it was easier for me. Otherwise, Monroe would see right through me, and I couldn’t let that happen.

A low moan passed through her sweet lips as I finished cleaning her. I couldn’t resist slipping a finger inside her while leaning down to kiss her lips. When she finally opened her eyes, I was the first thing she saw and fuck if that didn’t make me hard. It was something I could easily get used to until I craved it.

Words were meaningless and unnecessary. My clothes were shed and I was sliding back inside her heat. This time, instead of the normal pounding, I moved inside her slowly, testing the waters. I couldn’t resist slipping deeper inside, causing her to moan from my possession.

“Keiran—”

“If you ever let another man touch you, I will kill you on the spot. Are we clear?”

“Your crazy has no limits,” she groaned.

“Only when it’s you.” I felt her body soften while I bit back a curse. Why hadn’t I known I would say that?

“Are…” She hesitated. Uncertainty plagued her eyes as she stared up at me with too trusting eyes, her body moving with me. “Are we making love now?”

Shit.

The self-satisfied smirk plastered on her face was beautiful. Instead of recoiling, I found myself wanting to capture this moment. The look in her eyes. The smell and feel of her skin. The sound of her soft moans.

She was everything.

I needed to stop this shit. If I weren’t careful, the little bitch would have her way. I moved to separate our bodies, already mourning the expected loss, but she must have sensed it because her legs locked around my waist.

“Don’t,” she demanded. “Don’t do it. Don’t run.”

“What makes you think I’m the one who needs to run?”

“Because I’m not afraid anymore and that scares you. I’m—” My finger slipping inside her mouth shut her up.

“Suck me,” I ordered harsher than I had intended.

Her eyes closed as she obeyed. Her lips closed around my finger, taking it deep and my dick hardened even more inside her. Together, we rocked each other to completion.

* * *

TEN YEARS AGO

I was being led somewhere. They were always taking me to places where they made me do bad things. Each time I wanted to say no but knew if I ever did, they would hurt me and not let me eat for a long time.

As I followed behind them with my hands tied, I wondered who they would make me do bad stuff to today. For two years, this had been my routine. I go where they take me and do what they tell me to do.

It was always the same.

So why did this time feel different?

They didn’t blindfold me like normal, and when we stopped outside a room, I knew why. We weren’t leaving the compound.

The door opened to a room I’d never seen before, and the first thing I noticed were all the bright lights. And the cameras. There were at least three, which was strange for a normal sized room.

What is happening?”

I looked around the room curiously, forgetting my training. We were never allowed to speak or to look anywhere but straight ahead when training. The room was empty except for the lights, cameras, and in the center of the room was large bed, and it was then I noticed the tiny form lying in the center of it.

I squinted through the bright lights, and as my eyes adjusted, recognition followed.

Lily.

What is she doing here, and where are her clothes? She was completely naked without even a blanket to cover her. I didn’t understand why, but I knew it was wrong. She shouldn’t be here. These men shouldn’t be here.

A scary thought wormed its way into my mind. Was I here to kill her? Sometimes, when they wanted to punish the other kids, they made me do it. It was much easier to kill the children than the adults. They called it extra practice. With the other kids, it was different, and each time, I was hurt because they made us fight.  They wanted me to prove myself, and so I didn’t just have to kill them, but I had to fight them to the death.

“It’s just another way to toughen you up, slave,” Frank would say.

All the cruel things they did were always for the same purpose. Didn’t they know I didn’t want to be tough? I wanted to have the fun I would hear about in the other kid’s stories. Lily was always telling me about her life with her parents and her older brother. She’d told me they even had a dog that played with her. I hadn’t seen many dogs, but the dogs I had seen were mean and scary.

“All right. Let’s get this show on the road. The clients are getting impatient. They want to see what our fresh talent can do. Get the boy’s clothes off and get him on the bed.”

Hands were on my rags grabbing and tugging. I didn’t want them to take my clothes, but I knew better than to fight them. “Today, you become a man.” Snickers and hoots sounded around the room, but I didn’t understand the joke.

As my clothes were discarded, my eyes connected with a man who stood out from the rest. His clothes were neat, and he wasn’t heavily armored like the rest of the men. He watched on with an air of authority.

When I was finally naked, they shoved me toward the bed. Toward Lily. She visibly shook, and her eyes pleaded with me to help her. I didn’t know how. I had no weapon, and I was just as scared as she must have been. I was just much better at hiding it.

As I got closer, I noticed the fresh bruises covering her body. They must have beaten her. They were always beating her, and she would always take it but never do what they told her. I didn’t understand her. I didn’t know how she could be such a coward. All she had to do was give in and the beating would stop. She wouldn’t have to cry or feel hungry anymore.

I finally reached the bed, and when I did, she sat up to reach for me. “Keiran—”

My finger quickly brushed against her lips to shush her. We were never allowed to talk. Didn’t she know that? I pushed her down until she was lying on the bed once again and ran my fingers down her face, starting at her forehead.

“Keiran, help me,” she whispered with her eyes still closed.

Did she know what she was asking? There was only one way to stop this. Only one way to save the both of us. A quick glance around the room showed me each man was armed.

I leaned down until my lips rested near her ear. “I want you to count to five, and then start screaming as loud and as long as you can. Whatever you do, don’t stop. Do you understand?”

She nodded slowly and thankfully, didn’t open her eyes.

Five seconds.

It was all I could give myself.

To think of another way out.

To say goodbye.

Five seconds was all it would take.

Because if I wait a second longer, I won’t be able to do it.

I wouldn’t be able to say goodbye.