Filthy Secret

CHOSEN

I couldn’t help my chattering teeth or the involuntary way my limbs trembled. Torn between the fear of pneumonia, never leaving the walls of this terrible place, and whatever fate awaited me if he took me away, I was forced to wait and accept his unnerving scrutiny.

“Turn around.” He signaled for me to spin, and not knowing what else to do, I complied. “Legs apart.”

My head fell at the order, but there seemed little choice but to comply, and sniffing back a sob, I inched my feet wider.

“How old are you?”

He was closer than I recalled, and I leapt at his sudden proximity.

“Tw-Twenty-s-six.”

“Sir.” His hand cradled my ass cheek, and I tensed, though his touch was gentle. “You should call any man you meet, sir. Haven’t they been through the rules with you yet?”

I turned my face toward him, my breath ragged as I took in his sky-blue eyes. In another time and place, I might have flirted with a man like him, though that idea was preposterous now.

“N-No, S-Sir.” I didn’t want to call any of them sir, but I was so cold, I’d have considered master of the universe if it meant he’d let me down and offer me a towel.

“Idiots,” he muttered. “Let’s try again. How old are you?” His lips twitched as his hand slid to my other cheek.

“T-Twenty-six, Sir.”

He met my gaze with an approving nod. “Good, Eloise. I think you and I are going to get along.”

My breath hitched at the certainty in his tone. I was all too aware of why I was here-the other men had made it more than clear-but I hadn’t reckoned on being handled by anyone with such appeal. My toes curled against the concrete as his warm breath washed over my face.

“Y-Yes, Sir.”

“I’ve chosen one.”

I gasped at the voice behind me, my head falling at the sound of footsteps in my direction.

“Looks like you have, too, Dylan.”

“Yeah.” Dylan’s smile widened, his palm possessively patting my damp ass. “I’m taking this one. You need my help with yours?”

“No way.”

I imagined the ugly sneer on Matt’s face, and gratitude resounded that I wouldn’t be left to him. God knew I didn’t want any of this, but if it must be endured, I would rather it was at the hands of the blue-eyed Dylan than the sneering wanker who’d woken us so unceremoniously. I tensed at the thought one of the remaining women had been selected by him but was forced to dismiss the guilt. It was every woman for herself in this new order. There was no place for valor.

“Fine, go and get her, and we’ll leave you to it.”

I held my breath until I heard Matt’s heavy footsteps leaving.

“I’m going to let you down now,” Dylan whispered into my ear. “And when I do, I want you down on all fours, understand?”

My eyes widened. “P-Please can I dry myself first, Sir?”

“Not until we get inside.” He motioned to the door he’d arrived by.

My gaze followed his line of sight. It was a good few feet to the destination, and I would have to crawl them all. My insides clenched at the denigration.

“I don’t want any trouble.” His hand slid down my wet body before slipping to the weapon hanging at his side. “You’re lovely, but I have my orders about what to do with rogues.”

His gaze burned into mine, expectant yet disturbingly sexy. There should be nothing about this situation that allured me, nothing that aroused any excitement, yet this brooding stranger had come along and thrown the whole ordeal into chaos. I couldn’t think straight.

“Do we understand each other?”NôvelDrama.Org holds this content.

“Yes, Sir.”

“Good.” His lips curled as his attention moved to the shackles at my wrists.

I waited as he opened the metal, my wrists falling free from the bondage. Fleetingly, I considered kicking him in the nuts, stealing his gun, and making a run for it. I didn’t know how likely the escape was, couldn’t tell whether I’d be able to immobilize him for long enough, but as my pounding heart reminded me, even if I got past the stranger with the enticing eyes, there’d be another, less appealing monster waiting behind every door. I didn’t know where I was, didn’t know where to flee, and as of this moment, I didn’t even have anything to wear.

Exhaling, I fell to my knees, accepting the truth. For the time being, this tempting stranger was my best bet. He wanted to do bad things to me, but the most peculiar thing was, maybe I wanted him to.

“This way.”

I lifted my chin as his hand caught in my hair. Fingers tightening, he held my tresses, using them to guide me toward the door. Pressing my palms into the concrete, I crawled, grateful when we finally reached the boundary of the building, and I could move onto a more forgiving surface.

“Where you off to Dylan?”

I stilled at the unknown voice, breathing faster as a different set of boots strode in our direction.

“Taking this one to get started.” Dylan tugged my head back, revealing my wide eyes to his imposing colleague. “Matt’s about to do the same, and

Jim is already at it somewhere. I suggest you get going.”

“Nice.” His grin was predatory. “Trust you to get a decent one.”

“I didn’t choose her,” he replied. “She was there all chained up when I arrived.”

“Some guys get all the luck, eh?” He snorted, already heading for the courtyard. “Have fun.”

“Come on.” Dylan’s hand pushed my face down. “We don’t have all day.”

Dread resurfaced as he led me through the maze of the building on my hands and knees. I was nude and wet, but that was nothing compared to what was to come. I knew the fate of every woman locked in blasted cages up and down the country, and even though his face had reassured me when I’d been hosed down, I didn’t know the guy. All I knew about Dylan was he’d been recruited into the gangs of men herding captive women. Something about this job had enamored him, which didn’t bode well for me.

“Here.”

His fingers tightened as his feet paused, and pulling in ribbons of air through my nostrils, my gaze flitted to the ominous brown door. Reaching into his pocket, he yanked out a key and slid it into the lock. A moment later, he pushed the door, holding it open.

“In.”

His hand applied enough pressure to make me move, electricity firing at my scalp as he jerked me into the room. I swallowed as his digits finally relented, watching as the door closed, and he locked it behind him, sliding the key back into his pocket. Turning to a small chair in the corner of the room, he reached for a towel and threw it at me. I grabbed it gratefully, noticing it was surprisingly clean, considering the circumstances, but acknowledging I would have accepted it, regardless.

“Thank you.” I was warmer already, the towel removing the excess water at the same time the carpet under my knees soothed my skin.

“How did I tell you to address me?” He towered over me, his boots grazing my thighs, ensuring they splayed as one hand lowered to my chin.

“Sir.” My breath was ragged. “I’m sorry.”

“Yes.” His voice was stern. “Do it again, and you will be.”