Captive to the Dark (29 page)

“Mary?” Victor tilted his head, studying me.

My legs felt weak from standing too long. I looked between my father and Slade, wondering if I should sit down first. That could wait. There was no point lying to anyone and I needed to get this out. “I love him. I want to stay.”

It only took two steps for Slade to reach me. His hands barely touched as he cupped my face. “You want to stay? For good?”

I nodded, my throat hurting too bad to talk. He stared into my eyes, searching. For what, I wasn’t sure. Something told me there was a lot going on in his mind and the majority of it had to do with the men who rested in the living room. What did we do? This had to end. Silence wasn’t an option. The trafficking had to stop.

“That makes me very happy, Mary. I’ve wanted nothing more than for you to come home. You have no idea how much I’ve missed you.”

I gave him a weak smile. Dizziness had me reaching for his arm.

“You need to lie down. Let me help you to bed.” Slade turned to Julian and my father. “I’ll be back. Mary needs to rest.”

I clung to Slade as he took on most of my weight and helped me into the room. The door shut behind us and he lifted me to the mattress. I reached for his hand as he pulled the covers up to my chest. “What are we going to do? They can’t continue to get away with this.”

A frown came to Slade’s face. “I only see a few options. One, I kill them all right now. That’s going to be hard to explain being as there’s footage of them being here. Two, we wait it out, attack and take them out when they’re least expecting it. We can cover all evidence that way. Or, three, we contact authorities and give them everything we have.” He looked down. “If that happens, there’s a good possibility I’ll be charged too. It’s a hard decision.”

“Not for me.” Lily’s voice drew both of our heads to the door. She stood there, holding a gun. My nails dug into Slade’s arm. “It started with them taking me. It’ll end with me taking them.”

Slade eased from the bed. “Lily, give me the gun. There’s men out there who will shoot you the moment that see that in your hand.”

“Better hope your men are faster than them.” Lily flung open the door and the shots rang out so loud, my eardrums felt like they were going to explode. In slow motion, I saw Slade wrap his arm around Lily’s waist and pull her back into the bedroom. But the gunshots still rang out. Directed with his hand over hers. Aiming. Guiding. I felt myself raise to my knees, numbly. Time was nonexistent as my vision connected with the men lying on the living room floor. Red oozed from beneath them and I couldn’t take my eyes off of it. Jordan shook his head, just as stunned as me. He hadn’t been shot. How that was possible, I wasn’t sure. Slade had spared him? It didn’t make sense.

“What the fuck?” Jordan’s hand came to his chest and he stumbled back. “Holy shit.” His stare lifted to Slade and he held up his hands.

The bodyguards rested by my father’s side. Apparently, they were already there when the door opened. I wasn’t sure. Everything was a blur, but I knew what I saw. They were dead, right along with him. Marcio came forward, standing behind Jordan, and I knew it had to do with him and Brace. Maybe they’d been shooting, too? No? Fuck, I wasn’t sure. Nothing seemed real.

“You,” Slade growled at Jordan. He lowered Lilly, walking forward. Marcio moved in closer and my hands gripped the comforter. I saw where this was going. “What you did to Mary,” he said, shaking his head, “I can’t look past that. You’re a dead man. You know that, don’t you.” It wasn’t a question, but a statement.

“Slade, wait. You don’t have to do this. I’ll give you anything. Brighton Corporation, you want it, you can have it.”

The punch to Jordan’s face made my heart beat even faster. Slade leveled the gun with his face. “You’re not going to fucking try to buy me for what you did. God, I wish I could take my time with you. I’d carve you up so good. You’d be begging for death for hours before I finally granted your wish. Unfortunately, for me, the cameras would have caught you coming in, so I think I’ll end this now.” He paused. “Oh, just so you know, Brighton will be mine, but not for sparing your life.”

Jordan’s yell was overpowered by the shot. I jumped and watched him drop to the floor amongst the other bodies. Slade turned around and looked at me. “Now, it’s over. No one hurts my girls and gets away with it.” His arm went around Lily and he kissed her forehead.

“What are we going to tell the cops?” Her voice was so quietly, I barely heard.

Slade’s eyes came back to me. “The truth…with one hell of a dark twist.”

Epilogue

Mary

Statistic. That word used to make me cringe. It lingered and picked at my brain, reminding me that I was ruined. That maybe I’d always be broken in one way or another. Slade showed me that wasn’t the case. The darkness I held inside was a perfect match for his and together, our love flourished. Slade went through with buying Brighton Corporation. The business was thriving, not that I hadn’t expected it to from the moment he announced his plans.

Lily ended up staying at a mental health facility for two months due to her crime. It was nothing, and she could have gotten more, but the jury felt sorry for what she’d been through. The pictures of her scarred up body that were displayed at trial still haunted me. We’d never known. Not until the day they were exposed for the courtroom to see. She had her own monsters to fight and I knew she was a lot like me. After all, we were pretty much best friends. But, since she’d moved out, we only saw each other half the time. I knew there were still things she wouldn’t expose. Whatever happened to her in Afghanistan would remain her secret. A dark distorted tale only Lily would know until she decided otherwise.

The sun beat down on me from the yacht and I smiled up at Slade who was content to just stare. Even after a year and a half of being married, he still had eyes for only me. It was almost impossible for anyone to get his attention when he was so focused on what was his.

“What are thinking?” I propped myself up on my elbows. My blonde curls blew toward him as the wind pushed against my back. The adoration he held was mixed with something that pulled at my chest. It was apparent to me when something was bothering him.

“You never put your name on me.” He frowned and I knew where this was going. We’d had this conversation before.

“But my name is already there. That’s good enough. I happen to like it written in your handwriting.”

The muscles in his arms flexed as he rolled onto this stomach. My gaze flashed up to Marcio, who was driving the boat. I bit my lip and met Slade’s stare head on, while he continued to watch. “Master.” I let the word whisper from my lips and Slade closed his eyes, letting out a light moan.

Waves crashed against the boat. For some reason, it hadn’t affected me like I had feared. The fireworks were set to start in a few hours and all I could think of were the ones I was about to set off with my husband.

“Slave.” His arm came around my waist, pulling me half under his body. “You tempt me when I’m so serious about your name on my skin? You’re asking for trouble.”

My finger traced over the
M
and his breath caught. I knew how much he wanted me to do it, but I had something better in mind. Something that was going to put a finalization to the forged signature he’d scarred into his chest.

“Take me upstairs to our room.”

Slade didn’t hesitate to cradle me in his arms. The stairs disappeared two at a time as he headed to the upper level. Cold air hit while he rushed in and eased me onto the satin comforter. The weight of his body covered mine and my hands were pulled over my head while he massaged his tongue against mine.

Wetness took over and I opened my legs wide, allowing him to rub his cock against me through his board shorts. I managed to pull my arm out. Blindly, I reached for the nightstand, barely able to pull it open from where we were. Slade stopped kissing me to look at what I was doing. The knife connected with my fingertips and I pulled it out, flicking it open.

“Fuck, yes.” He moved against me, hard, and I shook my head.

“Not yet. My choice of where, right?”

“Anything for you. As long as you do it.”

I licked my lips and eased to my knees. “Lie down.” I grabbed the blindfold and his eyes narrowed.

“You’re not going to let me watch?”

My head shook and I eased the silk mask around him. “Now, lift your hands.”

Slade laughed. “I don’t go in handcuffs. You know that, slave.”

I picked up the material, allowing him to see. The pouty face I wore, I had down to an art. Later, I was going to pay for that. It’d gotten me in trouble more than once, but this was worth it. “Do you love me?”

Slade’s mouth opened, and then closed. “You know I do.”

“Then, please? Just this once? It would mean a lot to me.” I straddled his waist, waiting for his answer.

Hesitantly, he lifted his arms while I secured him to the headboard. I adjusted the mask back over his eyes and bit my lip as I eased the tip of the knife down directly under where he’d carved my name. Aside from the deep intake of breath and the sounds of pleasure, Slade didn’t move or say a word.

With precision and patience, I took my time making it perfect. Seven letters, slightly smaller than my name. The smile was automatic as I stared at it.

“Are you finished?” Slade lifted his head. His hard cock moved against my pussy, causing me to ache for him.

“Yes, I’m finished. You ready to see?”

“Of course. How long have I waited for this?”

I smiled. “You’ve been very patient.”

The key rested on the nightstand and I grabbed it, unlocking the cuffs. “Don’t take off the blindfold until we’re in front of the mirror.”

“Is that three of four demands now? I need to remember how many times I’m spanking your ass.” When I didn’t answer, he held out his hand. “Just lead the way. I’m going to make that five total for the silence.”

My heart jumped and I was sure I couldn’t have been any happier. Slade locked his fingers through mine and I walked him into the restroom. Blood ran down his chest and I quickly patted it away with some tissue.

“Okay. Now.”

The mask lifted and he leaned forward. A slight trace of confusion had his eyebrows drawing in. I knew the moment it clicked. Not Mary.
Forever.
A word that would bound the two together. My acceptance of our relationship branded into his skin, showing a commitment that would last a lifetime. Probably even after that.

A smile exploded on his face and he turned, pulling me into his arms. The kiss was deep and passionate. The hint of Scotch intoxicated me, and I drank him in, needing more. Needing to seal this momentous occasion with memories that would suffocate the old ones that haunted me until they no longer entered my mind. I knew it was possible, and if anyone could help me do it, it was Slade.

Satin once again rested against my heated skin and my clothes were pulled off with every ounce of impatience I knew my master had in him. Fingers rubbed against the outside of my pussy, coaxing the wetness from me even more. Continuous moans poured from my mouth and they didn’t end when Slade wrapped his fingers around my throat. The constant pressure wasn’t enough to cut off my air supply, but it did show me who was in charge.

“I love you, slave. More than anything. Tell me who owns you.”

Even now, he couldn’t stand not to hear it, and I loved giving myself to him over and over. My soul was his. In the dark we’d found each other, and there we’d stay, relishing in our wicked tendencies, pushing the bounds of pain and pleasure. Thriving in a love that not just anyone could find.

“You own me, Master. Forever.”

The End

About the Author

Alaska is an erotic BDSM author who also goes by the pen names Jennifer Salaiz and Jenny May. She lives in the SF Bay area...for now. She's a dreamer, and longs for the day when her husband and kids can load up in the car and drive until their hearts’ content. Adventure and discovering new places play a huge role in Alaska's life. It drives her, and feeds the creativity of coming up with new locations for her stories.

Within the last two years, Alaska and her family have drove across the country twice, and also drove the distance from Texas to California three times. Asked, if she could choose one place to permanently settle down, where it would be, Alaska laughed. "Montana, today. Tomorrow, it may be Alaska, again. I go back and forth."

When Alaska’s not dreaming of spontaneously hitting the road to find a new place to write about, she's being a mother and wife. If you're looking to connect with her to learn more, feel free to email her at
[email protected]
, or find her on Facebook. You can also stop by her website jennymayauthor.com.

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