Chapter 16

They didn’t stir until the sun was high in the sky. The phone’s shrill ring cut through the silence, but he silenced it quickly, not wanting to disturb their peaceful slumber.

He knew he couldn’t stay in bed all day, though. He’d have to face the world downstairs soon. He turned his head to look at her, and his heart did a little flip. She looked so pure, so gentle.

Unable to resist, he moved over her, pressing his lips to hers until he felt her respond.

She felt his weight settle on her, his lips claiming hers. With her eyes still closed, she kissed him back, her arms winding around him.

Caught up in a whirlwind of passion, she writhed and cried out as he brought her to a breathtaking climax.

His pleasure was evident in his moans and the way he whispered her name in her ear, making her even more aroused.

He rolled off her, taking her hand and placing it over his heart. “Can you feel that? That’s what you do to me. You make my heart pound so hard it feels like it’s going to burst.”

“Mine too,” she murmured, resting her head on his chest, her fingers tracing lazy patterns on his skin.

“I wish we could stay in bed all day, but it’s already past noon. Would you mind making some coffee while I shower?”

She did more than just make coffee—she also whipped up eggs and toast.

After he ate, he kissed her goodbye before heading to work. “Don’t open the door for anyone. I’ll be just downstairs. If you need me, just call, and I’ll be right there,” he said, handing her a phone.

“My number is on speed dial. I’ll try not to be too late. I love you.”

She kept herself busy with cleaning, and she prepared a pot roast for dinner, hoping he’d be home soon. She decided to surprise him by wearing just one of his shirts over her bra and panties.

He always seemed to get a kick out of her wearing his shirts, which usually led to some steamy sex.

Kyle was a mess all afternoon. All he could think about was her being alone up in his suite. He knew he was smitten. She had him wrapped around her finger, in more ways than one.

He did what he had to do, greeting some of his high rollers, ensuring the staff was keeping the guests happy, and wrapping up some work in his office.

He glanced at the time and, seeing it was seven o’clock, decided to call it a day.

He walked into his suite, and the aroma of meat wafted toward him, making him smile. It was pot roast, his favorite. “I’m back, baby,” he called out as he headed toward the kitchen.

He stopped in the doorway and took a deep breath.

“Damn,” he muttered when he saw her wearing just a shirt, and when she turned around, he noticed it was unbuttoned, revealing her black bra and panties underneath.

He felt himself harden. This woman was going to be the death of him.

“Hi,” she said, grinning when she saw him. “I made your favorite. I was hoping you’d be home soon to eat it.” She walked over and, standing on her tiptoes, reached up and kissed him.

He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her closer to him. “How am I supposed to think about food when you’re dressed like this, practically naked?”

He reached over and turned off the oven. He scooped her up and carried her to the bedroom, where he made love to her with a passion that knew no bounds.

Two hours later, they finally crawled out of bed and got dressed, though he would have preferred her to stay naked.

They ended up having a late dinner, but neither of them minded. They could have survived on sex alone; it was that fulfilling. But that night, they fell asleep almost immediately, too exhausted to do anything else.

A few nights later, they were lounging on the sofa watching a movie when he got a call from Roy, saying he needed to talk to them and would be right over.

“What do you think he wants to talk to us about?” she asked, her heart pounding in her chest.

“I’m not sure. Maybe he found out something about the site. He’s good at his job and won’t rest until these bastards are caught and put away. Then you’ll be free and able to live a normal life.”

“A normal life,” she scoffed. “I don’t even know what that would be like,” she said, her voice tinged with sadness.

His heart ached for her. She’d had a tough life from the get-go. Once this mess was over, he planned on helping her.

He loved her and started thinking about a future with her. He pulled her into his arms and held her until they heard a knock at the door. Knowing it had to be Roy, he got up to answer it.

“Kyle, sorry to drop in like this, but I need to talk to Kiera.”

“Of course, come on in. She’s making coffee for us.”

“Great. I could really use one. It’s been a long day,” he said, settling into the chair across from the sofa.

She returned with coffee and cookies for them.

“So what’s up?” Kyle asked, picking up his cup.

“I’ve started the investigation, but I need more information from Kiera. Can you tell me anything about where they kept you and the other girls?”

“I’m afraid I can’t be of much help. When they put me in the van, they tied me up and blindfolded me.

“They also covered my eyes when they moved me from there, and they didn’t remove it until we got here.”

“What can you tell me about the inside of the house? Even the smallest detail, no matter how insignificant it might seem.

“Were you in a basement or another part of the house? Were there any smells or noises that were out of the ordinary?”

“I remember the basement was cold and damp. There were several cells or cages.

“I saw at least a dozen women. We were all chained to the wall, some completely naked, some just in their bras and panties. The windows were painted black and had bars on them.

“A door with locks on it was always closed until one of the men came in to take one of the girls. I couldn’t see what was on the other side.”

“So, what happened when they took you to Kyle? They must have cleaned you up somewhere. Can you tell me about that?”

“Two guys came and put a blindfold on me. I remember climbing a set of stairs, then hearing a loud sound, like a door opening.

“We climbed another set of stairs, and they led me down a hallway into a room. That’s where they took off my blindfold. There were two women there, both really big and intimidating.”

“Keep going,” Roy encouraged.

She glanced at Kyle, her eyes welling up with tears. This next part was going to be hard to share. “I could use something stronger,” she admitted, setting her coffee aside.

Kyle gave her hand a comforting squeeze before getting up. He poured scotch for himself and Roy, and handed her a glass of wine.

“The two women took off my bra and panties, then they bathed me and washed my hair. After the bath, they tied me naked to a table. They forced my legs apart and waxed me down there.

“After that, they dressed me, put makeup on me, and took a bunch of photos.”

Tears started to stream down her face as she remembered how harsh they were, making crude comments even though they were women too.

Kyle pulled her into his arms, hating to see her in pain. “That’s enough,” he snapped, glaring at Roy.

“Kyle, I need to know more about the house. Any detail.”

“It’s okay. I can keep going,” she assured him, wiping her tears away as she looked at Kyle.

“It was an old house, one of those big Victorian homes. The curtains were always drawn, so I couldn’t see outside. They put me in one of the bedrooms on the top floor.”

“Could you look out the window?” Roy asked, jotting down notes.

“No, they were painted black and had bars on them. I didn’t hear any noise from outside, like traffic. It was so quiet, almost like we were in the countryside.

“The day they brought me here, they dressed me up and gave me some clothes to take with me. They blindfolded me before we left the house. I’m sorry, I can’t think of anything else.”

“You did well,” Roy reassured her, giving her a comforting smile. “We have a couple of undercover agents working on the case. They’re on the ground, trying to get to one of the girls.

“We’re going to get them to talk. Maybe one of them can give us more information. If only we knew where this house was.

“Can you describe the women, the ones who cleaned you up, and the person who took the photos?”

“Yes,” she replied, providing him with a detailed description of everyone she saw in the house.

After jotting down all the information, he stood up to leave.

“I’ll look into this, see if we can find some names and an address. If you remember anything else, call me. I’ll get back to you both when I have more information.”

They walked Roy to the door, and just as he was leaving, she stopped him. “I remember something else.

“When we were in the van, one of the guys rolled down the window, maybe ten minutes after we left the house. Even though I couldn’t see anything, I smelled something as we drove.”

“What kind of smell?” Roy asked, pulling out his notepad again.

“Fish.”

Roy looked up from his notepad to meet her gaze. “Maybe one of the guys had fish for lunch or dinner.”

She shook her head. “No. I didn’t smell it on them, not until the window was rolled down. It wasn’t strong, but it was definitely fish.”

“Okay, that’s good. I’ll check out any factories or warehouses in the area. I’ll be in touch,” he promised, bidding them goodnight as he left.

Kyle took her hand and led her to the sofa, pulling her onto his lap.

“I had no idea what you went through. I’m so sorry that happened to you. I wish I could make it all go away.”

“I didn’t have it as bad as some of the other girls. They were beaten and raped. Some were sold when they stopped making money for them.

“Some of them didn’t come back. I think they were killed. I didn’t want to testify, but now I do. Those women need to be saved and those bastards need to be locked up.”

He gently touched her cheek. “I’ll be right there with you the whole time, holding your hand and keeping you safe.”

She looked at him, a single tear trickling down her cheek. “I might not be alive today if it wasn’t for you. You saved my life. I just hope I haven’t put you in danger.”

“You haven’t.”

“These people are murderers, and I’m scared that if they find out I’m here with you, they’ll kill you. Me, they’ll either sell me or kill me too.”

She wrapped her arms around his neck, resting her head against his.

“Let’s go to bed,” he suggested, knowing she was right. But he also knew he wouldn’t let anything happen to either of them.

“Kyle, I have to tell you, I only have two pills left.”

“We’ll get your prescription filled.”

“The people who took me usually give them to us. If you had it filled, they might know I’m with you and not Joe.”

“I’ll get Joe to call them and let them know he’ll refill it for you. They probably won’t mind as long as they don’t have to pay.

“But I’m curious, why would they care if the girls are on the pill, since they insist on condoms being used at all times?”

“They don’t want the women getting pregnant, because that would mean they couldn’t work and make money for them.”

“Makes sense. Let’s get some sleep. I’ll call Joe in the morning,” he promised. He gave her a kiss, and they drifted off to sleep.