Paetyn’s POV
The longer I sit on the mattress, staring at the moldy roof, and counting each time the masked man enters the room, the more I begin to lose my goddamn mind. Just as I thought would happen. Each second ticks by painfully slow, leaving me with nothing to do but sit and think. Think about the situation I’m in. Think about my mother and if she’s okay. And think about the masked man and the tension between us that only seems to grow each time he visits my room.
A few days have passed since I got myself off to my captor. Shame and guilt have plagued me ever since, reminding me how terrible of a person I am. I have a fiance searching for me, and here I am finger fucking myself at the thought of another man. The same man who kidnapped me.
I’m beyond fucked up. Or maybe I’m just going crazy the longer I’m trapped inside these four walls. The walls feel as though they’re closin
Paetyn’s POVMy eyes snap open, and my heart thunders in my chest. I open my mouth to speak, but only a puff of air escapes, followed by the realization that I’m fucked.I want to tell him he’s insane, but the dampness between my thighs gives me away, calling me a liar. I would rather lose every ounce of air from my lungs before admitting he’s right. Hell, I don’t even know why my body is reacting to my kidnapper this way, but I’m helpless to stop it. At this point, it has a mind of its own, and apparently, that entails being turned on by being held captive.Liam’s face appears in my mind, reminding me how wrong this is and why I shouldn’t be thinking about a stranger the way I am, but when he tightens his grip around my throat, the image disappears, replaced with burning desire deep in my core.Goddamnit.“I asked you a question,” he utters, his voice dangerously low. He drags his nose across my cheek, his war
Paetyn’s POVBANG!My eyes snap open at the loud noise. It’s hard to figure out where it came from within the house, but it sounded close. I’m disoriented with sleep-crusted eyes as I pull the thin sheet up to my chin, staring at the locked door to the room.What is my kidnapper doing? Besides the time he woke me up talking loudly on the phone, I tend not to hear a peep from him throughout the day. I don’t know what he does when he isn’t bringing me food and watching me eat—or fucking me like a depraved man—but he certainly doesn’t usually make noise like that.My heart nearly leaps out of my throat at the sound of rushing footsteps. Not just one set of footsteps, but I detect multiple.What is going on? Has my captor finally decided to sell me to a group of traffickers, and now they’ve come to collect me?I scoot back further on the mattress, the box
PaetynThe insistent beeping of the machines surrounding my bed has been driving me insane all night. At this point, I would rather have the silence of the shack I spent the last week trapped in.Since arriving at the hospital yesterday afternoon, I haven’t slept a wink. It’s a little hard when nurses and doctors are rushing in and out of the room to check my vitals and ensure I’m doing okay. Add to that a horde of reporters trying to get a statement from the woman who survived a kidnapping and lived to tell the tale and you’ve got yourself a goddamn nightmare.Thankfully, Liam has been kind enough to handle the media for me as I’m in no condition to be speaking with them. I’m exhausted, desperate for a proper night’s rest in my bed at home, and want nothing more than to see my mother. When I was rescued, Liam informed me that he had been visiting my mother to ensure she knew he was doing everything he could to find me. I was grateful to hear such an update since I had been worried ab
PaetynUtensils clinging against porcelain plates echo in the back of my mind. It’s a sound that wouldn’t normally annoy me, but when it’s mixed with Liam and his father’s nonstop chattering about politics and how Liam is doing in the polls, it’s now irritating the hell out of me.I sigh. I’ve only taken two bites out of my medium-rare steak, though it is cooked to perfection, and I haven’t touched the roasted veggies beside it. I haven’t been able to eat much since I’ve gotten home. I don’t know if I got used to eating sandwiches and soup while being held in the shack or if my lack of appetite is due to my mind constantly thinking about that damn masked man.Either way, Liam’s mom is starting to notice my full plate compared to theirs.“Paetyn, honey. Are you okay?”I lift my eyes from the cold food and meet Angie’s gaze. Her light blue eyes hold a quizzical look about them as they search my face. Angie lowers her cutlery beside her empty plate and clasps her fingers together on her
Paetyn“Okay, that’s it for our session, Amy. I will see you again in two weeks.”My patient stands from the chair opposite me, fiddling with the ends of her long, auburn hair. “Thank you for today.”I lean forward to lay my notebook on the wooden coffee table in front of me and stand, meeting Amy’s gaze. A warm smile touches my lips as I regard her. She has been coming to see me regularly for the past two years. She’s in her early twenties, struggling with debilitating anxiety and depression. Despite being diagnosed with something life-altering, she still makes the effort every two weeks to sit down and talk with me. Amy might not see it yet, but in the time I have been seeing her, she has made progress. Mostly in the way she thinks and some of her actions. But there is still much more progress to make.“Get home safe, okay?” I wait for Amy to pass me before I follow her out of the room. My heels click against the vinyl floor, echoing throughout the front foyer.Clarissa smiles at me
AceListening to bones splinter beneath my fist is like music to my fucking ears.Drops of blood glide down my cheek, landing on my bare arm as it hurdles toward the man’s fucked up face. The blow is sickening to my ears, followed by a deep groan. Again, hearing someone in pain because of me is something I could listen to all damn day.“Please… stop.” His breaths are labored, the syllables cracking slightly. His shaved head is slick with blood and sweat. “It wasn’t… my fault.”I exhale a sharp breath and stand back, admiring my handiwork. The skin around his eyes is swollen to the point I’m sure I look like a blurry blob, and bruises are starting to form on his cheekbones which I’m sure are shattered inside his skull. Blood, both dry and fresh, litters his face.He looks like fucking shit.When I dragged his ass in here last night, kicking and screaming like a goddamn child, I knew he wasn’t going to make it easy for me. The poor bastard pushed my buttons, trying to talk me out of wha
PaetynI know he’s watching me.Every day for the past two weeks, I’ve felt his intense gaze no matter where I am. The gym, leaving work, visiting Liam’s parents, whenever I’m at the hospital visiting my mom, or even sitting in the living room with Liam by my side.He texts me every day, too. Sometimes it’s flirty messages or simple ones asking how my day was. I haven’t replied since Liam caught me texting him during dinner after he threatened to burst into the house and fuck me in front of my fiancé. I could barely look Liam in the eye when he asked who I was texting. I had to play it off that it was Raya.I couldn’t deny the adrenaline rush coursing through me at the moment, wondering if my captor was crazed enough to make good on his threat. I mean, he kidnapped me, so I’m sure breaking and entering is nothing to him.Either way, I couldn’t bring myself to respond to any of his text messages. The more I engage with him, as Raya said, the more danger I’m putting myself in. I thought
PaetynIt took me far too long to drag myself off the floor of the grimy alleyway and walk the rest of the way to my car. My body moved on autopilot as I drove home.After the interaction with Ace, I was left feeling frustrated, both physically and sexually. I hated that I let myself feel affected by his words and even more so that I was turned on by them. It’s wrong for me to feel this attracted to him, but it’s almost as if my body has a mind of its own right now. No matter how many times I tell myself this is wrong, and I need to stay away from this dangerous man, I find myself thinking about him and the night we shared.Ace is messing with my fucking head.When I walk through the front door, Liam is pacing the living room with his phone pressed against his ear. His features are lit up with what I can only assume is joy as he speaks.He doesn’t see me walk in, so I take my leave and go upstairs to have a shower so as not to disturb him. Having a moment to myself before I face my fi
Ace’s POVA scream pierces through the air, sharp and painful. Any normal person would cringe at the sound or be filled with such fear it would make their knees wobble like a newborn fawn. But I’m not a normal person. Never claimed to be. I’m the fucking devil. I squat in front of the man chained to the roof of the basement in the Gambino mansion. His trembling arms are attached to the hook on the low ceiling by a thick metal clasp. He hangs there helplessly, leaving the rest of his body exposed to me to do with as I please. My gaze rakes over the sweat and blood clinging to his pale skin. Bruises and gashes paint his body like the finest piece of artwork, thanks to my fists. Electricity thrums through my veins at the sight of this kid, not much older than nineteen if I had to guess. I should feel some ounce of remorse for punishing someone who is nowhere near mature enough to understand his actions. And some part of me wants to feel that because he doesn’t know any better. But I d
Paetyn’s POVI’m concerned about Ace. Last week, I noticed he had busted knuckles that were split and beginning to bruise around the torn skin. When I asked what happened to him, he gave me that same straight-faced look I always get when I asked questions about his job. I know he is an enforcer and has to hurt people, but it doesn’t make me any less worried about him when he leaves in the morning. Not knowing if he’s out on the streets in danger sends me into a spiral more often than not. I know he’s a man capable of looking after himself, but it still doesn’t ease the tension in my chest. He won’t tell me the details of his job, and I don’t expect him to, but sometimes I think I would be better off knowing to help me relax a little more. But until that day comes—if ever—I will have to get used to worrying about my boyfriend. Boyfriend. It’s an odd feeling thinking of him as that. Who would’ve known that Ace, my kidnapper and stalker, would become my boyfriend? Certainly not me, bu
Ace’s POVEnzo was adamant about this shakedown going smoothly. He doesn’t want a single thing to go wrong. The goal is to get the message across to the Bonanno crew and their leader, Antonio, that we’re not to be messed with. If they don’t back off, Enzo will have no problem coming at them full force with me at his side. And unfortunately for them, I like getting my hands dirty. All the made men in the group stand around me, black hoods covering their heads, concealing their identities. Enzo ensured they were equipped with every weapon under the sun that’ll be useful in protecting them if shit goes south. I’d like to think I have this under control. After all, Enzo trusted me to do this, so I’m going to do it right. “Does everyone remember the plan?” My voice is quiet but deep in an attempt to not be detected where we stand in the shadows of the quarry. The full moon is our only source of light, which works in our favor for staying hidden. “The Bonanno crew have a gun shipment comi
Ace’s POVIt took every ounce of self control I possessed to not kill Patrick Aster with my bare hands. The smug look on his face when he told Paetyn to publicly name herself as an obsessed ex-fiancee to save Liam’s ass, and in return she’ll recieve one million dollars, had me seeing red. If Paetyn wasn’t standing in front of me, I would have lunged for the motherfucker. As much as I wanted to paint my hands red with his blood for having the audacity to speak to my girl that way, I reigned in my temper and allowed her to make her own decisions. Plus, I got far too much enjoyment out of seeing his face when I answered as her boyfriend. I’m sure Pat will have a swell time informing his son of that development. Paetyn trails me as we walk the small pathway to the front door of our house. Her presence behind me is all-consuming, like a wildfire licking at my back, ready to devour me. Every inch of her is ingrained in my mind—there isn’t a thing I don’t know about this woman or what she
Paetyn’s POVThe Aster mansion sends chills down my spine. Every dinner I ate with them consisted of Liam and Pat talking about politics while Angie smiled and nodded along as if it were the most riveting of topics. I was always bored out of my mind because not only am I not interested in politics, but they hardly ever included me in their conversation. All they cared about was their precious son. The same son who had me kidnapped and held hostage as a trick for his campaign.I never thought I’d be back here after I ended the engagement with Liam, but now, here I stand, staring down the barrel of the gun. My muscles itch, desperate for me to turn around and hightail it back to the comfort of Ace’s house where I know I’m safe. Here… anything can happen. No one is truly safe in the presence of Patrick Aster.“Pae, are you okay?” Ace’s hand rests on my shoulder, his chest brushing my back. I lean into the warmth of his hand, soaking in the comfort his gentle touch brings me. “If you
Paetyn’s POVMy legs ache as I pace the bedroom, hands clasped firmly behind my back. The skin on my bottom lip is raw from the amount of times I’ve dragged my teeth over it, thoughts lost on the phone call I received this afternoon. Pat Aster wants to meet with me. Why? Why now after weeks of this back and forth with Liam? I’m sure he’s looking to squash this fire before it grows into an inferno, but how does he think this will go? Intimidate me until I roll over and pretend this never happened? He’s delusional if he thinks I’m going to allow his son to get away with what he did to me. Liam deserves every ounce of bad karma coming his way. It would be in my best interest to tell him to shove his meeting where the sun doesn’t shine because he doesn’t deserve a second of my town. But on the other hand, curiosity is pushing me toward needing to know what Pat’s intentions are. If I don’t show up on Monday, I may never know what he wants, and that worries me more than actually meetin
Ace’s POVVoices echo through my mind like an incessant pounding of a drum, grating on every last nerve. I grit my teeth to avoid telling everyone to shut up so I can think. It doesn’t help that we’re crammed into the formal dining room in Enzo’s mansion, waiting for him to arrive. My nails dig painfully into my palms, my fists pressed to my thighs. The wooden chair creak beneath my weight as I lean back, staring at the deep mahogany table I’m sure must’ve cost a fortune. Glasses of whiskey litter the vast space, consumed at different paces by the men occupying every seat. They’re men I’ve known for many years and respect, but right now, I want to get lost in my thoughts about a certain silver-haired woman. Walking the streets of New York City with Paetyn a few days ago was unexpected, and, dare I say, relaxing–eventually. The moment we stepped out of my house, her hand wrapped in mine, tension lined every muscle in my body. Even through lunch, I couldn’t help but feel as though som
Paetyn’s POV“Thank you for coming in today, Ben.” I push open the door to my office and move to the side, locking my gaze on the man not much older than me rising from his seat on the couch. “I have you scheduled for two weeks from today for your next session.”Ben rubs the back of his neck, unable to meet my eyes as he steps past me into the hallway. “Thank you, Miss Jones.” His large frame turns in the hallway, brown eyes lifting from the ground to meet mine. “I needed this.”I smile. “I’m glad to hear that. You’re making great progress with your anxiety and depression, so keep up with the techniques we spoke about today, and then we can discuss how they’ve helped in our next session.”Ben nods. “Of course. I’ll see you in two weeks.”My grip on the handle tightens, and I lift my hand in a wave. “Take care, Ben.” My client turns and walks down the hallway, disappearing into the foyer.I exhale a sharp breath and run a hand down the side of my face, exhaustion settling into my bones
Paetyn’s POV“I really shouldn’t have had that extra pizza slice.” A soft groan escapes my parted lips as I rub my stomach, regretting my recent choices. “You said you were hungry,” Ace points out, his arm brushing mine as we wander through Central Park. His hand tightens around my fingers, as if he’s claiming me for everyone to see. “I was only doing what you asked of me.”“I know,” I whine, tilting my head back with a pout turning down my lips. “But I wish you had told me no or dragged me past the food stand. It feels like my stomach is creating the largest food baby known to mankind.”Ace snorts a laugh. “Pae, you’re being dramatic.”“I don’t know that I am,” I murmur, returning my gaze forward. Central Park has to be the most stunning place during winter. Frost and snow cover the grass lining the walkway, and the benches require a mini snow plougher to rid them of the thick snow. Footprints from hundreds of people span the width of the walkway, telling a story of eager tourists