Willing Captive

Turning back to the laptop, I’m immediately wary. “Where’s Lily?”

“Rock’s teaching her to throw a decent punch.” My brows crease as she continues, “I’ve been teaching her self-defense, too.” She nods before she asks accusingly, “What the fuck have you been doing for her?”

Hold up.

What’d she just say?

Opening my mouth to answer, she holds up a hand and I stop in my tracks. Put in my place like a small child, she utters, “Never been disappointed in you, Nox. Never. Till now.”

Fury works its way up my stomach and sits, waiting to strike in my solar plexus. I don’t speak.

Don’t have to explain myself to anyone.

Boo’s face falls as she whispers, “What is up with you?”

Lifting my face to hers, I glare. Hard.

Boo doesn’t flinch.

She’s known me too long. Knows my intimidation tactics.

Lowering my gaze back to the laptop, I murmur, “Don’t gotta explain myself to you.”

Hurt crosses her features and I feel like an asshole. Not enough to apologize.

She hisses through gritted teeth, “Fine.”

Typing away, I say, “Fine.”

Not liking my being a smartass, she growls, “Fine!”

My brows furrow and I shout to her retreating form, “Fine!”

The door slams shut, matching the sound of my slamming the laptop shut.

***

Lily

Panting, sweating, and mentally cursing, I kick even higher than last time. My entire body throbs. Getting him in the shoulder, the dummy barely wobbles. This pisses me off. His blank, stupid looking face mocks me. I want to punch him in his silicone nose.

How the hell can I be getting weaker the more I train?

“You’re trying too hard, Lil. Cool off for a minute, then we’ll start again.” Rock calls out from across the room. “This happens, ya know? When you train too hard, you get exhausted. Happens to the best of us.”

Placing my hands on my hips, I bend forward at the waist. Panting, I reply breathily, “Get out of my head, Rock.”

Walking over to me, he smirks and unwraps the tape on my hands. He’s wearing a pair of basketball shorts. That’s all. Gotta admit, it’s nice having something to look at while you work out. Especially if that someone looks like Rock.

Yummy.

His olive skin gleams with perspiration. I flush as I wonder what his sweat would taste like. I also thank God that Rock isn’t a telepath. My eyes glide down his defined stomach to the indent forming a V then even lower to the low riding elastic on the waist of his shorts and I gulp.

Dear God, I’m a pervert.

Snapping my head up, my gaze meets Rock’s. Eyes crinkled, he says through a soft laugh, “Why, lovely Lily, you’re blushing.”

Crap! Busted.

“Sorry,” I mumble under my breath, my face flaming further.

“Look all you want, babe. Makes me feel like I’m doin’ somethin’ right.” His warm-brown eyes crinkle further and I slap a hand to my forehead. Rock bursts into laughter and I can’t stop the chuckle that bubbles up my throat.

Rock’s a lot of fun. He’s also my friend.

God, it’s nice to say that.

I have friends! I mentally squeal while jumping up and down like a fangirl.

Boo gave me three sets of workout clothes. The sports bras she gave fit almost perfectly, but she’s a little bigger in the booty. Luckily, not so much bigger that the shorts will fall off, but I do have to pull them up quite a lot while exercising.

My appetite has come back with a vengeance, so I no longer look like I’m terminally ill, but I’ve noticed working out makes me even hungrier. Boo and Rock are so relieved that I’m eating again. And this makes me happy because I like seeing them happy.

Still resting, I’m caught unawares when Rock grabs me from behind. One strong arm around my middle, the other crossed between my breasts, his hand gripping my shoulder tight.

And shit! It’s a tight hold.

Gritting my teeth, my hands move to his arms and I kick out. I struggle hard for a full minute before wheezing out, “I can’t do it!”

Lips to my ear, he says softly, “Close your eyes.” I trust Rock, so I do as I’m told. He goes on, “Feel me around you.”

Damn, that sounds like a line out of one of my erotic romance novels!

My stomach clenches as he says, “I know I got ya good, but think, Lily. Just think. What can you use to get free?” I’m already exhausted from struggling and getting nowhere. He says firmly, “Stop struggling. Now.”

And I do.

He whispers, “Think, babe.”

And I’m so damn tired that I lose the fight in me. Melting back into him, I utter hoarsely, “I give up, Rock. I can’t. Not today.”

A loud cough at the doorway draws my attention.

Well, well, well. If it isn’t Mr. You’re-My-Responsibility-But-I-Don’t-Have-Time-For-You!

Nox stands in the doorway, jaw tight, looking as if he’s holding himself back from doing something bad. His cold-blue eyes meet mine. The vein in his temple sticks out as he growls, “Having fun?”

Rock’s body shakes with laughter and his breath warms my neck. The strong arm between my boobs tightens a little and my eyes widen. So here I am, between two hottie-commando men. One has me wrapped up, the other looks like his order of protection just turned to an order of elimination.

And I’m just here, hanging mid-air in some hot guy’s arms.

My brain adds in a sing-song voice, “Awkward!”

Cheeks flushed hot pink, I thank the heavens above when Rock sets me down on my feet. He sounds amused when he tells me, “Tomorrow, you rest up. But you have what’s called an active rest day. So no lyin’ in bed all day, okay? Find something to do that keeps you moving. Go for a walk around the house or some shit, but don’t let your muscles seize. That’s your mission tomorrow.” Looking up

at Nox, he smirks, “Laters, Lily.” Then he’s gone.

Standing face to face with a still pissed Nox, I find myself getting pissed, too. Nox just has that effect on me. I swear this guy must’ve been conceived through backdoor action. There’s no way being that much of an asshole is natural .

Turning my back, I gather my towel and water bottle before uttering casually, “Haven’t seen you in almost a week.”

When I turn back around, he slowly places his hands in his cargo pants’ pockets and grumbles, “Been busy.”

And that, my friends, is the straw that broke the camel’s back.

You know when you send someone a really long, heartfelt text message? You put so much effort into that damn text message and are so excited to send it and all they send you back in return is pissy ‘ok’?

Well, I hate that ‘ok’ text! And every second answer that comes out of Nox could be classified as an ‘ok’ text message.

Gah! Infuriating man!

My eyes flare at his short and curt answer. Placing a hand on my hip, I spit, “You’re such an asshole!” And that’s not all folks. Oh no. I don’t stop there. “And a bully!”

Nox remains impassive. Which, not surprisingly, only spurs me on. “And I don’t think I like you very much.”

A minute passes, we don’t take our eyes off each other. And now…I’m mortified.

Nox hasn’t moved an inch. His face remains blank. He never gives anything away. This, of course, makes me angrier. I fume in silence. What is it about this man that makes me go from zero to bitch in less than a second?

Apologize. Not his fault you’re takin’ the crazy train to loopsville.

I mentally sigh. Yeah. That wasn’t cool.

Just as I open my mouth to apologize, a shrill siren shrieks throughout the house.