Captured By The Mercenaries

So much for gaining his trust.

Inwardly, I sighed. Oh well. That would have to start tomorrow. Same with my next meal, I better savor this piece of meat.

My stomach gurgled happily as the meat settled in it. It was likely all I was getting tonight. I doubted Rafe was going to trust his fingers around me again so soon.

He quickly proved how little I knew him. Shifting, he brought over another bite for me. This time he paused, giving me the opportunity to take it from him. A wise choice.

Leaning forward, I opened my mouth, only to pause when he spoke.

“If you bite me again, Pet, you’re not going to like what happens.”

Our eyes clashed and a deep shiver moved down my body. There was a promise there in his eyes. One I wasn’t ready to make good on. Warmth filled my belly at his ominous threat. Never would I have thought I’d be attracted to a man like him. One who was so…callous, moody…dangerous. The men I’d dated in the past had been refined, nice, and raised with manners. Rafe didn’t care about appropriate social etiquette. He did what he wanted and only for reasons that suited him.

Delicately, I bit down on the meat, careful to keep my teeth off his skin. The flavor was amazing. He was a good cook considering all he had were some spices and a campfire.

We continued eating and though I hated giving in and doing it this way, I was happy to feel full again. We were starting to get an understanding of each other. Trust would soon follow. Or at least I hoped it would. It didn’t matter that I was planning on violating it at the first given opportunity.

* * *

The next morning,I was back to attempting to behave. It would work as long as Rafe didn’t piss me off. Clearly I lacked the discipline to play his game and fake it. I figured I had an icicle’s shot in this hell hole of making it more than a few hours, but I had to try.

Breakfast was quiet, minus me asking to be fed. I’d managed it without clenching my teeth, though it still left a sour taste in my mouth. But I swallowed my pride and did it.

“I’ll do the dishes,” I offered after breakfast was over.

Sig looked like he was about to take me up on the offer when Rafe piped in. “No.”

“Why not?” I asked glaring at him. His lips twitched, reminding me I wasn’t supposed to be fighting with him. Oops.

“We don’t need you having access to knives.”

“Or forks,” Arsen added, then laughed when I flipped him off. “I saw firsthand what you can do with sharp implements, Little Warrior.”

So, I sat around while they did their morning chores. They were discussing something in Russian so it likely had to do with the reason they were out here. Taking a stick, I drew in the dirt as I listened to their conversation. I didn’t have a clue what was going on, but I enjoyed hearing them. Their voices were deep and soothing.

I paused and frowned as that realization dawned. I wasn’t afraid of them anymore and though it’d only been a short time, I really did trust them. I slept in their arms, ate from their hands, and knew that they’d protect me if I needed it. Suspicion circled my mind, making me wonder if this was what Rafe had in mind this entire time. Had he been doing things to gain my trust when I hadn’t realized it?

“What’re you doing?”

Glancing up, I realized they were done. My own thoughts and worries had drowned them out. “Trying not to die of boredom,” I snapped with a bit more irritation than I’d meant. Even if their end game was to build trust—essentially the same thing I’d decided to do—it didn’t change anything. I had to get them to believe that I wouldn’t go against their orders. That I would stay. Otherwise, I’d be stuck here.

“A bit dramatic,” Sig said with a chuckle.

“Not really,” I shot back. “I’m not used to sitting around with nothing to do.”

“Shall we entertain you, Little Warrior?” Arsen asked, his eyes gleaming.

I knew exactly what he was asking, but something popped into my head. “Yeah, actually.”

His brows shot up and he and Sig exchanged a surprised look. Arsen stood up and walked over to me. I slapped a hand on his thigh to help keep distance between where I sat and he stood. The last thing I needed was him grabbing me. He’d proven yesterday that he was a hard man to deny and I wasn’t feeling particularly strong willed today.

“You speak Arabic, right?”

That hadn’t been what he was expecting. “I do.”

“Will you teach me?”

“Why, Pet?”