Sig’s breath puffed over me when he let out a large exhale. His arm tightened, dragging me back against his body more firmly. “Don’t worry, you’ll get used to it here with us.”
That made the silent sobs stick in my chest. I wiped furiously at my tear stained cheeks then cast him a dark look over my shoulder. “No, I won’t.”
His smile was soft, not condescending like Rafe’s. “Sorry, Gorgeous, but you don’t really have a choice in the matter.” With that he closed his eyes and fell back asleep.
I listened to his deep, steady breathing for a while, trying to close my own eyes and rest. After sleeping all night, there was no way I was going to nap. Sighing, I squirmed in his grasp.
His arm tightened reflexively, pinning me in place. “What,” he mumbled, still mostly asleep.
“I’m not tired,” I muttered.
He grunted then fell back into a steady sleep. I stared at the side of the hut, counting bricks and making my new plan of escape. I’d hack off my own arm before I stayed here and begged Rafe for anything.
The other two assholes follow their leader like puppy dogs, so…fuck them, too.
* * *
Boots thumpingagainst the floor jerked me out of sleep. I woke, groggy and cranky, from being forced into a nap I hadn’t wanted.
Arsen and Rafe moved around and I watched them silently. Sig groaned and stirred behind me. I ignored the way his dick dug into my back as he roused. I wasn’t in the mood to entertain any fantasies about these men right now. My libido was no match for my temper.
A deep chuckle reverberated around the room and my eyes shot over to Arsen. He murmured something to Rafe, then nodded toward me.
Silver eyes clashed with my own and we held a staring contest for a few minutes. The darker my look got the harder his face turned. His stunning features looked like they were carved out of granite.
He snapped something at Arsen, then walked out the door, ignoring my obvious displeasure.
Sig finally let me up now that the others were around and I stood, stretching sore muscles as I watched the other two go about their routine.
Without speaking, they met in the middle of the floor. Sig pulled on his pants, but remained shirtless and barefoot. I watched curiously as they exchanged words in a language I didn’t recognize.
With a sharp word from Sig they both dropped to the floor and started doing pushups. It was a race. My eyes roamed over them, Sig’s back muscles flexed with each movement and Arsen’s shirt looked like it was going to burst at the seams. These guys were seriously ripped. Without a weight room around this must be how they kept so fit.
I considered joining in, I could use the exercise. Anything to relieve the boredom and burn off the frustration. Wind buffeted the hut, howling low as it slid past the building. The outside called to me. I’d been stuck in here for too long and I needed fresh air.
Stretching my arms over my head, I stepped outside. Rafe’s head snapped up as the wind snapped the door shut behind me. I was still only wearing Sig’s t-shirt, but it was long enough to preserve my modesty.
I’d figured out from Rafe’s irritated look this morning that he didn’t like the door slamming shut. It was my mission to do everything I could to drive him crazy. Judging by the look on his face now, I’d just racked up another point in my column. I’d make sure to let the door slam every time.
He was sorting things into separate cloth bags. I hadn’t seen the piles of things around anywhere this morning, or when I searched the hut yesterday before my great escape.
I sat down on the log closest to him and peered around him at the things he had laid out in front of him. The annoyance radiated off him like a heat wave. I smiled and leaned a bit closer. “What is all that?”
He grunted, as if that was an answer, picked up a bag that was already tied shut and thrust it at me.
Taking the bag from his hand, I leaned back and opened it. I would have been pissed at myself for my gasp of pleasure, only it was deserved. Inside the bag were a few pairs of clothing—the same they wore, black and brown BDU style pants and t-shirts—underwear, socks, all in my size. On top of that sat deodorant, feminine hygiene products, soap, shampoo, conditioner, and best of all a toothbrush. I’d had to do my best with a wet cloth and toothpaste this morning and I already needed another scrub down from the bucket of clean water and rags they kept inside the hut. The heat out here was enough to make us all stink, but the deodorant would help with that.
This definitely didn’t come from the local markets. These items had to be requisitioned from a western supplier, and to have gotten them so fast?
Who the fuck are these guys?
I was practically face down in the bag, digging around to see what goodies he’d given me when the other two came out and sat down.
Tying the bag back up and clutching it to my chest, I debated with myself. On one hand, I knew I should throw it back in his face and tell him to suck it. But that would be cutting my nose off to spite my face and I wasn’t that stupid or egotistical. Besides, he wasn’t making me beg to keep the stuff. Was this real generosity, or were my captors trying to break down my defenses?
I eyed the side of his face, drinking in his handsome features as he continued sorting the rest of the things between three other bags. Sighing, because my mamahadtaught me manners, I told him, “Thank you.”
His eyes flicked over and I saw surprise there before he gave me a nod of acknowledgment and went back to work.
Maybe this could be a truce between us, for now. “Where did you get this stuff?” I asked. Before he or Arsen could answer a picture floated through my mind and I started laughing. The laughing turned a bit hysterical at one point and they were all three staring at me like I was certifiable.
“Sorry,” I gasped in between giggles. “It’s just… I pictured an Amazon Delivery guy riding up on a camel with Prime packages strapped to the animal.”
Sig barked out a laugh and Arsen chuckled at the mental image. I met silver eyes and Rafe’s lips twitched slightly before he turned and walked away.
Well, damn. I’d almost gotten him to smile. I hurried into the hut to wash up, brush my teeth, and change my dirty clothes. I was beginning to realize that such things were the only luxury I’d get out here while I was stuck with these guys, so I wasn’t going to waste it.