Jamie Begley - Tainted

Unable to bear the scrutiny in his eyes, she turned away to sit on the side of the bed. It was a relief to know that Vida was safe.

“I can’t forget about those women kidnapped for the next three months.” How could he expect her to feel nothing for the women she had lain in a dark room with, hearing their cries for help every night?

She heard Kaden’s frustrated sigh before his words had her staring back at him in confusion. “Alec is taking care of it, Sawyer. That’s all I can tell you for now. You have to trust me. Did I let Rick take you and the other women? Haven’t I kept you safe? The other women who Rick sent to the hotel are safe and can’t be touched, either.”

Sawyer had no reason to trust him. He had held her locked up for several weeks. So how could she possibly depend on him? Yet she did. He hadn’t hurt her. In fact, his band and he had been hurt because of her. They were taking a chance to help her and possibly destroying their career that provided them with a very lucrative income. Surely they wouldn’t jeopardize their livelihood unless they thought they were doing the right thing.

This time it was Sawyer who sighed. She was out of options; she really didn’t have a choice in the matter. Either she could stay their hostage for the next three months or be a paid hostage with enough money to provide Vida and her the opportunity to start over without Redman finding them.

“Okay.” Sawyer had no other choice; she gave in to his blackmail.

“We have a deal?”

“We have a deal.” Sawyer felt as if she had just sold a part of herself she would never get back.

Sawyer stood backstage watching Mouth2Mouth perform on the monitor; they were mesmerizing. She had learned the hard way that watching them from a few feet away was overwhelming. She could understand the crowd’s response of shouts and trying to get closer to the stage, which the security had to keep heavily guarded in order to push them back.

Kaden was singing with Alyce on the stage. They were dancing in a way that looked more like humping to Sawyer, and the crowd was going nuts. Alyce’s ass was grinding back on Kaden’s dick as his arms circled her waist with his hands pressed flat on her stomach, pulling her back to him. How they could concentrate on the words to the song she didn’t know. The sexual tension was apparent between the two and everyone around them felt it. D-mon and Sin’s eyes were surveying the crowd and Sawyer wondered who they would pick for a quickie before the bus left the arena.

The encore over, the lights dimmed and the band exited the stage to applause that sounded throughout the whole arena.

“Let’s go,” Alec said as they passed at the same time that Sawyer spotted D-mon giving a motion of his hand toward a pretty woman still trying to get near the stage, letting the security guard know who he’d chosen.

Turning, she followed the band and Alec as they returned to the VIP room, which quickly filled with press and fans who were allowed admittance. Sawyer found an empty chair, making herself comfortable for the next hour. Kaden had told her that they would be staying on the bus tonight as they drove to R.J.’s home.

They would stay there for the week before resuming the concert tour. It had never felt less like spring to her. She hoped Vida was having a better time than she was, but doubted it, how much fun could it be watching women strip?

She watched the band take photos and sign autographs as Alyce once again managed to stick by Kaden, making sure they were photographed together each time. The woman couldn’t have made it more obvious that she was attracted to Kaden, and he flirted back, causing the sexual tension to become increasingly evident with each concert. It was only a matter of time before they acted on it, if they hadn’t already done so. Sometimes, to alleviate the boredom, someone would ride on Alyce’s bus. Kaden had disappeared twice for a few hours before coming back.

Sawyer looked away when she saw Alyce stand on her toes to brush her mouth against his just as another picture was taken.

She noticed all the men in the room were agitated tonight. D-mon and Sin, both heavy drinkers, were really hitting the liquor tonight. Without a doubt, both men were going to have serious hangovers in the morning. The woman who had been picked from the audience was wedged between the two men on the couch, clearly overwhelmed by the attention she was receiving from them both.

D-mon stood to his feet, taking the woman’s hand before leading her into the bathroom off the VIP room. The surprising part was when Sin got to his feet to follow behind them, and Sawyer saw all three enter the bathroom.

She took a drink of water as she tore her gaze away from the closed door.

“You doing okay?” Ax asked, sitting down on the arm of her chair.

“Yes, you did great tonight, Ax.” She smiled at the band member who she felt the most relaxed with as he sprawled his long legs out in front of him.

“I thought most bands left after the concert?” Sawyer asked the question that had been on her mind since the first concert.

“Most do, but I suppose we stay because we started out playing in local bars and would hang out afterward, and due to the fact that we’re touring so heavily right now, it gives us a break from the bus.” His eyes smiled into hers, making her aware he had known what had caught her attention before he had sat down. “Besides, D-mon and Sin like to unwind after a show, so unless we stay at a hotel, they do their socializing before we get back on the bus.”

Sawyer actually understood. While the bus was opulently furnished, and the most had been made of the space, it was still confining, especially with so many people on board.

“It’s going to be nice to take a break and sleep in an actual bed for a week,” Ax confided.

“You’re not missing your family?”

“My parents are both in Australia, so I would spend more time traveling, which I’m sick of right now.”

The bathroom door opened and the woman came out, flushed, and with her hair a mess, while both Sin and D-mon returned with a more relaxed air about them.

“I guess that means we can go,” Ax said, starting to stand.

“Kaden and you don’t meet and greet the locals?” Sawyer felt herself turning red when he hesitated, staring down at her.

“No, we don’t do quickies,” he said with a wicked grin before leaving.

Just then, Alec motioned to her and she rose to her feet. I’m really beginning to feel like a lapdog, she thought resentfully.

The crowd outside the arena had thinned, so it wasn’t an ordeal to pass through the door to get back on the bus. Sawyer went directly back to her room, tired tonight. They had taken an extra encore tonight, plus hung out a couple of hours. She wanted to shower and climb into bed.

Unfortunately, Kaden was a few steps behind her, his hand preventing her from shutting the door.

“I need to take a shower,” Kaden said, coming into the room. Sawyer took a step back, letting him enter.

He went to the closet, gathered his clothes and went into the bathroom without a backward glance. Sawyer stuck her tongue out at the door then, feeling childish at her response, she flipped on the television.

She had watched more television the last few weeks than she had in years. If she didn’t find something to occupy her mind soon, she was going to scream. The bus jarred slightly then quit. The bathroom door opened and Kaden came out, making Sawyer get to her feet to use the restroom, using the opportunity to escape his presence while he finished dressing. At that moment, the bus gave a loud pop and swerved.

Sawyer lost her balance, putting her hands out to stop herself from falling at the same time that Kaden reached out, managing to grab her just as the bus swerved again, sending them both to the floor. Sawyer landed heavily on top of Kaden, fearing they were about to crash, and then was relieved when the bus came to a stop.

“What happened?” Sawyer gasped, staring down into Kaden’s eyes.

“I’d say we have a flat,” Kaden answered, staring up at her.

Sawyer started to get to her feet, aware of his large body lying underneath hers; however, a hand on the back of her neck stopped her.

“What’s your hurry?” Kaden gave her what she was sure was a smile that landed him in many women’s beds.

“I—is this you flirting with me?”

His hand on the back of her neck started caressing the sensitive skin.

“And if I am?” Again came the insincere smile meant to turn her bones to water.

“T—then I’d say don’t waste your time.” Sawyer clamored to her feet, making sure her elbow jabbed into his ribs.

Kaden winced as he got to his own feet. “Why?”

Sawyer’s mouth dropped open, and then she closed it with a snap. “I don’t know, maybe because you wouldn’t let me leave when I wanted to. It’s called kidnapping.”

“We’ve worked that all out.” She couldn’t believe the arrogant man thought that she would just forget that he hadn’t let her go.

“This conversation is over. It just shows how big an ass you are.” Sawyer turned to go into the bathroom, giving him a disgusted look.

The anger that came over his face had Sawyer realizing a man like Kaden could take no for an answer, but challenging him was a different matter.

He moved to block her path. “Exactly what should I have done, Sawyer? Let you call the police so those other women Redman has could disappear? Or open the door and let you leave and give Redman the opportunity to have you before you managed to take two steps out the hotel door?” His lean body came nearer to hers, forcing her to move backwards until she came up against the edge of the bed. Sawyer forced herself to stay still.