Jamie Begley - Tainted

Kaden was one of those vocalists who could sing anything and compel the audience into a realm he controlled with his voice, making you feel each song as if he’d written and sung it just for you.

“He’s special, isn’t he?” Sawyer whispered to Alec.

“Yes, he is. Last time, he let his fame control him. Now, he controls it. It’s taken a long time, but this time, I think Kaden can survive this world.”

“You remained friends after you both left rehab?” Sawyer had wondered about his relationship with Kaden.

“Yes. Kaden, Ax and I would spend weekends together, about once every month or two.” Sawyer studied Alec, seeing the lines around the eyes of a man much older.

“Boys’ night out? Fishing? Gambling?” she teased.

“We like to go to a particular club where we have a membership. It’s a private club where we can express our passions with others.” Sawyer’s attention jerked from Kaden to Alec.

“P—p—passions?” she asked tentatively.

“Yes, Sawyer. Passions. I have a particular passion for bondage and dominance.”

“And K—K—Kaden?”

“Kaden’s is dominance and submission, but you already know that, don’t you, Sawyer?” The serious expression on his face reminded her of the time he’d waited outside the shop where Kaden had taken her to buy her paddle. She swallowed hard. She wasn’t going to ask about Ax.

“Ax’s passion is the same as mine.” Her eyes went to Ax playing the guitar. She had thought he was the easiest going of the band members.

Sawyer decided that was where her nosiness ended. It was none of her business what Kaden, Ax and Alec had done in the past. She had known Kaden was dominant; however, the extent he lived the lifestyle was a shock, as were his friends’ involvement. It should be Kaden who decided when and what to tell her, though.

“No questions?”

“Nope.” Her eyes returned to the stage. “You know something, Alec? Every concert I watch Kaden dance with Alyce and whatever women he lets on the stage with him, yet I haven’t danced with him, not once.” Alyce rubbed her ass up against Kaden’s leather pants, her ass grinding back on his cock. Laughing, she twirled her head, smiling at Sawyer watching from the side of the stage.

“I don’t care how you live your life. I don’t care that Kaden will probably be with another woman in six months. I don’t want to think of any of that tonight. Tonight, I just want to be happy that I’m off that bus, and that, when we leave here tonight, that bitch will be going to another bus. If I can survive being kidnapped by Digger twice, I can certainly handle what you’re trying to warn me about.” Sawyer reached to her side, taking his hand in hers and giving it a squeeze.

Alec returned her tight squeeze. “Kaden’s a lucky man.”

“I’ll tell him you said so,” Sawyer laughed.

“I’ll tell him myself,” he said gruffly.

The crowd parted at the front of the stage where several men dressed in similar leather jackets were working themselves forward, closer to the stage. Sawyer’s eyes studied them. They weren’t Kaden’s usual fans, being older and rougher looking. One scared her just from the scar on his face. The other man was just as large as King’s man, which was freaking huge. The closer she studied the men and the crowd, the more she saw that several were wearing motorcycle jackets. She took a step forward, trying to read the name emblazed on their jackets, but Alec pulled her back.

“I’ve been keeping an eye on them since they came in about fifteen minutes ago.” Grimly, he put her further up against the wall so that she was hidden in the shadows.

“They’re probably just here for the music.” It was weird, yet none of the men were watching the stage, all their attention felt trained on her.

“Yeah, and I plan on going to mass tonight.” Alec spoke into his earpiece, telling his men to move in closer.

Sawyer’s eyes searched the crowd until her attention was caught and held. He also wasn’t paying attention to what was going on with Kaden and the band. He pinned her in place with cold eyes that were expressionless.

“Let’s move. Kaden said he wants you back on the bus.” Alec took her arm in a firm grip.

“He can’t say anything; he’s on the stage.” Kaden hand signaled again and this time Sawyer caught it. She was about to follow Alec when the crowd swelled, surging forward and coming too close to the stage and overturning a barrier placed to the side. The out of control fans prevented them from exiting.

All hell broke loose as Alec tried to move her backwards to the only other exit across the stage. The crowd had swelled and overwhelmed the security he had in place within seconds. The band stopped playing and tried to get off the stage, but were trapped. It was a flash mob that had gone out of control.

Sawyer felt Alec’s hand on her arm go limp suddenly as one of the men hit him in the head with a small club. Two others grabbed her arms, pushing her into the crowd.

“Kaden!” she screamed.

Kaden and the band were desperately fighting their way toward her; however, the forward momentum of the crowd slowed them down. Sawyer fought the men who were dragging her from the stage; they were using the crowd to hide her abduction. Her efforts were useless; she was moved unrelentingly further into the crowd.

An elbow found the face of one of her abductors, sending him careening away. Several others were peeled away as an arm went around her waist, lifting her up off the floor and holding her steady. Her other abductor disappeared into the crowd. The huge man wearing the motorcycle jacket was holding her steady, using his body as a barricade.

Sawyer searched for Kaden and found him fighting through the crowd toward her, D-mon and Sin by his side. Ax, she saw, was helping Alec to his feet. The men in the motorcycle jackets were helping the security guards regain control, forming a line and steadily pushing the crowd backwards.

The large man holding her up didn’t budge against the crowd. Sawyer placed her arm around his shoulder to steady herself. She blinked at him when his fist flashed out, popping one of the crowd members like in the whack-a-mole game and the aggressive fan went down. Another tried to move past him and he took them down by the same method. He grinned at her, and Sawyer saw he was enjoying himself, trying to see how many he could knock out.

“Um, uh… I think they’re trying to get away.”

“I know.” Sawyer stifled her laughter as he took out two more. Kaden barely was able to jerk back in time to miss being taken out.

“Stop, he’s with me.” Sawyer tried to wiggle away from the man holding her, but his grip didn’t loosen.

“Let her go.”

“I think I’ll keep her a little while longer until this crowd thins out a little more.” The man refused to release her, so Kaden stepped forward.

“Stop, Kaden.” Sawyer stopped him. She wasn’t being hurt and she didn’t want Kaden to end up in the pile at their feet.

“You can let her go now, Max.” Sawyer twisted in the man’s arms, startled that his arm was braced under her ass. The man addressing the one holding her was the blond man who had been staring at her before the riot.

“What’s the hurry, Ice?” Max handed her to Kaden who held her against him, her feet still not touching the floor. Sawyer glared up at Kaden who refused to set her down.

“Thanks for your help,” Kaden spoke up as security finally regained control, shoving the crowd out the doors. Sin, D-mon and Ax came to stand by Kaden.

Ice didn’t seem impressed with the band staring at him threateningly.

“No problem. Call it a favor for a mutual friend.” His cold gaze watched her reaction.

“Who’s the friend?” Kaden asked.

“Vida.”

This time Sawyer succeeded in twisting free. “You know Vida?” Sawyer asked eagerly.

“Sawyer,” Kaden said, hooking an arm around her waist and pulling her back.

“She belongs to one of my brothers,” Ice answered

“Is she here?” Sawyer craned her neck, trying to spot her friend.

“Fuck, no. Colton wouldn’t let her budge her ass out of the hotel room.” This time Ice’s gaze went to Kaden’s, his tone implying that Kaden hadn’t taken Sawyer’s safety as seriously.

“I want to see her.” Sawyer couldn’t wait to see Vida.

“Tomorrow. Jackal will call your security chief and set up a meet,” Ice spoke to Kaden, ignoring Sawyer’s demand.

“I want to see her tonight,” Sawyer repeated.

“You will meet Vida when and where we say.” Ice and his men began to move away.

Sawyer went to go after them, but was still held tightly by Kaden.

“Sawyer.”

“Let me go, Kaden. They have to—”

“Sawyer.” This time the fury in his voice had her going still in his hold. “Did you pack the paddle?”

Sawyer slowly walked beside a still angry Kaden toward the waiting limo. The usually mild-mannered Ax was tight lipped as he and the other group members followed behind.

Kaden opened the limo door, moving aside so that Sawyer could slide in. Before any of the others could climb in, his arm blocked the door.

“Alec, how long is the ride to the hotel?”

“Thirty minutes.”

Sawyer crossed her arms over her chest. It was going to be a long ride to have to listen to Kaden’s recriminations.

“Sin and D-mon, ride with Alec.” Kaden removed his arm, allowing Ax to climb inside while neither of the other men protested leaving with Alec.

Sawyer didn’t say a word as Kaden slid in next to her.

When the limo started pulling away from the arena, Sawyer looked forward to the dark glass that hid the driver from view, and didn’t meet Ax’s eyes who sat on the seat across from her.