Roses & Thorns Read online

  I did it. I really did it.

  It doesn’t escape my notice I have the energy to jump. Physically, Sven really has taken good care of me, but I’d give back the physical to have my emotional sanity back.

  But was I ever really sane?

  Shut up, Rose! You’re stupid. This is hell. This is what your father was.

  I crack the door open. I look both ways, making sure to go in the opposite direction of Sven. I hide in every nook. Runaway or hide anytime I see someone. I have to get to her. I have to. I really have no clue where I'm going. I see stairs. They mentioned she was a prisoner. That would mean a cell right? That settles like ice in my gut. Will Sven lock me up to when he sees what I'm doing? I shake and run to the stairs.

  I run down them so fast. I don’t even know how I do it. Once I'm down the endless flights of stairs, my heart immediately falls into my stomach. This place is so cold. Yes, literally, but that’s not what I mean. It’s what seeps from the walls. It’s cold, dark and grey. It is a prison.

  How could they lock anyone here? Let alone a young girl. These people are monsters! I feel like a whole ‘nother person as I walk to the very end of the endless rows of cells. I feel like I could take on an army I'm so angry.

  Finally, I hear a small gasp. A girl in a simple white cotton dress that has clearly been worn a hundred times comes running to the end of her cell. Her eyes are wide and frantic. Her hair is ratty. Her body is beaten, and I can’t help but notice she limped when she ran.

  “What are you doing here? You have to go. Oh my gosh! Are they locking you up too?”

  “No, no,” I quickly reassure her and grab the cell bars, “No… I came to see you.”

  Her eyes flicker with emotion, but she shuts it down, throwing a mask on. “You have to go,” she whispers, “My guard will come back after he eats. I don’t know how long it will be. It always varies. You can’t be seen here. Please.”

  “I'm Rose. What’s your name?”

  “Lacey,” she whispers.

  I look down at my feet and swallow. This is evil like I’ve never known. “Why are you here?”

  Her face is so sad. “It’s just what’s required.”

  “Required?” I practically shriek. She gently silences me.

  “Please.” Her eyes plead with me to drop it. So… because she’s in hell and as of right now I have no clue how to free her, I sit down on the cold, wet stone floor and look up at her. The faintest hint of a smile appears on her lips. She sits down too. We each hold the bars as we lean forward and talk like we’ve known each other for years.

  “So, what’s your favorite color?”

  She lets out a small, hesitant smile. “Grey.”

  We both laugh. I extend my hands. “Home sweet home.”

  She giggles quietly. It’s the best sound. Something in me relaxes knowing I made this sad girl smile.

  “What’s yours?” Her voice is so quiet.

  “Um… blue or purple.”

  There is a silence. I want her to laugh again.

  “Did you have siblings before… uh, coming here?”

  “Yes. A little brother.”

  “What is the funniest thing he used to do?”

  “Well, he was really little when I left. But, um, my family and I used to joke that he was going to be a stripper. He would go in the living room and start dancing around stripping off all his clothes,” she lets out a quiet giggle again, covering her mouth as the laughter slips out of her. I smile stupidly. All I want while I'm here is to make this girl smile. It matters to me more than anything. “It was so funny. Him and his little pot belly.”

  We both start laughing. Subtly at first, but then it just takes over into uncontrollable fits of laughter. Well, fits of laughter on my part, quiet giggles on hers.

  Click. Click. Click.

  We both snap up and jump to our feet. We notice the man leaning against the wall in a full suit. He pushes off the wall and stands across from us. Looking dark and evil, and so much like the devil himself. I hate him. I hate him so much. He hurts her.

  Right now though, I'm so ridiculously scared. I can’t think. I walk backward as my teeth begin to chatter. What was I thinking? She warned me to leave. Was it worth staying? Yes, it was.

  “Sir?” Lacey gasps, her eyes like saucers.

  “Having fun Lacey?”

  “Please don’t hurt her! Please. It was my fault. Please, sir.”

  Her eyes are pleading with him. Begging him. I can’t even believe she is trying to take the blame for my actions, but I'm a coward and can’t get my stupid mouth to open. She’s so brave. This man scares me more than any other.

  The Boss.

  Boss ignores her and turns to me. I start shaking all over. I never imagined he’d be the one to find us. My legs threaten to give out.

  “I’ll turn you over to Sven.” He glares at me. “I’ll let him decide how to punish you since he’s a friend.”

  No, he’s not, but in this world, I guess that’s what they call their killing buddies.

  “I doubt he’ll even lay a finger on you so you can stop shaking. He’s good to you.”

  I want to fight him on that, tell him he’s not good to me, but other than kidnapping me, which is huge, he’s never laid a finger on me that hurt. Standing by Lacey I feel lucky.

  “You’re lucky.” He says echoing my thoughts in a cold voice. “You could be here,” he gestures to Lacey. “Now scatter, and don’t ever come down here again. If you do, you will force me to cross my underboss, because I will deal with you myself. Now get the fuck out of here.”

  I look at Lacey. I'm terrified for her.

  “Go,” she mouths, looking desperate. Still, I can’t get my legs to go. I feel stuck. I can’t leave her. He’s gonna hurt her more. Boss is looking at me so dark and so intense. I know I'm really pushing my luck, but I can’t move. I see Lacey sigh and gather all her strength. I feel bad for any more stress I'm causing her, but I’d almost rather be punished and locked down here with her. Walking away would kill me. I'm just supposed to go be locked up with Sven when I know she’s down here suffering? Hell no!

  “Please,” Lacey says, voice shaky and unable to look at Boss who is two seconds from throwing me to the floor and beating the shit out of me. “Go Rose. I'm okay. Really. I’ve been hurt lots of times. I know how to handle it. It changes you though. Don’t be changed. Okay? Please go.”

  A tear falls from my cheek as I turn around and walk to the stairs. When I round the corner I realize I'm far enough away that the Boss won’t sense me. I fake footsteps, but really I stay put and glance around the corner.

  Boss doesn’t look the same. My eyebrows furrow. He looks upset, not angry. He looks conflicted, not evil. I'm so confused.

  “Why risk it Lacey!” he snaps. “You know! You fucking know the punishment. Why push? Why cover for Sven’s plaything!”

  Hey!

  “That’s not what she is. She’s nice. She… made me laugh,” Lacey whispers. She turns away from him and looks to the ground. He runs a hand over his face.

  “I know. I heard.”

  She glances at him with her head still ducked.

  “I know you’re gonna punish me.”

  “Yes.”

  “Do it yourself then.”

  His head snaps up and he looks at her in shock.

  “What did you say to me?”

  She walks to the end of her cell and grabs the bars, going toe to toe with him. “Do it yourself then. If you want me punished so bad, do it yourself.”

  “I don’t waste my time with prisoners Lacey.”

  He scoffs.

  “That’s not true,” she whispers.

  He glares at her. “Watch it. Someone will be down soon to dole out your…” he waves his hand, “much-deserved punishment.”

  Time for me to go. I run up the stairs and sprint to my room. I'm breathing heavy against the door when loud knocks pound from the outside. I shriek and jump back, putting as much as space between me a
nd the door as possible.

  “Open the door Rose.”

  With tears in my eyes, I open the door. The boss is there, looking livid. He points a finger at me.

  “Don’t ever spy on me again. Or I will kill you.”

  He slams the door shut. I immediately start crying. For my fear, for Lacey, for the cruelty of this world and the little bit of good that tempts me. That’s the cruelest part of this all... except for what’s happening to Lacey.

  I pull my dress off and run into bed. I pull the heavy comforter over my head. I know the maid comes with food, but I don’t eat it. I don’t want it. I can’t move. Hours pass. I hide in the covers, going between crying, sleeping and being numb.

  I'm curled in a ball when the covers are slowly lifted over my head. I see Sven standing there. I either want him to hold me and tell me he’ll do the right thing regarding Lacey or I want him to leave me alone.

  “I'm impressed.”

  That gets my attention. He doesn’t sound mad. At all. In fact, he sounds pleased? Just when I think I’ve got this man figured out he does something to shock me once again. He's a complete enigma. Able to exude power and control people, ME, without ever laying a finger on them. Of course, his fingers have some done controlling of their own since I’ve known him.

  “What?”

  He sits on the edge of the bed, throwing his shirt off. ‘You picked the lock and managed to find Lacey without getting caught. Well, until the end there.”

  “You’re not… mad?”

  I am completely not looking at him. I’ve never seen him shirtless. Why do I feel I won’t be able to stop looking if I do?

  “I mean don’t do it again. Not because I care, simply because Boss will kill you if you do. Got it?”

  “Yep.”

  I still don’t look at him. I turn completely the other way. He chuckles.

  “Lacey and Boss are interesting, huh?” There’s a smugness in his voice.

  “Interesting!” I shriek, sitting up and turning to him. All I is red! Red. Red. Red. “They are hurting her. You guys are monsters. How? She’s the nicest, bravest…”

  I'm cut off when he grabs my face and kisses me so aggressively it actually hurts... still manages to turn me on though. Unfortunately. I pull away quickly.

  “Don’t kiss me as I tell you that. You fucking…”

  He laughs. “Down kitty. I don’t think she’ll be here much longer.”

  “Wait. What do you mean? What do you mean Sven?”

  “Sorry, little Rose. Can’t say.”

  “Why? Why can’t you tell me? She’s my friend. Please. I need to know she’s okay.”

  He runs his hand down my sides. Yeah. Right. I'm in nothing, but a bra and panties, not even. A thong. Just fucking great.

  “I like you like this.”

  “Lacey?” I say breathlessly. “Don’t make me a monster too.”

  “You’re just lucky you’re okay.”

  “Sven. Lacey?”

  He kisses me. I moan. “Later,” he mumbles.

  “Promise?”

  “Yes. Sure. Whatever,” he groans as he pushes me back onto the bed.

  “No whatever,” I get out. “Promise me.”

  “I promise!” he snaps. “Now shut up!”

  Okay, so if I do this I can get more information on Lacey. In the back of my mind I know I want him to touch me, run his hands along my body, make me come, but my conscious needs to know I'm getting information on Lacey too. I can’t just do this while she’s being hurt for my actions.

  He nips at my neck. I moan. I'm lost in his touch now. I grind against him. He chuckles.

  “You didn’t touch the food,” he laughs in my ear.

  “Shut up Sven!”

  He laughs again. His fingers trail the outside of my thong. I moan. I'm so wet for him. It makes me sick. I hate my body, but at this moment I forget that.

  “Sven please….”

  He pulls away and sits up. I furrow my eyebrows, confused. What the hell is he doing? He smirks and looks down at me.

  “I’ve given you lost of orgasms. Your turn. Please me. Then I please you.”

  I swallow. I’ve never been nervous for this before, but for some reason, sexually, I feel not nearly good enough for him.

  “What if I… can’t?”

  I blush. Sven throws his head back and laughs. “You’re really worried about that? That surprises me. Trust me. You’ll be fine.”

  “Um… “

  He laughs. “Be a good girl. Kneel in front of me and start by unbuckling my pants.”

  “O... kay.”

  “Calm down,” he chuckles, shaking his head.

  I’M NOT CALM. WHAT THE FUCK AM I DOING.

  You’ve done this before Rose. Breath. Channel the girl you can be. I breathe, and go to the floor, kneeling between his powerful thighs dressed in slacks. I look up at him. He’s looking down at me. His eyes giving nothing away. I follow my eyes down to his shirtless torso. His abs are strong and defined. He has hair trailing down to where I am going to find my mouth in a minute.

  I swallow. With shaking hands, I grab his belt buckle. I'm shakily starting to fumble with his belt when a strong hand grabs my wrist. I look up at him. I feel vulnerable, and I shouldn’t. He’s a demon.

  “Relax. I'm serious. If you suck at it, then you suck at it. No big deal. Calm the fuck down.”

  I sigh. Dang, that helped.

  I undo his belt. I find he’s wearing white boxer briefs. Instantly I grow wet for him. This monster. I’ve never felt a stronger mixture of arousal and self-hatred. He helps me the rest of the way. I'm a nervous, shaking mess.

  There he is in front of me. All of him. I swallow. I feel stuck. This is so embarrassing to say, but I'm sort of tranced out. Just staring at it. Like literally I'm just staring at his cock.

  “Rose. Rose. Damn it, Rose!”

  I look up, eyes watery. Sven looks confused... and concerned.

  “Come here.”

  I don’t hesitate. I leap off the floor, and onto the bed. Something happens I don’t think either of us thought would ever happen. Sven crawls into the bed next to me and pulls the covers up over our bodies. Then he holds me.

  He. Holds. Me.

  I am completely, totally and utterly screwed.

  For the first time, I realize why I am here.

  Not just for sex. Not to be his prisoner. He meant what he said.

  I'm his.

  Chapter 19:

  Sven:

  Okay, so I care about her. Not her body. Or her looks. Although that definitely helps. No. Her as a person. Her empathy. Her stubbornness. The fact that she is a coward even though she really wishes she wasn’t. She challenges me, and I like that.

  A whole hell of a lot.

  With the exception of a few lapses, she isn’t scared of me. I earned that. She was to start with.

  So. All this said. When she awkwardly froze and stared at my dick, panicked for some reason, I picked her up off the floor and held her. Literally pulled the covers over us and tucked her into my side. Even though I am painfully hard and just got done doing a job for Boss that is leading to the takedown of a Goddamn crime family, then am planning my takedown of said boss. Now I'm in bed holding a girl while she cries into my chest for I don’t even know what reason.

  I can think of a million.

  “Rose?”

  “Yes.” She sniffles.

  “Care to share?”

  “Not really.”

  I snort. “See, that was one of those questions that was asked politely but…”

  “I'm not telling you what’s wrong with me Sven!”

  I prop up on my elbow and lean over her. “Talk Rose.”

  I know she’s teetering on telling me. I just need to make her mad enough to spit it out.

  “Fine!” She shoves me aside as she moves to sit up. “You wanna know! I'm worried about Lacey. Really, really worried. And I'm worried about me. And you! You’re being… nice. I don’t know
what to do with that.”

  She tries to leap from the bed, but gets caught in the covers and has to kick her legs around wildly to get out. Once she does, she huffs and slams the bathroom door, locking it.

  I stare at the door in shock. Holy shit. She spazzed because… she’s starting to feel something for me and she can’t deal with that. Not with her dad and her conscious and the, unfortunately, the kind heart I know she has.

  Holy fuck.

  A slow smile spreads across my lips. See, I'm not the kind of guy scared to admit he develops feelings. See. I never do. Life’s fun. I don’t take anyone or anything to seriously. But when I do, it’s interesting. It intrigues me. Feelings are fascinating. I don’t view it as a weakness to care. I view it as a weakness to be so in denial that bad shit happens and you flip the fuck out.

  Like what is about to happen to Boss.

  I smirk and search the room until I find the same paperclip Rose used. It glistens in the bedroom light, right there for me. I shake my head and laugh silently as I go to the door. She’s gonna flip. I slowly pick the lock and push the door open.

  “You’re not the only one who knows how to pick a lock.”

  She glares at me from where she is huddled on the closet floor. Her nose is red and her eyes are puffy and swollen. She’s cute. Not a word I ever thought I’d use, let alone to describe her, but that’s what she is right now.

  Cute.

  “You’re…”

  “You’re developing feelings for me. And you’re scared,” I stat matter of factly.

  Her eyes go wide. “No. I…”

  I hold up my hand. “Shh. I know. We won’t talk about it now. I want you off the floor. We have dinner with Boss in an hour.”

  That gets her off the floor quickly.

  “NO FUCKING WAY! He’s gonna kill me. Oh my gosh.” She covers her face with her hands. “You weren’t there. He’s so mad. He’s bringing me there so he can kill me in front of you. That’s what’s going to happen. I'm gonna die slowly at dinner in front of you!”

  I can’t help but burst out laughing.

  “I would have never suspected you had such a dark mind Rose,” I laugh again and move her hands from her face, holding them to her side. “No. He’s not going to kill you. Yes. He was fucking pissed as hell over what happened today, but he’s over it. Boss doesn’t hold grudges. If he doesn’t deal with it then, he figures there’s a reason he gave mercy and lets it go.