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[lambtotheslaughterr]

HIATUS

hey friends,

sorry to say but i will be going on an infedinite hiatus for the foreeable future. have some personal matters to attend to so no promises about posting anytime soon.

thank you for understanding & i hope to return sooner than later!

oona<3

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Summit : Chapter Nine

A Ransom Drysdale Series

[THIS STORY WILL CONTAIN THEMES OF NON-CON/DUB-CON, MENTAL-EMOTIONAL-PHYSICAL ABUSE, ETC. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED. READ AT YOUR OWN RISK. 18+. MINORS DO NOT INTERACT]

WC: 4.7k

Dividers provided by @firefly-graphics

CHAPTER EIGHT | MASTERLIST | CHAPTER TEN

“Is this really necessary?” The strange man with a stranger name said as Ransom stared at him, a threshold between them.

            Ransom was allowing the man to rest & stay the night, but only under lock & key. But what truly concerned you was the fact that Ransom was using the room you had been staying in as the cell for the man to stay in. If he would be in your room… where would you be? The thought sent a wave of fear through you.

            “You’re more than welcome to leave.” Ransom returned, his hand on the doorknob as he prepared to shut it.

            The scruffy man rolled his eyes but nodded once in compliance, “Alright.”

            As Ransom swung the door closed, your eyes connected with the stranger. His filled with confusion & exhaustion. Yours filled with worry. He would be your only chance at escaping from Ransom, especially now that he knew you knew his dirty secret. With him locked away, your chances of survival were slim.

            Ransom locked the bedroom door & tugged on it once to test the strength of it.

            “Don’t think he’s stupid enough to attempt breaking out.” Ransom muttered to himself before he turned towards you.

            The upstairs hallway was dark but you could still make out his eyes as he eyed you. It made your skin crawl knowing you were once again alone with him. Only a few hours prior was he threatening your life. Now… you didn’t know now what.

            Not saying another word, Ransom caught you by your shoulder, his grip firm as he guided you towards his bedroom at the end of the hall. You immediately began resisting, digging your heels into the wooden floor & bracing against his hold. But your strength was no match for his. Ransom simply hoisted you up & over his shoulder.

            Frustrated tears erupted from your eyes as you beat your hands against his back & wiggled about in his hold, but nothing you did deterred him. If only you had your bag you could sink a knife into his inner thigh or lower spine, rendering him incapacitated as you got away. But Ransom was smarter than you ever gave him credit for.

            Inside Ransom’s room, the storm outside had returned. Heavy rain beat against the windows & the wind howled. It was a perfect reflection of how you were feeling on the inside.

            Unceremoniously, Ransom dropped your body onto his bed. You instantly scrambled backwards, your eyes searching for any object you could use as a weapon. But your eyes had yet to land on anything useful when you felt a fierce grip on your ankle dragging you back towards the edge of the bed.

            An inaudible whimper parted your lips as Ransom captured your jaw in his hand, his fingers digging into your cheeks.

            “Behave.” He commanded before releasing you.

            “Try anything & I’ll choke the life out of you.”

            You knew he meant it. Your body shook with anticipation as you watched him approach a wardrobe & begin to undress. Your eyes never left his exposed back as he slipped out of his shirt, but you’d flick your eyes quickly every which way in the hopes of finding something, anything to help your situation. When Ransom finished getting changed, you were unwelcoming to the sight before you. He had changed into a pair of silk pajama pants yet remained shirtless. Even in the darkness, you could make the muscles that adorned his chest & abdomen, confirming his brutal strength.

            He sighed as he approached you, his eyes appearing almost sad-like.

            “You’ll be staying with me tonight. Don’t want you alone with that man in here. He could hurt you.”

            You hurt me! You wanted to scream, but you only bit your lip, shaking your head in denial.

            “Look, I know what happened earlier was scary, I didn’t mean to scare you, I just…” He hung his head in defeat before moving to sit beside you. Your muscles tensed, wanting nothing more than to create distance, but his hand found your thigh as he gripped it. “I’m so angry with you. You shouldn’t have gone out there, & you certainly shouldn’t have exposed the gravesite. You could be infected now.”

            A frown appeared on your face. Infected?

            Ransom noted the expression on your face, “They were sick, _____. I may have told a lie or two, but the truth is that they were sick. I killed them before they could get me sick.”

            You shook your head before using your hands. Your fingers moved as you spelled out one word. Liar.

            His eyes watched your fingers move but it was clear he didn’t know what you were saying.

            “I know you don’t believe me.” He guessed, “But it was either me or them. I chose me.”

            He peered at you through the darkness, “You would’ve done the same.”

            No, no. You made a face of disgust. You wish you had your pen & pad nearby, to communicate your distrust with him, but it was clear he knew you didn’t. However, he was determined to change your mind.

            “I’m sorry.” His voice was soft, but with an edge to it. He expected you to accept it.

            You looked away from him. His hand on your thigh squeezed tighter.

            “_____, look at me.” His voice was growing grittier, “Now!”

            Jumping at the discomfort & his voice of fury, you forced yourself to look at him.

            When you did, he offered a half-smile, though it was not a kind one.

            “Let’s kiss & make-up.”

            As he leaned in, your body kicked into overdrive & you leapt out of his grasp, falling to the floor.

            Ransom scoffed, “So fucking dramatic.”

            Before you could scramble to your feet, Ransom caught a handful of your hair before tossing you back onto the bed. He was quick to flip you over before capturing both of your wrists in his hands as he crawled over you, his meaty thighs on either side of your hips.

            “Hold the fuck still, _____.” He gritted out, his teeth bared in a snarl.

            You continued to shake underneath him, thrashing about every which way in an attempt to knock him off you, but every bout of energy proved aimless & you only grew more exhausted.

            You recalled the early days of the world ending & the reality your father had warned you about.

            ‘The world was a man’s world before everything went to shit.’ He had said, ‘The end of the world only makes it worse. You have to survive harder. If you come across a man, there’s no end to what they will do to you.’

            You should’ve never trusted Ransom, never forgotten about your father’s warning. You were dumb, so fucking dumb to think even for a second that you could have a sense of normalcy again. Now look where you were. Beneath the very man who promised you safety & was now attempting to get his hands under your clothes.

            Tears erupted from you & you couldn’t help the sobs that came forth.

            Just kill me, kill me, please. You begged internally. You didn’t want to face the harsh reality of your situation. You would much rather be buried alongside Ransom’s family then allow him to do what was clear he was going to do.

            But as your sobs racked your body, you felt the pressure above you lessen. As soon as your wrists were free, you turned away, curling into a fetal position. You kept waiting to feel Ransom’s unwelcome touches & advanced movement but nothing came. Lifting your head fearfully, you glanced around the room until you spotted him sitting in a chair nearby. His eyes on you but his expression bear of any details of what he was thinking.

            “You’re right.” He revealed, “It’s not the right time. I need to earn your trust again.”

            What? Your lower lip shook as you failed to keep yourself from crying further.

            “I will earn it again, _____. I swear to you. We will be happy.”

            No. You thought to yourself, I will get away from you, or die trying.

            The following morning you woke with a start. The sun was bright & shining into Ransom’s room. You sat up in a hurry, your eyes dancing around the room but you were alone. Falling asleep last night had been filled with dread. After Ransom made a false promise to not force you, he still made you sleep with him. You remained in your clothes from the night before & were forced to be held as he slept soundlessly behind you. You couldn’t even remember falling asleep yourself but as you moved off the bed, you didn’t feel rested whatsoever.

            Tip-toeing towards the door, you braced yourself against it as you listened to any sign of life on the other side. Was the man from the night already gone? Where was Ransom? You would be going out there blindly.

            Calming your nerves as best as you could, your hand hovered over the knob before you ultimately turned it. The door opened slowly before you poked your head out. The upstairs hallway was barren of life but you noted the door to your former bedroom was open. You listened for any sounds of either of the men nearby but there was nothing.      

            You had just taken a single step over the threshold when a gunshot sounded. You froze where you stood.

            Jumping into action, you raced forward & down the stairs. The gunshot had come from outside, the backyard, but that wouldn’t stop you. You didn’t know who it was—Ransom or the stranger. But you needed a weapon to defend yourself.

            But your attempts were futile as you ran into the kitchen. Ransom was rushing inside himself, bracing himself against the back door, a palm braced against the side of his head near his eye. You didn’t miss the blood spilling from between his fingers.

            He spotted you then, “Get the med kit, _____.” He demanded in an eerily calm tone.

            You didn’t move though. Your eyes flickered to the windows. Was the stranger nearby? What happened? Why was Ransom bleeding? Would he be coming for you next? Was your luck really so goddamn dumb that now two men would be trying to kill you?

            “_____!” Ransom yelled, making you jump.

            Willing yourself to move, you found the med kit under the kitchen sink. But as you did, you noted all knives in the knife block had been removed. Anything of use that was heavy was missing, as well.

            Fuck.

            You moved warily towards Ransom but when you were close enough, he snatched the med kit for your hands. As he removed his hand from his head, you were disturbed to see the gnarly gash that ran from his hairline above his temple down towards his eye. It was bleeding heavily.

            “Hold this.” He told you as he handed you some gauze.

            Ransom splashed his face with some hydrogen peroxide. He hissed at the sting he likely felt before wiping the wound with antiseptic wipes.

            “Wrap.” He gritted out, reaching out & forcing you to your knees.

            You did as you were told, wrapping the gauze around his head & over the wound snugly. Ransom breathed out harshly, spit collecting on his lips as you secured the bandage. When you were finished, you backed away but kept your eyes on him.

            Ransom was quick to rise to his feet, turning to face the back door as he peered outside.

            “Motherfucker.” He spit. He spun to face you.

            You signed, what happened?

            “Asshole attacked me for the gun.” Ransom began pacing.

            Why did you have the gun? You wanted to sign but didn’t. He wouldn’t understand. And it would only give him opportunity to lie if he did.

            “He was infected.” Ransom revealed as his eyes met yours, “I had to put him down, _____. We could both be sick now for all we know.”

            You frowned. He had seemed fine last night. But then again, you had yet to see an actual infected person.

            Without your pen & pad & his inability to know sign, you mimicked a gun & pointed it outside.

            “He has the gun.” Ransom said, “But he took off. Had a fuckin’ knife on him, a blunt one, but look at the damage it did. Tetanus shots aren’t a thing anymore. We have to keep an eye on this.” He pointed to his head.

            He was speaking to you so casually it unnerved you. Ransom was not a good person, that much you knew, & he was dangerous as well. But should you have been surprised by the fact that he could speak to you so casually? As if everything that had occurred the night prior was long forgotten? If you were infected it then you welcomed it. More so, if his wound worsened, you would aid it along to his demise.

            You were not friends nor companions. Ransom was your enemy. But perhaps his denial of it would be your strength.

            Earn your trust, that’s what Ransom promised. Would it be possible to lull Ransom into believing he had earned your trust once more? Would you get the upper hand that way with better planning? You weren’t so naïve to think it’d be that easy. But there would only be one way to find out.

            Reaching for a nearby water bottle, you hesitantly approached him before offering it. Ransom eyed the bottle before his eyes met yours. You signed for him to drink. And he did.

            “We’ll have to keep our eyes peeled for the next couple days. No going outside.” He told you.

            Part of you wondered if he was lying about the stranger getting away but how would that benefit him. After all, you didn’t see the gun that had gone off on him. Perhaps he was telling the truth. Or maybe even he had killed the stranger & hid the gun before coming in. Nothing he said could be taken as is. You had to consider every possibility & work within those chances.

            This was your life. Fuck Ransom’s. If he wanted to play psychological warfare, you’d learn how & you’d do it better.

            The next 24 hours went as smoothly as possible considering the circumstances. You were constantly on edge of Ransom changing tunes & he was constantly on edge of the stranger returning. But he had yet, if he ever would. Talk between the two of you was minimum. You kept with your silence & coldness & Ransom allowed you that space as if he was a boyfriend who simply pissed you off. But you had to make him believe he would earn your trust, it’s the only way it would work in your favor.

            Currently, you had just finished getting dressed for the night. Ransom wanted to ‘lighten the tension’; he was sadly determined to win you back all without knowing your true agenda. So, you didn’t resist him, instead playing the part of a wounded animal pleasing their savior. It would have to do for now.

            In the dining room, it was no surprise that Ransom had tied both of your ankles to the legs of the chair. He left your arms free to eat comfortably & even provided you with your pen & pad. It appeared he missed talking with you, even if it wasn’t with your voice.

            Dinner was simple. Veggies from the garden & mashed potatoes. You wouldn’t complain. It was better than what you had been eating before stumbling into this hell-hole.

            Ransom brought out another bottle of wine & poured you a glass but when he raised his glass to clink with yours, you simply pushed the glass away with your knuckles. You would never drink again if you could help it, let alone in his presence. He sighed wearily but didn’t argue about it. In one gulp, he managed to down the whole glass before pouring himself another.

            He still wore a bandage around his head though you had changed it for him multiple times since it happened. Every time you removed the bandage you hoped for some signs of infection but had yet to see any. You still kept your fingers crossed.

            The two of you ate in tense silence, though Ransom chewed his food comfortably compared to you. You ate with determination, anything that would give you energy & strength when you would surely need it most. But you had to control your speed, anything fast would draw his suspicious eye.

            By the time you finished your plate, Ransom had long cleared his & was already on his fourth glass of wine. The bottle was empty & he continued to take large gulps rather than savored sips. Perhaps him being drunk would work in your favor, but it could also work against you. The last time he had been drunk… either way, you couldn’t count on the alcohol to help you.

            He took your plates away & you listened as he dumped them into the sink. When he returned, he had a jovial half-smile on his face. He eyed you & you gripped the arms of the chair as he approached.

            “It’s been a while since we’ve danced. I want to dance.”

            His desire made your stomach flip. It was too close for comfort. He would have the upper hand no matter what despite his inebriated state should he choose to attack you again. You were relieved you didn’t have a single sip of the wine, knowing you may need your full mobility & clarity.

            Reluctantly, you rose to your feet as he reached down & untied you. He kept his hand on the small of your back as he guided you from the dining room to the living room. In the corner was the vinyl player & Ransom kept you within reach of him as he walked to it to flip a new record on before playing.

            Frank Sinatra’s Fly Me to the Moon began & Ransom smiled smugly as he turned to face you. You forced yourself not to resist as he tugged on your hand, practically shoving you into his chest as he began swaying your bodies together. Your feet tangled within themselves, the heels you wore making it difficult to keep up with him.

            But as the song continued, you found yourself being led every which way as he turned you about furniture & moved his along your waist & back to keep you secured against him. Your breathing would come in erratic waves as you feared for how quickly a moment like this could change. It had once before.

            Yet Ransom kept it up. The wine in his system kept him moving, his eyes going from closed in bliss to peering down at you with adoration. To any bystanders that may peek through the windows, they would likely perceive it as a happily domesticated couple who were dancing their woes away, but in reality, you were a trapped in a snare. This was your cage. Not the house, not his bedroom, but his arms.

            As the song came to a close & the next one began, Ransom slowed down your movements, his face resting against the top of your head.

            “You smell so good.” He practically whispered.

            That was the first red flag. One hand was one your back, the other holding yours by your shoulder, but you felt as both hands grew tense.

            He pulled only slightly away to meet your eyes, “I know things have been different lately.”

            Different? You wanted to scream. Different is an understatement.

            “But we’ll get better. You’ll see.” He swore & it made your throat constrict.

            You avoided his eyes, unable to fathom the misplaced adoration you saw there. But you heard him inhale deeply before shaking his head, a gentle laugh reverberating from his chest.

            “God, you’re beautiful.” The hand holding yours cupped your cheek & you went stiff, “You were meant to end up here, _____. We both know that.”

            No. Tears threatened to fall but you kept them at bay. Now was not the time to break down. You had to remain present & resilient.

            But then he angled your neck upwards & brought his mouth to yours. You resisted the kiss by not returning it. He sighed into it, kissing you harder, as if he needed you to breathe. Bile rose in your throat, your dinner threatening to make a revival. After a few more seconds, you couldn’t take it anymore & attempted to pull away. But his arm around your back tightened & his hand on your neck kept you in place so he could continue his soft assault.

            A whimper sounded from behind your tight lips & it only seemed to stir him on. Ransom pulled away, his eyes glaring into yours, “Don’t reject me. Not again.”

            But you were, you had to, you couldn’t allow that. You would rather die.

            When he noted the defiance in your eyes though, an eerie & dangerous light burnt out from behind his own.

            “I guess I’ll just have to make you.”

            Before you could make your move, he moved faster. With a harsh shove, the wind got knocked out of you landed on the closest loveseat. Ransom was quick to fall on top of you & you wailed silently as you began to kick out your legs. He was quick to trap your legs between his own as he captured your wrists.

            “Quit fighting me, _____.” He said lowly, “You’re not going anywhere.”

            But it wouldn’t stop you. Using the only form of defense you could think of, you leaned upwards & sunk your teeth into the meat under his collarbone. Ransom had not been expecting it & he yelled, shooting backwards & leaving your arms free to move. Not wasting a second for him to recover or inspect the bite, you swung your arm & clocked him in the chin with your fist. You had never taken any fighting classes so you doubted it would do much, but it did enough to make him slide off you momentarily.

            Quickly & lithely, you rolled off the couch & sprung to your feet, aiming for the kitchen. But just as you were rounding the corner, you felt a sharp pain erupt from your scalp as he caught you before you could outrun him. He yanked you backwards but you caught yourself on the threshold.

            “Fucking bitch!” He hissed, tugging once more. Instinctively, you kicked out behind you & caught him in the leg. It wouldn’t slow him down but it eased his grasp on your head. You grabbed at the closest thing you could, which happened to be an empty, expensive looking face on the edge of an end table & you spun around before smashing it over his head.

            Ransom fell to his knees in a daze & you bolted from the living room. Your goal was to exit out the back door & run through the forest. You didn’t care where you ended up or that you had none of your gear, you just needed to get away. But as you ran into the back door, it wouldn’t move. You huffed out frustratedly, fingering to get it unlocked but as you did, it only opened for an inch. Your eyes cast upwards & you noticed the chain.

            But you had no time to unlatch it when you heard Ransom running up behind you. Crouching & jumping out of the way, Ransom slammed into the door himself while you took off through the dining room. He was hot on your tail, a few feet to spare, & you yanked on the dining room chairs as they fell over, forcing him to trip over them.

            Racing out of the dining room, you considering the front door but knew those would be double or triple locked. It would be futile. Ultimately, you ran up the stairs & aimed straight for his bedroom. If he kept anything in the house that could be used against him, it would be in there. But you needed time. As soon as you entered his room, you heard his footfalls at the bottom of the stairs, his furious yells as he called you vile names.

            You swung the door closed & locked it. He would certainly have a key so you need to block it. There was a dresser near & you wasted no time in putting all your strength into moving it. The door shook at the shock of Ransom’s entire body throwing himself into it.

            “I have the keys, _____.” He toyed with you from the other side but it didn’t deter you. The wood floor groaned as you pushed with your legs until the dresser was in front of the door.

            “Fuck!” You heard him yell from the other side, “Fucking keys…” His voice carried away as you listened to him amble down the stairs, likely in search of the one item he would need to get to you.

            You took the extra time as an opportunity to quickly pile any furniture you were strong enough to lift & placing them on the dresser. Once you felt it would do for now, you ran to Ransom’s bed & peeked under it, hoping to find a shotgun or other weapon. But all that was under his bed was a single sock & dust bunnies.

            Your heart was racing as you glanced around & that’s when you spotted the wardrobe. Your father had kept his guns in his own wardrobe back at your home.

            Racing towards it, you flung the doors open & tossed out clothes in search of any cool, metallic feeling. Panic soared throughout your body, beginning to lose hope that there would be nothing, but just as those thoughts were passing through you, you finally felt it, something.

            Gasping, you yanked on the object and were relieved to have found a rifle.

            Yanking it out, you dropped to your knees & began to see if it was loaded. It wasn’t. And then you heard Ransom on the stairs again.

            Rushing, you desperately searched the rest of the wardrobe for ammo but nothing came about. Then your eyes looked up. On top.

            As fast as you possibly could, you dragged one of the few chairs in the room over & climbed on top of it. You still weren’t tall enough but you could at least search blindly with your hand. And as you did, you felt the coarse cardboard.

            A breath of relief flooded you & you dropped the box to the ground, the ammo clattering loudly.

            “What the fuck is that?” Ransom yelled, “What are you doing?”

            Ignoring his calls, you quickly popped out the ammo & had to quickly remember how to load a rifle. As you did, you heard the door to the room unlock followed by the grunts of struggle as Ransom attempted to push the door open. Thank fuck for his families expensive taste otherwise the dresser would’ve caved. But he did manage to get the door cracked open only slightly & your eyes met.

            You wasted no time. Raised the gun. And fired.

            A loud boom sounded & your ears rang.

            Ransom jumped back out of sight & you were unsure if you even shot him.

            But you waited silently for any sign of life, not daring to move closer.

            “Alright, I’m sorry!” He yelled, “I’m sorry, I didn’t meant to scare you!”

            Bullshit! If you hadn’t fired he would keep coming.

            “I’m leaving, okay?” Ransom hollered out, “I don’t want my fuckin’ head blown off, let alone by a fucking teenage girl.”

            “We’ll just separate for the night, okay?”

            How calm he sounded would never fail to amaze you. He had just once again tried to assault you as well as chased you around the mansion. You had just shot at him. And he was so calm.

            “Just relax. I won’t try anymore, I’m sorry, _____, okay? I’m so sorry.” His voice sounded sad but you didn’t buy it for a second.

            “I’m leaving now.” Indeed his voice did sound far away & your ears strained to listen as his footfalls descended the stairs.

            Still, having the gun wouldn’t be enough. All you had was this room on the second floor to hide in. And he had the entire mansion to prepare for you.

            You needed a plan. And you needed it now.

my writing got away from me & this is taking another direction then i had planned. not sure how i feel about it but what do ya'll think so far?

please let me know via askbox, comments, or reblogging w reviews. they always help.

thank you for reading!

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Hard Truths

Summary:

Rafe Cameron has everything a man would want. Now he’s looking to settle down. He thinks he’s found the one that checks all the boxes, except she’s not you.

Prologue

At twenty-nine years old, Rafe Cameron was the most eligible bachelor in the business world. He was used to women throwing themselves at him, using them, ghosting them, then moving onto the next. And now as he was nearing his thirties, his father was begging him to finally settle down with a respectable woman and start a family.

“Sarah’s married to that pogue boy. Now when are gonna grow up and do something with your life?” Ward said the last time they had talked. Rafe nearly broke his phone after that conversation.

He knew he didn’t have anything left to prove to his father, but hearing Ward compare him to his little sister once again hurt his pride, and he wasn’t going to let that slide. Nope.

He had a plan. He was going to find someone who fit into his world. Someone who would turn heads whenever they walked into a room. Someone who commanded respect and attention. The perfect woman.  

------------------------------

The event was in full swing as Rafe leaned against the balcony, staring down at the people who were invited to the gala. Only the richest, most successful people were invited. If he was looking for his match, she’d be here for sure.

“Dude, what about Charlotte Goldberg? Her parents own like a dozen diamond mines, plus she’s hot.” Topper pointed at pretty girl wearing a sparkly black dress. He’d been trying all night to get Rafe to at least agree with one suggestion.

“Nah man, I’d rather not let my name be associated with blood diamonds” said Rafe unimpressed, “and Kelce went out with her sister. Said their family is starting a reality TV show. I don’t want no one to know my personal shit like that.”

Kelce nodded. “I broke up with her last year. At least they shot on my good side.”

Topper groaned. “What about her? I heard she’s a humanitarian.” He gestured to a woman with short black hair and wearing a long white dress.

“She just divorced her third husband. I’m not lookin’ to be number four.”

Kelce snickered at Rafe’s response. Topper was going to make another suggestion before his date Ruthie called him. “Topper! Where’s my champagne?! You’ve been gone for thirty minutes already!”

That dumbass came with Ruthie? He thought to himself as he saw the girl link her arm with Topper to bring him towards another group of people and leaving him and Kelce alone.

Not wanting to waste any more time, Rafe lifted himself from the balcony and started to walk towards the crowd. If he wanted to find someone who was wife material, it would be better if he looked for himself than to listen to Topper.

Kelce followed behind him. “Dude, don’t you think you’re just being a lil’ hard on yourself? Girls throw themselves at your feet. What more could you want?”   

Rafe inwardly groaned. As he began to formulate his excuse to leave his friend, he heard the crowd quiet down.

He turned around and saw a young blond woman wearing a stunning gold evening gown walk through the entrance. Her flowy blonde hair shined whenever she turned toward the paparazzi and when she smiled, her teeth were as white as pearls Her curves made some women burn with jealousy as they saw their partners ogle at her figure. Her hips swayed as she walked through the crowd. She knew how to make an entrance alright.

“Who is she?” Rafe asked.

“You don’t know who that is!? That’s Heather Hayworth! Her family owns Hayworth Hotels and like a bunch of other businesses around the world.” Kelce said incredulously.

"Is she single?"

"For now. Rumor has it she's trying to find a partner her father approves of so she can take over when he retires next year. Allegedly. She's kinda like you in a way."

All the right things were being said to Rafe as he zeroed in on the blonde bombshell.

Was she beautiful? Check.

Was her family rich? Check.

Was she part of the land development/business world? Check.

If Rafe had paid attention more closely to who walked in, he would have also noticed you.

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Summit : Chapter Eight

A Ransom Drysdale Series

[THIS STORY WILL CONTAIN THEMES OF NON-CON/DUB-CON, MENTAL-EMOTIONAL-PHYSICAL ABUSE, ETC. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED. READ AT YOUR OWN RISK. 18+. MINORS DO NOT INTERACT]

WC: 3.7k

Dividers provided by @firefly-graphics

CHAPTER SEVEN | MASTERLIST | CHAPTER NINE

            It was an hour before dawn when you scared yourself awake, nearly falling off a loveseat in the sitting room. You rubbed at your eyes but glanced around worriedly. You couldn’t recall the dream, rather nightmare, you were just having, but it left goosebumps caked across your skin. Gathering your sanity, you reached down to touch your ankle that rested on a pillow. You had found some painkillers stashed away after your bath so when you touched your ankle, you felt almost nothing.

            You tested the limits of your ankle by standing up. It was still dull & uncomfortable but you could manage walking. You had to.

            The storm had passed & glancing out the windows proved that it was calm outside then. You couldn’t waste a moment longer. Ransom could be back at any minute. You needed to have the right questions before you accused him of anything.

            Rushing as quickly as possible towards the back, you swung open the back door & half-walked, half-limped to the greenhouse. Your gear was still in there but you’d move it back later. Right now, what you needed to find was a shovel. Fortunately, you found one very quickly & used it as a cane as you began trekking through the forest to find the horrifying discovery you made the previous night.

            It took you about fifteen minutes thanks to your swollen ankle, but you eventually found it. Again, once you spotted the exposed bones, you hesitated walking towards it, fearful of what you’d unbury, of who. But you swallowed your discomfort & forced yourself onwards.

            The heavy rain had softened the earth so you had little need for the shovel as you dug at the dirt around the finger with your hands. Mud caked your fingers & palms but you kept going, determined to uncover the truth. Bile rose in your throat as you uncovered the space around the finger, surely leading to more fingers, a hand, a wrist, & so on. Part of you questioned whether or not you should keep going. Perhaps you should just leave. Pack your things & go. Ransom will likely search for you, but you could have a head start.

            But you couldn’t just leave. You had to know.

            Pressing your lips together, you kept on. Your hands & fingers ached but you eventually managed to expose the first face. You brought your hands to your mouth as you stared at the face buried in dirt before you.

            It was Meg. You recognized her from the family photos. Her eyes were squeezed shut, but her mouth open, covered in dirt. It had been her finger protruding through the earth. You fell backwards, your thoughts racing.

            This was wrong. Everything about it.

            Everything Ransom told you… it was a lie?

            You knew it had to be as you reasoned with what was before you. Her flesh was still on her bones. That wouldn’t have been the case if she died over a year ago. And her mouth was open… her finger exposed. She had been alive, trying to claw her way out.

            Oh, my god. You felt tears prick at your eyes.

            Ransom…

            You didn’t want to believe it. How could you? But you knew better. This is what your father trained you for years for. The dangers of humanity.

            Trying to ignore looking at her face, you continued to uncover the space around her. You switched to the shovel, wanting to move faster. The painkillers were beginning to wear off but you couldn’t stop. Your adrenaline & pursuit of truth was stronger.

            The shovel hit against something soft but also dense. It was another body. You fell to your knees & dug quickly at the ground like a starving wolf.

            Another face. It was one of the aunt’s.

            You finished exposing the rest of the body. She was completely intact.

            You recalled what Ransom had said about his aunts & how they died…

            ‘There was nothing left of Joni & Donna after he got his hands on them. They looked like fish food.’

            She wasn’t torn up, but she was murdered. A bullet hole was centered on her forehead.

            Unable to contain your disgust, you collapsed sideways of the gravesite & vomited. Little came out, mostly stomach acid, but you kept vomiting. When it had finally subsided, you willed yourself to continue.

            You had to have been out there for another hour or so, enough time for the sky to lighten. By the time you finished uncovering the whole truth, you stood above the bodies, staring hopelessly down at them.

            The uncles were there, the cousin, Jacob—who Ransom said never made it back to the mansion when they left for Worcester.

            A couple of them had decomposed more so than others but they were all still relatively fresh. Meaning they hadn’t been dead long.

            And nothing, absolutely nothing that Ransom told you had been the truth.

            You had to leave. Now.

            Fate worked against you as you found your way back to the estate & ran inside. Your ankle wailed but you pushed yourself as you climbed the stairs to your bedroom on the second floor.

            You didn’t want to confront Ransom. There was nothing he could say or do to ever make you trust him again. All you needed to do was get out unscathed, & fast.

            But just as you began shoving your things into your backpack, you heard the engine of a truck grow closer to the mansion.

            No.

            Rushing out of the bedroom, you ran into a spare room across the hall & pressed your face against the window. It was Ransom. In the bed of the truck was a generator. At least that had been true. But no matter, you had to hurry.

            Returning back to your room, you zipped up your backpack & spun around to leave. You were still missing a few items but you didn’t care. Your flight instinct had kicked in & you needed to leave immediately.

            But just as you made a few steps down the stairs, you spotted Ransom through the window by the front door. He had yet to see you. You attempted to move faster down the stairs, hoping you’d be out of sight before he ever swung the door open, but your ankle croaked in pain & you felt your legs slip out from under you.

            Pain erupted through your body as you fell down the stairs, knocking your limbs every which way along the way. Then a hot white flash pierced your mind as you smacked the back of your head on the wooden floor.

            Stars blanketed your vision & you groaned, trying to get up, but none of your limbs would work.

            You heard the front door open, followed by a concerned voice before Ransom’s face appeared in your line of sight.           

            He frowned down at you as he reached for you.

            You tried to fight him off, mouthing ‘no’ over & over again. But soon your vision darkened & the world you knew disappeared.

            When you came to, you winced. But it was muffled & you wriggled your head to wake yourself. As you did, you found yourself sitting at one end of the dining room table. You felt a cloth wrapped your face, covering your mouth. When you made to remove it, you realized your arms had been tied behind you to the chair you sat in.

            Glancing down, panic soaring through you, you were horrified to see yourself in another vintage style dress. Your knees were exposed & you noted the bruises on them.

            Your memory came rushing back to you as you recalled your last moments. Finding the gravesite, learning the truth about Ransom, trying to escape before slipping down the stairs. But now you were tied up, unable to defend yourself.

            Frightened, you began pulling at your restraints but to no vain. They had been secured tightly. Tears pricked at your eyes.

            A whistling sounded from the kitchen & you felt your heart nearly stop.

            The whistling grew closer & then Ransom appeared in the threshold from the kitchen, carrying two plates of food. His eyes landed on yours & he smiled solemnly.

            “Good. You’re awake.” His tone was light but there a coldness to it, a disconnect.

            You watched him as he circled around to your end of the table before placing a dish before you.

            “Took quite a fall, kiddo.” He shared before sitting down in the chair to the right of you.

            “Was gonna let you rest on the couch but then…” He sighed, staring blankly at the wall across from him, “I saw what you did.”

            His eyes flashed to yours & there was a darkness lying there.

            “Why, _____?” He almost sounded… heartbroken. “Why’d you have to go out there? I specifically told you not to leave the house.”

            A dark chuckle sounded from the depths of his chest as he shook his head, “But I should’ve known better. You are just a kid, after all. You don’t listen.”

            You struggled against the restraints once more & his eyes peeked a glance at your attempts. He took a sip from a glass of wine before him, sucking his teeth before speaking, “Wouldn’t bother if I were you. Only way you’ll get out of them is if I let you.”

            His proclamation made you struggle harder.

            He took a bite of his food, chewing thoughtfully as you whined behind your lips & felt your skin burning from the ropes. He hummed lightly to himself, likely enjoying your pitiful attempts.

            A fit of frustration could be heard behind your muffled covered mouth. Ransom stared at you, his face expressionless.

            “I know you’re probably thinking the mouth cover is pointless given your choice to be mute—” Actually, I’m thinking you’re a psychotic. “But it’s meaningful to me. Symbolic, if you will.”

            Ransom reached out to brush his knuckles against your cheek & you jolted away. Anger graced his features.

            “Ungrateful shit.” He seethed, “Only reason you’re alive is because of me.”

            Inhaling deeply, he appeared to calm himself down, his nostrils flaring, before he returned his eyes to yours.

            “I’m sure you have questions, & I’m willing to answer them.” He reached out again & this time you were unable to avoid his touch. He grasped your chin harshly, forcing you to face him, “For a price, of course.”

            You narrowed your eyes at him in defiance. Whatever it was, you would not do it.

            “As always, I only ask for your voice. Want answers? Then ask them.” He squeezed, making you wince, “Properly.”

            As he let go, he swiftly tore the covering from your mouth, leaving a wake of stinging pain along your mouth. It had been tape.

            “So.” He swirled his glass of wine before leaning back in his chair, “Ask away.”

            But you pursed your lips, gathering what little saliva you could conjure up, & spit at him.

            Your assault landed directly on his face, right in the crevice of one of his nostrils.

            Ransom fluttered his eyes closed, his teeth baring only slightly. He reached for a cloth napkin & wiped at his face before eyeing the spit. Then his eyes flashed to yours.

            Before you could brace yourself, he backhanded you. Your cheek erupted with a scorching heat & his assault had hit you so hard your chair had slightly lifted.

            A small, quiet gasp escaped you & you tasted blood on your tongue as the corner of your mouth seeped.

            He was quick to stabilize your chair before practically shoving his face into yours, “One more time like that & I’ll bury you with the rest of them.”

            Then he kicked his own chair out from beneath him. Swiftly, he grabbed his plate of food & threw it across the room. The sound of glass shattering made you jump slightly. Ransom’s chest was heaving before he braced both closed fists on top of the table.

            “Great.” He laughed half-heartedly, “Waste of food.”

            He stood straight, cracking his neck both ways before his eyes fell to you. You stared up at him wide-eyed.

            “We could have been happy.” Ransom fell to a single knee before he rested both his hands on your thighs, “We can still be happy. What you saw out there… that’s not me. You don’t know the full story. But I’ll tell you everything. I’ll answer all your questions, just—” He squeezed your thighs tightly, making your muscles tense at the action, “Talk to me.”

            A shudder parted your lips & Ransom must’ve mistook it for you attempting to talk.

            “C’mon, you can do it, I know you can. You did before you passed out.”

            What? You frowned at him, confused.

            “You told me ‘no’.” He grinned like a love-sick puppy, “I heard it. It was breathy, but you spoke. So I know you can talk.”

            You remembered saying ‘no’ internally, perhaps mouthing it, but you didn’t actually say the words. Did you?

            “One word, that’s it. Just ask me ‘why’. One word & I’ll tell you everything, I’ll let you go, & we can keep going. I don’t want to hurt you.” His eyes softened before one of his hands slipped in between your thighs. It didn’t move any further beyond that & you were grateful, but you were still at the mercy of that monster.

            “But I will if I have to.”

            And you believed him. You’d be an idiot not to. You were an idiot in the first place for ever believing a word he said, for even staying at the estate, for letting him help you. You should’ve left the first time. Walked away & never known the horrors that lied buried beneath the property.

            Ultimately, you knew you needed to survive. Dying wasn’t an option. You fucked up one time by choosing to trust in Ransom, you would not make the mistake again. But you did need him to trust you. Only then could you succeed in escaping his clutches.

            Nodding once, you felt a single tear escape.

            “Yeah?” Ransom appeared overjoyed before reaching behind him to drag his chair closer. He sat down, his knees brushing against yours as he waited for you to speak.

            “Wh—” You swallowed, your mouth dry. It sounded only like air passing through your lips, but Ransom’s eyes widened with hope.

            It had been a long time since you spoke, you forgot what your own voice sounded like, you weren’t sure you’d recognize it anymore. Clearing your throat, you jutted your chin towards his wine. Ransom pieced together what you were asking & quickly brought the rim of the glass to your lips. You took a healthy sip, wetting your lips & soothing your dry throat.

            “Wh—” It was cut short by the sound of pounding at the front door.

            Both you & Ransom froze, your eyes connecting.

            Did you hear that right? It sounded like someone was---

            Another set of pounding knocks sounded through the mansion.

            It was real!

            Before you could use what little sound you could produce to scream, Ransom slapped a hand over your mouth.       

            “Shut your mouth, shut up!” He gritted out. You whined behind his palm, attempting to bite at it, but he was quick to replace his hand with the cloth napkin he used to wipe your spit off his face. He stuffed it deep into your mouth & you choked, trying to turn your head away.

            “I need help! Please!” A muffled voice sounded from near the front.

            It was a man’s voice & he sounded like he was panicking.

            Ransom disappeared into the kitchen. You took the opportunity to try & scoot your chair away from the table. You’d never make it to the door in time, especially given the state & position you were in, but if you could make yourself fall over just as Ransom opened the door, you could draw the strangers attention.

            But alas, Ransom reappeared in the dining room, this time carrying a gun. It wasn’t a hunting rifle either, but an actual handgun.

            No!

            You couldn’t let him kill another person.

            Ransom was about to surpass you, stomping towards the hallway, but you forced yourself to muffle words from behind the cloth. He stopped in his tracks, his eyes falling to yours. Immediately, he rushed over to you & removed the cloth, “What, what is it? What’d you say?”

            You shook your head, tears falling yet again, “Do—don’t.”

            A euphoric expression birthed on his face as he stared at you in adoration.

            “There it is.” He closed the distance & pressed his lips to yours. You whined into the kiss, trying to remove yourself from it but he kept a hand at the back of your head to keep you in place.

            “Hello?!” The voice sounded again, “I know you’re there! Please, I’m bleeding bad.”

            Ransom pulled away from you, his eyes glancing to the hallway before they returned to you.

            “You don’t want me to kill him?” He asked as if it was wildest request you could ask of him.

            You shook your head fast, begging him with your eyes. Forcing yourself into his favor, your rested your forehead against his own.

            Ransom released a breath of air, nodding once, “Okay.”

            He cupped your cheek, to which you leant into it, “But no promises.”

            With that, Ransom left you in the dining room but not before stuffing your mouth with the cloth yet again.

            Tears blurred your vision but you remained still to listen.

            You heard the door swing open, followed by a dull thud.

            “Thank you, thank you.” The man voiced, “I fuckin’ fell in the dark. I think I broke my arm.”

            You had yet to hear Ransom speak which only worried you.

            Silence followed for some time & you felt your nerves begin to skyrocket. What was going on?

            But not a moment later, did you hear footfalls sound behind you. You glanced over your shoulder & spotted Ransom just as he re-entered the dining room.

            “Guy needs help. We’ll help him then he’ll leave.” Ransom announced quietly to you.

            We?

            Just as the thought passed through your head, Ransom produced a pocketknife from his pocket before cutting at your restraints. Immediately, you brought your arms to your front, rubbing away the pain from the ropes digging into your skin. But Ransom was quick to yank you to your feet, capturing your chin in his hands, “One word to him & I’ll kill you both. Understand?”

            You nodded, knowing it to be true. But this was your chance. If you somehow got the stranger to help you, you could overpower Ransom.

            Ransom dragged you along as he entered the kitchen, pulling out medical supplies from one of your survival kits. You felt yourself shaking but accepted whatever he handed you. Once Ransom had everything, he led you towards the sitting room.

            Upon entering the room, your eyes landed on a young man, probably not much older than you, as he sat in one of the chairs. The shirt he wore was torn at the hem & dirtied from however long he had been wearing it for. His hair was longer, past his ears, & he had a short, scruffy beard. His eyes raised to yours, widening slightly, likely not expecting there to be another person.

            Ransom grunted to the man for him to move his arm & rest it on the table.

            “I’m going to set it, she’s going to wrap it.”

            “Yeah, alright.” He responded, his eyes meeting yours once more.

            You lowered your eyes & got to your knees beside Ransom.

            “Need something to bite on?” Ransom questioned, none-so-gently grabbing the strangers arm.

            “Just fuckin’ get it over with.” The man contorted his face, preparing for the pain.

            “On three.” Ransom glanced between the two of you.

            “One—” Then he snapped the strangers bone back into place.

            “Fuck!” The man yelled, immediately trying to jolt backwards, but Ransom was quick to keep his stable so you could quickly wrap the arm. You had been too distracted by the stranger & trying to convey your problems with your eyes you had missed the bone sticking out of his arm. The open wound gushed with blood & Ransom quickly reached for a bottle of liquor to pour over the wound.

            The man hissed, cursing under his breath. You worked as fast & steadily as you could given the circumstances as you wrapped his arm. Once you finished, Ransom stood up, stepping over you, “I’ll get you something for the pain.”

            You watched as Ransom left the room. The second he disappeared from sight, you spun back towards the man. He was resting his back against one of the cushioned chairs, holding his arm in his other hand with his eyes closed as he focused on his breathing.

            “A—” It was only a small sound but enough for him to open his eyes.

            He gave you a strange look, his brows furrowing, “Thanks.”

            You moved your mouth again, unable to find words.

            “Hel—”

            “Sorry ‘bout her.” Ransom appeared, making you jump, “She’s mute.”

            The stranger’s eyes rose from yours to Ransom.

            “Seems like she’s trying to say something.”

            “That so?” Ransom grinned wryly, his eyes falling to yours. You glanced back at him, shaking your head once.

            “She tries sometimes, but it comes out garbled. Best to ignore her than entertain her.”

            “Right.” The man said, tossing you a confused look.

            “Your arm should be fine now.” Ransom shared, “We’ll give it a night but come morning you’re outta here.”

            The man scoffed, narrowing his eyes, “Very hospitable.”

            Ransom didn’t appreciate the challenge masked behind sarcasm, “I could rebreak it & send you on your way instead.”

            The stranger chuckled lightly but raised his uninjured arm in surrender, “I’m good.”

            Ransom then handed the man a few pills with a glass of water.

            “Name’s Ransom.”

            “The fuck kind of name is that?” The man questioned as he downed the pills & chugged the water.

            Ransom cocked his head, “This is _____.”

            “Right, Ransom & _____, the mute.”

            “That’s right. And yours?”

            The man wiped at his mouth, his eyes dancing between the two of you, “Rafe. My name is Rafe Cameron.”

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Sycophant

An Andy Barber Oneshot

[THIS STORY WILL CONTAIN THEMES OF NON-CON/DUB-CON, MENTAL-EMOTIONAL-PHYSICAL ABUSE, ETC. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED. READ AT YOUR OWN RISK. 18+. MINORS DO NOT INTERACT]

WC: 9k

Dividers provided by @firefly-graphics

            It was hard work being a young woman in your field, the youngest—in fact. You worked your ass off at a young age to get where you were, to earn the respect & regard for your expert opinion. Graduating high school at 16, accepted into Harvard Law by 20, passing your bar exams with flying colors at 23. You won your first case before your 25th birthday & completed your judicial clerkship position under a highly respected lawyer in your field of interest by the time you were 27. By the time you were 29 you had published a handful of essays that were used as reference by professors beyond your years in their own teachings & then secured a tenured position at the law school of your choice shortly after turning 31.

            Now, you were 32, still in your first year as a full-time professor. The lecture you gave once a week was on the History of Evidence. It had been amusing the first couple years at the wide-eyed gazes you often came across during your years of assistant teaching, a majority of them finding it unbelievable that someone as young as you would be teaching them—after all, a handful of the students were only a few years younger than you. But now you had grown used to the stares, & made it a point to either ignore them or address them head-on.

            Your most challenging student in your first year was a young man named Andrew Barber. He was in his 20’s & often sat as near to your lecture podium as possible. You had grown curious about the student & looked him up in the school system only to find that he had no reason to be taking your class. He was in his final year of law school & was due to graduate at the end of the year. Your lecture was only worth 2 credits & was often taken by first year law students. Of course, the lecture was open to any students, but most got the historical aspects of law over with in their first year. But not Mr. Barber.

            Today, he sat in his usual seat near your podium as you gracefully crossed the front of the room, your eyes moving from the PowerPoint back to your students as you spoke. You often felt his eyes on you during your lectures, & found yourself being held after class by his questions & sometimes, his challenges to test your credibility. At the beginning of the term, it had been entertaining, to say the least, though you never showed it, but now with the term nearly over & Mr. Barber due to graduate in only a few weeks’ time, you looked forward to not having him in your class any longer.

            “As you prepare for your final papers, I urge you to reflect on the progression & philosophical underpinnings of evidence itself. Whether you choose to focus on trial by ordeal, the complexities of trial by jury, spectral evidence, or the modern implications of polygraph statistics & anonymous sources, remember that each form of proof carries with it both strengths & vulnerabilities.”

            It was common knowledge that when students signed up for your class there would be no formal exam but a final paper, so you didn’t understand the few groans of misery at your announcement. You had been a law student yourself once, sure, but you enjoyed your academics & honestly, you believed that no one should pursue law if they were going to bitch about it.

            “Your papers should be no less than 25 pages, exploring a topic of your choice from the list provided earlier this term.” You approached your laptop & closed down the PowerPoint before using your mini remote to retract the overhead panel. “You must critically engage with the historical context & modern applications of your chosen form of evidence. Be prepared to defend your analysis as I’ll be meeting individually with each of you before the final due date to discuss your progress.”

            Closing your laptop, you rested your forearms along the edges of the podium as your eyes met with those that were willing to engage with you, “Don’t forget to double-check citations & include at least three primary sources. Misattribution, as you all should know, can be just as damning in academia as it is in the courtroom.”

            You paused, glancing around the room as a few nervous eyes shifted away, “Any questions before I let you go?”

            When no one had any, you gave a small, professional smile, “Enjoy the rest of your week & I’ll see you all next Tuesday at our usual time.”

            With that, your students began to gather their things & talk amongst themselves. Of course, you heard a few speak under their breath about the weight of your paper. You ignored such talk, knowing full well that while your class was only 2 credits, they needed to do well on the paper to pass. Otherwise, they would be back in here for their second year.

            You slipped your laptop under your arm & approached the nearby desk to pull out your fashionable briefcase. It wasn’t that you were much of a fashionable person yourself, but throughout your years of pursuing law you made it a point that you were a woman. The youngest woman at that. It was important for you to dress professionally but also femininely, unlike a lot of your female predecessors before you who often wore their pantsuits to dress like their male counterparts.

            Today, you wore an outfit that was both clean & serious yet young & simple. You once wrote an essay that was published by your alma mater about how more women in the field should embrace feminine attire in their careers, allowing women to redefine professional expectations on their own terms, ultimately strengthening their authority in the courtroom. It had received many reviews & you were pleased to see a few other women take after you & begin leaving the pantsuits at home.

            You had nearly gathered all your things to head back to your office on campus when you felt the presence of another sidle up to the desk you stood at.

            “Mr. Barber,” You began, not even bothering to confirm it was him, “may I help you?”

            He chuckled lightly at that, resting one of his legs on the corner of the desk as he sat his bottom on the edge of it.

            “Are you going to the Trials & Tastes luncheon?”

            Ah, yes. The fundraiser. You wouldn’t have forgotten about it, but you were not much looking forward to small-talk & forced niceties, though the benefits & proceeds of the fundraiser would go to a respectable program.

            “I will be.” You revealed, your tone clipped & distant.

            “Good, I was hoping you would say so.”

            If you didn’t know any better, you would think the young man had developed a crush on you, but after your many debates in class—in front of his peers, no less—you knew Mr. Barber simply enjoyed challenging you, like most men did, to shake your foundation.

            You said nothing in return & grabbed the handle of your case, preparing to leave. As you reached the door to your classroom, all of your students having escaped to their short-lived freedom, you were greeted yet again by the young man as he beat you to the door & held it open for you.

            “Thank you.”

            Unfortunately, Mr. Barber followed you out & walked alongside you as you navigated through the hallways to the stairwell.

            “I saw your name on the roster for the panel but seeing as you often avoid events, I wasn’t sure how accurate it was.”

            “Mr. Barber, may I remind you that paying such close attention to one of your professors is reasonably suspicious?”

            “What can I say,” He shrugged, & you caught a peek as he grinned down at you, “I admire a woman in power.”

            It was not sexual harassment, it wasn’t even harassment, but given the status of your position as well as his, it was pushing the boundaries only slightly. But you took it as a compliment, though you likely knew it was far from one. He often tried to humiliate you but had yet to succeed. After all, you were a lawyer. Very few things could scare you.   

            “Professor Connors is also speaking at the luncheon, have you expressed your admiration for her as well?” You challenged.

            Mr. Barber made a playful sound of disgust, “No way in hell. She ripped apart my mock trial my second year. The last thing I feel towards her is admiration.”

            “I see.” You had reached the top of the stairwell & turned to face your student, “So a woman in power is not what you truly meant, otherwise you would’ve respected her opinion.”

            “Except her opinion was bullshit.” He quickly countered, his eyes gazing deep into your own.

            “Fortunately, Mr. Barber, a lawyer’s opinion matters rarely in their cases. It’s all about—”

            “Evidence, I know.” He finished for you, “I may not look like I’m retaining anything you say in class but I keep every single word that leaves your mouth locked away in here.” He tapped on his temple.

            “Well, I must be going now. It’s getting late.”

            You turned away from him, not caring to continue the conversation given that it was shortly after 8 in the evening & you still had to work to do in your office before heading home.

            “I’ll walk with you.” He shared, quickly following you down the steps as he did.

            “Don’t you have other matters of more importance to get to, Mr. Barber, than following around your professor like a lost pup?”

            He chuckled once more before beating you to the double doors at the front of the building to hold them open for you yet again.

            “You know, you’re kind of funny when you want to be.” His compliment was taken with a grain of salt. You knew he was making fun of you internally. They always did.

            You stopped abruptly, narrowing your eyes at the young man, “Your persistence may be welcome elsewhere, but it is not welcomed here. Class is over. My office hours are done for the day. I have work to do & you have a paper to write.”

            He cocked his head knowingly at you, “You & I both know well enough I don’t need to pass your class to graduate. I took it for fun.”

            “Fun?” Now, that was an insult. And he damn well knew it.

            “What is the significance of the Brady rule?” You shot out.

            Mr. Barber was caught off guard by your question, but wasn’t quick enough to answer, though he did look foolish as he opened his mouth to counter you.

            “What is the ‘fruit of the poisonous tree’ doctrine, & why is it critical to the Fourth Amendment?”

            “Well, hold on a minute—”

            “How do standards of proof differ in criminal versus civil trials?”

            “Now, that one’s easy—”

            “In a federal criminal trial, under what specific circumstances can the prosecutor introduce a defendant’s prior bad acts as evidence, despite the general prohibition against character evidence under Federal Rule of Evidence 404b?”

            His gaze darkened as you stood their pridefully. When he said nothing, it was then your turn to muster an unimpressed chuckle.

            “Are you having fun now, Mr. Barber?”

            The young man scoffed before pressing his lips together.

            “Good. And now that I’ve made my point, I expect your paper to be highly researched with a damning analysis that makes your presence in my class all term worthwhile.”

            When he said nothing, you nodded once, “Have a good night, oh, & more importantly, have fun.”

            With that, you spun on your heel & began walking through the courtyard to your building across the way. You listened as Mr. Barber’s footfalls carried himself in the opposite direction. While he may not have enjoyed the lesson just then, you certainly couldn’t deny that you yourself were now having fun.

            The luncheon was exhausting. You enjoyed most of your colleagues & considered one or two of them decent friends, but otherwise you loathed social events. If the head of your department hadn’t approached you to ask you to speak at the luncheon, you likely wouldn’t have even attended, but you never turned down an opportunity to speak to the masses & have your voice heard.

            The panel was brief but impactful. You & a few others spoke on the importance of community, justice, & the power of philanthropy. Afterwards, the main event began & you kept yourself busy by going to different stations to sample the wine & spirits & food pairings, all of which, of course, were named after famous trials.

            The dress code for the luncheon was business casual. The outfit you wore was fitting for the event &, of course, feminine. Though it was the middle of May & the event was taking place on the third floor terrace, the blazer you wore was lightweight & didn’t make you overheat under the Massachusetts sun.

            After gathering a small plate of finger food, you sat at an empty table near the edge of the terrace that overlooked the campus courtyard below. Your eyes danced around as you watched faculty, students, & guest speakers alike mingle amongst themselves. You were relieved to be a professor now rather than student, having disliked networking when you were a student & having to impress to succeed. Those days were over. Now it was your time to be impressed.

            But as you picked at your food in silence, & cast your eyes out to the courtyard, you were disgruntled when you heard someone sit down in a chair at your table. As you turned to face the arrival, you had expected either a colleague or the head of your department, but what you didn’t expect was your pain in the ass student, Mr. Barber. But, of course, you should have known better.

            “Mr. Barber.” Your appetite dissipated at the sight of your ornery student.

            “Just spoke with your assistant, emailed her my paper for you to review before our one-on-one.”

            “Excellent. I look forward to it.” You replied coolly & dismissively.

            “I have an answer to your question.” He then revealed. He was not all smiles & playful chuckling as he usually was.

            “That is…?”

            “Federal Rule of Evidence 404b allows evidence of a person’s character to be admitted if it is offered for a purpose other than proving character.”

            “Such as?”

            “Motive, opportunity, intent, knowledge, you name it.”

            “Name a trial where Rule 404b was successfully used.”

            Mr. Barber grinned, “Gacy. It proved motive & intent & a pattern of behavior.”

            You opened your mouth to test his knowledge further when he answered the question you were already preparing to ask.

            “And yes, it passed Rule 403’s balancing test. They found that the relevance of the evidence outweighed the risk of unfair prejudice.”

            A smirk tugged on the corner of your mouth but you snuffed it out, not wanting to give your student the satisfaction of actually impressing you for once.

            “Good, Mr. Barber, I now know you can research.”

            “My paper will prove that, too.”

            “And I look forward to discussing it with you.”

            Silence fell between the two of you & you sat comfortably in your chair, unperturbed by the young man’s unwavering gaze.

            “You’re impressed.” He finally said, his tone filled with finality.

            You quirked a single brow, “Is that so?”

            “You’re too prideful to admit it, but I know.”

            “Without my confirmation, I suppose you’ll have to make do with just your belief. And we both know how little belief gets one in a court of law.”

            “This isn’t a courtroom.” He rebutted.

            “Perhaps.” You grabbed your nearby glass of wine & took a sip, “But it is life.”

            Again, that darkened gaze from earlier in the week appeared. Mr. Barber then leaned forward, lowering his voice, “You may be hard to impress, but you’re not impossible to break.”

            Your mouth went dry at his words, & you jumped slightly when you felt the heat of his palm capture the flesh just above your knee under the table.

            “Even the sharpest minds have their faults.” His eyes met yours, “It just takes the right pressure.”

            As if to drive his point home, he squeezed your thigh harshly, & you made to shove his hand off. But before you could, he stood up & grinned down at you, “Thank you for your insight, Professor _____. I’ll see you in our one-on-one.”

            A spell of dizziness fell over you & you vaguely remembered Mr. Barber departing your table. You paid no attention to where he went, but his words stayed with you. The heat of his palm could still be felt on your thigh & you rubbed absent-mindedly at the space.

            In all your years of working hard, surpassing expectations, & even competing against a thousand others in one of the most competitive fields in the world, never left you feeling the way your student just had.

            It was a threat, that much was clear, but what kind of threat you were unsure of.

            The rest of the term came & went without issue & you never saw Andrew Barber, not since the luncheon. At first, it had unsettled you. After all, his subtle threat remained with you the first few days. But when he quit coming to your lecture & never arrived for his one-on-one, you eventually pushed any thoughts of him to the back of your mind.

            His paper, like most students in your class, was well-researched & the analysis was crisp. For once, you had not planned on debating him, now wary of him. But it wasn’t the first time you had been threatened by a man in your field of work, however, it was the first time a student had.

            Nonetheless, you graded his paper accordingly & Mr. Barber passed the class with the highest marks. You expected to hear from once grades were released but still nothing. It kept you on edge but at the same time, you were relieved to never have to deal with him again.

            Classes had ended earlier that week but you still had grades to enter into the system & class notes to provide to your head. The last week of school was also often followed by student reviews. Every faculty member that taught a class was to be reviewed by their students, a way to make note of progress for department heads. As it was your first year as a tenured professor, you were curious as to what your students would say.

            You had been in your office all day, busying yourself with tasks you needed to complete before the summer break. Of course, work never ended for you. During the summer you would be leading a mentoring program to students who wanted to take the fast track to graduating early. But that wouldn’t be for another week or so. You would only have a few days to yourself before you would report back to work, so you were eager that night to finish as efficiently as possible & get home.

            Your assistant had left only a few hours ago, she was graduating as well, & had left you with no goodbye. All year she had been an excellent assistant & you appreciated all her hard work. You had planned on sharing with her that you would write her a letter of recommendation if she requested one before she left for the evening but you never had a chance. She had signaled her exit by slamming the door shut. It was strange & unlike her, but you figured perhaps she was having a bad night. You would email her in the morning.

            There was maybe twenty minutes of work left when a knock sounded in the distance. Frowning, you eyed the clock on the wall. It was nearly 11 at night. Standing up from your desk, you rounded to the door & peeked out into your waiting room. The desk that your assistant usually sat at was empty & clear of any personal items. But perhaps she had indeed forgotten something.

            Your heels clacked & the dress you wore brushed against your calves as you approached the frosted glass door to your office.

            You immediately froze where you stood as your eyes landed on those of another, one you hadn’t seen in the last few weeks.

            “Mr. Barber.”

            “Professor.” He greeted, but his tone was clipped, much like how yours typically was.

            “What are you—”

            “I missed our one-on-one, I was hoping we could reschedule for right now.”

            You felt your brows crinkle, “Mr. Barber, grades have been posted, your paper along with it. You passed the class with full marks. The one-on-one is redundant at this point.”

            “I understand.” He nodded once but made no effort to move from where he stood, “I still would like your thoughts on it.”

            You inhaled sharply, straightening your spine as you peered up at him, “Unfortunately, that opportunity has passed. My office hours are closed. I’m about to head home. In the fall, if you’d like to schedule an appointment with me, I’d be more than happy to discuss it then.”

            “I think now is a good time.”

            A small gasp escaped you as the young man welcomed himself into your office, his broad chest easily knocking you out of the way as he entered.

            “Mr. Barber—”

            “It’s Andy.” He cut you off, his eyes finding yours, “I’m no longer your student, Professor _____. Or I should say _____, since we’re on first names now.”

            Annoyance bubbled within you as you stared openly at him, “Just what the hell do you think you’re doing?”

            You watched as your now former student eyed the space before approaching your recently graduated assistant. His fingers danced along the desk, a small smile gracing his lips.

            “You know much about your assistant?”

            “Miss. Parker?” What the hell was he getting at?

            “Of course you call her that.” He chuckled darkly, before turning around to face you, resting his bottom on the edge of the desk. “I call her Melissa. Or ‘slut’, she likes that a lot when I fuck her.”

            Your eyes widened at the sudden breach of information.

            “We fucked here a lot, ya know.” He revealed, a devilish smile on his face, “Had to wait till you went home, which I gotta say, Prof, you sure are a workaholic.”

            “Excuse me?” You were seething. “I think it’s time you leave. Right now. Before I call campus security.”

            He laughed then exhaled heavily, his eyes dancing from the toes of your heels to the top of your head, “Go ahead, but you’ll only implicate yourself if you do.”

            “What are you talking about?” Your voice began to rise, “Get the hell out of my office!”

            “Melissa isn’t very bright.” He began, ignoring your demands for him to leave, “Very eager to please. I’m actually surprised you accepted her application to be your assistant for the year. I thought you wanted to mentor ‘strong’ women. She’s very… submissive. You really should’ve picked a man, that would’ve made it harder for me to set you up.”

            Your heart was beating wildly within your chest as you watched him.

            When he glanced at you he laughed openly, “You should see the look on your face. Priceless.”

            “Mr. Barber—”

            “Andy.” He clicked his tongue at you, winking once. He approached you then & you took a step back, bumping into one of the leather chairs. An unsettling smile split his face as he bypassed you to your office door, swinging it close before locking it.

            “What are you—”

            “Let’s go into your office.” He gestured with his arm for you to enter the room behind the assistant’s desk.

            “Andy—”

            “Now.” The smile dropped from his face, “Before I get really mad.”

            Biting your tongue, you marched into your face, heading straight for your cellphone buried in your bag. But just as you grasped the bag sitting on the floor by your desk, Andy appeared beside you, ripping the device from your hands before throwing it into the waiting room & slamming the door.

            “We won’t need that.” He shared, his chest just barely brushing against your upper arm.

            “Whatever it is that’s bothering you—”

            He chuckled, shaking his head. Then his hands found your arms & turned you to face him, “You bother me.”

            “So, what? You’re angry because I didn’t fall for your attempts to humiliate me in front of my students? You’re upset because I accepted your challenges? Because you haven’t defeated me? Tell me what the hell this is about!”

            His lips parted as you spit your frustrations at him, glaring hotly into his eyes.

            “I was a student in Duran’s class my first year. You were his associate teacher.” Andy revealed. You recalled working under Professor Duran, one of your least favorite years in your career. He was often drunk & smelled like a skunk. He also never learned to keep his hands to himself.

            “I was younger than, easily impressed & excited about law. Duran had a long history of being one of the best professors at this school & yet he was rarely around to teach. That was up to you. You picked up his slack, taught us in areas that should’ve been well beyond your years. But you did it gracefully, intelligently. Didn’t look a day over 20 & had the brains to outsmart more than half the faculty.”

            As he spoke, his hands moved from your arms to your waist. You immediately made to move out of his grasp but his hold tightened, keeping you in place.

            “And then came that eventful day. I know I don’t need to remind you.”

            It was true. He didn’t.

            Duran had come to class in the middle of your teaching, stumbling into the class before falling in front of everyone. He had approached you, slurring & reeking of whatever bottle he crawled into. He shoved you off the podium & made blatant sexist remarks. At the time, you knew it was because you had rejected his advances for the umpteenth time & threatened to report him. Then he came to class & verbally assaulted you with nearly a hundred witnesses. He was removed from the school effective immediately & you were given the chance to teach the class rest of term.

            “I told you,” Andy’s fingers played with the fine fabric of your dress, “I love a woman in power. The way you called him out in front of his students, mocked his legacy, & held your ground. Fuck!”

            Andy leaned in, his nose brushing against the shell of your ear, “I’d never been so hard in my life.”

            You shook, attempting to pull yourself out of his grasp but he forced you back, catching the back of your head with his other hand as he peered down at you with a heated gaze, “I’ve wanted you ever since. It’s why I took your class my last term. I thought you’d appreciate my challenges, be impressed, see a bit of yourself in me, view me as a respectable adversary. I thought we could be friends, if not more.”

            A groan of disgust sounded from you as you turned away from him.

            “But no.” His hand at the back of your head gathered your hair & wrapped it around his fist, forcing a hiss through your teeth, “Your pride, that goddamn fucking pride of yours. What more do you need to prove? You’re the youngest success story in your field. Shouldn’t you oughta relax once in a while? Or are you scared of losing your crown?”

            “Let. Go.” You winced, trying to make your voice as hard & even as possible.

            Andy laughed lightly, biting his lower lip as he stared openly at your face, “No, no. I’ve worked too hard to get you right where I want you.”

            “Where’s that?” You glared up at him, practically balancing your weight on your toes as he had you lifted almost by your hair, forcing your face closer to his.

            “At my mercy.”

            Then, before you could protest, he caught your mouth with his, smothering you in a suffocating kiss. You whined into it, attempting to shove him off you, but he was quick to secure his other arm around your waist, lifting you effortlessly before placing you down on your desk, his hips placed expertly between your knees.

            “No!” You managed to turn your face away, your hands & fingers grasping at the fabric of his shirt, trying to push him away from you.

            “You really have no choice, Professor.” He spoke, his breath fanning your face, “You deny me, I’ll have you removed from the faculty just like you did to Duran, & I’ll still have my way with you.”

            At that you froze. Slowly, you blinked, peeking at him confused. “What do you mean?”

            Andy produced a winner’s smile, “I’m talking about all the evidence I fabricated that implicates you in an on-going sexual relationship with one of your students: me.”

            Your heart fell to your stomach, “What—why, did—what are you talking about?”

            “The way your chest is heaving right now is making it really hard to control myself.” Andy commented, his eyes falling to the opening of your dress near the top.

            “Andy!” You spoke harshly, “What are you talking about?”

            His eyes met your own, “Melissa. Or Miss Parker, as you say. Like I said, she isn’t very bright. Likes to leave her laptop unattended while she sleeps, doesn’t even password protect.”

            Where he was going was conjuring a nauseous feeling within you.

            “Your email.” Andy brushed his lips against your cheek, “There’s a whole slew of emails between you & I. Intimate ones. Ones with scheduled ‘one-on-one’s’ at your home. In your office. I even had to break up with Melissa for you. She knows everything.”

            “You…”

            He grinned, nodding, “I pretended to be you wanting to fuck me, yes. And it’s all backed up. You can go through your email & delete them all you like but I have all the evidence on a drive in my apartment. Along with a few articles of your clothing, some of your DNA in my bed. The proof’s all there if you want to go to that extent.”

            You stared at him wide-eyed, “How did you…?”

            “Melissa also has a key to your home, does she not? In case you leave an important lesson plan behind or need her to pick something up on the weekends. You sure worked her hard.”

            “But she…”

            “Hates your guts. Even more now that she knows the truth about us.”

            You glared at him, angry tears breaching.

            “Why?”

            Andy breathed out, his hands going for the top of your dress, “Because… you. I wanted you, & I always get what I want.”

            You remained still as he slipped the dress of your shoulders, exposing your bra-clad breasts to him.

            “This isn’t exactly how I imagined it going. Like I said, I thought you’d like me. So, I had to take a different route, & this one, at the end of the day, is a route I know you’d respect.” Andy caught your chin, forcing you to look at him, “It’s like you always say. It’s all about evidence.”

            You said nothing, could say nothing.

            Then, much to your relief, he backed up, allowing you a moment of space to breath. But it was short-lived as he stared at you.

            “Take your dress off.”

            Your eyes flashed to his.

            “No.”

            He cocked his head at that, an audacious look of surprise on his face.

            “Now. Or I’ll tear it to shreds.”

            “Do it.” You challenged, “Just more evidence for me.”

            Andy chuckled darkly at that, his eyes narrowing, “That really the route you want to go? I’m not your only threat anymore. Let’s not forget about Melissa. She could ruin your life as much as I could. It’s two against one.”

            “She’s smarter than you give her credit for.”

            “She really isn’t.” He countered.

            Silence lasted a beat before he spoke once more.

            “You really want to do this the hard way?”

            “You attack me right now & I’ll have all the evidence. The first thing I’ll do is report it, then have a rape kit performed. I’ll see you in court at the end of the month. You won’t even make it to your bar exams.”

            He glared, his face distorting to one of pure rage.

            “Didn’t think everything through, now did you?”

            “All the rape kit will prove is that there was intercourse. Everything else? A matter of ‘he said, she said’. And we both know how those often go. Really prepared to risk your career, credibility, position at this school for a case you will surely lose?”

            “Are you?” You threw back. “If you know anything about me, Mr. Barber, it’s that I don’t go down without a fight. So, give it your best shot.”

            Andy stilled for a moment, your eyes peering into one another. But then he smiled. A real one.

            “You should read the most recent email you sent me, Professor. Before you go & get all high & mighty.”

            At that you frowned.

            “What did you do?”

            He gestured to your laptop, “See for yourself.”

            Never letting your eyes fall from his, you slipped off the desk, uncaring to readjust your dress as you circled around to your chair. Your email was already open in another tab.

            “Where are you hiding them?”

            “Archives. Under ‘AB’.”

            Following his instructions, you found the folder & clicked on the first email. The subject line read ‘Tonight—My Office’.

            A shudder ran through you as you read the email. It was brief but damning.

            Andy,

            Tonight’s the night. I want you to come to my office & do what I’ve been begging you to do. Reference the links I sent you. It’s time to celebrate you no longer being my student. We are free to do as we please. Finally. I’ll see you at 11. I’ll be waiting.

            Yours, _____

            P.S. Bring my favorite tie.

            And then an attached file. A link to a website about different kinds of BDSM. The specific one in the link referred to ‘rape play’.

            “You…” Words failed you as your vision began to blur. Another spell of dizziness cast over you.

            You clocked the time the email was sent. Around 7 p.m. But you had been in your office all day.

            “When you went to get coffee.” Andy revealed, having read your mind, “I’m sure you noticed when you returned that Melissa was absent from her desk. She was busy crying in the bathroom. I had come up here & broke up with her, telling her everything, and showed her the emails from her laptop. Then she ran out, tears running down her face. Allowed me to send myself one last email. Quick but effective.”

            You shook your head in denial, “They’ll trace the email having been sent from her laptop.”

            “But of course.” Andy chuckled knowingly, “A law professor specializing in evidence would know to send the email from a separate IP address, should she of course want to accuse her partner of sexual assault.”

            Your heart was racing. This wasn’t happening, it couldn’t be.

            “It’s all…” Andy approached the desk, cupping your cheek to force you to look up at him, “Say it with me now, it’s all…”

            “Circumstantial.” You both said in unison, though your voice was barely audible.

            “And it’s all about the evidence.” Andy repeated.

            Tears finally escaped & you felt unable to move.

            “Seeing me in court sounds like a waste of time now, doesn’t it?”

            Andy circled the desk & spun your chair around before kneeling on one knee before you, his palm finding the same spot it rested on before at the luncheon.

            “I win.” He breathed, a gruesome smile on his face, “Finally.”

            When you continued to say nothing, only staring past his shoulder, you saw him reach into his back pocket, pulling out a piece of fabric.

            “Your favorite tie.” He revealed half-heartedly, as if the relationship he fabricated between the two of you was real.

            It had been his plan all along, after all.

            “Stand up.” He ordered, remaining on his knee.

            When you refused to move, he gripped a single calf & squeezed, “I don’t mind getting rough, Professor. I’m only giving you a chance to make this as easy as possible.”

            Eyeing him, you felt a shaky breath escape you.

            “Don’t.” You felt your strength lessen. Would you really be forced into begging? The you from ten minutes ago would never.

            “You can’t stop it.” Andy cooed, peering almost solemnly up at you, “If it makes you feel any better, you’ll never see me again.”

            You felt your brows crinkle at that.

            “We’ll break up.” He shared, tracing a single finger along the muscle in your calf, “I just want a goodbye fuck. Can’t risk continuing a relationship with you. You’re too smart. You’d probably mic your office or set up a nanny-cam.” He joked lightly as if you two were friends.

            “Give me what I want, & I’ll disappear forever.” He breathed out, catching your eyes. They started out soft but soon enough hardened.

            “Now stand up & remove your fucking dress.”

            As you weighed the pros & cons internally, you found yourself adhering to his demands. You stood up, your legs shaking slightly from what was to come.

            As you did, Andy watched every move, every muscle twitch, every change in breathing pattern. He was feeling powerful. And you loathed that you could do absolutely nothing. What would fighting back do? The end result would still be the same. And the evidence had set up. Your whole career, your name, reputation, fucking ruined. All you had to do… was let him fuck you.

            His hand grabbed the back of your legs as he leaned forward. You braced a single hand on the edge of your desk to stabilize yourself as he pressed his face between your thighs. You heard him inhale deeply.

            “You smell as good as you look.” He uttered, his lips kissing the tender skin of your inner thighs.

            You gasped softly, more tears escaping & you hated yourself. For crying, for not fighting back, for losing.

            His hands grew bolder, reaching up to cup the cheeks of your ass, molding them to fit his palms. You bit your lip, attempting to stifle the cries that threatened to escape. It was bad enough that he had won, it would be worse if he heard you cry about it.

            You then felt his nose brush against the front of your pubic bone & instinctually, you brought your hands down on top of his head, attempting to push him off. He was quick to capture both of your wrists, coming out from between your thighs to gaze up at you, a look of warning on his face.

            It was enough for your arms to go limp. Andy offered a small smile before he rose to his full height.

            “Been a long time for you hasn’t it, Prof?” He alluded, but to what you didn’t know.

            He reached around your waist to the button that secured your dress. It slipped down until it crumpled into a pile at your feet.

            “I think the last one was that guest speaker at the gala last year, right?”

            Oh.

            “You certainly made him work hard for it.”

            “How do—” You frowned as he cut you off with a kiss.

            “I’ve been watching you a long time.” He said, his deep blue eyes boring into yours.

            Before you could say another word, he spun you around so you were facing your desk, manipulating your body to bend you over until your ass was on full display. Goosebumps erupted behind every stroke of his hand as he felt your body from your upper back to the cheeks of your butt.

            “I can’t begin to tell you what a superb going away gift this is.” He shared lowly from behind you.

            Then you felt his hands expertly unclasp your bra & it fell down your arms. He gathered you up in his arms, pressing your back against his solid chest as he peeked down at you over your shoulder. Your body continued to shake no matter how much effort you put into not shaking.

            Andy was slow & sensual, & you wished he would just get it over with.

            His hands cupped either tit in his palms, groaning softly in your ear. You felt as he ground his hips into your backside, his erection apparent. You pressed your lips together to keep from sounding out your cries.

            Just get it over with & leave me be. You begged internally.

            Just then, he grasped the underside of your chin, angling your face upwards at a near painful angle. He stared down at you, his gaze hooded & full of lust. No words were said but you saw in his eyes how he had been planning this for ages, & now he was finally going to get what he wanted. You only wish it wasn’t your defeat.

            The hand not holding your neck slipped down your front until it reaching the lining of your underwear. Your fingers grasped the edge of the desk, bracing yourself for the worst part to begin.

            His fingers slipped inside & he was quick to find your bundle of nerves. A pitiful moan of protest parted your lips but you were swift to bit you lip, your teeth sinking into the flesh there. Andy smiled momentarily but he watched as your face contorted, attempting to fight off the sensations, to ignore them. But luck was not on your side. Your body responded to his touch & you hated yourself. Hated him.

            “There she is.” He growled lowly as your stomach began to knot. His fingers worked harder, faster in circles. Then right before you were to orgasm, he slipped further down & inserted a single finger into your cunt.

            You hissed, unknowingly gyrating your hips against his own as he stretched you around his finger. He pumped slowly at first, enjoying watching you come undone. Your eyes were squeezed shut, one of your hands hanging onto his forearm that continued to hold your neck in his grasp.

            Something wet touched your ear & a regretful pleasant sensation flooded through you as he licked & nipped at your lobe. A soft cry escaped you as you felt the walls of your pussy contract & shudder, your orgasm ripping through you. Andy released a satisfying breath of air as he let you go. You collapsed on top of your desk, your lower half shaking as the waves of your orgasm still rocked through you.

            Behind you, you heard the distinct sound of a belt clinking, coming undone.

            Suddenly, everything you had worked for flashed before your eyes. You hadn’t put up with years & years of hard work & sexist bullshit to succumb to this. In the corner of your eye, you spotted a letter opener, a gift from your mentor when you had been practicing law your first year after Harvard. It glinted in the lamp light.

            Before Andy could understand what was happening, you quickly snatched the small weapon in your hand & spun around, aiming for the closest fleshiest part of him. But he was quick to jump back. You had still nicked him, the sleeve of his shirt cut with some blood but it wasn’t enough.

            Andy glared angrily at you as he peered down at the flesh wound.

            You held the letter opener up in defense, bracing yourself for him to attack.

            A snarl appeared on his face, “Fine. I like it rough anyways.”

            He took a single step forward & you swung your arm, hoping to catch him with the weapon once more but he was stronger, faster. He quickly snatched your wrist in his hand & bent it an ungodly painful angle until you were forced to drop the opener.

            You whined openly, tears falling once more but these ones were angry.

            But just as you made to kick out at him, he swiped the back of his hand across your face & you fell against your desk before falling to the floor. Your cheek throbbed in pain but it was short-lived as he reached down & yanked you up by your throat. You beat against his forearm but your strength was nothing compared to his.

            “Fuck you!” You wheezed, your verbal assault coming out as a choke.

            “I plan to.” He gritted out before spinning you around & slamming your upper body on top of your desk.

            Andy was no longer slow & sensual. His movement was rushed, harsh, & violent. You blindly reached out once more in search of anything on your desk you could use to attack him, but he easily secured you against the desk with his hips before yanking your arms backwards & tying your wrists together with a piece a fabric—probably his tie.

            As soon as he let go of your arms, you tested the durability of the knot & it proved to be tight & inescapable. Andy huffed behind you, his breathing hot & angry.

            The underwear you wore was quickly torn from your body, the seams stinging against your skin as they strained before snapping off. You attempted to lift yourself up with just your shoulders but he was quick to slam one of his arms on your back, trapping you there. In a last ditch effort to escape you screamed as loudly as you could.

            Your scream was hoarse & not as loud as you would’ve liked but short-lived. Andy was quick to shove your underwear in your mouth before leaning forward, his mouth at your ear, “Careful, Professor, your job is on the line.”

            You hated him. Deep down you thought you always had. But now you truly & irrevocably hated that man, that monster.

            You heard Andy spit before feeling something hot & hard at your entrance.

            Squeezing your eyes shut, whimpering into the fabric of your underwear, you braced yourself for what was to come.

            He entered you hard & far from gentle. A pained grunt sounded from behind the fabric in your mouth & more tears fell from your eyes, coating the hardwood your face was pressed against. Andy groaned out loud, stilling as he felt you slowly stretch & fit around him.

            You had not seen his size but you could clearly fill it & he did not lack in that department. You had wished he had been smaller, something to use against him psychologically, but what would it have mattered? He was raping you, just like he planned. He was winning, & you were the very sore loser.

            Not a moment later he began to thrust, his hands finding either side of your hips as his nails dug into your skin. The desk jostled beneath you as his movements were erratic & forced. Your pussy burned & ached as he fucked you relentlessly within your own office. You angled your head to peer out ahead of you, finding anything to focus your attention on, to remove yourself mentally from this moment. But the pain & discomfort was too great.

            You then felt one of his hands grasp the back of your head, tangling your hair in his fingers. A whine sounded but it was muffled as he practically broke your neck to raise your head so he could leave hot, sloppy kisses along your jawline.

            “You feel as amazing as I thought you would, Professor.” He gasped, his hips bruising against your backside, “No more nights of jerking off or fucking Melissa pretending she was you. Now I can lock this memory away forever.”

            His words disgusted you & you felt bile rise in your throat. You feared throwing up while fabric was stuffed in your mouth. Would Andy care? Would he allow it to go so far as to let you choke on your own puke, suffocating you? Considering how far he went to get you in this position you decided that yes, yes he would.

            Fortunately, you could feel as his cock began to swell inside you. His thrusts began to grow choppy & his moans of pleasure grew louder. He had let go of your head at this point & you rested your forehead against your desk, willing it to be over any minute.

            But the moment you thought to yourself it would be over, you felt his fingers find your clit once more. Panic soared through you as you understood what he was attempting to do to you. Again.

            Immediately, you began to wrestle out from under him, or at least make it almost impossible for him to reach you there. But he only lifted you up higher, moving your hips onto the desk so he could easily access your most sacred part.

            A bout of pleasure shot up your spine & you felt your muscles tense.

            “No, no!” You tried to say but the underwear in your mouth muffled your pleas. Not again, please, not again.

            But Andy, of course, ignored your wants.

            He hissed as he continued to fuck you, his fingers working their godforsaken magic. Just as you felt your stomach begin to knot once more, he suddenly retracted himself from you before quickly spinning you around.

            Your arms ached as your nearly entire body weight rested on them. And horror flooded you as you watched through tearful eyes Andy fall to his knees to latch his mouth onto your cunt. His tongue swiped you & his fingers filled you & your thighs shook around his head. A cry erupted from behind the fabric & you came hard. Your juices soaked his face as he lapped up every drop, savoring the taste of you on his tongue.

            Your body was coated in a fine layer of sweat & the cool air in the room made your skin erupt in goosebumps. As your orgasm subsided though, your nightmare was not yet over.

            Andy was quick to tug you forward until you were forced onto your knees. Then he grasped the hair at the back of your head once more. His cock bobbed in front of your face as he pumped himself, his eyes staring into your own. You squeezed your eyes shut, willing it to be over, begging for it to be over.

            And then you felt hot threads of semen coat your face. Andy groaned loudly, almost growling as he came. You winced as his hold on your hair tightened, feeling a few strands of hair pop.

            When he finally finished, he stumbled backwards, bracing himself against the wall behind him as his own orgasm subsided.

            You remained where you kneeled, your tears mixing with his cum.

            A few seconds later, you felt him cup your cheek, demanding you to open your eyes. When you did they stung only a little bit, some of the semen having slipped in.

            But just as you opened your eyes, a camera flash went off. Andy had his phone out & had taken a picture of you covered in his cum.

            “For later.” He revealed nonchalantly.

            More tears cascaded down your face & he ultimately pulled your underwear from your mouth before pocketing them in his own pants.

            He pulled on one of your arms forcing you to stand before he shoved you to sit in your chair. He picked up your dress off the floor & tossed it into your lap. You tried to catch your breath as he reached behind you to remove the tie from your wrists. They fell limply to your sides.

            “See? That wasn’t so bad now, was it?” He joked, catching your chin in one of his large hands.

            You glared up at him but said nothing.

            “It’s not the first time I’ve left a woman speechless.” He grinned, winking down at you.

            Andy kneeled once more, rolling your chair closer to him as he gazed sickeningly at you.

            “I can’t thank you enough.” He spoke, shaking his head in disbelief, “You were worth the build-up. It’s just a shame it can’t happen again. I think we could’ve had fun.”

            He leaned forward, his eyes on your mouth & just before he intended to kiss you once more, you turned your face away.

            He chuckled darkly, “That goddamn pride.” He said more to himself than you.

            The next time he forced you to kiss him, holding your face in place as you assaulted your mouth one last time.

            When he pulled away, he gently knocked your chin with his knuckles, “I told you, it just takes the right pressure to break someone like you.”

            With that, he rose to his full height, eyeing you once more before he circled around your desk, “Well, Prof, I gotta be going now. Got big things planned. Try not to miss me.”

            You watched in the corner of your eyes as he exited you office closing the door behind him. You waited until you heard the secondary door close in your waiting room before you finally broke down. Sobs erupted from you as you held your head in your hands. You couldn’t even fathom looking down at yourself, only imagining how vile you looked.

            A ding sounded on your laptop then & you rose your head defeatedly.

            An email notification. From Andrew Barber.

            Your stomach knotted as you clicked it open. All the email contained was a single attached file image of your face. With Andy’s cum all over it.

            Then came another email.

            Missing you already.

finally got andy on here! love this man to death.

one of my favorite aspects about writing stories like this is researching! i don't do anything half-assed, especially when it comes to my writing. i tried to do my best to make any talk about laws or anything sound as realistic as possible with the research i had done so if any law buffs or law educated folk out there wanna give me some feedback i'd greatly appreciate it.

as always, please share your thoughts with me via dropping an ask in the ask box, commenting, or reblogging with reviews.

i will still be working on updating 'summit' but the next mini series i'll be working on is 'pure//violence' with our favorite bad boy: rafe cameron. so stay stuned!

thank you for reading

oona<3

Read this post on why doing more than liking a tumblr writers work is essential to our content creation.

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Summit : Chapter Eight

A Ransom Drysdale Series

[THIS STORY WILL CONTAIN THEMES OF NON-CON/DUB-CON, MENTAL-EMOTIONAL-PHYSICAL ABUSE, ETC. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED. READ AT YOUR OWN RISK. 18+. MINORS DO NOT INTERACT]

WC: 3.7k

Dividers provided by @firefly-graphics

CHAPTER SEVEN | MASTERLIST | CHAPTER NINE

            It was an hour before dawn when you scared yourself awake, nearly falling off a loveseat in the sitting room. You rubbed at your eyes but glanced around worriedly. You couldn’t recall the dream, rather nightmare, you were just having, but it left goosebumps caked across your skin. Gathering your sanity, you reached down to touch your ankle that rested on a pillow. You had found some painkillers stashed away after your bath so when you touched your ankle, you felt almost nothing.

            You tested the limits of your ankle by standing up. It was still dull & uncomfortable but you could manage walking. You had to.

            The storm had passed & glancing out the windows proved that it was calm outside then. You couldn’t waste a moment longer. Ransom could be back at any minute. You needed to have the right questions before you accused him of anything.

            Rushing as quickly as possible towards the back, you swung open the back door & half-walked, half-limped to the greenhouse. Your gear was still in there but you’d move it back later. Right now, what you needed to find was a shovel. Fortunately, you found one very quickly & used it as a cane as you began trekking through the forest to find the horrifying discovery you made the previous night.

            It took you about fifteen minutes thanks to your swollen ankle, but you eventually found it. Again, once you spotted the exposed bones, you hesitated walking towards it, fearful of what you’d unbury, of who. But you swallowed your discomfort & forced yourself onwards.

            The heavy rain had softened the earth so you had little need for the shovel as you dug at the dirt around the finger with your hands. Mud caked your fingers & palms but you kept going, determined to uncover the truth. Bile rose in your throat as you uncovered the space around the finger, surely leading to more fingers, a hand, a wrist, & so on. Part of you questioned whether or not you should keep going. Perhaps you should just leave. Pack your things & go. Ransom will likely search for you, but you could have a head start.

            But you couldn’t just leave. You had to know.

            Pressing your lips together, you kept on. Your hands & fingers ached but you eventually managed to expose the first face. You brought your hands to your mouth as you stared at the face buried in dirt before you.

            It was Meg. You recognized her from the family photos. Her eyes were squeezed shut, but her mouth open, covered in dirt. It had been her finger protruding through the earth. You fell backwards, your thoughts racing.

            This was wrong. Everything about it.

            Everything Ransom told you… it was a lie?

            You knew it had to be as you reasoned with what was before you. Her flesh was still on her bones. That wouldn’t have been the case if she died over a year ago. And her mouth was open… her finger exposed. She had been alive, trying to claw her way out.

            Oh, my god. You felt tears prick at your eyes.

            Ransom…

            You didn’t want to believe it. How could you? But you knew better. This is what your father trained you for years for. The dangers of humanity.

            Trying to ignore looking at her face, you continued to uncover the space around her. You switched to the shovel, wanting to move faster. The painkillers were beginning to wear off but you couldn’t stop. Your adrenaline & pursuit of truth was stronger.

            The shovel hit against something soft but also dense. It was another body. You fell to your knees & dug quickly at the ground like a starving wolf.

            Another face. It was one of the aunt’s.

            You finished exposing the rest of the body. She was completely intact.

            You recalled what Ransom had said about his aunts & how they died…

            ‘There was nothing left of Joni & Donna after he got his hands on them. They looked like fish food.’

            She wasn’t torn up, but she was murdered. A bullet hole was centered on her forehead.

            Unable to contain your disgust, you collapsed sideways of the gravesite & vomited. Little came out, mostly stomach acid, but you kept vomiting. When it had finally subsided, you willed yourself to continue.

            You had to have been out there for another hour or so, enough time for the sky to lighten. By the time you finished uncovering the whole truth, you stood above the bodies, staring hopelessly down at them.

            The uncles were there, the cousin, Jacob—who Ransom said never made it back to the mansion when they left for Worcester.

            A couple of them had decomposed more so than others but they were all still relatively fresh. Meaning they hadn’t been dead long.

            And nothing, absolutely nothing that Ransom told you had been the truth.

            You had to leave. Now.

            Fate worked against you as you found your way back to the estate & ran inside. Your ankle wailed but you pushed yourself as you climbed the stairs to your bedroom on the second floor.

            You didn’t want to confront Ransom. There was nothing he could say or do to ever make you trust him again. All you needed to do was get out unscathed, & fast.

            But just as you began shoving your things into your backpack, you heard the engine of a truck grow closer to the mansion.

            No.

            Rushing out of the bedroom, you ran into a spare room across the hall & pressed your face against the window. It was Ransom. In the bed of the truck was a generator. At least that had been true. But no matter, you had to hurry.

            Returning back to your room, you zipped up your backpack & spun around to leave. You were still missing a few items but you didn’t care. Your flight instinct had kicked in & you needed to leave immediately.

            But just as you made a few steps down the stairs, you spotted Ransom through the window by the front door. He had yet to see you. You attempted to move faster down the stairs, hoping you’d be out of sight before he ever swung the door open, but your ankle croaked in pain & you felt your legs slip out from under you.

            Pain erupted through your body as you fell down the stairs, knocking your limbs every which way along the way. Then a hot white flash pierced your mind as you smacked the back of your head on the wooden floor.

            Stars blanketed your vision & you groaned, trying to get up, but none of your limbs would work.

            You heard the front door open, followed by a concerned voice before Ransom’s face appeared in your line of sight.           

            He frowned down at you as he reached for you.

            You tried to fight him off, mouthing ‘no’ over & over again. But soon your vision darkened & the world you knew disappeared.

            When you came to, you winced. But it was muffled & you wriggled your head to wake yourself. As you did, you found yourself sitting at one end of the dining room table. You felt a cloth wrapped your face, covering your mouth. When you made to remove it, you realized your arms had been tied behind you to the chair you sat in.

            Glancing down, panic soaring through you, you were horrified to see yourself in another vintage style dress. Your knees were exposed & you noted the bruises on them.

            Your memory came rushing back to you as you recalled your last moments. Finding the gravesite, learning the truth about Ransom, trying to escape before slipping down the stairs. But now you were tied up, unable to defend yourself.

            Frightened, you began pulling at your restraints but to no vain. They had been secured tightly. Tears pricked at your eyes.

            A whistling sounded from the kitchen & you felt your heart nearly stop.

            The whistling grew closer & then Ransom appeared in the threshold from the kitchen, carrying two plates of food. His eyes landed on yours & he smiled solemnly.

            “Good. You’re awake.” His tone was light but there a coldness to it, a disconnect.

            You watched him as he circled around to your end of the table before placing a dish before you.

            “Took quite a fall, kiddo.” He shared before sitting down in the chair to the right of you.

            “Was gonna let you rest on the couch but then…” He sighed, staring blankly at the wall across from him, “I saw what you did.”

            His eyes flashed to yours & there was a darkness lying there.

            “Why, _____?” He almost sounded… heartbroken. “Why’d you have to go out there? I specifically told you not to leave the house.”

            A dark chuckle sounded from the depths of his chest as he shook his head, “But I should’ve known better. You are just a kid, after all. You don’t listen.”

            You struggled against the restraints once more & his eyes peeked a glance at your attempts. He took a sip from a glass of wine before him, sucking his teeth before speaking, “Wouldn’t bother if I were you. Only way you’ll get out of them is if I let you.”

            His proclamation made you struggle harder.

            He took a bite of his food, chewing thoughtfully as you whined behind your lips & felt your skin burning from the ropes. He hummed lightly to himself, likely enjoying your pitiful attempts.

            A fit of frustration could be heard behind your muffled covered mouth. Ransom stared at you, his face expressionless.

            “I know you’re probably thinking the mouth cover is pointless given your choice to be mute—” Actually, I’m thinking you’re a psychotic. “But it’s meaningful to me. Symbolic, if you will.”

            Ransom reached out to brush his knuckles against your cheek & you jolted away. Anger graced his features.

            “Ungrateful shit.” He seethed, “Only reason you’re alive is because of me.”

            Inhaling deeply, he appeared to calm himself down, his nostrils flaring, before he returned his eyes to yours.

            “I’m sure you have questions, & I’m willing to answer them.” He reached out again & this time you were unable to avoid his touch. He grasped your chin harshly, forcing you to face him, “For a price, of course.”

            You narrowed your eyes at him in defiance. Whatever it was, you would not do it.

            “As always, I only ask for your voice. Want answers? Then ask them.” He squeezed, making you wince, “Properly.”

            As he let go, he swiftly tore the covering from your mouth, leaving a wake of stinging pain along your mouth. It had been tape.

            “So.” He swirled his glass of wine before leaning back in his chair, “Ask away.”

            But you pursed your lips, gathering what little saliva you could conjure up, & spit at him.

            Your assault landed directly on his face, right in the crevice of one of his nostrils.

            Ransom fluttered his eyes closed, his teeth baring only slightly. He reached for a cloth napkin & wiped at his face before eyeing the spit. Then his eyes flashed to yours.

            Before you could brace yourself, he backhanded you. Your cheek erupted with a scorching heat & his assault had hit you so hard your chair had slightly lifted.

            A small, quiet gasp escaped you & you tasted blood on your tongue as the corner of your mouth seeped.

            He was quick to stabilize your chair before practically shoving his face into yours, “One more time like that & I’ll bury you with the rest of them.”

            Then he kicked his own chair out from beneath him. Swiftly, he grabbed his plate of food & threw it across the room. The sound of glass shattering made you jump slightly. Ransom’s chest was heaving before he braced both closed fists on top of the table.

            “Great.” He laughed half-heartedly, “Waste of food.”

            He stood straight, cracking his neck both ways before his eyes fell to you. You stared up at him wide-eyed.

            “We could have been happy.” Ransom fell to a single knee before he rested both his hands on your thighs, “We can still be happy. What you saw out there… that’s not me. You don’t know the full story. But I’ll tell you everything. I’ll answer all your questions, just—” He squeezed your thighs tightly, making your muscles tense at the action, “Talk to me.”

            A shudder parted your lips & Ransom must’ve mistook it for you attempting to talk.

            “C’mon, you can do it, I know you can. You did before you passed out.”

            What? You frowned at him, confused.

            “You told me ‘no’.” He grinned like a love-sick puppy, “I heard it. It was breathy, but you spoke. So I know you can talk.”

            You remembered saying ‘no’ internally, perhaps mouthing it, but you didn’t actually say the words. Did you?

            “One word, that’s it. Just ask me ‘why’. One word & I’ll tell you everything, I’ll let you go, & we can keep going. I don’t want to hurt you.” His eyes softened before one of his hands slipped in between your thighs. It didn’t move any further beyond that & you were grateful, but you were still at the mercy of that monster.

            “But I will if I have to.”

            And you believed him. You’d be an idiot not to. You were an idiot in the first place for ever believing a word he said, for even staying at the estate, for letting him help you. You should’ve left the first time. Walked away & never known the horrors that lied buried beneath the property.

            Ultimately, you knew you needed to survive. Dying wasn’t an option. You fucked up one time by choosing to trust in Ransom, you would not make the mistake again. But you did need him to trust you. Only then could you succeed in escaping his clutches.

            Nodding once, you felt a single tear escape.

            “Yeah?” Ransom appeared overjoyed before reaching behind him to drag his chair closer. He sat down, his knees brushing against yours as he waited for you to speak.

            “Wh—” You swallowed, your mouth dry. It sounded only like air passing through your lips, but Ransom’s eyes widened with hope.

            It had been a long time since you spoke, you forgot what your own voice sounded like, you weren’t sure you’d recognize it anymore. Clearing your throat, you jutted your chin towards his wine. Ransom pieced together what you were asking & quickly brought the rim of the glass to your lips. You took a healthy sip, wetting your lips & soothing your dry throat.

            “Wh—” It was cut short by the sound of pounding at the front door.

            Both you & Ransom froze, your eyes connecting.

            Did you hear that right? It sounded like someone was---

            Another set of pounding knocks sounded through the mansion.

            It was real!

            Before you could use what little sound you could produce to scream, Ransom slapped a hand over your mouth.       

            “Shut your mouth, shut up!” He gritted out. You whined behind his palm, attempting to bite at it, but he was quick to replace his hand with the cloth napkin he used to wipe your spit off his face. He stuffed it deep into your mouth & you choked, trying to turn your head away.

            “I need help! Please!” A muffled voice sounded from near the front.

            It was a man’s voice & he sounded like he was panicking.

            Ransom disappeared into the kitchen. You took the opportunity to try & scoot your chair away from the table. You’d never make it to the door in time, especially given the state & position you were in, but if you could make yourself fall over just as Ransom opened the door, you could draw the strangers attention.

            But alas, Ransom reappeared in the dining room, this time carrying a gun. It wasn’t a hunting rifle either, but an actual handgun.

            No!

            You couldn’t let him kill another person.

            Ransom was about to surpass you, stomping towards the hallway, but you forced yourself to muffle words from behind the cloth. He stopped in his tracks, his eyes falling to yours. Immediately, he rushed over to you & removed the cloth, “What, what is it? What’d you say?”

            You shook your head, tears falling yet again, “Do—don’t.”

            A euphoric expression birthed on his face as he stared at you in adoration.

            “There it is.” He closed the distance & pressed his lips to yours. You whined into the kiss, trying to remove yourself from it but he kept a hand at the back of your head to keep you in place.

            “Hello?!” The voice sounded again, “I know you’re there! Please, I’m bleeding bad.”

            Ransom pulled away from you, his eyes glancing to the hallway before they returned to you.

            “You don’t want me to kill him?” He asked as if it was wildest request you could ask of him.

            You shook your head fast, begging him with your eyes. Forcing yourself into his favor, your rested your forehead against his own.

            Ransom released a breath of air, nodding once, “Okay.”

            He cupped your cheek, to which you leant into it, “But no promises.”

            With that, Ransom left you in the dining room but not before stuffing your mouth with the cloth yet again.

            Tears blurred your vision but you remained still to listen.

            You heard the door swing open, followed by a dull thud.

            “Thank you, thank you.” The man voiced, “I fuckin’ fell in the dark. I think I broke my arm.”

            You had yet to hear Ransom speak which only worried you.

            Silence followed for some time & you felt your nerves begin to skyrocket. What was going on?

            But not a moment later, did you hear footfalls sound behind you. You glanced over your shoulder & spotted Ransom just as he re-entered the dining room.

            “Guy needs help. We’ll help him then he’ll leave.” Ransom announced quietly to you.

            We?

            Just as the thought passed through your head, Ransom produced a pocketknife from his pocket before cutting at your restraints. Immediately, you brought your arms to your front, rubbing away the pain from the ropes digging into your skin. But Ransom was quick to yank you to your feet, capturing your chin in his hands, “One word to him & I’ll kill you both. Understand?”

            You nodded, knowing it to be true. But this was your chance. If you somehow got the stranger to help you, you could overpower Ransom.

            Ransom dragged you along as he entered the kitchen, pulling out medical supplies from one of your survival kits. You felt yourself shaking but accepted whatever he handed you. Once Ransom had everything, he led you towards the sitting room.

            Upon entering the room, your eyes landed on a young man, probably not much older than you, as he sat in one of the chairs. The shirt he wore was torn at the hem & dirtied from however long he had been wearing it for. His hair was longer, past his ears, & he had a short, scruffy beard. His eyes raised to yours, widening slightly, likely not expecting there to be another person.

            Ransom grunted to the man for him to move his arm & rest it on the table.

            “I’m going to set it, she’s going to wrap it.”

            “Yeah, alright.” He responded, his eyes meeting yours once more.

            You lowered your eyes & got to your knees beside Ransom.

            “Need something to bite on?” Ransom questioned, none-so-gently grabbing the strangers arm.

            “Just fuckin’ get it over with.” The man contorted his face, preparing for the pain.

            “On three.” Ransom glanced between the two of you.

            “One—” Then he snapped the strangers bone back into place.

            “Fuck!” The man yelled, immediately trying to jolt backwards, but Ransom was quick to keep his stable so you could quickly wrap the arm. You had been too distracted by the stranger & trying to convey your problems with your eyes you had missed the bone sticking out of his arm. The open wound gushed with blood & Ransom quickly reached for a bottle of liquor to pour over the wound.

            The man hissed, cursing under his breath. You worked as fast & steadily as you could given the circumstances as you wrapped his arm. Once you finished, Ransom stood up, stepping over you, “I’ll get you something for the pain.”

            You watched as Ransom left the room. The second he disappeared from sight, you spun back towards the man. He was resting his back against one of the cushioned chairs, holding his arm in his other hand with his eyes closed as he focused on his breathing.

            “A—” It was only a small sound but enough for him to open his eyes.

            He gave you a strange look, his brows furrowing, “Thanks.”

            You moved your mouth again, unable to find words.

            “Hel—”

            “Sorry ‘bout her.” Ransom appeared, making you jump, “She’s mute.”

            The stranger’s eyes rose from yours to Ransom.

            “Seems like she’s trying to say something.”

            “That so?” Ransom grinned wryly, his eyes falling to yours. You glanced back at him, shaking your head once.

            “She tries sometimes, but it comes out garbled. Best to ignore her than entertain her.”

            “Right.” The man said, tossing you a confused look.

            “Your arm should be fine now.” Ransom shared, “We’ll give it a night but come morning you’re outta here.”

            The man scoffed, narrowing his eyes, “Very hospitable.”

            Ransom didn’t appreciate the challenge masked behind sarcasm, “I could rebreak it & send you on your way instead.”

            The stranger chuckled lightly but raised his uninjured arm in surrender, “I’m good.”

            Ransom then handed the man a few pills with a glass of water.

            “Name’s Ransom.”

            “The fuck kind of name is that?” The man questioned as he downed the pills & chugged the water.

            Ransom cocked his head, “This is _____.”

            “Right, Ransom & _____, the mute.”

            “That’s right. And yours?”

            The man wiped at his mouth, his eyes dancing between the two of you, “Rafe. My name is Rafe Cameron.”

teehee! i know it's been a hot minute but hopefully this juicy chapter makes up for it!

as always, please share your thoughts w me via dropping a comment, talking to me in the ask box, or reblogging w reviews. your feedback means everything!

thank you for reading

oona<3

Read this post on why doing more than liking a tumblr writers work is essential to our content creation.

[my love language is words of affirmation, it would make my day if you could comment your thoughts, reblog with tags, or drop an ask that shows your support. thank you for reading tumblr writers, we appreciate you]

taglist:

to be added to a taglist read rule 11 here. requests will be dismissed otherwise.

[lambtotheslaughterr]

seriously

like imagine…

or when he..

or even if..

it’s called using your imagination & appreciation😭

ozai is bae

OZAIIIII!!! You are the driest person on Tumblr I swear

[lambtotheslaughterr]

but ozai is…😮‍💨🔥

OZAIIIII!!! You are the driest person on Tumblr I swear

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THE TAMING has been completed! Read it now in it's entirety!

oona<3

The Taming MASTERLIST

Summary: Reader is a privileged young woman who sleeps by day & parties all night. Anti-love, anti-men, this pro-party, pro-independence young woman finds herself being stalked throughout the streets of Metropolis. Unfortunately for her, she’s going to learn–one way or the other–that her bad attitude will be tamed…

18+ THIS STORY WILL CONTAIN THEMES OF NON/CON & DUB/CON. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED. MINORS DNFI.

SOUNDTRACK

PINTEREST

FANCAST (add your own faceclaims)

PROLOGUE

PART ONE

PART TWO

PART THREE

PART FOUR

PART FIVE

PART SIX

PART SEVEN

PART EIGHT

PART NINE

FINALE

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The Taming : Finale

A Clark Kent Mini Series

[THIS STORY WILL CONTAIN THEMES OF NON-CON/DUB-CON, MENTAL-EMOTIONAL-PHYSICAL ABUSE, ETC. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED. READ AT YOUR OWN RISK. 18+. MINORS DO NOT INTERACT]

WC: 4.5k

Dividers provided by @firefly-graphics

PART NINE | MASTERLIST

            There she was. In all her agonizing glory. Watching me. As I circled her, she didn’t follow me with her eyes, didn’t turn her body to keep me in front of her at all times. She let me move like a predator stalking it’s prey. But she was no longer the prey. The bitch had climbed her way to the top of the food chain. And she wanted me to allow it.

            I wouldn’t. Couldn’t.

            But when our eyes met for the second time, she held my gaze, her chin raised, her head held high.

            She had won. Really won.

            “What do you want from me?” I growled, my chest heaving, wanting nothing more than to pounce, to take what she had kept from me.

            “Same thing as you.” She replied, her voice smooth as velvet.

            Then, she closed the distance, her steps easy & languid.

            Just as she was standing before me, her finger placed gently under my chin, she forced me to look down at her.

            “Kneel.”

            My eyes narrowed, a heat blooming within my chest. I should take her, right now, against her will, my rules be damned.

            “Kneel.” She repeated. I faltered under her stare.

            It had been months since you disappeared from the center of attention amongst Metropolis’ elite. After what Clark did to Andrew, you knew you had power over him. Knew that you could push him to lengths he never knew possible, all because you refused to give him what he wanted. You belonged to no one. You would never belong to him, at least not in the way he would want.

            That night, you never returned to your apartment. You tossed your phone into the pond behind Nicola’s mansion & disappeared into the woods. After some time, & forcing yourself to dress down & stay at a hostel at the edge of the city. No one there recognized you, why would they? They were from different walks of life, far away from the path you walked.

            You contacted your family’s P.I. Told some sweet little lies, got him to find you a secret hideout. Once he had, you changed your appearance: cut your hair, dyed it, never wore make-up, stole some clothing from the lost & found. The woman you saw when you looked in the mirror was everything you weren’t. He would never be able to find you.

            Your P.I. took your request into consideration when he found your hole to crawl into. It was where Clark would never think to look. Right under his nose.

            The building was new but didn’t have many tenants yet. You were on the floor directly across the alleyway from Clark’s condo. The lights were always off in your unit & the only furniture you had was a sleeping bag on the floor, a chair propped up near the windows, a coffee pot, & a set of binoculars.

            Clark never drew the shades to his apartment, which you thought was foolish on his part. He lived in the city, he should know better than anyone how nosy people could be. But still, you never missed a night. You sat in the dark, far enough out of the light that should he have a gut feeling he was being watched, he would never spot you.

            For weeks you watched him come undone. He wouldn’t leave his apartment, spending most of his time in his office. You knew he was searching for you. Desperately. But he wouldn’t find you. Your friends didn’t know where you were, nor your family. You emptied your accounts & entrusted your funds into the hands of your P.I. He was the one that had food delivered to your hiding place. And he would die before he ever squealed. Yet, Clark never found him either.

            But as the weeks turned into months, you were disappointed in Clark. He had brought Jane to his apartment. You watched as he tamed, all too easily, you might add. She was no challenge. She listened to him, jumped when he entered the room, cried silently to herself when he left her alone, then pretended to be tough when he forced her into his bed. But as you watched them tangle through the lenses of your binoculars, you saw it in his face, the frustration, the anger, the face of a loser.

            He had lost, indeed. Jane wasn’t you. Jane could never be you. You doubted she knew that it was you he imagined underneath him & you wish you could rub it in her face that she was coming second to you again, as always. But that would mean revealing yourself. And you would not be doing that until he was ready.

            But then one day, something interesting happened.

            You were lying on your sleeping bag facing Clark’s building, thinking about nothing & everything all at once. Clark had left only thirty minutes prior, perhaps to get some groceries or do some more investigating around the city, seeking you out. You wished you could leave, follow him chasing your ghost, but leaving meant great risk. Clark wasn’t without his own means of finding you out. You couldn’t give him a lick of a chance.

            But as you lied there, your mind aimless, you caught movement in the corner of your eye. Jane was moving around the apartment. She had been in the kitchen, deep cleaning it like she did every day. But something stole her attention, & you sat up, watching with narrowed eyes as she moved towards the door to peek out the peep-hole. You watched as she contemplated opening it. And when she did, you didn’t expect to see the uninvited guests on the other side.

            There your friends were, all three of them, your cousin included. They were stunned when they saw Jane on the other side. You saw the looks on their faces as you pressed the binoculars to your face. Ariana was confused, Olivia shocked, & Nicola angry. You sighed. Did they really expect to find you there? You supposed you couldn’t blame them, at least they were looking for you, too.

            Words were being exchanged & now, more than ever, you wish you had the power to have planted mics in his apartment, but that would surely get you caught as well. Jane & your friends spoke but they didn’t get far when suddenly all of their attention moved to something out of your line of sight. You squeezed the binoculars, your breath catching. It was Clark. You couldn’t see him, but you felt him.

            The way your friends stance changed, how Jane hid behind the door, only peeking out. He was there. But then Jane closed the door, bringing her nails to her teeth as she paced nearby. What were they saying? You felt left out. It infuriated you, but you had done it to yourself.

            After a minute or so, the door to the condo finally opened & Clark entered before he slammed it shut. You watched as Jane backed up, finding herself bracing against the island in the kitchen. Clark stood there, his hands on his hips as he glared at the ground. Jane & you both watched with stiff muscles as he said nothing, did nothing. Then Jane took a tentative step forward. When she nearly reached him, her hand about to touch him, Clark lashed out.

            He backhanded her, sending her flying to the floor.

            You felt a smile tug at the corners of your lips.

            Then Clark left her there to stomp into his bedroom. You bit your lip in anticipation as he gathered random items that looked like they belonged to Jane before stuffing them into a Gucci overnight bag. He was moving fast, uncoordinated as he stumbled over fallen items or caught the corners of furniture. He disappeared into the bathroom for a moment before returning to living room where Jane had moved to rest on her knees, her head hung low.

            He dropped the bag before her before pointing at the door, his chest heaving. Jane didn’t move. When she remained kneeled, he fisted the hair at the back of her head & forced her to stand before shoving her towards the door. She was sobbing but didn’t fight back. He unlatched the door & pushed her out before slamming it shut.

            Your heart was racing, elated, amused.

            Clark lost it. He started with punching a hole into a nearby wall before moving to the finely cleaned kitchen Jane had just finished. He threw vases onto the ground, shattering them, tore down artwork from the walls, overturned furniture, threw random items at the walls then finally entered his office.

            He took out all the folders you had found before. He tore them to pieces, swiped every book off a shelf, even lifted his computer & slammed it to the ground.

            You laughed, practically giggled & kicked your feet in delight.

            Then you watched as he sat in his computer chair, loose spit coating his lips, his thick-framed glasses hanging off his face. He glared out the window. His hands were on his thighs in fists, the veins there popping. He cracked his neck, his eyes closing as he appeared to calm down.

            He then retrieved his cell phone from his jeans pocket. He was on it a moment before bringing it to his ear. It was barely there a second before he yelled, throwing it with might against the window. It shattered into pieces.

            You had won. Right there, in that moment, you had won. Had him right where you wanted him. And more importantly, it was all recorded.

            You eyed the video camera in the corner you had aimed at his apartment. Now, you had the proof of his indiscretions. All of it. Everything he had ever done to Jane, & most importantly, his reaction to losing. He wouldn’t like that very much, not even a little. Dropping the binoculars, you approached the camera & hit the ‘stop’ button. Then you pulled out the SD card.

            Going into the kitchen, you pulled out a small pre-paid cell phone & dialed your P.I.

            He answered on the third ring.

            “It’s ready.” You told him.

            You finished applying the lipstick, pressing your lips together to test the durability. Then you backed up to admire your outfit. You were the boss now, you were in charge. You. Had. Won.

            Back in the living room, you already had your sleeping bag rolled up & placed in the corner. All that remained was the single chair & the video camera pointed at Clark’s apartment. You kept the lights off & sat down. A glass of non-alcoholic wine was placed at your heels & you reached for it, savoring a taste.

            Should everything go according to your plan, Clark would be arriving at your doorstep within only a few moments. You smirked to yourself at the thought, at how easy he was to influence. You had your P.I. begin leaving breadcrumbs for your whereabouts. Clark wouldn’t be able to resist. He wouldn’t be careful or detail-oriented. He was determined to find you, to have you again & again & again.

            The wine coated your tongue, leaving a sweet yet heavy flavor. As you sipped on it more, you heard something just outside the door to the apartment. Clark.

            You saw his shadow under the crack of the door, heard as he worked his magic in unlocking the door with whatever tools he had on him. Then, the door creaked open. It was dark, middle of the night, so he was hard to make out, but you would be harder with the shades drawn.

            As your eyes adjusted, you watched as he stepped around the corner, dressed in all black & a cap on his head to hide his face. You noted he wore gloves, as well.

            What do you think you’re doing, Clark? You questioned internally, Gonna catch me off guard? I don’t think so.

            Clark stepped into the small kitchen just off the main hallway. His footsteps were light, surprising for a man of his size. But you enjoyed watching him appear sneaky. Because he didn’t know, didn’t know that you sat there in the dark watching him, waiting for him, guiding him, leading him right into your trap.

            He cast a glance in your direction but didn’t notice you against the pitch dark backdrop before he moved down the hallway towards the only bedroom in the unit, out of sight. As he did, you grabbed a remote that lied on the other side of your feet. You aimed it above you before pressing ‘play’.

            The wall to your right lit up from a projector you had set up on a nightstand to your left. Your silhouette cast a shadow against the video being played.

            Clark, having heard the noise, came stomping out. His eyes immediately fell to the wall where he watched himself tame Jane in his own condo for all eyes to see. But then you felt as his eyes landed on you. As the two of you stared at one another, you smiled at him.

            “Home films were always my favorite.” You commented.

            He took an angry step forward but you clicked your tongue in disappointment, “Careful, Clark. There’s more where that came from.”

            His face contorted into a sneer as his eyes fell from you to the video on the wall. There were more like the first one that played, but the only one that mattered was the last one. The one where he hits Jane unprompted before tearing his own place to pieces.

            “Hardly in control here, wouldn’t you say?” You teased before standing up.

            “You’ve been watching me the whole time.” He observed.

            “What?” You feigned innocence, “I thought you’d enjoy that. But I guess it’s not as fun being on the other end of it, is it.”

            When he made to more towards you again, you held up a single finger, “Careful. Anything happens to me & these get released to the public. Poor Clark Kent, award-winning reporter, revealed to be an abusing, sociopathic headcase. The whole city will be watching you. No more hiding in the shadows.”

            You gazed at the wall as the video replayed, admiring your work.

            “For someone who appears to always be in control, you certainly lost it, haven’t you?”

            Clark’s eyes darkened as he glared at you from only a few feet away.

            “You wanted me to find you.”

            You chuckled lightly at that, cocking your head playfully, “Oh, Clark, you didn’t think you were the only one good at hiding, did you? Awh, you did.”

            “What do you want?” He seethed.

            “You know what.”

            The skin around his nose crinkled in distaste, “I already killed someone for you.”

            “No.” Your voice flattened, “You killed someone for you. And poor Andrew, he did nothing. Just had a little crush, that’s all. But Clark Kent, big of a man as you are, couldn’t handle the competition.”

            “He was hardly competition. You were always mine.”

            “But worthy enough as a threat for you to go & throw him off a roof. I’d say that’s competition enough, & Clark Kent doesn’t like losing. But how do you think you’re fairing now?”

            You eyed him, a smug smirk on your lips as you took a single step towards him, “From where I’m standing, I’d say you lost.”

            “Not yet.” He began marching towards you but then you clicked another button on your remote & Clark’s voice began to play over the video being shown.

            “I already killed someone for you.” His voice sounded over & over again.

            “Now not only an unhinged socio, but also a murderer. Your soon to be former employers are going to have a difficult time reporting the details surrounding one of their own, don’t you think? Stock prices will lower, all of your work will be discredited, your court appearances will cause a circus, let’s not even get started on how adjusting to prison life will be. And all those women…” You paused, “How many do you think will stay silent?”

            Clark’s chest heaved, knowing his confession had been caught & recorded. His eyes never left your own as he began circling you. But you didn’t follow his movements, sensing him as he walked around the small space. You kept your arms behind you, your hands holding one another, totally at ease, totally in control until Clark appeared before you again. When your eyes met for a second time, he asked with the voice of someone who was on the verge of losing all control.

            “What do you want from me?”

            You smiled gently, your voice calm & even, “Same thing as you.”

            Then, you took a few cool & easy steps forward, closing the distance between the two of you. Standing just before him, you reached up & gently grasped his chin in your hand, angling his head down, forcing him to look at you.

            “Kneel.”

            You watched as his eyes lit up, fury burning hot behind them. But you would not be deterred. He had nothing to fight you with & he knew it. His physical capabilities didn’t matter. You had him by the balls & your grip was squeezing.

            “Kneel.” You repeated, your voice hard.

            For the first time since you knew Clark Kent, you saw it in his eyes. The same thing he saw every single time a woman kneeled before him, the only thing he never saw in you: submission.

            “You’re not in control, Clark.” You whispered, brushing your lips against his. You felt him shudder.

            “Let go.” You told him, peering into his eyes, “And I’ll be yours.”

            You dropped your hand from his chin, warning him with a look in your eyes that the offer wouldn’t stand for long. You enjoyed seeing him in turmoil, torn between what to do, but you knew the only other option landed him on the front page & a never-ending expose on his life.

            Sighing, you took a single step back but just as you did, you felt his giant, warm hand grip yours.

            You let your eyes fall with him as he lowered himself until finally both of his knees were on the ground.

            Clark peered up at you. Anger, confusion, loss, & a pinch of something dangerous glinting in his eyes.

            You ran your fingers through his hair before sliding your hand down to cup his cheek. And he, surprisingly, leaned into it.

            Triumph & elation bloomed in your chest. A winning grin threatened to split your face in two. But for once, you would not boast. There was no need to. You both knew.

            You had won

ONE YEAR LATER

            It was quiet in the apartment. The windows that overlooked the city did well in blocking out the Metropolis noise. You stood at the window dressed in one of your favorite lingerie sets & matching robe. It had been a long day. Your muscles ached from the gym & the spa session afterwards didn’t lessen the discomfort. You needed something else, & only one thing could loosen you up.

            But as you stared out the window, admiring the cityscape, you heard a clatter sound from the living room. You glanced over your shoulder, frowning.

            You tip-toed towards the living room, poking your head out. Only one lamp was lit & you spotted a picture frame that had fallen from the mantle above the fireplace. You sighed annoyingly.

            It had to of been the cat. The cat you regretted getting. But it was lonely oftentimes & you never had anyone over. The cat kept you company but was a bitch herself. Something the two of you had in common but couldn’t seem to bond over.

            “Fucking cat.” You hissed, approaching the picture frame on the ground.

            As you bent to pick it up, you cut yourself on a piece of glass. You winced slightly, immediately bringing your thumb to your lip, sucking the blood there. Standing up, you were just about to return the picture to it’s place, not wanting to bother with fixing it, when a gloved hand covered your mouth & a firm arm secured itself around your waist.

            You screamed into the hand but it was muffled. You began to kick out but the unknown assailant dragged you backwards. You tried reaching up & behind you to hit at the intruder but they were too tall, too strong. Tears spilled from you as the figure pulled you backwards towards the bedroom.

            “No!” You tried shouting but it was snuffed.

            The assailant continued forcing you towards your bedroom but you reached out for anything & everything to keep yourself from the room, knocking over more objects in the process. But your ability was nothing compared to the dangerous shadow holding you.

            With a short-lived whimper, you felt your body getting flung onto the bed. You barely had a chance to attempt moving onto your back when the figure pressed you face down into the mattress. Your limbs swung out erratically, never hitting your target, allowing them to tear the silk robe from your body before clawing at the fabric of your underwear.

            “Please, don’t!” You cried out but the intruder fisted a handful of your hair in their fist, shoving your face further into the pillows.

            The clinking of a belt filled the corners of the room & you felt your body go cold. It was happening. There was no stopping it. And before you knew it, it begun.

            The penetration was hard, filled with a burning sensation followed by the quiet groans of the man who dared enter your home & turn it into a hellhole. You gasped, your fingers tangling in the sheets, desperate for release as they gripped your hips & pounded harder. There was no escaping this, no outrunning it, no crying out for help. You were at the hands of a madman.

            But then you felt a set of fingers reach under you & begin rubbing the bundle of nerves & goosebumps erupted over your body.

            A regretful moan parted your lips, more tears coated the pillows as your body responded to the ministrations. Without your choosing, your hips began to buck, meeting the thrusts with your own need for pleasure mixed with the ungodly pain. A sigh left you as you felt your muscles tightening around the thick cock fucking you mercilessly.

            The shadow yanked your head backwards, their lips at your ear as they grunted, their breath fanning the side of your face. You tried to fight against the growing knot in the lowest part of your abdomen but the feeling was too good, too hot, too much. You bit you lip to keep yourself from sharing with the man assaulting you that you were regretfully beginning to enjoy what he was doing to you.

            But he knew. You knew he knew. His hips slammed into your harshly & the pain sparked the rocket that would send you soaring. You felt your thighs shake & your walls shudder as you came undone, milking the cock as you soaked it in your juices. The man roared, slamming your head back into the mattress as his hips jutted forward, chasing his own orgasm. You felt as his cum coated your insides before spilling out around him, dripping into your inner thighs.

            You felt used, dirtied, & tired all at once.

            Then the man dropped you before rolling over onto his back beside you, a single hand cupping one of your buttcheeks in his large palm as he fondled the meat there.

            You remained where you lied, catching your breath & gathering your strength before you finally lifted your head & turned towards him.

            Clark lied there, his chest coated in a light sheen of sweat as he caught his own breath. You narrowed your eyes at him, willing him to look at you, & once he did, he smirked.

            “How was that?” He asked, his voice hoarse from the loud orgasm he had just endured.

            “Better.” You replied, “The gloves were a nice touch.”

            He smirked at that before moving off the bed to gather his discarded pants. You turned over to sit up, watching him with delight.

            But then he made a snide comment, angering you.

            “Those self-defense classes at the gym aren’t doing you much. You didn’t hit me once.” He buckled his pants before facing you, eyeing you playfully.

            You moved onto your knees & crawled towards him. He leant down, his face close to yours, “You’re still weak.”

            Before he had a chance to catch your arm, you swiped a quick fist across his face. He backed up, holding his jaw in his hand. You smirked yourself.

            But then he swiped back, backhanding you across the face.

            A soft gasp parted your lips & you tasted copper on your tongue. He had split your lip open. Again.

            You made to move off the bed, to show him just how well your skills had improved but before you could he caught you by the throat.

            “Don’t—” But your words were cut short as he pressed his lips to yours.

            You leaned into the kiss, biting his lip harshly as you wrapped your arms around his neck & pressed yourself closer to him. Clark growled into the heated kiss, swiping his tongue over your lips as you shared a bloody kiss.

            Then he shoved you backwards as you fell ungracefully atop the bed.

            “Fight harder next time.”

            “Fuck me harder & I will.” You countered.

            Clark bit his lip, shaking his head, “I’ll tame that mouth one day.”

            “Don’t hold your breath.” You responded before sliding off the bed.

            You followed Clark into the rest of the apartment as he entered the kitchen. You moved to sit at the island & watched as he peered into the fridge, “I thought you went to get groceries.”

            “No.” You peered at your nails, noting a chipped one, “I ordered them. Obviously, they haven’t arrived.”

            He slammed the fridge shut at that but nodded, “So, what’s for dinner?”

            You smiled at that.

            A year, the two of you had been together. Together together. Much to the dismay of your friends. Those friendships didn’t last much longer. They didn’t understand, couldn’t. But you didn’t need them, you never did. All you needed was a monster who enjoyed your own. And he was standing right there in the kitchen you ate in together within the apartment that you both had in your names.

            And it was all without a contract, without rules & boundaries. There was no other woman for Clark, & no other man for you. You two were meant to live in the dark world you both craved. You had tamed Clark Kent & made him yours.

            And that was how you lived now, how you always would. With him, with his monster, & with yours.

AND IT IS OVER! it took me a long time to finish this series but i am so happy i committed to finishing it. this is one my proudest works on here & i hope you all enjoyed reading it as much as i did writing it.

as always, please share your thoughts w me via dropping a comment, talking to me via askbox, or reblogging w reviews!

now that The Taming is over, i will continue with Summit but the next piece i share will be a oneshot featuring Andy Barber, so follow me & stay turned.

thank you for reading!

oona<3

Read this post on why doing more than liking a tumblr writers work is essential to our content creation.

[my love language is words of affirmation, it would make my day if you could comment your thoughts, reblog with tags, or drop an ask that shows your support. thank you for reading tumblr writers, we appreciate you]

taglist: @rosecentury

to be added to a taglist read rule 11 here. requests will be dismissed otherwise.

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Summit : Chapter Seven

A Ransom Drysdale Series

[THIS STORY WILL CONTAIN THEMES OF NON-CON/DUB-CON, MENTAL-EMOTIONAL-PHYSICAL ABUSE, ETC. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED. READ AT YOUR OWN RISK. 18+. MINORS DO NOT INTERACT]

WC: 3.7k

Dividers provided by @firefly-graphics

CHAPTER SIX | MASTERLIST | CHAPTER EIGHT

            The following morning came when you wished it hadn’t. You woke to the sound of the floor creaking outside your door & you threw off your blankets in a panic. Swinging open your bedroom door, you poked your head out & caught Ransom at the top of the stairs, his back to you. Having heard your door & heavy breathing, Ransom paused to look back at you.

            “Sorry, didn’t mean to wake you.” He offered an apologetic smile.

            You frowned when you noted the few bags he held in his hands. Was he going to leave without telling you?

            In a fit of mild frustration, you began signing at him, walking slowly towards him.

            Ransom’s eyes flicked rapidly as he followed the movement of your hands. But you didn’t slow down to translate. You couldn’t believe he would sneak out from under you without saying goodbye.

            As you got within reaching distance, he finally dropped his bags & reached for you, his hands catching your swinging wrists. Your chest was heaving & you felt your eyes watering as he forced you to calm down.

            “I don’t understand a damn thing you’re saying but I know when I’ve pissed off a woman.” He joked, but this was no laughing matter.

            You attempted to break from his hold but his grip was strong, almost bruising.

            “I wasn’t going to leave you without saying anything.” He gazed into your eyes, his own softening, “I promise. I was letting you sleep a bit longer.”

            You weren’t sure if you believed him, but his words did have a small impact on your mood. You sniffed, shaking your head, still attempting to sign but his strength kept you from properly doing so.

            “_____,” he moved his hands to your face, cupping your cheeks, “I promise. I wouldn’t do that to you.”

            As he gazed into your eyes, you felt your care for him skyrocket. Closing the distance, you wrapped your arms around his neck, embracing him tightly. Ransom sighed into the hug, his arms wrapping securely around your body. You blinked away the tears that threatened to fall & rested your head on his shoulder. One of his hands ran along the back of your head, comforting you.

            Finally, after a moment, you pulled away but he didn’t let you go just yet.

            The two of you stared at one another in silence. Ransom gave a small, sad smile as he peered at you. Again, he cupped your cheek & you leant your face into it, appreciating the warmth & affection.

            “C’mon.” He finally said, his hand falling to your own as he led you down the stairs.

            Having gathered his fallen bags, he dropped them again at the bottom of the stairs before leading the way towards the kitchen. In there, you noticed a plethora amount of candles, lighters, & gathered fruits & vegetables from the garden.

            “I already got you set up for the next two days. Generator isn’t going to work so this’ll be all you have.” He said as he walked around the island. “If you can, avoid lighting the candles at night. I know this place can get pretty dark but I don’t want anyone drawn to the house if they see light.”

            You knew how worried he sounded based on his tone alone, but you didn’t share the same concern. Since you’d been staying with Ransom, you had yet to see another human being. The chances were slim to none, but you would do as he asked.

            “Curtains are heavy in every room, in case you need to shield any candlelight you’ll need from outside eyes. I already gathered food as you see so you won’t have to do that this morning or tomorrow. Just gotta water when it cools down later.”

            You nodded along as he continued giving you instructions. It was quite cute, you thought, how he looking out for you. It had been a long time since someone had your back. It was a feeling you missed greatly.

            By the time Ransom finished giving his rundown, you eyed him readily.

            You followed him to the front door & he opened it, throwing his bags out onto the porch. You saw over his shoulder a truck parked a few yards away. He turned to face you then, closing the distance.

            For a third time, Ransom leaned down & pressed his lips to yours. You found yourself actively returning it. Now that it was happening, Ransom leaving, you wanted nothing more than to hang onto him & never let him leave. Or, if anything, sneak into the bed of the truck & go with him. But you knew it was a better plan for you to stay. For once, you would listen to him.

            ���I’ll be back tomorrow night should all things go well.” He said, his breath fanning your face. You rested your forehead against his, nodding along as he spoke.

            “Stay inside as much as you can. Read that book. I’ll be back before you know it.”

            With that, Ransom kissed your forehead before parting from you. You stood in the doorway, watching as he gathered his bags & walked towards the truck. He threw the bags into the bed of the truck before rounding to the driver’s side. But before he got in, he caught your eyes. Raising his hand, he had his ring finger & middle finger curled in, but his pinkie, pointer, & thumb extended.

            ‘I love you’.

            You felt your lips part in disbelief.

            “Saw it in a movie once.” He joked from far away. “Go inside.”

            But you didn’t, still in shock & awe at his proclamation. You did not return the sign but felt your heart thumping. Ransom hopped into the truck, & after a few failed attempts of starting the engine, it finally roared to life. He waved at you through the dashboard window before driving down the driveway & out of sight.

            Leaning against the frame of the door, your thoughts ran rampant.

            Love? You bit your lip, he loved…you?

            You knew about love. You loved your mother, your father, the farm you grew up on. But love love, romantic love? You knew nothing of it. But as your heart continued thrumming & your breath came fast, you wondered if that’s what those sensations were.

            Perhaps you too loved Ransom.

            The first day without Ransom dragged on. You felt lonelier in those first couple hours than you had the whole year previously when you traveled alone. Ransom’s family estate felt cold & lifeless without his presence there to bring it excitement & energy. For the first time since the virus happened, you felt…bored. Nothing appealed to you, not even reading. You found yourself lounging in the library, trying to force your eyes to read the words of the book he suggested to you but you could not focus. Your thoughts remained on Ransom.

            He never did tell you exactly where his uncle’s vacation home was so you wouldn’t even be able to pinpoint a rough location of where he’d be on the map. You were forced to sit in silence for hours as you thought about him traveling alone. Part of you was beginning to regret not fighting for you to go with him more. Ransom had never traveled by himself, not properly like you. It would have been beneficial for him for you to come. You knew the world out there, he didn’t.

            But there was nothing you could do now except wait, though waiting felt awfully long. It would only be two days, but already the first couple hours felt like weeks. You had to distract yourself. Leaving the book in the library, you went into the kitchen & grabbed a peach & cut it into slices before placing them into a bowl. Taking the bowl of peaches with you, you headed for the stairs.

            You had never explored Ransom’s family estate to it’s entirety. Perhaps exploring rooms you had yet to would fair well as a distraction. Most of the rooms on the second floor proved uninteresting. There was little memorabilia, which in hindsight you found odd that there were no family photos anywhere or personal items, but from what little you knew about Ransom’s family, they were not the sentimental type.

            Back in the hallway, you were approaching the last door you had yet to go through at the end of the hallway. Opening it, you expected to see either another bedroom or small bathroom, but you were surprised when what greeted you was a set of narrow stairs. Pausing in the doorway, you peered up the stairs but they curved half-way up, giving no clue as to what would be at the top.

            Hesitantly, you took the first step trying to see to the top but nothing yet. What were you so worried about? It was an attic. There would be no boogeyman. You had faced scarier obstacles. Swallowing your reluctance, you climbed the rest of the stairs & were relieved by what you came across. It was fairly lit room, thanks to the two windows in the small space. As you peered around, it looked as if it was once a playroom. There was two cushioned chairs, a coffee table, & a few small bookcases. On one of the bookcases was a number of game boards. That made you smile.

            Placing your bowl of peaches on the coffee table, you crouched to your knees to eye the plethora of games before you. You wondered if Ransom just never thought to come up there. The two of you could have passed the time better had you played a number of these games. You pulled out a dust-covered decades old version of The Game of Life.

            Popping off the lid, you peered at the game pieces inside. They were certainly old but still in decent shape. You fingered a few of the game pieces, recalling your days on the farm. Game nights were a regular thing with your parents. Your mother’s favorite had been Clue, always kicking yours & your father’s asses at discovering who the villain was. You felt yourself smiling at the memory. Replacing the lid, you placed another random board game on top of Life before topping both off with your bowl of fruit.

            You decided you would bring them down to the dining room, that way when Ransom returned, the two of you could play. But just as you were turning around to head back down the stairs, the corner of one of the game boards knocked over a few times that were on top of the bookcase. As the objects clattered to the ground, you groaned inwardly. Putting the games on the coffee table, you moved to place the objects back where they were. But as you did, your hands stopped over an object you hadn’t seen in quite some time: a compact disc player.

            A smile parted your lips as you grabbed it, popping the player open. Inside, the disc in place was Billie Holiday’s Solitude album. Fortunately, a pair of old-school headphones were attached to the player. Untangling the cord, you wrapped the headphones around your head until the foam parts were over your ears.

            Bracing yourself for the possibility that the player may not work, you hit ‘play’. To your relief, music filled your ears as Billie’s voice sang. It was a little scratchy & skipped every now & then, but it was a small win on your part. Leaving the attic with the music still playing in your ears, you brought everything to the dining room, leaving the gameboards but finishing the fruit. Back in the library, you returned to your spot on one of the loungers.

            Kicking your feet up, you stared out the window, no thoughts racing through your mind for once as Billie hid them all away with her songs. Before you knew it, you felt your eyes begin to grow tired. The summer sun cast the library in a golden glow & you welcomed the feeling of safety & comfort. With the music, you no longer felt lonely. As Billie continued to sing softly in your, your lids began to fall close. Then, without a fear in the world, you fell asleep.

            The first night without Ransom arrived & you found yourself approaching his bedroom door down the hall from your own. Before winding down for the night, you did as he instructed & pulled all the curtains closed before double checking all doors & windows were locked. Then when you climbed the stairs, a single candle in your hand, you turned left towards Ransom’s room rather than right to your own.

            You hadn’t put much thought into what exactly it was that you were doing but you let your feet carry you as they felt. Inside Ransom’s room, you dressed down & found an old, worn-through shirt of his before climbing into his bed. Nestling under the covers, you inhaled deeply. Ransom. It made you feel comfortable.

            Your thoughts strayed to him, picturing holed up in an equally large estate as he fought with a generator. You imagined he was thinking of you just as much, if not more. The candle on the nightstand beside you flickered & you watched it in a daze. If Ransom knew you were taking solace in his own bed, you imagined he would be rushing home in an instant. Never would you be so bold as to crawl into his bed if he were there. But you admittedly missed him. This was what you needed to ease your first night without him.

            Outside, it was windy & you could hear the howls of a brewing storm as it passed overhead. You pulled the covers up & over your ears, only your eyes peeking out. Reaching out to the nightstand, you pulled out the disc player you found earlier & brought it into bed with you. Placing the foam over your ears, you hit play again & waited as Billie’s voice drowned out the windy noise. In only a short time, you fell into a deep & restful sleep.

            The following morning found yourself out in the garden before the sun rose. You watered the plants & picked any new fruit or vegetables that were ready to be harvested. After doing those few light chores you spent most of your day at the dining room table playing cards by yourself. Your mother had taught you how to play solitaire at a young age but it had been so long that you struggled on remembering some of what she taught you. But as time passed, you figured it out & played without issue.

            It wasn’t until a little after midday that your stomach growled with hunger. You picked at a few different fruits & vegetables, but nothing was sticking out to you. You never thought there would come a day where you could actually be picky again when it came to food. Your father would be disappointed, but you told yourself he would be relieved you found a safe place to stay, a safe person to protect you. Or at least, that’s just what you told yourself.

            When nothing sounded appetizing, you recalled the fish you had made just the other night. The pond wasn’t far away, you’d only need the map to guide you there & back. It would be nice, you thought, to have another meal ready for when Ransom returned. You imagined he wasn’t having a whole lot of luck with food except for what little he brought with him. Without much further internal debate, you decided you would make the short journey to the pond & see if you couldn’t catch a bass or two.

            After getting ready & gathering the tools you’d need, you set out in direction towards the pond. The day wasn’t as sunny. The storm from the previous night still cast a large gray cloud over the area. But you welcomed the change. It would still be hot but not nearly as it had been in the weeks prior.

            Fortunately, the pond proved easy to find & quick to get to, only a little over twenty minutes. Once there, you set up your little spot & prepared your fishing rod. Once you had decided you would be going fishing, you suckered out a handful of worms from the garden & placed them in a small jar from the kitchen. Swinging a line out into the pond, you sat down & waited patiently. You almost considered bringing the disc player, but even you knew that would go against everything your father trained & taught you. Though you were confident about being alone in the woods, you couldn’t risk limiting any of your senses. You may have welcomed a domesticated life for the time being, but you were still & always would be a survivor first.

            After a couple hours & no catch, you were forced to begin packing up. The clouds darkened & had grown heavy. The first drop of rain landed on your cheek & you realized the storm hadn’t passed fully. There would surely be another one tonight. In a rush, you quickly packed up & began heading back in the direction of the estate.

            Though you were frustrated you didn’t succeed in catching any fish, part of you was relieved that you wouldn’t have to face Ransom’s dismay at you having left the house, something he told you not to do plenty of times. But you were more than capable of taking care of yourself, more so than him. Still, since you had no catch, you wouldn’t have to deal with his expected frustrations.

            You had only been walking for a few minutes before the rain began to come down hard. In a matter of seconds, the forest was being poured on & you slipped as you began to pick up a light jog. A thunderclap ripped through the trees, catching you by surprise, & you glanced up as you ran. The sky lit up & practically split open as a bolt of lightning struck a tree nearby. Kicking your legs, you ran faster, your vision growing blurry as rain gathered in your eyes. You wiped at them desperately, but just as you had, your foot caught a root & sent you flying to the ground.

            You crashed into the forest floor with a dull thud, your face caked in mud. Wincing inwardly, you pushed yourself upwards, but when you went to stand, your ankle whined in protest, forcing you back to your knees. Hissing, you quickly turned over to inspect your ankle. When you touched it, a dull yet sharp pain shot up your leg. You bit your lip in frustration, angry with yourself for having fallen. As your eyes glanced forward, in search of the root that caused your mishap, you were mildly confused by what your eyes landed on.

            A single stick stuck out of the ground. But as you peered closer, it looked less & less like a stick. Swallowing your pain, you dragged yourself closer to inspect the object sticking out from the muddied earth. You were reaching out to touch it & just as you were about to, another thunderclap sounded followed by another lightning bolt, which lit up the forest, exposing the object for what it truly was.

            In horror, you flung yourself backwards, the storm wreaking havoc above you momentarily forgotten about.

            It can’t be, you reasoned with yourself. But as you returned to the object, you couldn’t deny what was on display just in front of you: a finger, chewed down to the bone. Little to no flesh was left on it, likely having been gotten at by forest life, but it was exactly what it was, a human finger.

            Another tree was struck in the distance, kicking you out of your horrified state. Unable to inspect the sight further, you were forced to get up, your ankle still screaming in protest, but you pushed on, gritting your teeth as you limped as fast as you could back to the estate. After racing through the trees as fast as you could, you finally made it back & threw yourself into the greenhouse, finally out of the storm.

            You dropped your gear on the ground & sat, sitting crisscross so you could attend to your ankle. But there was nothing in the greenhouse you could use to stabilize your ankle. You would have to go inside. Resting for another minute, you finally made way towards the house, the gear forgotten about. As you stumbled inside the house, you had use your whole body weight to close the door as the high-speed winds battled against you. But once you got the door shut, you clattered around in the dimly lit kitchen in search of the med kit.

            Once you found it, you collapsed on the floor & began to wrap your ankle. You wouldn’t be able to put much pressure on it to keep it from worsening, but it’d have to do. You knew you didn’t break your ankle, you’d be in much more pain, but you likely sprained it. You only needed to ice it & keep it elevated in the meantime for it to heal better.

            But as you finished putting away the med kit & limped towards the stairs, leaving a trail of mud in your wake, your mind still wandered to the finger out in the woods. It had been sticking straight up out of the ground, as if it had roots like a tree. And that only meant one thing, it was attached to a body. A human body. Ransom had once told you that the estate was on a land of many acres. The land where that finger stuck out was part of the estate.

            As you made it to the bathroom upstairs, a single horrified thought occurred to you then. Did Ransom know it was there? Or did he put it there? And most importantly, who was it? You decided that when the storm cleared your ankle be damned, you would be going back out there & discovering the answers for yourself.

i was so excited to write this chapter but i'm even MORE excited to write the next. it's about to get deceptively juicy, friends.

as always, please share your thoughts w me via dropping an ask, leaving a comment, or reblogging w reviews. your feedback keeps me going.

thank you for reading!

oona<3

Read this post on why doing more than liking a tumblr writers work is essential to our content creation.

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The Taming : Part Nine

A Clark Kent Mini Series

[THIS STORY WILL CONTAIN THEMES OF NON-CON/DUB-CON, MENTAL-EMOTIONAL-PHYSICAL ABUSE, ETC. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED. READ AT YOUR OWN RISK. 18+. MINORS DO NOT INTERACT]

WC: 2.3k

Dividers provided by @firefly-graphics

PART EIGHT | MASTERLIST | FINALE

            The woman crying on her knees before me wasn’t who I wanted, needed. At one point, she may have been adequate, but no one would compare to her: the one that got away.

            Jane, her rival among the youthful elite’s, was as every bit pathetic & easily manipulated as I knew she would be. My little devil knew too, but she was not here to revel in with me. She was nowhere to be found.

            As Jane closed her mouth around my softening cock, I imagined where my little devil ran off to. It had been months since she disappeared. The night of the masquerade, of that foolish kid’s death, it was the last time I saw her. Another round of cat & mouse was beginning, only this time the prey outsmarted the predator.

            She continued to impress me, & infuriate me. I had killed for her, & she had the audacity to disappear. All of my resources in finding her resulted in the same results as before: she had become a ghost. Following her friends led to nothing. She had abandoned them, her apartment barren of life, her social accounts wiped. My little devil crawled into hell without her escort.

            But I knew, deep down. She was out there. Close. She doesn’t go down without a fight. She was watching me, waiting. I would find her & when I did, she would never leave from my sights again.

            Come out, come out, little devil, wherever you are.

            N

            Nicola left the police station, her phone ringing. It was Olivia.

            Upon answering the phone, Liv didn’t waste any time, “Still nothing?”

            “No.” Nic responded dryly.

            It had been weeks since Nicola, Oliva, & Ariana sought out their missing friend. But no one had heard or seen from her. Her parents proved useless, even their personal investigator was of no help. It was up to Nicola & friends to find their missing piece.

            “Someone has to know something, Nic.” Liv shared.

            “I know, but who it is you’re not going to like.”

            Nicola had her number one suspect the minute she realized her oldest & closest friend disappeared without a word. Clark Kent. But she couldn’t get the police to focus their attention on him. He had many friends dressed in blue, a number of people in the city who vouched for his goodness. But Nicola knew better.

            “Do you remember where Clark lives?” Nicola questioned, her heels clacking against the pavement as she approached her driver waiting with the sleek black Mercedes.

            “Nic, no. The cops already cleared him.”

            “There’s no one else, Liv. It was him, it has to be. _____ was terrified of him.”

            Olivia sighed on the other end, “Yeah, I remember.”

            “I need you to text me the address.”

            “You’re not going alone.” Liv’s voice hardened, “Ari & I will meet you there.”

            “If you insist.” Nic didn’t have the energy or time to waste with debating, “I’ll see you guys there.”

            Nicola banged her fist on the door, Olivia & Ariana flanking her on either side as she announced their unwelcomed arrival at Clark’s doorstep. Nicola felt Ari fidgeting behind her & shot her a warning glare. Now was not the time to get nervous. He couldn’t hurt all three of them. Nicola’s driver was downstairs with instructions to call the police if the three of them didn’t return in ten minutes. But she would not tell Clark that.

            A shuffling sounded on the other side & Nicola waited with bated breath as the door unlatched then swung open.

            “Jane?” Olivia gasped out as the three girls took in the sight of their infamous frenemy.

            Jane stood before them dressed in a black slip. She wore no makeup but her hair was full & curly. Then Nic’s eyes trailed down. Like her best friends only weeks prior, Jane’s arms & legs were covered in bruises.

            “What the hell…” Nic made to push into the apartment but Jane was quick to swing the door to keep anyone from entering.

            “What do you want?” Jane glared, her lilt accusatory.

            “Where’s Clark?”

            Jane smirked at that, crossing her arms over her chest, “Out.”

            “What are you doing here, Jane?” Olivia asked from behind Nic, “Clark isn’t a good guy.”

            Jane pursed her lips, rolling her eyes, “Be that as it may, he chose me. I stay here.”

            “What the fu—”

            Nic raised her hand to interrupt Olivia’s shocked response.

            “What do you mean, Jane, he ‘chose you’?”

            Jane opened her mouth, about to answer when her eyes flew to something behind the trio of girls. Nic followed her line of sight. Clark stood there, glasses on, a messenger bag hanging from his shoulder. Though he would normally appear as a normal guy, much like he had that night on the subway, his heated, angry glaze removed any sense of normalcy from him.

            Olivia was quick to push Ari behind herself while she & Nic stood in front, facing him head on.

            “Where is she?” Nic asked, wasting no time on greetings or explanations.

            Clark narrowed his eyes, briefly glancing at Jane who remained hidden in the crack of the door, before returning to his little devil’s closest friends.

            “Where is who?”

            “Don’t play dumb, Clark.” Nic seethed, her heart beating harshly.

            He cocked his head at that but remained standing as tall & strong as a mountain.

            “I don’t know.”

            “Bullshit.” It was Liv this time who spoke up, her eyes burning with distrust, “She was terrified of you, & now she’s missing.”

            “What are they talking about, Clark?” Jane spoke, her voice filled with worried curiosity.

            “Close the door, Jane.” He told her cooly, ignoring her question.

            “But—”

            “Now.” His voice hardened as he stared at all the women standing before him.

            Jane did as she was told & left the four of them in the hallway.

            “You three should go.” Clark eyed each one of them, a warning look in his gaze.

            “We’re not going anywhere until you tell us where the hell she is?” Liv’s voice began to raise. Nic was quick to hold her hand out, calming her friend down.

            “I don’t know.” Clark shared, “If she is so terrified of me, why would she be here?”

            Liv scoffed at that, her arms crossing over her chest, “It’s not like she was here the first time under her own discretion. You forced her here.”

            Clark cracked a smile at that, his eyes bouncing across the three women as they stared both fearfully & angrily at him.

            “I never forced her to do anything.” Clark revealed, taking a step forward, “You don’t know your friend as well as you think you do.”

            Nic opened her mouth, prepared to debate with him further, but she was surprised when Ariana stepped forward, approaching Clark. His eyes fell to the petite woman before him, the woman he had used to get closer to her cousin. She still appeared frail & easy to break, but her eyes were hard, determined.

            “Please, Clark. If you know where she is just tell us.” Ari reached out then, her hand grasping his forearm lightly, “We’re worried about her.”

            He stared silently at his former conquest deep in thought. Nothing he said would convince them otherwise. Their devilish friend had fooled them their whole lives. Anything he said would be argued against. It would be a waste of his time.

            Finally, Clark exhaled, his attention focused on Ari, “Despite what the three of you think of me, I never hurt her. Not without her consent, her encouragement. She was never here under circumstances that she didn’t agree with beforehand. She came here willingly, knowing what I would do to her.”

            “What did you do?” Nic’s eyes reddened from hot, angry tears breaching.

            “Nothing.” He remained stoic, his tone flat, even, “I haven’t seen her since you came for her, & believe me, I’ve tried looking for her.”

            The trio of women said nothing as they stared in disgust at him.

            “You can search my apartment, get the police involved, hire PI’s—as if you haven’t already—but you will find nothing here because I had nothing to do with her disappearance.”

            “What is Jane doing here?” Nic finally asked, nodding towards the door.

            Clark smirked coyly, “The same reason your friend spent a week here, for me to provide a level of satisfaction that could not be fulfilled by a lesser than.”

            “What the fuck does that—”

            “Let’s go.” Ari spun on her heel to face her two friends, “She’s not here.”

            “What, Ari? What are you talk—”

            “I suggest you listen to her. Your friend isn’t here.” Clark added.

            Nic & Liv stared at Ari in wilderment before she ultimately faced Clark once more, “Thank you. We’ll leave you alone, now.”

            With that, Ari began heading back down the hallway towards the elevators. Liv was quick to follow after her but Nic took her time. She was sure to keep a safe distance from the reaches of Clark should he so boldly attempt to subdue her, but her eyes remained on him, nonetheless.

            “If you hurt her…”

            Clark lowered his head, his eyes peering out form above his thick-framed glasses as he followed Nicola’s movement, “…it’s because she asked for it.”

            Nic didn’t know what to make of the comment, but when she was a good distance away from Clark, he turned his back on her & entered his apartment, the door slamming shut.

            What have you gotten yourself into, _____?

            “What the hell was that all about, Ari?” Liv was the first to ask once the three of them were situated in Nicola’s car.

            Ari shook her head, “He didn’t take her.”

            There was a beat of silence, “Or hurt her.”

            Nic rolled her eyes in disbelief. Ari didn’t know. Ari didn’t see her cousin when they found her. Didn’t see her bruised body & the horrified look in her eyes. Nicola had never seen her friend shaken up before. Clark was a monster. Whatever he had done to her, it was the reason she was now missing.

            “You don’t know what you’re talking about.” Nic spit, “You didn’t see what he did to her.”

            “Would you please listen to me?” Ari pleaded, her eyes wide as she stared at her two friends, “I know what I’m talking about.”

            Nic said nothing but raised a single brow, gesturing for her to continue.

            “I know because Clark attempted to lull me into that relationship.”

            Liv & Nic both frowned in confusion as Metropolis passed them by.

            “What he’s doing with Jane, what he did with _____, it’s strange, scary even, but he doesn’t do it without his partner’s consent. I know because he didn’t hurt me or force me when I said ‘no’.”

            “Jesus Christ, what is it, Ari?” Liv’s voice softened, “What does he do?”

            “I don’t know the details very well, I had done some light research when he & I were seeing each other, but stopped when he admitted to pursuing _____. But from what I can remember, he’s what’s called a ‘tamer’.”

            Nic rested against her seat, her eyes glued to the window as she listened to Ari explain the fucked up nature that was Clark Kent. And apparently her friend.

            “It’s a kink thing. Clark chooses women who are…difficult, to say the least, & he tames them.” Ari paused, “Sexually.”

            “My god…” Liv breathed out in disbelief.

            “And if there’s anyone I know, that we all know, who is difficult & defiant & loves a challenge… it’s _____.”

            But Nic couldn’t sit there & allow Ari to presume that whatever fucked up thing it is that Clark does to women that her friend would be open to it.

            “No.” She replied harshly, “She wouldn’t do that.”

            “Are you sure about that?” Ari stared at Nic, “Did she go to the cops?”

            “No, but lots of women don’t go to cops.”

            “_____ would & you know it. She would’ve humiliated him, taken him to court, made a whole show out of the case. She’s not the type to sit back & be quiet. Until now.”

            “What are you saying, Ari?” Liv asked.

            Ari sighed, her head hanging, “I don’t know for sure without seeing or hearing from _____. But if I had to guess, they’re playing a game. Clark has no reason to lie. He didn’t lie to me when _____ told me about what he did to her. He didn’t fight you, Liv, when you came for her at his apartment. And he even admitted to looking for her himself. Don’t you get it? It’s a game, a fucked up game. This is her humiliating him.”

            “I can’t believe what I’m hearing, it’s insane.” Nic aired out frustratingly, but she couldn’t deny that something was fitting together. She didn’t know how & she didn’t know why, but she always listened to her gut.

            “So, what do we do? Just wait until she comes out of the shadows & goes back to him?” Liv questioned exasperatedly.

            At that, Ari shook her head, shrugging, “I don’t know. But she doesn’t want to be found, that I know. If she wants anyone to find her, it’ll be Clark. So, I say we watch him, follow him. He’ll lead us to her.”

            “I don’t know…” Liv replied, deep in thought.

            “You have any other ideas?” Ari challenged to which Liv said nothing.

            Ultimately, it was Nic who supported Ari’s suggestion, “She’s right, Liv. We’ve tried everything. If what Ari is saying is true… then Clark may be the only way we find her.”

            “So we wait?” Liv questioned, her voice filled with ridicule.

            “Yes.” Nic turned her attention to the cityscape passing by in a blur, “We wait.”

a quick filler chapter before the finale. i'm sad to see this series end but i'm ready to move on to my future WiP's.

as always, please share your thoughts with me via dropping an ask, leaving me a comment, or reblogging w reviews. they are always much appreciated & let me know i'm doing something decent here lmao

thank you for reading,

oona<3

Read this post on why doing more than liking a tumblr writers work is essential to our content creation.

[my love language is words of affirmation, it would make my day if you could comment your thoughts, reblog with tags, or drop an ask that shows your support. thank you for reading tumblr writers, we appreciate you]

taglist: @rosecentury

to be added to a taglist read rule 11 here. requests will be dismissed otherwise.

[lambtotheslaughterr]

i think i remember you posted that you were writing an original novel but i can't find that post anymore and now i'm wondering if i only imagined that because i want it so much to be true.....

yes, that’s true! i did make a post but deleted it. but yes! i have been working on a real novel w my own characters👻

[lambtotheslaughterr]

thank you so much for your reblog & kind words love<3 my family is thriving again & healthy, thank goodness.

as for the story, your comments have me giggling & kicking my feet. very domesticated, very rose-colored-glasses, & reader is about to rip those glasses off ransom's face lmao

Summit : Chapter Six

A Ransom Drysdale Series

[THIS STORY WILL CONTAIN THEMES OF NON-CON/DUB-CON, MENTAL-EMOTIONAL-PHYSICAL ABUSE, ETC. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED. READ AT YOUR OWN RISK. 18+. MINORS DO NOT INTERACT]

WC: 4k

Dividers provided by @firefly-graphics

CHAPTER FIVE | MASTERLIST | CHAPTER SEVEN

            An hour & another glass of wine later, you found yourself being spun around the mansion. Ransom guided your body as he moved the two of you from room to room. Can’t Take My Eyes off You by Frankie Vallie played loudly as the two of you smiled & twirled about like you were in an end of the world romance film.

            To both your surprise & welcome, the wine had loosened you up. You were having fun. You were smiling boldly & adding your own moves as the two of you danced freely. At one point even, you ran forward & hopped onto the loveseat in the living room, your arms raised above you, fingers spread out as you danced to the rhythm of the song. It reminded you of the days when you lived on your humble farm with your mother & father.

            Your mother & you would be dancing wildly as Dancing Queen or Girls Just Wanna Have Fun would blare throughout the house & your dad would come in from a long day’s work & find the two of you. It was long before your mother got sick for the final time & she would drag your reluctant father into the mix. She’d make him dance with her while you continued jamming out across the room & always, at some point, you would stop to admire your parents. Your father always looked at her with love, & though he loathed dancing, he’d dance with her.

            You jumped down from the loveseat & began spinning as you headed towards the foyer. Ransom followed behind you & even in your dizzying movements, you didn’t miss how his eyes never left you, how there was a constant smirk on his face as he took in the sight of you having fun for the first time in forever. It encouraged you to keep it up.

            At that point, you had already slipped out of your shoes & was barefoot. The wood beneath your feet was cool to the bottoms of your feet as you felt your body heat up as you kept moving. You were at the center of the foyer & suddenly stopped though, your stomach lurching. You frowned, holding both your forehead & stomach as the nauseating feeling escalated.

            Oh no.

            The front door was closer than the bathroom & you raced towards it, throwing it open as you burst outside. You made it to the front steps before you lurched forward, bent at the waist & began throwing up.

            Your eyes widened at the sight of red liquids mixed with your dinner as they spilled from your mouth. Ransom was behind you suddenly, gathering your hair in his hands to keep it from being caught in the spray & you thanked him internally as your body continued rejecting the food & wine. When you finally stopped puking, you willed yourself to sit down on the steps, your body shaking.

            “Yeah.” Ransom sighed knowingly beside you as he joined you, he pulled a cloth napkin from his pants pocket & reached to wipe your mouth before wiping the beads of sweat that had formed on your forehead, “Probably should’ve warned you what having that kind of fun would do to you after drinking.”

            You wanted to sign a quip back but your body was still feeling ill so you signed nothing.

            “C’mon, let’s get you cleaned up.”

            But when you struggled to stand up, your vision & world still off-balance, Ransom swiftly lifted you up, carrying you bridal style back inside the mansion, effortlessly kicking the front door closed behind him as he brought you to the loveseat you had been dancing on only moments prior. Music still played faintly, having switched to a softer song, but your head was too busy trying to catch itself for you to recognize the song.

            Ransom disappeared but quickly returned with a glass of water & two pills. You gratefully took the water but eyed the pills warily.

            Ransom produced the bottle they came from, shaking it, “Anti-nausea.”

            The word ‘nausea’ made your stomach flip & you feared puking once more, forcing you to accept the pills before downing them with a gulp of water.

            Ransom sat beside you on the loveseat, though at a respectable distance to which you were thankful. You hadn’t forgotten about the kiss you two shared only a couple hours before in the dining room. But drinking & dancing had made it easier to pretend it hadn’t happened. You still were battling with your conflicted thoughts on the exchange, but you knew you’d have a clearer mind in the morning.

            You sat there a while in silence as you held your head in your hands, willing your mind & body to sober up. When you finally felt an inkling better, you lifted your head to face Ransom.

            ‘Thank you’, you signed.

            Ransom simply nodded, his eyes soft & a gentle smile on his face.

            You wanted to say more but your pad & pen were nowhere in sight & Ransom wasn’t advanced enough in his lessons to understand you. So, you stood up, prepared to go find it but as you did, your world tipped again. Ransom was quick to place a hand on your shoulder, gently pushing you back down to sit.

            “What do you need?” He asked, his voice thick with concern.

            You moved your hands together to mimic writing.

            He nodded in understanding before disappearing.

            A moment later, he returned with your source of communication & handed it to you. You wasted no time in flipping to the first blank page & scribbling ineligibly.

            I don’t drink.

            Ransom’s eyes crinkled at the corners as he chuckled, “You don’t say.”

            “You ever drink before?”

            You shook your head, writing, “My first time.”

            Ransom waved his arm outwards, “Glad to be your first, madam.”

            You rolled your eyes at the dramatic gesture but smiled, nonetheless.

            I should go to sleep.

            “I agree.” Ransom stood & offered his hand, to which you took, worried you wouldn’t be able to walk properly without his help.

            As expected, Ransom led you up the stairs to your bathroom. You thanked him once more, intending to enter the bathroom to brush your teeth & rinse the aftertaste of folly from your mouth but he held you close still.

            “Thank you, _____.” Your name on his tongue always felt strange but you couldn’t deny liking the sound of it, “Tonight has been the best night I’ve had since the world went to shit.”

            The way he looked at you… it made your stomach flip in other ways, but ways that still left you feeling unsure. You watched as his eyes fell to your lips. He wanted to kiss you again. The fact the two of you had even kissed to begin with was something that shouldn’t have happened. You knew he was getting to attached to you, & perhaps you to him, but unlike him, you had plans to leave one day, plans he didn’t know of. You didn’t want to lead him anymore.

            When he leaned forward, you quickly stepped out of his grip & covered your mouth, your eyes wide. Ransom paused, staring at you questionably. You waved your hand before your nose, using your bad breath as an excuse to avoid a second kiss. Ransom seemed to understand. And while he respected your wish, he continued to close the distance, leaving a chaste kiss on your forehead, “I’ll see you in the morning.”

            You couldn’t deny how the forehead kiss made you feel. Safe, seen, taken care of. It had been such a painfully long time since you felt any of those sensations. But everything your father taught still clung to your instincts.

            Ransom stepped back, watching as you slowly closed the door. Once the door latched shut, you locked it before leaning against it. You listened as Ransom left, his footfalls on the stairs until they disappeared. You breathed out a sigh of relief as you flickered your eyes closed. Part of you wanted him to kiss you, but you knew better. This isn’t what your father taught you, to be dependent on another, or to let another person get close enough as you already had. Yet you enjoyed Ransom’s company. You were no longer alone. Perhaps you could stay & live out the rest of the days with him. Would that be so terrible?

            But you shook your head.

            This is the wine. You argued with yourself.

            Approaching the sink, you caught yourself in the mirror. You stared at yourself all dolled up in the pink dress, your hair unkept & your eyes red. This wasn’t you. You were built to survive, to depend only on yourself, to live a life of solitude. But then you found yourself subconsciously bringing your fingers to your lips in memory of Ransom kissing you.

            But things change… Ransom happened.

            Fuck.

            It was a couple days later when you were in the library, eyeing the titles of books in search of a new novel to read when Ransom entered the room carrying a tray of freshly brewed tea. Your eyes met & the two of you shared a smile.

            “Elderberry.” Ransom announced, “Like you wanted.”

            The two of you sat on chairs opposite one another on end of the library as he poured each of you a cup. You brought the tea to your nose, enjoying the scent before taking a tender sip.

            “Find anything?” Ransom asked as he peered at the plethora of bookshelves with more books you could ever hope to own yourself.

            You shook your head.

            “Then let me recommend one.” Ransom stood & approached a bookshelf at the far end of the library. You followed behind him.

            He turned the book over to you & you peered at the cover.

            “It’s about a small-town doctor caught up in ritualistic sacrifices.”

            You flew your eyes to him, brows furrowing.

            He smiled at that, “I’ve seen the book you keep. It’s right up your alley.”

            Rolling your eyes, you couldn’t argue with that. You flipped through the book briefly before glancing up. Your eyes landed on something else on the bookshelf over Ransom’s shoulder.

            Slipping by him, you eyed the easel-back picture frame, the picture inside of a gathering of people just in front the very mansion you stood in.

            Picking it, you eyed it, recognizing one face amongst the group.

            “My family.” Ransom replied, his voice turning cold.

            You stared at Ransom in the picture. He wasn’t smiling & standing at the edge of the group. His hands tucked into his pants as he practically glared at the camera.

            Ransom stood behind you as your eyes bounced around all the faces. Your eyes landed on one teenaged girl with long brown hair, she too wasn’t smiling. In fact, no one was, which you found odd. You pointed at her, looking to Ransom.

            “Meg, yeah.”

            As you continued staring at the image, you realized every single person in that picture, every single person Ransom called ‘family’ was dead. Much like yours.

            ‘What happened?’ You signed.

            Ransom frowned. You slowed down your signing, willing him to remember his lessons.

            “Ah.” Ransom reluctantly plucked the frame from your hands before replacing it back where it once stood, though this time he turned the picture away from you, faced with the kickstand, “That’s a long story.”

            You smiled softly at that, tapping your wrist.

            “Yeah, yeah, I know. We have all the time in the world, don’t we?”

            Ransom turned away, returning to the chairs but before he could sit, you caught his wrist. His eyes met yours.

            Tell me.

            He sighed, contemplating.

            Please.

            He narrowed his eyes at you, “I’ll make you a deal.”

            You waited.

            “Your voice for a story.”

            Oh. You bit your lip. That was unfair. You dropped his wrist.

            He was quick to catch your own, “Talk to me. I know you can do it.”

            You attempted to step out of his reach, the moment soured, but he held tight.

            “Okay, okay.” Ransom apologized with his eyes, “A kiss then.”

            Before you could either deny or agree with the circumstances, Ransom closed the distance, his hand finding a place on your lower back as he brought his lips to yours. You resisted at first, but quickly found yourself returning the kiss. Ransom deepened it, cupping your cheek as he pressed your bodies together. You felt tears prick at your eyes, your heart & mind battling once again on what was right & what was wrong.

            He ended the kiss, resting his forehead against your own, “I swear, you’re gonna kill me.”

            You couldn’t help the nervous smile that dressed your lips.

            “Okay, I’ll tell you.”

            Ransom continued speaking as you flipped through a family album that traced back nearly 50 decades up until only a few years ago. You learned Ransom was 32. Much older than you, & if the world was spinning like normal, you would’ve never met him, let alone allowed yourself to kiss someone his age. But the end of the world made your age difference insignificant. You had matured well beyond your years & Ransom was trapped in his own within the walls of the mansion.

            “My father was adamant that Worcester would have the answer to the virus. Word had spread in the first year after losing my mother, grandfather, & aunt to the virus. He was determined to travel to Worcester to bring the cure back. He was desperate to save the rest of the Thrombey legacy.”

            You listened intently as Ransom spoke about a man who put his family’s safety first, & who, in the process, would ultimately die because of it. But as you listened, flipping through the family album, you never got that sense from pictures. The only pictures when someone was smiling was when they were a toddler. As they grew, like Ransom, the smiles became fewer & farther between. You had an inkling there was more he was leaving out.

            You wrote on your pad.

            Your family didn’t get along. There was no question mark.

            Ransom read your words before sighing dejectedly, “No. We didn’t. Never did. It got worse when we started dropping like flies.”

            You closed the album to sit back & stare at him, willing him to continue.

            His hand was on your thigh as he spoke, rubbing the fabric of your jeans as he continued with his story.

            “I was against him going. There was no proof. He risked himself & all of us. We fought about it for days.”

            Ransom shook his head, staring aimlessly at the now cooled tea before the two of you.

            “But he went anyways, & my cousin Jacob & Uncle Walt went with him. I stayed with the women, never expecting them to return.”

            You placed your hand around his own against your thigh.

            “Only my father returned. Jacob & Walt got sick somewhere along the way back. And when my father returned… he wasn’t himself.”

            An unsettling feeling formed in your gut before Ransom confirmed your suspicions.

            “He had contracted the virus but it wasn’t the typical symptoms at the time. He assured us he was just malnourished. So, Meg nursed him but there was never really any progress. He became moody, touchy, & more of an asshole than ever. Meg was the next to go, & the first person I blamed was him.”

            Ransom took a deep breath before finishing.

            “My family got along like oil & water. But watching them die one by one right in front of me was not something I ever imagined. It made me angrier than anything I had ever felt before. My dad went to Worcester to find a cure but what he brought back was a new strain of the virus. We were forced to lock him in the basement until he… until…”

            You didn’t need him to complete the sentence.

            “At night we could sometimes hear him breaking whatever he could get his hands on. The new strain added another level of aggression. He was trying to get out, & one night he finally did.”

            Ransom stood up & walked to the windows overlooking the garden. You remained seated but your eyes followed him, briefly landing on the back facing picture frame on the bookshelf.

            “I was forced to put him down. There was nothing left of Joni & Donna after he got his hands on them. They looked like fish food. That was a year ago.”

            Jesus. The gory images of what he might’ve seen flashed through your mind. You had no idea the virus had advanced. In fact, you had never seen anyone suffer from it. You just knew what symptoms to look out for if you ever came across anyone, but Ransom had been the first since the young woman.

            “That’s why I said Worcester is the disease. Whatever my dad brought back from there… it’s just not safe.”

            You nodded solemnly. Ransom returned to you then, sitting on the small coffee table that had the tray of tea on it. He reached for your hands & you let him as he peered into your eyes.

            “Just promise me you’ll never go there. I can’t… lose anyone else. Even you.”

            Your heart lurched. It was a bittersweet feeling.

            You signed your promise. You had no desire to go to Worcester after hearing his story. But how would he react when you would one day leave? That day you feared.

            A couple more weeks passed & the summer heat broke a record as August came. It was too hot to do any gardening during the day, so you & Ransom would often lounge in the shade reading books, your legs draped over his lap. Estate chores were saved for the early morning hours before the sun basked the property in its dewy glow. Once the chores were finished, you & Ransom lived a rather domesticated life day-by-day.

            You took turns cooking & on days when it was your turn, Ransom would often kiss you on the back of your head or hug you gently from behind. Much to your worry, you found yourself leaning into his touches, welcoming them, & only sometimes returning them. He had yet to kiss you again but you knew he wanted to. You saw it in his eyes, felt it in his touches, & heard it in his voice. But you didn’t know how to cross that line for a third time without leading him to believe this would be your life together.

            Only a few days ago did you decide that you would leave for St. Johns when the summer neared it’s end. It would be best to travel when the heat wasn’t so suffocating. But you had yet to tell Ransom, let alone give any hints to it. But you knew the longer you kept from telling him your plans, the harder it would be for him to let you. If he let you go…

            Ransom had grown awfully attached to you, & you couldn’t deny that you had felt the same, but you still stuck to your plans. He would have to live with your decision. But other thoughts kept you up at night when you thought about the near future. Perhaps you could convince him to come with you. You wouldn’t be against traveling with him, in fact, you welcomed the idea. But this was his home. Not just a place he set up shop at. This is where he grew up, lived with his family, then watched them suffer.

            That night you contemplated bringing the topic up as you finished the final touches on dinner. Ransom had caught some fish at the pond less than a quarter mile away. He had brought back two bass to which you immediately got to work while Ransom went & washed up.

            By the time dinner was finished, you placed both your plates at the dining table at one end of the table. It had become routine for you two to sit together while eating. Returning to the kitchen, you gathered two wine glasses & a dusted wine bottle on the counter that Ransom had brought up from the cellar in the basement. He insisted on you never going down there, claiming that because his father had been down there for so long he worried the virus could still have an effect. You knew virus’s didn’t work that way but didn’t argue, you had no desire to go down there anyways.

            Just as you finishing pouring your glasses of wine, Ransom appeared wearing a loose black t & a pair of comfortable jeans. He grinned when he spotted you.

            “Smells amazing.” He approached you & kissed you on your temple.

            You smiled up at him, your nerves growing since you knew you’d have to address your plans for the end of the month. You even had your pad & pen ready beside your plate.

            Ransom put on another record to set the mood before pulling out your chair for you to sit. Once you did, he quickly followed.

            He took the first bite & moaned in delight, “Fuck, I never liked fish but you make it taste divine.”

            The comment made you chuckle softly.

            As you slowly ate your dinner, your eyes kept straying to your pad. When do I tell him?

            But, as if sensing your inner turmoil, you felt fingers on your wrist. Your eyes flew to his. He furrowed his brows, nodding to your pad, “Everything okay?”

            Your lips parted as you mirrored his frown. Slipping your arm out from under his touch, you reached for your source of communication.

            Now or never.

            Just as your pen touched the paper though, a loud pop sounded followed by the record scratching & fading before the lights in the dining room suddenly turned off.

            “Shit.” Ransom gritted out, “The generator.”

            There was no way for you to ask him what was going on in the darkness.

            Ransom’s shadow disappeared into the kitchen before reappearing with a few candles that he lit & placed on the table. He noticed your look of concern & shook his head, “I was down there tinkering with it this morning. It was on it’s last leg & it seems it finally kicked it.”

            ‘What do we do?’, you wrote.

            He sighed, sitting back down to stare blankly at his food.

            “We do nothing. I will go tomorrow.”

            Where? You signed.

            Ransom cocked his head, “My uncle had a vacation home a few towns over. I’ll head over there & see what his generator looks like.”

            A few towns over, you thought. But that would take days.

            ‘I’ll come with you’, you flipped the pad over for him to see.

            “No.” He replied with finality, “I don’t want you out there. Besides, someone needs to stay here to make sure we still have food to eat.”

            You pressed your lips together.

            “I shouldn’t be long. I have a truck a groundskeeper left here when the virus broke out. Still has gas in it since I hardly ever use it. It’ll be quick. Just a day or two.”

            You were grateful that he had a form of transportation, but still. You felt a sense of protection come over you.

            Ransom sensed your disagreement & reached for you, stealing your attention, “I’ll leave in the morning, be back the following night. Unless of course it turns out to be a piece of shit then I might have to venture to other houses. Either way, I won’t be gone long.”

            Your appetite waning, you pushed your plate of food out of the way to scribble frantically.

            ‘I’d feel better going with you.’

            “And I’d feel better if you stayed.” He returned, “Finish your food.”

            There was still so much you wanted to discuss but your hand didn’t move as fast as your thoughts so you conceded.

            “I’ll be alright, _____.” His eyes gazed into your own, “We will be alright. I’m going to take care of you.”

            Thoughts of telling him of your plans would have to wait until he returned. You would be much too stressed over the next couple days worrying about him. When he came back safe & sound, then would you tell him. Then would he have to deal with you leaving. For now, you wanted to enjoy this night with him.

a very long long long awaited chapter seven to Summit!

shit is about to hit the fan for reader & no doomsday prepper can prepare themselves for it.

thank you so much to my readers for their patience & understanding these last couple months. it has meant everything.

as always, thank you for reading!

oona<3

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Summit : Chapter Six

A Ransom Drysdale Series

[THIS STORY WILL CONTAIN THEMES OF NON-CON/DUB-CON, MENTAL-EMOTIONAL-PHYSICAL ABUSE, ETC. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED. READ AT YOUR OWN RISK. 18+. MINORS DO NOT INTERACT]

WC: 4k

Dividers provided by @firefly-graphics

CHAPTER FIVE | MASTERLIST | CHAPTER SEVEN

            An hour & another glass of wine later, you found yourself being spun around the mansion. Ransom guided your body as he moved the two of you from room to room. Can’t Take My Eyes off You by Frankie Vallie played loudly as the two of you smiled & twirled about like you were in an end of the world romance film.

            To both your surprise & welcome, the wine had loosened you up. You were having fun. You were smiling boldly & adding your own moves as the two of you danced freely. At one point even, you ran forward & hopped onto the loveseat in the living room, your arms raised above you, fingers spread out as you danced to the rhythm of the song. It reminded you of the days when you lived on your humble farm with your mother & father.

            Your mother & you would be dancing wildly as Dancing Queen or Girls Just Wanna Have Fun would blare throughout the house & your dad would come in from a long day’s work & find the two of you. It was long before your mother got sick for the final time & she would drag your reluctant father into the mix. She’d make him dance with her while you continued jamming out across the room & always, at some point, you would stop to admire your parents. Your father always looked at her with love, & though he loathed dancing, he’d dance with her.

            You jumped down from the loveseat & began spinning as you headed towards the foyer. Ransom followed behind you & even in your dizzying movements, you didn’t miss how his eyes never left you, how there was a constant smirk on his face as he took in the sight of you having fun for the first time in forever. It encouraged you to keep it up.

            At that point, you had already slipped out of your shoes & was barefoot. The wood beneath your feet was cool to the bottoms of your feet as you felt your body heat up as you kept moving. You were at the center of the foyer & suddenly stopped though, your stomach lurching. You frowned, holding both your forehead & stomach as the nauseating feeling escalated.

            Oh no.

            The front door was closer than the bathroom & you raced towards it, throwing it open as you burst outside. You made it to the front steps before you lurched forward, bent at the waist & began throwing up.

            Your eyes widened at the sight of red liquids mixed with your dinner as they spilled from your mouth. Ransom was behind you suddenly, gathering your hair in his hands to keep it from being caught in the spray & you thanked him internally as your body continued rejecting the food & wine. When you finally stopped puking, you willed yourself to sit down on the steps, your body shaking.

            “Yeah.” Ransom sighed knowingly beside you as he joined you, he pulled a cloth napkin from his pants pocket & reached to wipe your mouth before wiping the beads of sweat that had formed on your forehead, “Probably should’ve warned you what having that kind of fun would do to you after drinking.”

            You wanted to sign a quip back but your body was still feeling ill so you signed nothing.

            “C’mon, let’s get you cleaned up.”

            But when you struggled to stand up, your vision & world still off-balance, Ransom swiftly lifted you up, carrying you bridal style back inside the mansion, effortlessly kicking the front door closed behind him as he brought you to the loveseat you had been dancing on only moments prior. Music still played faintly, having switched to a softer song, but your head was too busy trying to catch itself for you to recognize the song.

            Ransom disappeared but quickly returned with a glass of water & two pills. You gratefully took the water but eyed the pills warily.

            Ransom produced the bottle they came from, shaking it, “Anti-nausea.”

            The word ‘nausea’ made your stomach flip & you feared puking once more, forcing you to accept the pills before downing them with a gulp of water.

            Ransom sat beside you on the loveseat, though at a respectable distance to which you were thankful. You hadn’t forgotten about the kiss you two shared only a couple hours before in the dining room. But drinking & dancing had made it easier to pretend it hadn’t happened. You still were battling with your conflicted thoughts on the exchange, but you knew you’d have a clearer mind in the morning.

            You sat there a while in silence as you held your head in your hands, willing your mind & body to sober up. When you finally felt an inkling better, you lifted your head to face Ransom.

            ‘Thank you’, you signed.

            Ransom simply nodded, his eyes soft & a gentle smile on his face.

            You wanted to say more but your pad & pen were nowhere in sight & Ransom wasn’t advanced enough in his lessons to understand you. So, you stood up, prepared to go find it but as you did, your world tipped again. Ransom was quick to place a hand on your shoulder, gently pushing you back down to sit.

            “What do you need?” He asked, his voice thick with concern.

            You moved your hands together to mimic writing.

            He nodded in understanding before disappearing.

            A moment later, he returned with your source of communication & handed it to you. You wasted no time in flipping to the first blank page & scribbling ineligibly.

            I don’t drink.

            Ransom’s eyes crinkled at the corners as he chuckled, “You don’t say.”

            “You ever drink before?”

            You shook your head, writing, “My first time.”

            Ransom waved his arm outwards, “Glad to be your first, madam.”

            You rolled your eyes at the dramatic gesture but smiled, nonetheless.

            I should go to sleep.

            “I agree.” Ransom stood & offered his hand, to which you took, worried you wouldn’t be able to walk properly without his help.

            As expected, Ransom led you up the stairs to your bathroom. You thanked him once more, intending to enter the bathroom to brush your teeth & rinse the aftertaste of folly from your mouth but he held you close still.

            “Thank you, _____.” Your name on his tongue always felt strange but you couldn’t deny liking the sound of it, “Tonight has been the best night I’ve had since the world went to shit.”

            The way he looked at you… it made your stomach flip in other ways, but ways that still left you feeling unsure. You watched as his eyes fell to your lips. He wanted to kiss you again. The fact the two of you had even kissed to begin with was something that shouldn’t have happened. You knew he was getting to attached to you, & perhaps you to him, but unlike him, you had plans to leave one day, plans he didn’t know of. You didn’t want to lead him anymore.

            When he leaned forward, you quickly stepped out of his grip & covered your mouth, your eyes wide. Ransom paused, staring at you questionably. You waved your hand before your nose, using your bad breath as an excuse to avoid a second kiss. Ransom seemed to understand. And while he respected your wish, he continued to close the distance, leaving a chaste kiss on your forehead, “I’ll see you in the morning.”

            You couldn’t deny how the forehead kiss made you feel. Safe, seen, taken care of. It had been such a painfully long time since you felt any of those sensations. But everything your father taught still clung to your instincts.

            Ransom stepped back, watching as you slowly closed the door. Once the door latched shut, you locked it before leaning against it. You listened as Ransom left, his footfalls on the stairs until they disappeared. You breathed out a sigh of relief as you flickered your eyes closed. Part of you wanted him to kiss you, but you knew better. This isn’t what your father taught you, to be dependent on another, or to let another person get close enough as you already had. Yet you enjoyed Ransom’s company. You were no longer alone. Perhaps you could stay & live out the rest of the days with him. Would that be so terrible?

            But you shook your head.

            This is the wine. You argued with yourself.

            Approaching the sink, you caught yourself in the mirror. You stared at yourself all dolled up in the pink dress, your hair unkept & your eyes red. This wasn’t you. You were built to survive, to depend only on yourself, to live a life of solitude. But then you found yourself subconsciously bringing your fingers to your lips in memory of Ransom kissing you.

            But things change… Ransom happened.

            Fuck.

            It was a couple days later when you were in the library, eyeing the titles of books in search of a new novel to read when Ransom entered the room carrying a tray of freshly brewed tea. Your eyes met & the two of you shared a smile.

            “Elderberry.” Ransom announced, “Like you wanted.”

            The two of you sat on chairs opposite one another on end of the library as he poured each of you a cup. You brought the tea to your nose, enjoying the scent before taking a tender sip.

            “Find anything?” Ransom asked as he peered at the plethora of bookshelves with more books you could ever hope to own yourself.

            You shook your head.

            “Then let me recommend one.” Ransom stood & approached a bookshelf at the far end of the library. You followed behind him.

            He turned the book over to you & you peered at the cover.

            “It’s about a small-town doctor caught up in ritualistic sacrifices.”

            You flew your eyes to him, brows furrowing.

            He smiled at that, “I’ve seen the book you keep. It’s right up your alley.”

            Rolling your eyes, you couldn’t argue with that. You flipped through the book briefly before glancing up. Your eyes landed on something else on the bookshelf over Ransom’s shoulder.

            Slipping by him, you eyed the easel-back picture frame, the picture inside of a gathering of people just in front the very mansion you stood in.

            Picking it, you eyed it, recognizing one face amongst the group.

            “My family.” Ransom replied, his voice turning cold.

            You stared at Ransom in the picture. He wasn’t smiling & standing at the edge of the group. His hands tucked into his pants as he practically glared at the camera.

            Ransom stood behind you as your eyes bounced around all the faces. Your eyes landed on one teenaged girl with long brown hair, she too wasn’t smiling. In fact, no one was, which you found odd. You pointed at her, looking to Ransom.

            “Meg, yeah.”

            As you continued staring at the image, you realized every single person in that picture, every single person Ransom called ‘family’ was dead. Much like yours.

            ‘What happened?’ You signed.

            Ransom frowned. You slowed down your signing, willing him to remember his lessons.

            “Ah.” Ransom reluctantly plucked the frame from your hands before replacing it back where it once stood, though this time he turned the picture away from you, faced with the kickstand, “That’s a long story.”

            You smiled softly at that, tapping your wrist.

            “Yeah, yeah, I know. We have all the time in the world, don’t we?”

            Ransom turned away, returning to the chairs but before he could sit, you caught his wrist. His eyes met yours.

            Tell me.

            He sighed, contemplating.

            Please.

            He narrowed his eyes at you, “I’ll make you a deal.”

            You waited.

            “Your voice for a story.”

            Oh. You bit your lip. That was unfair. You dropped his wrist.

            He was quick to catch your own, “Talk to me. I know you can do it.”

            You attempted to step out of his reach, the moment soured, but he held tight.

            “Okay, okay.” Ransom apologized with his eyes, “A kiss then.”

            Before you could either deny or agree with the circumstances, Ransom closed the distance, his hand finding a place on your lower back as he brought his lips to yours. You resisted at first, but quickly found yourself returning the kiss. Ransom deepened it, cupping your cheek as he pressed your bodies together. You felt tears prick at your eyes, your heart & mind battling once again on what was right & what was wrong.

            He ended the kiss, resting his forehead against your own, “I swear, you’re gonna kill me.”

            You couldn’t help the nervous smile that dressed your lips.

            “Okay, I’ll tell you.”

            Ransom continued speaking as you flipped through a family album that traced back nearly 50 decades up until only a few years ago. You learned Ransom was 32. Much older than you, & if the world was spinning like normal, you would’ve never met him, let alone allowed yourself to kiss someone his age. But the end of the world made your age difference insignificant. You had matured well beyond your years & Ransom was trapped in his own within the walls of the mansion.

            “My father was adamant that Worcester would have the answer to the virus. Word had spread in the first year after losing my mother, grandfather, & aunt to the virus. He was determined to travel to Worcester to bring the cure back. He was desperate to save the rest of the Thrombey legacy.”

            You listened intently as Ransom spoke about a man who put his family’s safety first, & who, in the process, would ultimately die because of it. But as you listened, flipping through the family album, you never got that sense from pictures. The only pictures when someone was smiling was when they were a toddler. As they grew, like Ransom, the smiles became fewer & farther between. You had an inkling there was more he was leaving out.

            You wrote on your pad.

            Your family didn’t get along. There was no question mark.

            Ransom read your words before sighing dejectedly, “No. We didn’t. Never did. It got worse when we started dropping like flies.”

            You closed the album to sit back & stare at him, willing him to continue.

            His hand was on your thigh as he spoke, rubbing the fabric of your jeans as he continued with his story.

            “I was against him going. There was no proof. He risked himself & all of us. We fought about it for days.”

            Ransom shook his head, staring aimlessly at the now cooled tea before the two of you.

            “But he went anyways, & my cousin Jacob & Uncle Walt went with him. I stayed with the women, never expecting them to return.”

            You placed your hand around his own against your thigh.

            “Only my father returned. Jacob & Walt got sick somewhere along the way back. And when my father returned… he wasn’t himself.”

            An unsettling feeling formed in your gut before Ransom confirmed your suspicions.

            “He had contracted the virus but it wasn’t the typical symptoms at the time. He assured us he was just malnourished. So, Meg nursed him but there was never really any progress. He became moody, touchy, & more of an asshole than ever. Meg was the next to go, & the first person I blamed was him.”

            Ransom took a deep breath before finishing.

            “My family got along like oil & water. But watching them die one by one right in front of me was not something I ever imagined. It made me angrier than anything I had ever felt before. My dad went to Worcester to find a cure but what he brought back was a new strain of the virus. We were forced to lock him in the basement until he… until…”

            You didn’t need him to complete the sentence.

            “At night we could sometimes hear him breaking whatever he could get his hands on. The new strain added another level of aggression. He was trying to get out, & one night he finally did.”

            Ransom stood up & walked to the windows overlooking the garden. You remained seated but your eyes followed him, briefly landing on the back facing picture frame on the bookshelf.

            “I was forced to put him down. There was nothing left of Joni & Donna after he got his hands on them. They looked like fish food. That was a year ago.”

            Jesus. The gory images of what he might’ve seen flashed through your mind. You had no idea the virus had advanced. In fact, you had never seen anyone suffer from it. You just knew what symptoms to look out for if you ever came across anyone, but Ransom had been the first since the young woman.

            “That’s why I said Worcester is the disease. Whatever my dad brought back from there… it’s just not safe.”

            You nodded solemnly. Ransom returned to you then, sitting on the small coffee table that had the tray of tea on it. He reached for your hands & you let him as he peered into your eyes.

            “Just promise me you’ll never go there. I can’t… lose anyone else. Even you.”

            Your heart lurched. It was a bittersweet feeling.

            You signed your promise. You had no desire to go to Worcester after hearing his story. But how would he react when you would one day leave? That day you feared.

            A couple more weeks passed & the summer heat broke a record as August came. It was too hot to do any gardening during the day, so you & Ransom would often lounge in the shade reading books, your legs draped over his lap. Estate chores were saved for the early morning hours before the sun basked the property in its dewy glow. Once the chores were finished, you & Ransom lived a rather domesticated life day-by-day.

            You took turns cooking & on days when it was your turn, Ransom would often kiss you on the back of your head or hug you gently from behind. Much to your worry, you found yourself leaning into his touches, welcoming them, & only sometimes returning them. He had yet to kiss you again but you knew he wanted to. You saw it in his eyes, felt it in his touches, & heard it in his voice. But you didn’t know how to cross that line for a third time without leading him to believe this would be your life together.

            Only a few days ago did you decide that you would leave for St. Johns when the summer neared it’s end. It would be best to travel when the heat wasn’t so suffocating. But you had yet to tell Ransom, let alone give any hints to it. But you knew the longer you kept from telling him your plans, the harder it would be for him to let you. If he let you go…

            Ransom had grown awfully attached to you, & you couldn’t deny that you had felt the same, but you still stuck to your plans. He would have to live with your decision. But other thoughts kept you up at night when you thought about the near future. Perhaps you could convince him to come with you. You wouldn’t be against traveling with him, in fact, you welcomed the idea. But this was his home. Not just a place he set up shop at. This is where he grew up, lived with his family, then watched them suffer.

            That night you contemplated bringing the topic up as you finished the final touches on dinner. Ransom had caught some fish at the pond less than a quarter mile away. He had brought back two bass to which you immediately got to work while Ransom went & washed up.

            By the time dinner was finished, you placed both your plates at the dining table at one end of the table. It had become routine for you two to sit together while eating. Returning to the kitchen, you gathered two wine glasses & a dusted wine bottle on the counter that Ransom had brought up from the cellar in the basement. He insisted on you never going down there, claiming that because his father had been down there for so long he worried the virus could still have an effect. You knew virus’s didn’t work that way but didn’t argue, you had no desire to go down there anyways.

            Just as you finishing pouring your glasses of wine, Ransom appeared wearing a loose black t & a pair of comfortable jeans. He grinned when he spotted you.

            “Smells amazing.” He approached you & kissed you on your temple.

            You smiled up at him, your nerves growing since you knew you’d have to address your plans for the end of the month. You even had your pad & pen ready beside your plate.

            Ransom put on another record to set the mood before pulling out your chair for you to sit. Once you did, he quickly followed.

            He took the first bite & moaned in delight, “Fuck, I never liked fish but you make it taste divine.”

            The comment made you chuckle softly.

            As you slowly ate your dinner, your eyes kept straying to your pad. When do I tell him?

            But, as if sensing your inner turmoil, you felt fingers on your wrist. Your eyes flew to his. He furrowed his brows, nodding to your pad, “Everything okay?”

            Your lips parted as you mirrored his frown. Slipping your arm out from under his touch, you reached for your source of communication.

            Now or never.

            Just as your pen touched the paper though, a loud pop sounded followed by the record scratching & fading before the lights in the dining room suddenly turned off.

            “Shit.” Ransom gritted out, “The generator.”

            There was no way for you to ask him what was going on in the darkness.

            Ransom’s shadow disappeared into the kitchen before reappearing with a few candles that he lit & placed on the table. He noticed your look of concern & shook his head, “I was down there tinkering with it this morning. It was on it’s last leg & it seems it finally kicked it.”

            ‘What do we do?’, you wrote.

            He sighed, sitting back down to stare blankly at his food.

            “We do nothing. I will go tomorrow.”

            Where? You signed.

            Ransom cocked his head, “My uncle had a vacation home a few towns over. I’ll head over there & see what his generator looks like.”

            A few towns over, you thought. But that would take days.

            ‘I’ll come with you’, you flipped the pad over for him to see.

            “No.” He replied with finality, “I don’t want you out there. Besides, someone needs to stay here to make sure we still have food to eat.”

            You pressed your lips together.

            “I shouldn’t be long. I have a truck a groundskeeper left here when the virus broke out. Still has gas in it since I hardly ever use it. It’ll be quick. Just a day or two.”

            You were grateful that he had a form of transportation, but still. You felt a sense of protection come over you.

            Ransom sensed your disagreement & reached for you, stealing your attention, “I’ll leave in the morning, be back the following night. Unless of course it turns out to be a piece of shit then I might have to venture to other houses. Either way, I won’t be gone long.”

            Your appetite waning, you pushed your plate of food out of the way to scribble frantically.

            ‘I’d feel better going with you.’

            “And I’d feel better if you stayed.” He returned, “Finish your food.”

            There was still so much you wanted to discuss but your hand didn’t move as fast as your thoughts so you conceded.

            “I’ll be alright, _____.” His eyes gazed into your own, “We will be alright. I’m going to take care of you.”

            Thoughts of telling him of your plans would have to wait until he returned. You would be much too stressed over the next couple days worrying about him. When he came back safe & sound, then would you tell him. Then would he have to deal with you leaving. For now, you wanted to enjoy this night with him.

a very long long long awaited chapter seven to Summit!

shit is about to hit the fan for reader & no doomsday prepper can prepare themselves for it.

thank you so much to my readers for their patience & understanding these last couple months. it has meant everything.

as always, thank you for reading!

oona<3

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The Taming : Part Eight

A Clark Kent Mini Series

[THIS STORY WILL CONTAIN THEMES OF NON-CON/DUB-CON, MENTAL-EMOTIONAL-PHYSICAL ABUSE, ETC. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED. READ AT YOUR OWN RISK. 18+. MINORS DO NOT INTERACT]

WC: 4.8k

Dividers provided by @firefly-graphics

PART SEVEN | MASTERLIST | PART NINE

all AI images are created from prompts i wrote. they are not real images.

            I look at what she’s made me do.

            The blood. The eyes peering around fearful & concerned.

            Some begin taking their masks off, the palms of their hands over their mouths in shock & horror. But not her.

            I look at her. She looks at me. A sea of people between us surrounding the body slapped onto the pavement.

            And she smiles.

            I don’t.

            It should’ve been her. She made me do this.

            I’m losing control. And she’s smiling.

            I have always known about the darkness within me, known the true monster I was always capable of becoming. Taming them—women, brats, lesser thans—kept that darkness at bay. To an extent.

            But her.

            There was a darkness to her I never anticipated.

            This was all her fault. She did this. That blood coating the pavement is on her hands.

            And she’s smiling about it because she knows.

            “I’m so sorry…” Nic said as she & Liv sat with you on your sofa.

            They flanked you on either side, Liv’s hand on your back as Nic held one of your own hands.

            Deceitful tears skipped down your cheeks as you sniffled.

            “We need to call the cops.” Nic announced.

            You quickly shook your head, “No. Please, no. I can’t… it’s done. I’m here, I’m safe.”

            “He can’t get away with this, _____!” Liv pushed, “Look at you! Your arms, your legs… I don’t want to imagine what else…”

            “What you see is the worst of it.” You lied, “He never laid a hand on me otherwise.”

            “He belongs behind bars.” Nic seethed, her lips pursed.

            But you kept shaking your head, “No. He won’t try again now that you two know. That’s all I care about.”

            “But what if he does this to someone else?” Liv questioned, “He shouldn’t be allowed to get away with this.”

            “Well, he is!” You finally exclaimed, your tears drying up. Perhaps faking a kidnapping wasn’t your best idea, but it was your only one at the time. Now that your two best friends were doing their due diligence to protect you, you wished you would’ve just waited till Clark got home & fought with him. This was beginning to get boring.

            “I don’t care about what happens to other women!” You shot forwards, standing up to face them, “I care about what happened to me, & I want to forget it…”

            Nic & Liv traded worried looks but remained silent.

            “I just want to forget, okay?” You frowned, “I won’t stay here. I’ll stay with one of you & I’ll pick up more shifts at work. Keep myself around others. He can’t hurt me again. But if you make me call the cops & report this then I’ll have to live with this for who knows how long. It’s done. So let it be done.”

            Nic sighed & Liv hung her head.

            You made eye contact with Nic, “Please. Just… let me do this my way.”

            Finally, she nodded, “Okay. Okay, we won’t call the cops. But you are absolutely not leaving either of our sights for a long, long time.”

            “I’m okay with that.” You sighed.

            Liv shook her head in disagreement but didn’t speak on it, “Whatever you want, _____.”

            “Thank you.” You breathed out.

            “But first things first…” Nic pulled out her phone & began tapping on the screen, “Must cancel everything.”

            “What?” You questioned, “What are you talking about?”

            “My birthday.” She replied, “I don’t care about it after this. We should just have a girls night, the three of us.”

            “No, Nic, don’t.” You moved to sit between them, looking her head on, “Don’t do that. I know how much you put into planning your birthday party every year & I know how much you spend. Look. Perhaps your birthday party will be the best thing for me. Right? I can forget about it for tonight & have fun with my two best friends celebrating your birthday surrounded by people. There’s really nowhere safer right now.”

            Nic licked her lips, frowning in contemplation, “I don’t know, _____... I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

            “I second that.” Liv commented.

            You grabbed one of each of their hands, looking between them, “I have never passed on a party. Ever. And the quickest way to feeling like myself again is to party. It’s your birthday! C’mon. Don’t let this ruin it.”

            Nic flashed her eyes to Liv’s who shrugged her shoulders.

            “I’m serious.” You added, “Those last minute cancellation fees aren’t cheap. You’d likely be spending the same amount just to cancel.”

            Nic rolled her eyes at that but nodded, “Are you sure?”

            “More than anything.” You gave her a tight lipped smile.

            “Liv?” Nic asked.

            Liv sighed but nodded, “I mean we did have our gowns personally made. It’d be a waste, I suppose.”

            Nic chuckled lightly at that before looking back at you, “If at any point, you feel overwhelmed or unsafe you tell either of us immediately & we will clear out my house in a second flat.”

            “I know.” You squeezed her hand.

            “Fine.” Nic finally smiled, “Let the party of the year commence!”

            Nicola’s mansion sat in the center of one of the wealthiest neighborhoods in north Metropolis. You had practically spent your whole adolescence there. Her father was a world-renowned architect & her mother a former socialite turned private Pilates instructor. They were very well off & often gone. So, it was to no surprise that when the three of you arrived at her family estate that they were not present.

            As Nicola’s driver pulled through the gate, you noted the many trucks in the circular driveway: all hired help for the party set-up.

            Nicola’s driver opened the rear door & the three of you slid out.

            Nicola’s stopped to talk to some hired help about her party while you & Liv let yourselves inside. It was just past 3 in the afternoon & the party would begin at 8. There was still a lot to do but Nicola was always on top of making sure everything went smoothly & on time.

            Entering the mansion, you were immediately greeted by the grand foyer of the mansion. There was hired help doing their jobs as they nodded at you & Liv.

            Liv gently guided you up the stairs as the two of you made your way to Nicola’s bedroom. Once inside, you slipped out of Liv’s grip & draped yourself across Nic’s bed.

            “Gonna rest?” Liv asked as she stepped up to the windows that faced the rear property of the mansion.

            You moaned non-committedly, throwing your arms over your eyes.

            “Ya know,” Liv moved towards the bed & eyed you concerningly, “We can just hang out up here all night. Let Nic have her party but you & I can watch trash reality TV & enter a food coma.”

            Liv’s offer was light-hearted but you noted the concern, which only soured your mood. Sighing heavily, you rolled away from her & approached Nic’s walk-in closet, “I really hate repeating myself, Liv. I want to go to Nic’s party. End of.”

            You didn’t bother looking behind you to gauge Olivia’s reaction. Instead you ran your fingers along all the hung clothing in Nicola’s closet.

            “I don’t have a dress.” You commented openly.

            Liv was leaning against the doorway, her arms crossed as she watched you, “And you have bruises all over you. Gonna just prance around all night with them out & not expect anyone to ask questions?”

            She was challenging you & you were getting tired of her overprotective nature real quick.

            “Perhaps I’ll just use the same make-up your mother used to cover hers up years ago.” You replied snarkily.

            Liv’s lips parted in shock, “Wow.”

            You rolled your eyes & forced yourself to feign regret, “I’m sorry, Liv. I’m just… sensitive right now given everything.”

            “Ya don’t say…” But she didn’t appear to care for your half-assed apology.                

            The double doors to Nic’s room opened then & she appeared with a stack of boxes in her arms, “Help please!”

            Liv only continued to stare coldly at you. Ignoring her stares, you surpassed her & took a few boxes from Nic, glad to be free from having to fake anything, “What is all this?”

            Nic placed the remaining boxes in her arms on the foot of her bed, “More decorations. The party planner wants me to make a few decisions before final touches are made.”

            “Hmm.” You replied.

            Nic began sifting through the two boxes, unaware of the tense energy in the room & you took advantage of it.

            “Nic, do you have any gowns I can wear for tonight?”

            She was holding up two different green colored streamers, eyeing them intently before her eyes flashed to yours, “Um, I should, yeah. It’d be out of season though. Liv & I already had our dresses for tonight made.”

            Wearing something out of season made you cringe inwardly. You didn’t dress out of season. Ever. If anything, you set the trend for what would be in season.

            “I actually had two made.” Liv commented from where she still remained stood by the closet.

            “You did?” Nic questioned.

            “I wanted options.” Liv shrugged nonchalantly, her eyes avoiding yours as you glanced at her. “There’s only one issue.”

            You & Nic stared openly, waiting for her to continue.

            “The spare is green. Emerald to be exact.”

            Nic laughed lightly at that, “Oh.”

            “What?” You furrowed your brows.

            “Emerald is my theme color.” Nic revealed, “My dress is emerald.”

            “I had it made early before you decided on a color.” Liv shared, “Once you had, I told them to make me a different one.”

            You sighed. Nic never enjoyed wearing the same colors, after all, it was her birthday. She was intended to be the belle of the ball.

            “But I’ve seen your dress.” Liv started, “And yours is still more gorgeous than the one I had them design.”

            “C’mon, Nic.” You caught her eyes, “It’s one night.”

            The minor worry in her eyes disappeared when they landed on you. She released a breath, nodding, “Oh, god, who cares?! It’s just a color. Besides, emerald has always looked good on you.”

            You smiled at that, “Thank you, Nic. And Liv.”

            Liv gave a tight closed-lip smile.

            “But what about…?” Nic gestured to your arms.

            You glanced down at the marks, “I’ll call Maurice, he’ll know what to do.” Maurice was your personal make-up stylist for nights like this. You knew he would likely already be busy, probably having been hired by other women attending Nic’s party tonight, but you knew he would cancel all their appointments for you. After all, you were the reason he even had an expensive & extensive clientele.

            “If you say so.” Nic inhaled sharply, “Well, ladies, shall we get ready?”

            It was half past 8 & all of the guests for Nic’s birthday were still rolling in. All pulling up in either limo’s or classic old school Cadillacs. The three of you stood on the grand staircase in her foyer to greet guests as they entered. Music was already playing with a DJ in the formal ballroom & drinks were poured out by numerous bartenders around the mansion.

            Liv was dressed exquisitely in her one-of-kind ball gown. Her mask included an attached head piece that feathered out around the top of her head. She stood out among the peers. As for Nic, her ball gown was beautifully made, with gold details sewn into the fine fabric. Maurice was easily influenced to come over to help you cover your bruises & you had warned him to not ask any questions, to which he adhered to. But as he was there, he had the spectacular idea of painting the exposed lower half of Nicola’s face with a metallic green to highlight her dress & make her truly stand out more on her special birthday. Even you had to admit that Nic looked the part as the star of the event.

            As for yourself, your ball gown was simpler, as Liv claimed. The bodice was bejeweled but tastefully so. And your mask was basic except for a small feather detail. In the past, you enjoyed competing for attention, even if it was your best friend’s birthday, but because of your week-long disappearance, you unfortunately could not compete this year. You accepted that the following year you would put everyone else to shame, including the birthday girl.

            As the foyer filled & guests spread out to other rooms, the three of you finally descended the stairs. As the three of you were making your way down, your eyes fell on another woman in a gaudy yellow ball gown. It wasn’t until the three of you nearly reached the bottom that you realized who it was behind the mask.

            “Nicola, you look stunning as always.” Jane greeted, her smile poised yet forced. Nic returned the sentiment in kind, just as equally forced.

            “And Olivia, wow!” Jane awed, “You really have to share with me who your designer is.”

            “I don’t think you’d be able to afford him.” Liv replied playfully, though the passive-aggressive comment was still lingering in the air.

            Jane’s eyes finally landed on you, “And _____...” She eyed you, a smirk gracing her exposed lips, “I expected more. You’re not one to let your friends shine, after all.”

            You smiled through your sneer as you remembered seeing her pictures in Clark’s collection, “Tonight isn’t about me, Jane, or did you forget?”

            “No.” She shook her head, her smirk growing, “But it’s nice to see that you could let Nic have tonight be about her for once.”

            You opened your mouth to bite back but Nic jumped in then, “Thank you for coming, Jane. Have fun tonight.”

            Pressing your lips together, you watched as Jane nodded once before flittering away towards the ballroom.

            “No bickering tonight, girls.” Nicola spoke to the two of you over her shoulder, “Tonight is about fun, about me. Alright?”

            “Already sweetening my sourness.” Liv responded lightly.

            As for you, it angered you that Jane, of all people, called you out for how lackluster you looked. It drove you even madder knowing that it could’ve been her in Clark’s apartment right now had he gone that route. How disappointed he would’ve been.

            Moving throughout the mansion, the three of you made your rounds before ending up in the ballroom. The décor & lighting lived up to Nic’s tastes & standards as always. There was a sea of people dancing & a handful more along the walls or sitting at tables as they drank & mingled. Liv disappeared to dance with a handsome stranger in a mask while you & Nic moved to one of the bars.

            “Two glasses of rose, thank you.” Nic ordered from the bartender who was dressed in a finely pressed vest suit.

            “Right away.”

            While the drinks were being made, your eyes danced around the room. It wasn’t until your eyes fell to the other end of the ballroom where another entrance was that you spotted someone familiar.

            “Nic?” You questioned out loud as the young woman began walking towards the two of you.

            “Oh, I forgot to tell you.”

            “I didn’t know she was back in town.” Your felt your muscles tense as your cousin approached in a light purple ball gown.

            “Now you do.”

            The bartender placed the two glasses of wine just as Ariana reached the two of you.

            “Play nice, _____.” Nic whispered before greeting Ari then disappearing herself.

            “Hey, cous.” Ari greeted awkwardly.

            “Ariana.” You responded flatly.

            “I tried calling you to let you know. But the girls said you were MIA for a while?”

            “Mmm.” You didn’t recall seeing her missed calls when you had found your phone the first time, but you had to admit to being preoccupied with a revenge plan.

            “I like your dress.” She shared in an attempt to lighten the mood.

            “Yours is… okay.”

            She rolled her eyes at that but smiled nonetheless, “Look, I’m sorry for how we ended things the last time we saw each other. I’ve had some time to think about what happened between us & it wasn’t worth me losing one of my closest friends.”

            How big of you, you thought bitterly.

            Silence permeated the air between the two of you as you sipped on your wine, staring openly at her.

            “That all?” You finally questioned.

            Ari sighed, shaking her head once, “I thought perhaps you’d return the sentiment. I can see I was wrong.”

            “What do I have to apologize for?” You challenged.

            “I don’t want to fight or argue, especially tonight. If you can’t decide for yourself, for us as family, that you were in wrong at the end then that’s fine. I’m not going to push for it. You were always stubborn.”

            “Ari, you know what---”

            “No, _____. I’m not fighting with you. I’m not. I thought we could patch things up but I’m not going to be the one putting in all the work. So, have a good night. I’ll be around if you change your mind.”

            Before you could get another word out, Ari turned her back on you & left the ballroom. You felt your blood boil, mostly because you were always the one to get the last word in & turn your back on someone. You were only grateful that tonight was a night of faces covered in masks. No one would recognize you as the one who just got one-upped.

            Downing the rest of your wine, you ordered another. Just as your fingers wrapped around the glass thought, you felt someone join you at the bar on your left.

            “Even in a mask, I can spot in a sea of people.” The voice greeted. You rolled your eyes before finally facing the man who just couldn’t let you go after years of being split up.

            “Not in the mood, Andrew.” You told him, your voice hardened.

            He feigned hurt, putting his hand on his chest, “You jest, darling.”

            Oh, god.

            Though he was dressed handsomely in a gold pleated suit, you still saw behind the mask a desperate man that couldn’t take no for an answer. The last time you saw Andrew was he dropped you off at your apartment after the pitiful night out he called a ‘date’. You imagined either his ego was still bruised or he moved on from it so fast that he was now trying to win you over yet again.

            “May I have the next dance?” He offered his hand, bowing like a true old-fashioned gentleman. You felt the urge to humiliate him further, like you always had, but the alcohol coursing through your veins played into the ‘fuck it’ part of you. Eyeing his outstretched hand, you finished your second glass of wine before reluctantly placing your hand in his.

            “One. Then I don’t want to see you for the rest of the night.”

            Andrew grinned widely but accepted the command, “One is good enough for me.”

            Lurk by The Neighbourhood began to play.

            Andrew swung you out around him on the center of the dance floor before bringing your body closer to his. You allowed him to place a hand on your waist as he held your hand in his other. You danced in time with the song, swaying & dipping at moments when it mattered. At some point in the middle of the song, Andrew spun you out, & as he did, his slipped from yours & you stumbled slightly. But instead of stumbling & falling to the floor, you fell into the broad chest of another.

            The hands that belonged to the broad chest gripped your upper arms, their fingers digging in precisely where your make-up hidden bruises were.

            Your eyes flashed upwards & you felt your lips part in shock.

            Clark met your eyes from behind his black mask as he straightened you. He was dressed in a cream suit that hugged his muscles in all the right places. But your eyes quickly returned to his as he stared angrily at you.

            Andrew appeared beside the two of you then, his hand reaching for your wrist, “Thanks, man, but I got it from here.”

            Clark’s eyes flicked to Andrew, the fire there burning hotter.

            “Andrew!” You exclaimed, “I’m feeling dizzy, get me some water.”

            “But—”

            “Now, Andy. I need it.”

            His eyes danced between you & the strange man he had never seen before ultimately sighing & snaking his way through others on the floor.

            “What are you doing here?” You hissed harshly.

            Clark was quick to press your body against his, eliciting an electric spark shooting up your spine. He held you as if the two of you were dancing though neither of you moved with the music.

            “What are you doing with him?” Clark gritted out.

            “Dancing. What’s it look like?”

            “I don’t want him touching you. Ever. He does it again & what happens after will be your fault.”

            You ignored his threat, focused on your own questions, “How did you get in here?”

            “Are you truly that surprised? Security here isn’t that tight. It’s a birthday party for a rich girl surrounded by other rich kids. There’s really no one of importance here. Except for you.”

            You supposed you couldn’t be too surprised, after all, he often knew what you were doing at the exact moment you were doing them. You still never knew how he did it. Sneaking into a party, especially a masked one, was likely a cake-walk for a man of his ways.

            “You still haven’t told me why you’re here.”

            Clark peered down at you, bringing on of his fingers to your jawline, “You know why.”

            Chills spilled across your exposed arms forcing you to shudder in his grip. It was a feeling like no other & he was the only one to ever make you feel that way. You wanted to embrace it, but not until he gave you complete control. Forcing the euphoric feeling down, you steeled yourself in his hands before shoving yourself away from him.

            “You have five minutes to leave before I point you out to security. That’s my only warning.”

            You attempted to turn your back on him but he was quick to snatch you by the arm & force you backwards. His arm wrapped securely around your waist, your back pressed to his chest as he maneuvered your jaw in his hands to angle your head upwards to he could graze his lips along your ear, “And this is mine. Leave with me. Now. Or you won’t like what happens.”

            Your thighs quivered at the harsh tone of his voice, at his threat full of promise. But what Clark didn’t know was that you wanted to push him, push him as far as he could be pushed. Because only you would be the one to bring him back from the edge. And that to you was power.

            Spinning in his arms, you quickly leaned on your heeled toes to place a chaste kiss on his lips, sure to nip at his lower lip before harshly slapping him. The assault sounded loudly enough for those dancing beside the two of you & they stopped to stare.

            “May the best devil win.” You whispered so only he could hear before you slipped from his grip.

            Marching forwards, you saw Andrew approaching near the edge of the dance floor, a glass of water in his hand. Smirking haughtily to yourself, you walked towards him with intent. Andrew stopped in his tracks when he spotted you.

            “Here’s that water you—”

            The rest of his sentence you swallowed for him as you latched both of your hands around the back of his neck & kissed him passionately. Andrew yelped surprisingly before he finally began returning the deep kiss. You slipped your tongue into his mouth as one of your hands fell to the front of his neck in a gentle chokehold. When you finally stopped the kiss, you pulled away abruptly. He stumbled forward slightly, his eyes still closed & his lips still pursed longing for more.

            “Thanks, Andy.” You replied sweetly, running your fingers along his jawline, “You’re my hero.”

            Andrew slowly opened his eyes, clearly in a daze from the sudden kiss. As you took the glass of water from his hand, you sipped on it & swished it in your mouth to rinse the taste of him. As you did so, you spun around to face the dance floor. Much to your surprise, & disappointment, Clark was nowhere to be found. But you knew he saw what you had done. You knew he would be up to something. And you were only dying with curiosity to know what his next move would be.

            “Do you wanna go somewhere where we can be alone?” Andrew asked, forcing you from your thoughts. You had completely forgotten he was even there.

            “Not right now, Andrew.” You replied coolly, already returning to your apathetic self.

            “_____!” Olivia’s voice sounded from behind you & you had never been more grateful for her to appear then you had been in that moment.

            “It’s time to sing for the birthday girl, let’s go.”

            “Thanks again, Andrew.” You handed him the water back & didn’t wait for him to respond as you followed after Liv to the foyer of the mansion.

            There, a majority of the party guests had gathered as Nicola stood at the bottom of the stairs. You & Liv joined her on either side. The lights in the foyer dimmed & then everyone began to sing.

            “Happy birthday to you!”

            Your eyes danced around the masked faces in search of one. He had to be somewhere amongst the sea of people. Watching. Waiting for his moment to strike.

            “Happy birthday to you!”

            From the right hallway that led to the kitchen appeared Ariana & Jane as they carried out a massive three tired cake colored in black & emerald. Candles burned brightly on top of them as they grew closer to the birthday girl.

            “Happy birthday, dear Nicola!”

            You smiled along with Liv as Nic bit her lip in excitement with the arrival of her cake as they placed it on a small table just before her.

            “Happy birthday to you!”

            Nic smiled playfully before leaning forwards to blow out her candles. As soon as the last flame blew out, the guests erupted with cheers & hoots of hollers. Nicola spun around in her gown for all to admire in awe as a few serving staff appeared to begin cutting the cake. The lights in the foyer lightened up then & as your two friends waited eagerly for their slices, your eyes returned to the crowd.

            Where have you gone? Clark wasn’t one to give up so easily.

            “_____! Here’s yours.”

            Nicola handed you plate with a small slice on it & you peered at it for only a moment before a screeching scream sounded from just outside the front doors. Everyone stilled & the room was drowned in silence.

            “Oh, my god!”

            Then just as suddenly as time stilled, time seemed to fly by as guests rushed to the front doors & raced outside. Nic, Liv, & you were among the pile of people as they spilled outside & peered at something on the driveway. The three of you broke through the crowd & came upon a body on the driveway. But not just any body.

            Andrew’s body was face down on the pavement, blood pooling around his head.

            “What happened?!” One of the security guards yelled as he rushed towards Andrew.

            “He fell from the roof!” Someone else yelled out nearby.

            “It happened to fast!” Another chimed in.

            “Oh, my god…” Olivia breathed out, “is that…?”

            “Andrew.” Nicola finished for her in confirmation.

            Your heart was beating wildly, so loudly in your ears that you were sure everyone around you could hear it too.

            Clark.

            Just as you thought of him, you sensed movement to the right of the crowd & your eyes peered upwards to follow the movement.

            There he stood, still in his suit & his mask as he stared at Andrew’s body.

            One of the security guards had his fingers pressed against Andrew’s neck, “I’m not getting a pulse. Someone call 911!”

            “We already did!” A party guests responded.

            Not a second later, did sirens sound in the distance.

            As you stood there, Andrew’s body only a few feet from you, you felt eyes on you. You raised yours to meet his.

            He was angry. No. Not just angry. He was maddened. You could see it, feel it. His threat wasn’t empty, that much you knew, but to commit murder. To kill an innocent… You had pushed him to his breaking point. Finally.

            With that thought, & with the two of you staring at one another, all you could do was smile. You had won. You had the power.

            And as Clark’s eyes fell to your smiling lips, he saw his eyes darken beyond comprehension. He knew it, too.

            You were now the one in control.

after a 3 month hiatus i am very happy & relieved to be back!

this may not be the update you guys were wanting but if you've been following me for sometime you know i have to post in order due to what i like call my 'organizational ocd'.

that being said, summit will be updated next!

i also want to give a huge massive shout out to my followers who have been so kind in messaging me & checking in on me often & just for being patient & understanding. because of you i was able to come back without feeling like i let anyone down, so a massive thank you to you all!

i hope this long-awaited chapter is loved, as i love it a lot haha. anyways, i am happy to be back to my regularly scheduled program!

thank you for reading

oona<3

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hiii now that season four is out i was wondering what your thoughts were on rafe & sofia? andddd if maybe you would be willing to write for them? love ur work!

thank you darlin’!

& i wouldn’t write for them unfortunately. i’d write for rafe ofc but use a different character as a reader as it’d give me more freedom to build the characters personality & whatnot. working with two already established characters isn’t something i typically enjoy doing. it’s why i always create my own side characters & everything rather than using characters from the shows. so i’m sorry😔