Under His Protection

Four

The next morning, I wake with a few seconds of serenity that don't last long enough. I forget where I am, how I got here, and the fate I'm being forced to face. In those few seconds, I'm in my bed next to Ray. The only worry to face is if my job will be busy or not. That's it. Now, every moment is full of worry and fear. I wish all this were just a cruel twisted nightmare. I wish.

Stretching my legs and arms, my stomach growls as Crow's voice pulls me from my few sacred moments of peace. Already dreading my day, I roll over and my door is open. Rubbing the blur from my eyes, I sit up and notice that there is a cup on my night stand with a straw sticking out of it. Taking it, I see that it's the morning smoothie Landon promised me yesterday. I'm starting to regret calling him mean. He is only doing what Crow is making him do. I don't blame him for being emotionally detached. How did he start working for such a despicable coward of a man? I'm sure Landon is more man that Crow is. Gazing down into the cup, I watch the smoothie get lower and lower as I drink. I gulp down a large amount before getting out of the bed. Still half sleep, I shuffle into the hall and Landon and Crow's eyes fall on me. "You're awake" Crow's tone surprisingly chipper for a man who feels the need to kidnap just to get a woman. As he steps to me, his perverted eyes scan every inch of me. Get your filthy eyes off me you beast of a man. Instantly, I take two steps back before he pulls me into his reach. His expression is no longer light, but dark and offended.

"Don't run from me, Princess." He groans as he sticks his nose into my hair, inhaling deeply. My skin crawls from his touch and I can't wait for him to let me go. Does this man really think he has appeal? Does he really believe that I will fall for him? If he does then I'm assuming he is also a delusional bastard. I stay silent, keeping my expression neutral as he runs his nose over my cheek before pulling back. "You smell so clean and warm. Makes my mouth water"

Oh, God, I really don't want to throw up this smoothie. It was too good. Forcing a small coy smile, I look down in my half empty cup "Thanks for the smoothie, Landon"

Behind us, Landon nods as Crow turns to him "Yes, it is great that my beauty is getting her strength back. I need you to be fresh and healthy for me. I hope all your ill feelings for me will fade as time goes by."

"And if it doesn't?" I ask, boldly, not being about to catch the words before they cascades from my lips. Pulling my lips in, I look down, hoping he'll just let it slide.

Crow cups my face forcefully and rubs his rough thumb over my chin, pulling my bottom lip free "If you don't then s*x will only be enjoyable for one of us" Suddenly, he presses his dry lips against mine and I cringe, trying to pull away. When he finally lets me go, I stumble back a step and he stares at me, dangerously. This man is a psycho. His mood swings make me dizzy and confused. This whole situation is overwhelming. Crow wants me to submit to him with no hesitation or complaint. He just wants to think that I will eventually desire him. A pile of cow s**t is more desirable than this man.

When Crow steps back, he rubs his hands down my arms "I don't think I can wait any longer. I want you in my home, Sweet Camilla."

My eyes flash from Crows to the equally surprised eyes of Landon before clearing my throat "But-" I can find the words. I can't scream my objection for this. All my words are jumbled in the back of my throat. Opening my mouth to say anything, air just comes out. My heart thumps with the thoughts of everything Crow will require of me once I'm in his care. My eyes water as tears spill over. Crow's face softens and his wipes my tears with the rough pad of his thumb. "Please, don't cry. It makes you look pitiful. You will be happy with me"

"How can I be happy when you're forcing me to do something I don't want to?" I choke out, wiping my cheek.

"You will learn to be happy." He smiles grimly as he turns "I will have a car come for the two of you. You know what to do, Landon"

Landon nods stiffly "Yes, sir"

Crow leaves and I stand there, flushed and blotchy as tears slowly trickle down my cheeks. I'm in hell. That's the only explanation for this whole situation. I'm in hell and Crow is the devil. Landon is a dark angel. Ray is just coward of a human who left me alone to be taken. And who am I? I'm just a casualty. Every war has them.

Breaking my dark thoughts, Landon steps to me and tugs the cup in my hand. I don't realize that I'm holding it so tightly until he pulls a little harder. I loosen my grip and he walks to the kitchen with it. "You should shower and get dressed. Gather your things. We'll be leaving soon"

"I don't want to"

"Well you don't have a choice. Go, now" Landon orders as his voice deepens with authority. I don't want to hate him, but I can't help it. He is like salt on a wound. Even when Crow isn't around, Landon is here to remind me that freedom isn't in my reach. It's only been four days, but it feels longer. Soon it will be a week then a month. God only knows what shape I will be in within a month of living under the control of Crow.

I go to my room and grab my towel to go shower. In the bathroom, I brush my teeth and wash my face as the shower water heat up. When steam begins filling the bathroom, I pull off my clothes and step in the shower. The hot water stings a bit at first before pulling me in with open arms. I stand under the shower head trying to have at least a few serene thoughts. The day I moved in with Ray is the first memory that comes to mind. He was so excited and happy. I remember him jingling my copy of his apartment keys over my head as I tried to jump to get them. I always loved his playfulness. His shoulder length hippie brown hair framing his boyishly handsome face. Ray was tall and a bit of a goof who just happened to know a lot about computers. I thought he was just the nerdy type. It was a facade. In his head was a different man.

Opening my eyes, I sigh as water washes over me. So much for serenity. Washing myself slowly, I realize that I missed s*x with Ray. It wasn't truly loving or passionate, but it was spontaneous. Always something or somewhere new. The excitement always clouded the fact that we barely made eye contact or said I love you to each other. I did love him, but clearly his feelings weren't mutual.

After showering, I wipe the steam off the mirror and stare at the stressed reflection. Thinking I had days to prepare for Crow, I'm now being thrown into it. Inhaling sharply, I feel my nerves flutter in my belly. A part of me wonders if anyone is looking for me by now. I haven't shown up to work in days. No one has received a call. Surely someone must be worried. It racks my brain to know that if anyone is looking for me, they never find me. They don't know the truth.

Blinking, I notice my face flush as my eyes water. I can't keep crying all the time. It's becoming quite draining to be so fragile and weak. No matter the tears, this is happening. Crow doesn't care whether I cry. Actually, he just prefers if I don't. Pitiful is the word he used to describe me in my moments of weakness.

Tired of wallowing, I leave the bathroom with my towel wrapped around me, dirty clothes in my arms. As I turning down the hall, I run smack into Landon. I step back and gasp "I'm sorry" I quickly say as he frowns down at me.

"Get your stuff together. The car will be here soon. I packed your clothes" Stiffly, he steps past me, shifting so he doesn't brush against my damp skin. Even without touching me, his warmth reaches me sending chill bumps down my arm. So weird.

In the room, I dry and get dressed. As I put the small amount of things I've collected over the past few days in a bag, I can't help, but feel a little relieved that Crow took death off the table for me. Even though the alternative is almost as worse, still i'm alive. My body is relieved for the absent of beatings. I'm still sore, but less sore than I was yesterday. I'm still bruised, but at least they aren't fresh. I had never been hit in my life before Crow and if I keep upsetting him, it may not be my last time meeting his fist.

A while later, Landon comes in "It's time to go." He steps to me and grabs my shoulders, turning me away from him. Suddenly, everything goes dark when he blind folds me. I guess Crow doesn't want me know the route to his home. He probably thinks I'll try to run. He's right, I would.

When the blind fold his snug around my eyes, Landon presses his hand in the middle of my back, nudging me towards the floor. I initially flinch at his touch. He never touches me unless he has too. I guess when you touch someone, it makes them too real. I suppose Landon just wants to think of me as a job, a mission of sorts.

Before walking outside, Landon slides a puffy large jacket on me before cable tying my wrists. I hiss softly as they bite at my skin.

"They are too tight"

"Then don't move" Landon replies dryly. I press my lips together as sigh "Asshole" I whisper as he grabs my arm leading me outside. Out the door, a cold breeze whips around me and I cringe, stopping to adjust to the roughness of the wind. It stings my cheeks as Landon pulls me along, ignoring when I trip and almost fall. All I hear is him sigh in irritation and continue to drag me. "Why don't you just put a damn leash on me?"

"Maybe a muzzle too" he groans.

I roll my eyes before realizing that he can't even see the gesture. God, I hate him and his smug attitude. As we get closer to whatever vehicle we will be riding in, I hear another voice I recognize from the first night.

"Not married yet? I surely thought you too would have hit it off by now" The humorous stranger chuckles.

"f**k you" Landon huffs as he opens a door. "Step up" He orders and I raise my foot, cautiously. I step up and Landon nudges me rather forcefully into a van or truck. The extra force wasn't necessary at all. I should kick him in the head again. Jerkface. Landon slides in next to me and his arm brushes over mine, but he has a jacket on this time. I reach up to adjust the blind fold from itching my nose and suddenly, my hand is slapped away "Oww! What the f**k, you f*****g jerk?!"

"Don't touch it" Landon says as the person driving chuckles loudly "I like her already. She is one of the few that hate you as much as you hate her"

He hates me? Well then, the feeling is more than mutual.

"It's itching my nose. I was just trying to adjust it, you ogre" I go to reach up again and he again slaps my hands away "I said stop, damn it"

"Then fix it!" I yell, cringing at the cable ties, squeezing my wrists painfully.

"God, you infuriate me" Landon whispers as he touches the blind fold, lifting it ever so slightly off the bridge of my nose. I reach up slowly so he doesn't think I'm trying anything and scratch my nose "Yeah, well you're not exactly a pleasure either"

I sigh and turn away from him, towards the window that is probably tented. In the front seat, I hear the guy driving, whispering along with the country music playing on the radio. It's a song I know so I sing it in my head to ease my thoughts. I try to keep up with the amount of turns and stops we take, but once my mind starts drifting, I quickly lose count and give up on my escape plan. Just great Camilla, you're a genius.

Have way through the ride, I feel Landon moving. "Here" He says and I open my hands. He places a sandwich in my hand. When the aroma feels my nose, I realize it's peanut butter and jelly. "Thanks"

"Mhm" is his reply. So kind, so kind.

I eat my sandwich slowly and in between a few bites, Landon offers me sips of water. After two sandwiches, my tummy is content. I turn my face to Landon "Thank you for lunch" I nod and I hear a soft snort come from him "I see you enjoyed it. You have a bit of peanut butter on the corner of your mouth. Before I can reach up, his thumb is there, wiping it away. Parting my lips, I inhale softly. Oh...

The pad of his thumb is soft unlike that brute, Crow. When his thumb is gone, I lick the corner of my mouth for any other peanut butter residue. Neither of us say anything, but the person driving sees it all; I assume, because hear him "Ooo'ing" in the front seat.

"Well, aren't you both just adorable." He comments, but Landon doesn't reply and neither do I. I don't know how adorable I can be, blind folded and cable tied, unless he is into that sort of thing.

When the drive begins to drag on, my bladder begins to alert me of it's need to release. I hold it. I don't want what happened the first night to happen again. Hell nope! That was the most embarrassing thing I've ever experienced in my life. As time ticks on, it becomes harder to ignore. I clench my thighs, trying to press the urge away. I bite my lip hard and turn to Landon, not being able to take the pressure anymore. "I have to pee"

"I was wondering when you were going to say something" He says with wit in his tone. He tells the driver to take the exit to a gas stations and I can't help but wonder how the hell he is going to make it look normal to pull a blind folded girl out of a van in public. This should be interesting.

After a few minutes, the van stops. Landon opens the door and tugs at my arm. I slide out of van and the cool air hits me. Gravity takes over and I fidget. I have to go badly! Landon pulls me, quickly and we enter a restroom. It smells like a restroom. I find my way into a stall and turn to Landon "Is it clean?"

"It's a gas station restroom. What do you think? Just squat"

I sigh and hear the stall door close. I struggle to get my pants down as my legs wiggle. When I finally get them down, I squat and sigh as my bladder lets go. Yesssssss, Jesus! I close my eyes and sigh. When I'm done, I'm almost afraid of what's about to happen next. On cue the door swings open and I cringe. However, to my surprise, Landon grabs my hands and with a snap, the cable tie is gone. The door closes again and I smile. "Thank you"

"Mhm"

I quickly wipe and pull my pants up. Pushing open the door, Landon guides me to the sink. I turn the water on and wash my hands. As I'm drying them, Landon takes the opportunity and cable ties my hands again. Groaning, he loops his finger through the tie "Loose enough?'

I wiggle my wrists and nod "Yes"

Back on the road, the driver decides to strike up conversation "So what's your name?"

"Camilla."

"That's a gorgeous name. Tell me a little about yourself"

"Uh, I'm 20. I work, well worked in a bank as a teller. I had a cat name George. That's about it" I shrug. I hear the man chuckle "Don't like talking about yourself much?"

"Not really"

"Could've fooled me" Landon chimes in and I huff.

"Well, I'm Anderson. So what are your hobbies?"

"Um, I like to knit and read, I used to volunteer at a community garden on the weekends."

"You sound very old for your age. Don't you go out and party?" He laughs and a smile plays on my lips. "Yeah, but I lived with my grandmother after my parents died so she taught me about plants and taught me how to knit."

"How did they die if you don't mind me asking?" His tone is a little more sensitive.

"They died in a car accident when I was young."

I hear him sigh out of sympathy "I'm very sorry, dear. Losing one's parents is never easy. I can relate. I'm sure you miss them every day."

"I do. I must say they wouldn't be very happy about the situation I'm in. They would be disappointed that I somehow became involved with someone like Ray, a criminal" I feel my nose tingle a bit, knowing I'm close to crying. I hold it in as the van quiets. Guilt has probably consumed him a bit too much to continue the conversation. He said he can relate. So maybe he is thinking about what his parents would think of him and his career choices.

No one talks for the rest of the ride and when the car finally comes to a stop, the butterflies awake in my stomach. I hear water flowing as Landon opens the door. Sliding out, I stumble a bit, but Landon grabs my arm stopping me before I can walk. I feel him lean into me, his warm breath cutting through the cold and hitting my neck. "I'm sorry about your parents" He whispers, deeply into my ear. I turn towards him and nod "Thanks."

"And....I'm sorry about all of this too" Through the cold, I can feel the warmth of his humanity. I like it. I like it a little too much.

I frown at the unfamiliar tone in his voice. Sincerity.

I don't reply as he leads me up to Crow's house, but I replay the words in my head. I hear the door open before we get to it "Aw, my Princess. You must be terribly uncomfortable. I just have to take precautions with you, my dear. Come in so you can get settled" I feel Landon pass me off to Crow and his rough hands slide down my arm, taking my wrist. To say that I miss Landon's touch would be an understatement. I don't like Crow's hands on me. It's like they are invading every inch of me. My body rejects him, but he keeps trying.

I walk inside his home, feeling the warm around me. Seconds later, the blind fold comes off and I blink a few times. When my vision clears, I look around the large home. It is beautiful and rich looking. There is art pieces on every wall. Expensive statues placed on the floor. White furniture and marble tables. The beast has taste.

Crow cuts the ties off and I rub my wrist. Grabbing them, Crow rubs his fingers over them "So soft and precious. I'm happy you're here. Think of this as your home. What's mine is yours, understand. You can go where ever you please as long as Landon accompanies you."

I nod as he wraps his arm around my waist, pulling me to his side. Turning my head to look for Landon, I see him walking behind us. His eyes find mine and I quickly turn back to look forward. Crow gives me a tour of the house, showing me the eight bedrooms and ten bathrooms, the large kitchen and dining room. Every inch of the house is gorgeous, but I keep my emotions at bay. A beautiful home does not mask the fact that I'm still a prisoner. Like Beauty and the Beast, but I have no intentions of falling in love with this ghoul.

When the tour ends, Crow leads me back upstairs to reveal two last bedrooms that are on the opposite side of the house. One is my bedroom, I assume. The other must be his. When he opens one door, I see that it's a guy's room, his. The room is a dark chocolate brown. The bed is huge and it looks as if it came out of a magazine or something. Crow smiles down at me "Eventually, you will join me here when you're ready"

Oh, hell nope! Please get me out of here. Leaving the room, he walks be down to the other end of the hall. He presses me forward and I open the door. Holy s**t. The room is a twisted dream. The whole room is a gold theme. The bed is the same size as his, but the room is more feminine. Amazing, absolutely. Does it change how I feel? Negative. I still wish I were home, but I'm settling for this. Crow turns towards the door and looks are exchanged between him and Landon. Suddenly, Landon turns and leaves. Crow places his hands on my hips and pulls me tightly against him. My throat clenches and he leans in, inhaling my scent. "Do you know how sexy you are?"

I don't answer as his nose runs down my jaw, causing me to shiver in disgust. His breath smells of cigars and I hold my breath until he leans away from me. Sliding his hands up, his thumbs run over the bottom of my breasts and I step back. "Please, stop!" I whisper harshly, pushing his arms away. Crow's peaceful stare hardens as he pounces at me. He grabs my shoulders and his lips slam into mine, painfully. When he pulls back, he growls "I've told you once, I will not tell you again. Do not run from me!" He shakes me as his fingers dig into my skin. When he sees the fear in my face, he immediately changes. He lets me go and takes my hands in his. It's like two different people in his head.

"I'm terribly sorry, Princess. I'm going to leave you to get adjusted. Remember, this is your home now, Love. After a while it won't seem so forced. Just keep an open mind, Camilla. I'm trying to make you happy." Crow kisses me cheek and I don't react to it. It's just something I'm going to have to block out. After he leaves, I see Landon standing at the door again.

"I'm sorry you have to babysit me 24/7" I shrug, fighting back tears,feeling quite crummy.

Landon comes in and walks past me. Looking down at me briefly, his blue eyes freeze onto mine and he sighs "Me too."