Page 38 of Savage Desires

She pulls Willow further into the room, and the other women greet her with relieved smiles. I feel like an asshole for keeping them away when they were obviously worried, but I'll gladly wear that title because the last thing Willow needed was a bunch of traumatized women crying over her as she tried to rest.

"Are you okay?" the woman I have been calling Weeper #1 asks.

"I'm fine, Stacia. Just sore."

"Gladys said he wouldn't let us in to see you," Tabitha, the boldest of the women aside from Willow, says.

Willow looks at me with appreciation, not scorn. She's glad that I kept them away. I don't know much about my Beauty, but I know she doesn't like to be seen as weak. She showed more strength the night I saved her than I've ever seen from any other woman we've saved.

"Wasn't much to see. I slept most of the time," she says, trying to calm their ire.

"We were just worried about you," Lucy, also known as Weeper #2, says.

Her words are correct, but she sounds disingenuous. Gladys told me she's very manipulative and entitled. Her eyes fill with tears, and she looks on the verge of another crying episode.

Gladys is the most patient and kind person I know, yet Lucy and Stacia are weighing heavily on her nerves. She's helped many women over the years, and it never gets easier, but these two take being a victim to the extreme. And they are picky as hell. They didn't hold back when Gladys asked if there was anything they wanted beyond the basics. They've also complained about the food and lack of internet.

Apparently, they haven't been in captivity long and are ready to return to their former lifestyles. We haven't discussed the next steps with any of the women yet. We wanted to give them a couple of days to rest first. Now that Willow is up and around, we will sit them down and give them their options.

"No need to worry. Kisten has been taking good care of me."

She looks over at me with gratitude written on her face. I want to tell her not to look at me like that because keeping them away was not just for her sake but selfishness on my part. I wanted to keep her to myself. Having anyone else put a claim on her in any way is unacceptable. I knew if I let any of these women upstairs, they would make a nuisance of themselves and would have freaked out at the thought of a man—even the one that saved them—cleaning her naked body while she was unconscious or helping her shower after she woke up. It was probably morally wrong to do those things, but I'm already going to Hell, so what's one more strike against me?

Willow's attention is drawn back to the others as they tell her everything she's missed out on while resting. Feeling like an intruder, I back out of the room to give them space. Willow turns, pinning me in place with a look of panic. Considering how she's asked me repeatedly to stay with her, I kick myself for nearly sneaking away. Of course, she would freak out at me leaving without a word.

"I'm going to help Gladys in the kitchen. It's right through that door," I say, pointing to the doorway on the other side of the stairs we came down so she knows I won't be far.

She swallows thickly, her body tense. I can see the protest on the tip of her tongue, but she closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. When she opens her eyes again, the panic is gone, and that strength she constantly shows me fills them.

"Okay. If she needs more help, I will help out too."

I frown because there is no way in hell I'm letting my woman do anything close to work while she's still healing. I won't tell her that, though. She would probably practice her knife skills on me if I did. She likes me taking care of her and doesn't want me to leave her, but insinuating that she can't do something would be a terrible mistake.

"I'll let her know. If you need anything, let me know."

She nods while gifting me with a small smile. Before I can talk myself out of leaving her alone with the others, I force my feet to carry me away. Every step feels like it's pulling me apart. Is this how Matthew and Slade feel when they are away from their women? Surely, they aren't riddled with this same level of obsession. They lead normal lives. Sure, they work with their women and keep them close, but this need seems much more intense. Something deadly. I can see myself ending the lives of anyone who even considers thinking about keeping us apart.

Yeah, my obsession is dark and twisted, just like me. Hopefully, Willow will accept it because when the others go to Hope House or home in a few days, she's staying with me.

Forever.

CHAPTER TWELVE

WILLOW

My skin itches as I watch Kisten walk away. I really need to get a hold of my unhealthy attachment to him. It's not sustainable. He will leave me sooner or later; the quicker I accept it, the better off I'll be. I don't understand how or why I've latched onto him like I have. I've never felt so safe and protected. Not even with my dad, who would've done anything for me.

Stupid delusions. That's the only thing I can think of that caused such a sick need to be with Kisten every second. Just going to the bathroom was hard. I couldn't even stay away long enough to brush my hair. Though that turned out amazingly well. I've never had anyone spend so much time brushing my hair. My dad did his best but never got the hang of doing girly stuff like that.

In the cage, I thought I was safe to escape into dreams of Kisten saving me. I made up so many scenarios that starred him saving me, protecting me… loving me. God, how stupid could I be? Now, my feelings can't separate fantasy and reality. I knew I was fucked in the head, but this is next-level fucked.

I survived six years with my sanity. I didn't break no matter what they threw at me, and here I am, safe and free with a broken mind full of delusions. Why did I let Kisten become my happy place? What about that one interaction made my mind latch onto him? The only answer I have is kindness. For the first time in six years, someone stood up for me. He was gentle and took care of me. He was pissed at what had been done to me. I was so starved for human connection that all it took was one nice thing from a stranger to make me obsessed.

"Now that he's gone, are you really okay?" Tabitha asks.

I want to yell at her for insinuating that Kisten would harm me. He saved us, for fuck's sake. He brought us somewhere safe. If he wanted to hurt us, he would have already. Hell, he could have left us to be raped, tortured, and killed instead of saving our lives. He spent nearly a hundred grand to buy me.

"I'm fine. Kisten won't hurt me. He saved us," I say firmly, reminding them that he's not the bad guy here.